History Recap / DragonBallZAbridgedM8

* ApatheticCitizens: Even after thirteen long years of the Androids/Cyborgs killing cities and towns across the world, no one is trying to develop technology to stop them in any form. People continue with their everyday lives like nothing is wrong and only panic when they attack the city they are currently in. One guy who runs a roller coaster at an amusement park ''doesn't even recognize them when they jump in line to the front car''. In fact, the radio personalities even casually joke about how a city is not only destroyed but also state that one of them is now single, following the death of his fiance in the same city, ''with no mourning whatsoever''.
** This is somewhat subverted 3 years later when a radio station calls out in panic about another Cyborg attack.

* BadFuture: Most of the Z-Fighters are dead, leaving next-to-no opposition to the destructive Cyborgs. [[ApatheticCitizens Not that anyone cares]]. However, Gohan [[DiscussedTrope disagrees that this trope applies]] -- for him, it's just more of [[TheWorldIsAlwaysInDanger the same]].

* AdaptedOut: Yamcha neither appears nor is even mentioned in this film. Must have been something to do with him [[spoiler:hanging himself after realizing that Bulma is pregnant with Vegeta's child]].

* BadFuture: Most of the Z-Fighters are dead, leaving next-to-no opposition to the destructive Cyborgs. [[ApatheticCitizens Not that anyone cares]]. However, Gohan [[DiscussedTrope disagrees that this trope applies]] -- for him, it's just more of the same.

* PlayedForDrama: Even with a handful of jokes, the special is probably the darkest episode that [=TFS=] did. The death of Gohan and Trunks finding his body in particular remain a TearJerker.

* JerkwithaHeartOfGold: Future Gohan, at least to Trunks. AdaptationalJerkass attitude not withstanding, he gladly takes Trunks under his wing, and doesn't seem to hold his failures against him. Trunks speaks highly of him in the series when he's brought up, and its easy to see why.

* AdaptedOut: Yamcha neither appears nor is even mentioned in this film. Must have been something to do with him [[spoiler: hanging himself after realizing that Bulma is pregnant with Vegeta's child]].

* JerkwithaHeartofGold: Future Gohan, at least to Trunks. AdaptionalJerkass attitude not withstanding, he gladly takes Trunks under his wing, and doesn't seem to hold his failures against him. Trunks speaks highly of him in the series when he's brought up, and its easy to see why.

* NoodleIncident: Trunks once offhandedly mentions obtaining his sword from [[Anime/WrathOfTheDragon Tapion]], saying that it's a long story.

** Quite a few music pieces are from Series/DoctorWho and the end credits sequence combines the Doctor Who theme and "Cha-La Head-Cha-La". The Doomsday theme plays when Trunks finds Gohan's body.

*** The song with them having fun while attacking Super World is ''We Like To Party'' from the Vangaboys, which was once the commercial theme song for ''Ride/SixFlags''.
** The anxious piano piece that plays when Gohan confronts 17 and 18 for the final time is lifted from Anime/NeonGenesisEvangelion, appropriately titled, "Marking Time, [[DoomedMoralVictor Waiting For Death]]".

* BadFuture: Most of the Z-Fighters are dead, leaving next-to-no opposition to the destructive Cyborgs. [[WeHaveBecomeComplacent Not that anyone cares]]. However, Gohan [[DiscussedTrope disagrees that this trope applies]] -- for him, it's just more of the same.

* CallForward: Bumla starts suspecting that their future would have no effect from Trunks changing the past due to "Multiverse Theory", but by the time she comes to this conclusion, Trunks already takes off. Bulma seemingly confirms this after witnessing no immediate change in the timeline. Starting with [[Recap/DragonBallZAbridgedE37 Episode 37]] of the main Abridged Series, this is frequently lampshaded and discussed.

* NiceJobBreakingItHero: 17 says he's going to stop all the pointless killing [[VictoryIsBoring because he is getting bored]], and is going to become a [[MythologyGag park ranger]]. When Gohan kicks him in the face, a pissed-off 17 decides he will wipe out the human race ''entirely''. [[ArsonMurderAndJaywalking Though he still plans on becoming a park ranger once he's all finished.]]

Over the next few weeks, Gohan would begin training Trunks in the art of dodging his attacks, only for Trunks to stumble into the whirlpool, with a frustrated Gohan [[ForgotAboutHisPowers reminding Trunks that he can fly]]. After getting out of the ocean, they converse about their own parents including how Gohan looks up to Piccolo as his true father and what Trunk's father looks like (When recounting it, it is a scene of [[WouldHurtAChild Vegeta]] beating up a young Gohan, who tries to defend his father's honor). However, when it comes to Gohan's real parents, he virtually abandoned both of them to the point that we see that [[TearJerker Chi-Chi is depressed]] and suffers from a MadnessMantra on how she wished that her own son either talks to her or let her become a grandmother.

With Trunks as the narrator of this special, the scene begins with Gohan finding out that [[KilledOffForReal Goku is dead for good]] as a result of a high cholesterol with every single Z-fighter including Vegeta himself mourning for him...for 6 months before the [[InsistentTerminology cyborgs]] kills off all of the Z-fighters from Piccolo, Vegeta, Tien, and even Krillin, leaving the fate of the earth with only Gohan and Trunks as the survivors.

Fast forward 13 years into the story, and humanity ([[AndYourLittleDogToo and country music]]) continues to become slowly wiped out by the androids with every single of the [[ApatheticCitizens citizens being apathetic about it]] (with the radio even making a joke about his own fiancé being killed there). Trunks arrives against Bulma's instructions only for him to stumble upon a deserted city, however fortunately, he managed to meet up with the hero of his timeline; Future Gohan.

