History WhamEpisode / Dragonball

* ''Anime/DragonBallZBattleOfGods'' introduces the God of Destruction Beerus, who is feared in the universe by anyone who knows him. He takes out Super Saiyan 3 Goku with ''two hits'', one of which being a '''[[FingerPokeOfDoom finger flick]]'''. With the help of Vegeta, Gohan, Goten, Trunks, and Videl (who is pregnant with Pan), Goku obtains Super Saiyan God. Ultimately, the new form isn't enough for Goku to beat Beerus, who uses 70% of his power. After Goku surrenders, Beerus chooses not to destroy Earth out of respect for Goku's efforts and takes his leave, but not before revealing to Goku that his assistant Whis is his ''teacher'' (and thus stronger than him) and that there are 12 universes, with the one Dragon Ball has been set in being the seventh.

* ''Anime/DragonBallZBattleOfGods'' introduces the God of Destruction Beerus, who is feared in the universe by anyone who knows him. He takes out Super Saiyan 3 Goku with ''two hits'', one of which being a '''[[FingerPokeOfDoom finger flick]]'''. With the help of Vegeta, Gohan, Goten, Trunks, and Videl (who is pregnant with Pan), Goku obtains Super Saiyan God. Ultimately, the new form isn't enough for Goku to beat Beerus, who uses 70% of his power. After Goku surrenders, Beerus chooses not to destroy Earth out of respect for Goku's efforts and takes his leave, but not before revealing to that his assistant Whis is his ''teacher'' (and thus stronger than him) and that there are 12 universes, with the one Dragon Ball has been set in being the seventh.

* The winner of the Tournament of Power isn't Goku, Vegeta, Jiren, or even Frieza. It's [[TheBusCameBack Android 17]].

* As Gotenks defuses inside Buu, cutting Buu's power to half of what it was before, Super Buu is seemingly on the edge... until he absorbs Gohan out of nowhere, giving him a great increase in strength and leaving Goku with no-one left to fuse with other than ''Mr Satan''.[[spoiler:[[BigDamnHeroes Enter Vegeta.]]]]

* The end of Episode 98, which makes everyone truly realize how high the stakes are. Goodbye, Universe [[spoiler:9]]. ''Forever.'' [[spoiler:(Okay, not really, but still!)]]
* The reveal of Goku's newest transformation: [[spoiler: Ultra Instinct]].
* The winner of the Tournament of Power isn't Goku, Vegeta, Jiren, or even Frieza. [[spoiler: It's [[TheBusCameBack Android 17]]]].

* [[AxCrazy Super Buu]]'s [[KillEmAll Human Extinction Attack]]... 'nuff said.

* The actual fight with Frieza defies all expectations a few times. Firstly with the fact that Frieza can [[OneWingedAngel transform]] into something more monstrous after Vegeta was able to match his strength. Secondly with the revelation that in Frieza's final form, for all his bluster, Vegeta is leagues behind him. A fact that Frieza has fun with. Finally, Goku shows up and all things seem to be going well...until it's revealed that [[OhCrap Frieza isn't even using 10% of his power]]. This marks the first time that Goku arrives on the battlefield only to be just as outclassed as everyone else.

* After Android 19 (Actually Dr. Gero) and 20 didn't live up to be the terrifying threat that Future Trunks set them up to be, the heroes seem to think that Android's 17 and 18 would be just as much of a pushover. Especially Vegeta in his Super Saiyan form, since he enacted a brutal curb stomp battle on 20. This despite how much Future Trunks is freaking out. But even as the battle between 18 and Vegeta really shows just how powerful these new foes are, no one was expecting 18 to effortlessly break Vegeta's arm. Such a brutal act showed just how screwed the heroes were, as their training for three years was practically for nothing.
* When [[ArcVillain Cell]] debuts, Piccolo asks who and what he is and Cell tells him ''he's his brother''. [[ItMakesSenseInContext He's actually technically correct]], given what his [[LegoGenetics genetic composition]] is, although given the way it's mentioned in the episode can also count as a BigLippedAlligatorMoment.

* Dende and Vegeta reviving Earth and all those (good people) killed since the start of the World Tournament Arc. It's a WhamEpisode as the dead are revived BEFORE the defeat of the villain, effectively making this a GodzillaThreshold. Vegeta himself is revived, essentially cementing his HeelFaceTurn for good. Vegeta then tells Goku to prepare the Spirit Bomb to finally defeat Buu. All this in a single episode!!

