Story Arcs: 1: God of Destruction Beerus Arc | 2: Golden Frieza Arc | 3: Universe 6 Arc | 4: Copy-Vegeta Arc | 5: Future Trunks Arc | 6: Hit Arc | 7: Great Saiyaman Arc | 8: Krillin Arc | 9: Universal Survival Arc
The Great Saiyaman Arc (グレートサイヤマン編, Gurēto Saiyaman Hen) is the 7th story arc in the Dragon Ball Super series. Set between the Hit Arc and the Krillin Arc.
Short Summary
A Great Saiyaman movie is being made and Gohan reluctantly becomes the stuntman for movie superstar Barry Kahn. Meanwhile, a dangerous alien known as the Watagash escapes Jaco's custody and makes its way to Earth.
Tropes:
- A Day in the Limelight: This short arc mainly focuses on Gohan and his family.
- All Part of the Show: Gohan's final battle with the Watagash possessed Barry is filmed and added to the movie, so the civilians all think it was just part of the filming and nothing else.
- Arc Villain Duumvirate: Barry Kahn and Watagash share the role, due to Watagash being the big physical threat but disconnected from Gohan personally, while Barry is a personal foe to Gohan, but until being possessed by Watagash wasn't a physical threat to him.
- Beware the Nice Ones: Gohan tolerates a lot from Barry, but possibly disturbing Pan while she sleeps is where he draws the line.
- Cheerful Child: Pan takes her kidnapping rather well for an infant (better than her father did when he was four).
- Continuity Nod
- One of the bank robbers that the Watagash infects remembers Gohan (as the Great Saiyaman) back from the Buu arc in Dragon Ball Z.
- Also from the Buu arc, Barry Kahn was the face that Majin Buu emulates when trying to get a girl to like him.
- Didn't Think This Through: Mr. Satan fully intended to reveal to the world that Gohan is the Great Saiyaman, all to give him some well-deserved fame. While they appreciate the thought, Gohan and Videl explain to him how badly that would affect Gohan's career, so he buttons his lip.
- Disproportionate Retribution: Because Videl turned him down, Barry suggests Gohan become a stuntman in the movie in the hopes he'll be embarrassed on the job or even injured in an accident.
- In Barry's view, Gohan stealing the spotlight is total justification for ruining his marriage.
- The Dog Bites Back:
- At the end of the arc, Cocoa threatens Barry to expose him as the creature that Gohan defeated.
- Barry tries to throw his weight around against the director, but even he had his limits and shouts Barry down once he pushes his luck a bit too far.
- Dumb Struck: The Director is introduced in this mood, sadly submissive to Barry's control of the film's production. Gohan's performance, fortunately, reignites his spark, motivating him to regain control.
- Enemy Without: Not really, but this is how the In-Universe movie plays the fight between Gohan and Barry due to Barry playing Great Saiyaman.
- Epic Fail: Barry's attempt to frame Gohan by making it look like he was secretly dating Cocoa fails, as Videl takes the word of her devoted husband over the forged evidence of a man who she quickly figured as a Jerkass the first time they met.
- Everyone Has Standards: Even when being blackmailed, Cocoa ultimately feels too guilty about helping Barry's plans and tries to prevent more photos from being taken.
- Fangirl: Despite finding Barry attractive, Videl still thinks Gohan is cooler.
- Forgot Flanders Could Do That: Since the beginning of Super, Videl is much mellower in personality and didn't show off her fighting abilities she used as a teenager. However, she rescues Pan by flying to the top of the building Pan is on. She hasn't flown on screen since Dragon Ball Z.
- Frame-Up: Barry plans to fake an affair by photographing Gohan with Cocoa. It fails because Videl doesn't care what the photos show; she knows Gohan better than that.
- Hate Plague: The Watagash itself is harmless. But it also infects people with darkness in their hearts and gives them a major power boost. The more darkness in their hearts, the more powerful they become. Barry had so much darkness in his heart that he was able to turn into a Kaiju.
- Here We Go Again!: Barry is beaten and the Watagash is extracted from him and captured. Jaco goes to take him in, but once again stops for ramen, assuring the vendor he has things under control. Cut to the Watagash once again cracking his container.
- Jerkass: Barry by a mile. He does not take any slights well (when Videl rejects getting his autograph and when he perceives as Gohan showing him up during filming).
- Kick the Dog: Barry threatens Cocoa's idol career in order to blackmail her into helping him expose Gohan.
- Let's You and Him Fight: Jaco assumes Watagash is possessing Gohan and attacks him.
- Nice Job Fixing It, Villain: Angered by Videl spurning his advances, Barry accepts Gohan's offer to be the stuntman, hoping the poor fool will get injured and maimed to the suffering of Videl. Gohan not only does the stunt without problem, his performance convinces the crew to hire him indefinitely to do all the stunts and poses for the film, taking the attention away from Barry.
- Not What It Looks Like: The photo of Cocoa kissing Gohan that Barry shows off. Gohan doesn't need to panic or plead innocence, though; Videl knows this really isn't what it looks like.
- One-Winged Angel: The Watagash possessed Barry goes through two, first into a bulkier more monstrous form, then into an extremely powerful Kaiju.
- Papa Wolf: The only reason Gohan refuses to kill Barry is because Pan is watching, and he doesn't want her to see a gruesome death the way he did as a child.
- The Power of Hate: Watagash's power is dependent on the darkness in the heart of his host. Barry's heart is so black that he goes from a normal human to being able to trade blows with base Gohan.
- "The Reason You Suck" Speech: Videl lays into Barry hard when he tries to frame Gohan.
- Videl: How pitiful. (*rips up the photos*) Did it sting that much to be told I don't need your autograph? Does seeing Gohan-kun stand out sting that badly? You get treated like royalty, but you have no self-confidence. How pitiful.Barry: This picture is solid proof that—Videl: Gohan-kun isn't like that. I'm sure there's a reason.Gohan: *smiling* Videl-san....Videl: If you're done, then leave.
- Stating the Simple Solution: When Gohan is fighting the possessed Barry, Jaco attempts to kill Barry with a Wave-Motion Gun, but Gohan stops him because he does not want Pan to witness death. Jaco says Gohan is being stupid and it would be simpler to just kill him.
- Tranquil Fury: When Barry starts to get physical at Gohan's house, Gohan quietly tells him to leave before he wakes up Pan. To drive the point home, Gohan shows off his speed and 'lightly' pushes Barry into a wall (despite having the strength to crush him if he was so inclined).
- Undying Loyalty: Videl to Gohan. When Barry frames Gohan by showing Videl photos of Cocoa kissing Gohan she just tears up the photos and gives Barry "The Reason You Suck" Speech. She knows Gohan would never cheat on her and knows that no matter what it might look like there must be a reason for it.
- Wave-Motion Gun: Jaco has a very powerful cannon on his ship. One missed blast made a really huge shock wave.
- What the Hell, Hero?: At the end, Gohan and his family watch the premiere of the movie. When it is over, Goku says that he got bored and fell asleep, prompting Chi-Chi to punch him in the head and yell at him for not being supportive of their son.