Trunk's attempt to turn Super Saiyan out of anger fails to the point that at "Piccolo's" suggestion, Trunks accompanies Gohan to the battlefield the next day, with what the cyborgs having destroyed an amusement park (And once again, the citizens being apathetic about them). At first, Gohan managed to overwhelm 17 only for 18 to join the battle and quickly overwhelm Gohan, with Trunks doing little to no help in turning the tables. As a result, Gohan loses his left arm and the cyborgs won unscathed.

Just as 17 is about to have a HeelRealization regarding all his atrocities and considers becoming a park ranger, Gohan kicks him through a building which makes the cyborg decides to kill everyone on the planet. Gohan eventually decides to make his LastStand against the androids only for him to fail and [[MentorOccupationalHazard dies]]. Moments later, Trunks attempt to scour the city for his master only to find him dead...Enraged, Trunks makes a SkywardScream and turns into Super Saiyan for the first time.

* CallForward: Bumla starts suspecting that their future would have no effect from Trunks changing the past due to "Multiverse Theory", but by the time she comes to this conclusion, Trunks already takes off. Starting with [[Recap/DragonBallZAbridgedE37 Episode 37]] of the main Abridged Series, this is frequently lampshaded and discussed.

* ApatheticCitizens: Even after thirteen long years of the Androids/Cyborgs killing cities and towns across the world, no one is trying to develop technology to stop them in any form. People continue with their everyday lives like nothing is wrong and only panic when they attack the city they are currently in. One guy who runs a roller coaster at an amusement park ''doesn't even recognize them when they jump in line to the front car''. In fact, the radio personalities even casually joke about how a city is not only destroyed but also states that Wombat is now single, ''with no mourning whatsoever''.

* BrickJoke: Before Trunks leaves for to take on the Cyborgs, you can hear [[Recap/DragonBallZAbridgedE18 Vegeta's scream from Namek finally reaching future Earth]].

* CallForward: Bumla starts suspecting that their future would have no effect from Trunks changing the past due to "Multiverse Theory", but by the time she comes to this conclusion, Trunks already takes off. Starting with [[DragonBallZAbridgedE37 Episode 37]] of the main Abridged Series, this is frequently lampshaded and discussed.

* NiceJobBreakingItHero: 17 says he's going to stop all the pointless killing [[VictoryIsBoring because he is getting bored]], and is going to become a [[MythologyGag park ranger]]. Then Gohan kicks him in the face... [[ArsonMurderAndJaywalking Though he still plans on becoming a park ranger once he's all finished.]]

* PlayedForDrama: The special is probably the darkest episode that [=TFS=] did. The death of Gohan and Trunks finding his body in particular is a TearJerker.

* BrickJoke: Before Trunks leaves for the past, you can hear [[Recap/DragonBallZAbridgedE18 Vegeta's scream from Namek finally reaching Earth]].

** The anxious piano piece that plays when Gohan confronts 17 and 18 for the final time is lifted from Anime/NeonGenesisEvangelion, appropriately titled, "Marking Time, [[MentorOccupationalHazard Waiting For Death]]".

* NiceJobBreakingItHero: 17 says he's going to stop all the pointless killing [[VictoryIsBoring because he is getting bored]], and is going to become a [[MythologyGag park ranger]]. Then Gohan kicks him in the face...

** Quite a few music pieces are from Series/DoctorWho and the end credits sequence combines the Doctor Who theme and "Head Cha La". The Doomsday theme plays when Trunks finds Gohan's body.

* NiceJobBreakingItHero: 17 was going to stop all the pointless killing [[VictoryIsBoring because he was getting bored]], and was going to become a [[MythologyGag park ranger]]. Then Gohan kicked him in the face...
* NoodleIncident: Trunks once offhandedly mentioned obtaining his sword from [[Anime/WrathOfTheDragon Tapion]]. He merely stated that it's a long story.

Fast forward 13 years into the story, and humanity ([[AndYourLittleDogToo and country music]]) continues to become slowly wiped out by the androids with every single of the [[ApatheticCitizens citizens being apathetic about it]] (with the radio even making a joke about his own fiancé being killed there). Trunks arrive against Bulma's instructions only for him to stumble upon a deserted city, however fortunately, he managed to meet up with the hero of his timeline; Future Gohan.

Returning home with Gohan in company, Trunks desperately wishes to be Gohan's pupil. Gohan accepts on the condition that Trunks addresses him as [[CallBack Mr. Gohan]]. Happy to be Gohan's student, Trunks invite Gohan to dinner where Bulma makes them food. When Bulma pointed out at how Gohan looks a lot like his father, [[ParentalNeglect he is visibly upset at it, with the Gi being the only remainder of him]].

Over the next few weeks, Gohan would begin training Trunks in the art of dodging his attacks, only for Trunks to stumble into the whirlpool, with a frustrated Gohan [[ForgotAboutHisPowers reminding Trunks that he can fly]]. After getting out of the ocean, they converse about their own parents including how Gohan looks up to Piccolo as his true father and what Trunk's father looks like (When recounting it, it is a scene of [[WouldHurtAChild Vegeta]] beating up a young Gohan, who tries to defend his father's honor). However, when it comes to Gohan's real parents, he virtually abandoned both of them to the point that we see that [[TearJerker Chi-Chi is depressed]] and suffers from a MadnessMantra on how she wished that her own son either talks to her or become a grandmother.

* AdaptationalVillainy: Future Gohan outright doesn't care for his parents, a far cry from the original version where he thinks highly of them everytime he is fighting with the androids.

** Quite a few music pieces are from Series/DoctorWho and the end credits sequence combines the Doctor Who theme and "Head Cha La".