* Kid Buu {{no sell}}s the firing of the Spirit Bomb, '''lifts it up using sheer willpower, and ''fires it back towards Goku''!!!'''. Dende uses his wish to restore Goku's power, and Goku sends the Spirit Bomb back, finally defeating the Majin menace once and for all.

* The end of Episode 47. The new villain is Goku!! Moreover, "Goku" kills Future Bulma and (as it looked like then), Future Mai.
* Zamasu assassinates Gowasu. Then Whis rewinds time, Zamasu's caught red-handed. While moving on to attack Goku and Gowasu, Zamasu's promptly intercepted by Beerus, who then proceeds to ATOMIZE Zamasu, with only one word... DESTROY!

** The next episode [[UpToEleven takes it up a notch]]. In that episode ''Mr Satan'' gets shot and while he succeeds in saving his life the grief is all to much for Majin Buu as his desperation to not do anything bad as his friend Mr Satan had instructed him so, such as being angry, lead to his anger manifesting and creating [[EvilCounterpart Evil Buu]].

* As Gotenks defuses inside Buu, cutting Buu's power to less than a third of what it was before, Super Buu is seemingly on the edge... until he absorbs Gohan out of nowhere, giving him a great increase in strength and leaving Goku with no-one left to fuse with other than ''Mr Satan''.[[spoiler:[[BigDamnHeroes Enter Vegeta.]]]]

* From the aptly-named Universal Survival Arc, the revelation that Zen-Oh is using the tournament Goku suggested to decide which universes should be completely erased from existence, save for the Angels.

* When [[ArcVillain Cell]] debuts, Piccolo asks who and what he is and Cell tells him ''he's his brother''. [[ItMakesSenseInContext He's actually technically correct]], given what his [[LegoGenetics genetic composition]] is, although given the way it's mentioned in the episode can also count as a BigLippedAligatorMoment.

* [[AxCrazy Super Buu]]'s [[KillEmAll Human Extinction Attack]]... nuff said.

* Goku is revived by Old Kai, who [[HeroicSacrifice sacrifices his own life force]], exchanging it with that of Goku. With this, Goku becomes the only character in the entire series to NOT be revived by the Dragon Balls.

* The end of Episode 98, which makes everyone truly realize how high the stakes are. Goodbye, Universe [[spoiler:9]]. ''Forever.'' (Okay, not really, but still!)

** In the next episode, which is arguably even more of WhamEpisode, King Piccolo has his wish granted for him to be restored to his physical prime, and then ''KILLS [[BenevolentGenie SHENRON]]'' so that nothing may ever threaten him again. [[MagnificentBastard Well played, Piccolo]].

* Roshi unleashes the [[DangerousForbiddenTechnique Evil Containment Wave]] in a bid to seal King Piccolo, however, Roshi misses at the last second and ''dies''. Shortly after that, '''[[FromBadToWorse King Piccolo summons Shenlong]]'''.
** In the next episode, which is arguably even more of WhamEpisode, King Piccolo has his wish granted for him to be restored to his physical prime, and then ''KIILLS [[BenevolentGenie SHENLONG]]'' so that nothing may ever threaten him again.[[MagnificentBastard Well played, Piccolo]].

** [[AnyoneCanDie Yamcha, Chaozu and Tenshinhan all die]].
** [[AlasPoorVillain Piccolo dies]] [[TakingTheBullet saving Gohan from Nappa's attack]], and because of this [[{{Synchronization}} Kami dies]], and as a result of this... '''[[OhCrap the Dragon Balls VANISH!]]'''

* The ending of Goku's battle with the Ginyu Force. For the last several episodes since his arrival on Namek, Goku's been moping the floor with the Ginyu Force, and has finally confronted Captain Ginyu himself. Goku should eventually just beat the Captain as easily as he did his men and get ready to take on Freeza, right? Except Ginyu reveals he has the power to steal someone's body, and proceeds to steal Goku's for himself! Although Goku is eventually able to regain control, the damage dealt to him while Ginyu was still in charge leaves him in heavy need of hospitalization. Which means Freeza is still out there waiting to attack, and '''[[OhCrap and the Z Warriors' biggest powerhouse has just been taken out of action]]'''.

* Vegeta becomes possessed by [[EvilSorcerer Babadi's]] magic and then kills 200 innocent bystanders at the World Martial Arts Tournament stadium.

