I think they're going to put most of the 'Gohan hates his father' stuff when they're in the Hyperbolic Time Chamber. That resentment is going to be the push to get him to transform into a Super Saiyan for the first time. But Goku is blissfully unaware of it because he's so excited that Gohan transformed.
At least, that's what I would do.
And I'd make SSJ 2 pretty much Nightmare Fuel because Cell's plan Went Horribly Right. Like in canon. Sort of like what Krillin said in season 1.
"Yay! Gohan transformed, he's going to save us all!" "Oh, no! Gohan transformed, he's going to kill us all!"
And we haven't said Future Trunks for 'most rational character'?
edited 31st May '15 6:44:33 PM by LOLypop1224
The *Legendary* Super Saiyan is motivated by a crying infant! He is a literal giant f***ing baby!
SSJ 2 Gohan is one of the most terrifying things in the DBZ universe. All the power in the universe given to a young boy with no understanding of how to control it. If Goku hadn't died, things could have gotten ugly fast.
Gohan seems to know how to control it.
He just doesn't seem to want to. He just wants to hurt Cell.
The scary thing about his fight with Cell is that he seems like he's having fun.
He's toying with him.
It's the reason Cell has a chance to self-destruct.
Gohan slow-walks like the terminator until he suddenly vanishes and reappears in the blink of an eye.
He could have probably killed all of the Cell Jrs and Cell in an instant if he'd felt like it.
For a second it seemed like he was going to blast a Cell Jr. and Krillin.
Even before Krillin said it was okay.
...I think he killed a Cell Jr. by shouting at it.
edited 31st May '15 7:10:16 PM by unnoun
I sorta like how Kai handled it.
...I wish there was a version of the anime with the best filler but none of the padding.
With padding being "standing around doing nothing".
Like, the way TFS handled Frieza's transformations was basically perfect. The way TFS handles most of the padding is better than in the actual show. And the fucking manga. Straight, to the point, and entertaining!
And yes, I include the padding in the manga!
There is still way too much goddamned padding in the manga!
I mean, Kai takes care of the padding in the anime. Which is better. It also cuts the entertaining filler though, so. Eh.
Gohan only had to hit Cell twice to destroy Cell's bravado.
Then he overcame the school of hard bitches and broke Cell's jaw.
edited 31st May '15 8:10:13 PM by unnoun
Gohan versus Cell was insane. I mean, two punches, and Cell could barely stand upright. Freeza, in a similar situation and without the advantage of regeneration, pulled off a far better show.
As for the whole Gohan-Goku dynamic, those last episodes Gohan is finding out Goku to be in the right more often than not. Make what you will out of that.
I still want a full version of "dodge bitch".
GOKU: "Gohan! You've got to to take Cell down now before he can regenerate!"
GOHAN: "Take him down now? No, I think I'll wait. I'm going to let him suffer for a little while."
/Actual dialogue.
I could see Gohan doing the thing Frieza did to Nail. Ending up with a pile of arms.
I mean, Gohan kicked 18 out of him.
And then he decided to play with Semi-Perfect Cell for a bit.
edited 31st May '15 8:42:45 PM by unnoun
Actually, now that I think about it, it would be even more disconcerting if Gohan DIDN'T speak once he went SSJ 2, like in the original. Normally, there would be some sort of witty banter. Cell would try and break Gohan by making comments, but Gohan would be completely silent.
...OK, I mean, I know Goku did that as well when he went Super Saiyan in DBZA, but there they gave an excuse that he was just tuning out. Here, they can just give an excuse that Gohan does not give a shit about being witty anymore. He just wants to beat him, and enjoy himself while doing it.
The *Legendary* Super Saiyan is motivated by a crying infant! He is a literal giant f***ing baby!

Actually, considering that Goku being a shitty dad is so strongly ingrained in the fandom, I'd actually expect them to not go that way. I mean, just last episode he actually beat Gohan with logic.
Though I also think you are right. Gohan will rebel at the worst possible moment due to all his resentment, and fuck things up with Cell, leading to Goku dying, and adding a whole new level of sadness to the whole thing.
One Strip! One Strip!