Dragonball Z: Golden Age
is a Dragon Ball AU fanfic written by TheWriteFiction on FanFiction.Net.
Official Summary:Gohan's final battle with his arch nemesis Cell isn't interrupted by Vegeta's blunder. Watch how this single moment changes the events of things to come, as we follow the story of the young Saiyan as he goes on to forge his own path- facing new dangers, making new friends, and redefining his destiny. The story of Gohan that should've been.
There is an older version and a spin off fanfic here and here respectively. The author has also begun making a manga version with expanded scenes available here on patreon.
Tropes:
- Adaptational Badass: What everyone is shaping up to be.
- In the Bojack Arc Videl fights in the tournament against Gohan who has been keeping up with training after the Cell Games. Trunks, Tien & Android 18, Piccolo each fight some of Bojack's henchmen and manage to score victories instead of it all relying on Gohan. Yamcha manages to help Android 18 & Tien despite being nearly unconscious and Krillin also puts up a better fight in the manga. Zangya has a super form and actually fights Bojack instead of getting one hit killed like in the movie.
- Adaptation Expansion: The manga version has far more events covered compared to the fanfic version and is overtaking it on patreon. It even builds up more background compared to what is shown in canon.
- Adaptational Nice Guy: Zangya, Kogu, and Bujin are only working for Bojack under the threat of death and Zangya later turns on him.
- Dark and Troubled Past: Zangya lost all her people and was forced to fight for the man responsible to survive. Manga reveals she was forced to kill her younger brother.
- Foreshadowing: Gohan's nightmare hints towards future enemies he'll face off against.
- For Want Of A Nail: The main point of divergence is Vegeta not attacking Cell after killing Trunks and Gohan beating him singlehandedly.
- Hotter and Sexier: More female warriors have been included compared to canon & there is a good amount of fanservice.
- One-Hit Kill: Hilariously Gohan's fight with Bojack is even more one-sided than canon!
- Shout-Out: How Raditz is still alive? Nanomachines, Son!
- The Man In Black's to-do list includes finishing Bofuri Season 2 & having poker with Rick Sanchez.
- The Dog Was the Mastermind: Professor Brief's cat seems to be The Man In Black with evil plans for Gohan and Briefs seems to be aware of him!
- Uriah Gambit: Bojack's race attempted this on him. It failed and lead to him destroying them.