* When Goku had to distract Majin Buu the first time he fought him everyone thought he would share the same fate as Majin Vegeta. That was until Goku revealed that he had a Super Saiyan 3 transformation. This of course shocked both the audience and the characters a bit, echoing the Super Saiyan transformation in the Freeza Saga. The show showing one of the most spectacular transformation sequences ever.
* [[FakeUltimateHero Mr. Satan]] convinces Majin Buu not to cause anymore destruction by explaining what the differences are between good and bad. Majin Buu not only agrees to never kill again but also starts to show his side of love and compassion with a new dog the he and Mr Satan had adopted when Majin Buu healed it. [[ShootTheDog The dog was shot at the end of the episode]].
** The next episode [[UpToEleven takes it up a notch]]. In that episode ''Mr Satan'' gets shot and while he succeeds in saving his life the grief is all to much for Majin Buu as his desperation to not do anything bad as his friend Mr Satan had instructed him so, such as being angry, lead to his anger manifesting and creating [[EvilCounterpart Evil Buu]].

* Goku is revived by Old Kai, by [[HeroicSacrifice sacrificing his own lifeforce]], exchanging it with that of Goku. With this, Goku becomes the only character in the entire series to NOT be revived by the Dragon Balls.
* As Gotenks defuses inside Buu, cutting Buu's power to less than a third Super Buu is seemingly on the edge, Super Buu then out of nowhere, absorbs Gohan, giving him a great increase in strength and leaving Goku with no-one left to fuse with other than ''Mr Satan''.[[spoiler:[[BigDamnHeroes Enter Vegeta.]]]]

* The emergence of Fat Buu.
* Dende and Vegeta reviving Earth and all those (good people) killed since the start of the World Tournament Arc. It's a WhamEpisode as the dead are revived BEFORE the defeat of the villain, effectively making this a GodzillaThreshold. Vegeta himself is revived, essentially cementing his HeelFaceTurn for good. Vegeta then tells Goku to prepare the Genki Dama to finally defeat Buu. All this in a single episode!!
* Satan motivating the entire world to donate their energy to Goku, which Goku fires on Kid Buu.
* Kid Buu {{no sell}}s the firing of the Spirit Bomb, '''lifts it up using sheer willpower, and fires it back towards ''Goku''!!!'''. Dende uses his wish to restore Goku's power, and he sends the Spirit Bomb back, finally defeating Majin Buu once and for all.

* Episode 61, where we finally learn Goku Black's true origin. He's NOT Zamasu possessing Future Goku's body, he's Present Zamasu, one year after the Champa Saga. To elaborate, this is the version of Zamasu who succeded in assassinating Gowasu (with no Whis and Beerus to interfere), usurping the position of Supreme Kai from him. Then, he used the Super Dragon Balls to swap bodies with Goku. THEN, he swiftly kills Goku, along with Chi-Chi and Goten. After that, he jumped from timeline to timeline, finally meeting Future Zamasu, and setting the arc in motion.

* The end of Episode 98, which makes everyone truly realize how high the stakes are. Goodbye, Universe [[spoiler:9]]. ''Forever.''
* The reveal of Goku's new transformation [[spoiler: Ultra Instinct]].

* When Goku had to distract Majin Buu the first time he fought him everyone thought he would share the same fate as Majin Vegeta. That was until Goku revealed that he had a Super Saiyan 3 transformation. This of course shocked both the audience and the characters a bit, echoing the Super Saiyan transformation in the Freeza Saga. This ended up as a CrowningMomentOfAwesome in the show showing one of the most spectacular transformation sequences ever.
* [[FakeUltimateHero Mr. Satan]] convinces Majin Buu not to cause anymore destruction by explaining what the differences are between good and bad. Majin Buu not only agrees to never kill again but also starts to show his side of love and compassion with a new dog the he and Mr Satan had adopted when Majin Buu healed it. It seemed to be a true great CrowningMomentOfHeartwarming... [[ShootTheDog only for the dog to be shot at the end of the episode]].

* In a CrowningMomentofAwesome for Kid Buu, he [[NoSell no sells]] the firing of the Spirit Bomb, '''lifts it up using sheer willpower, and fires it back towards ''Goku''!!!'''. Dende uses his wish to restore Goku's power, and he sends the Spirit Bomb back, finally defeating Majin Buu once and for all.