Akira Toriyama Dragon Ball is a landmark anime that continues to inspire new series and attract new fans. There are many reasons why Dragon Ball continues to keep audiences on edge, whether it's the franchise's incredible energy attacks, totemic transformations, or cathartic confrontations between good and evil. That said, Dragon Ball resonated with such a wide audience because of its unforgettable characters that they became icons of shonen anime. Dragon Ball is dense with compelling characters like Goku, Vegeta, Piccolo, and Gohan, but the franchise is forever changed by Dragon Ball Z Episode 119, “The Mysterious Youth,” in Future Trunks’ debut.

Future Trunks is in Dragon Ball for a surprisingly limited time, but his contributions are crucial. Future Trunks has an extremely satisfying character arc, and he's someone fans consistently request to get his own spin-off series or standalone feature film. Each episode of Future Trunks brings something special, but some of his heroic actions resonate more strongly than others and highlight why he's one of the Dragon Ballis the best.

10 Future Trunks kills Future Dabura and Babidi to prevent Future Buu from awakening.

There is a long absence of Future Trunks in Dragon Ball after he returns to his timeline following the conclusion of the Cell Saga. Future Trunks makes a surprise return in Dragon Ball Superfrom the “'Future Trunks' Saga”, but Dragon Ball also provides some crucial details about what the hero has been up to in the meantime. Much like in Dragon BallIn the main timeline, Babidi and Dabura appear to collect energy essential for Majin Buu's awakening. Future Trunks' timeline doesn't have heroes like Gohan and Goku around to face these threats, so their elimination falls to him.

Future Babidi and Future Dabura spend a decade gathering enough energy to resurrect Buu, but their plan is thwarted by Future Trunks, who has been training with Future Supreme Kai and Future Kibito with the Z Sword. Future Trunks fearlessly confronts these malevolent threats, who unfortunately manage to execute Future Kibito. This tragedy leads Future Trunks to ascend to Super Saiyan 2 status, at which point he destroys Future Dabura and Future Babidi with his Burning Attack. It's an incredibly heroic act that proves Future Trunks is enough to keep his timeline safe, even though the rest of Earth's greatest heroes are gone.

9 Future Trunks shares an ice cream heart-to-heart with Gohan

Future Trunks wouldn't be the person he is today without the lessons he learned from Future Gohan. These two share an unbreakable bond in Future Trunks' timeline before Future Androids 17 and 18 execute Future Trunks' mentor. It's a loss from which Future Trunks never fully recovers. Dragon Ball Super begins to engage in creative and cathartic storytelling when Future Trunks encounters the adult version of Gohan from the main timeline. This older Gohan looks nearly identical to his fallen mentor, but Future Trunks quickly recognizes the differences between the two and that this Gohan isn't as hardened.

Future Trunks initially struggles to accept that this Gohan isn't as battle-driven as the one from his own timeline, but this acceptance helps him find some peace with his past. It's an eye-opening experience, where Future Trunks better appreciates the value of a simple domestic life, filled with normalcy and ice cream. It's a sobering sequence, albeit a necessary step forward, that helps Future Trunks move forward and open himself to new experiences.

8 Future Trunks defeats Bojack's Kogu in the Intergalactic World Tournament

Dragon Ball Z: Bojack Unchained is the ninth feature film in the series, set during a fascinating period when Goku is dead in his battle with Cell, but Future Trunks is still in the picture. The film revolves around an interstellar martial arts tournament to find Earth's strongest fighter. Bojack Unchained becomes one of Gohan's best showcases as he faces off against the space pirate Bojack and his galaxy soldiers. Gohan does most of the heavy lifting, taking out Zangya, Bujin, Bido, and Bojack.

That said, Future Trunks achieves a satisfying victory against Kogu, one of Bojack's Galaxy Soldiers. Kogu undergoes an intimidating transformation and attempts to eliminate Future Trunks with his Devilish Blade. Future Trunks neutralizes the weapon as a Super Saiyan and proceeds to punch Kogu in the chest. It's a truly triumphant attack and the first moment in Bojack Unchained that the tide begins to turn for the heroes. It's a moment a step above Future Trunks' victory over Android 14 in Super Android 13!

7 Future Trunks tests Super Saiyan 3 Goku's strength

Future Trunks' return in Dragon Ball Super It's incredibly exciting, but it doesn't happen under pleasant circumstances. Future Trunks needs help against Goku Black, who is currently destroying his timeline. Goku is curious to test Future Trunks' strength to see how powerful he has become since their last encounter, as well as to better assess Goku Black's power level. A thrilling battle ensues between Goku and Future Trunks, both starting at Super Saiyan 2 strength. Goku transforms into Super Saiyan 3 power, and Future Trunks goes all out against the Saiyan.

Super Saiyan 3 Goku is able to repel Future Trunks' sword strikes with just one finger. It's a humbling moment for Future Trunks, but there's still tremendous courage in facing a Super Saiyan 3 warrior. It's an experience that leaves him inspired, rather than discouraged. It's also a nostalgic counterpoint to how Goku initially tests Future Trunks' strength in their first encounter, which helps highlight how much both have changed since then.

6 Future Trunks faces Super Vegeta to prevent Android 18's absorption

Dragon Ball ZThe Cell Saga is an incredibly exciting time for Super Saiyans. Future Trunks, Vegeta, Goku, and Gohan head to the Hyperbolic Time Chamber to utilize their limited time and attempt to surpass their current Super Saiyan abilities. Trunks and Vegeta's future training sessions together are a lot of fun, but the consequences prove even more rewarding. Vegeta, recently arrogant in his Super Saiyan 2nd degree state, becomes curious and confident that he will be able to defeat Semi-Perfect Cell once he achieves perfection. Rather than destroy Semi-Perfect Cell while he maintains the advantage, Vegeta helps facilitate Cell's absorption of Android 18 so he can face a stronger opponent who truly tests his abilities.

Future Trunks is disheartened by this development and is forced to fight his father to prevent Cell's perfection. Future Trunks is grateful to have a father again, but he is still unwilling to jeopardize the future of the world. Future Trunks attacks Super Vegeta because it is the right thing to do and the heroes' best chance of preventing an apocalypse. It is a testament to Future Trunks's virtues, even if he falls short and fails to prevent Android 18's absorption.

5 Super Saiyan Rage Future Trunks wages war with Super Saiyan Rosé Goku Black

There are some fascinating intermediate steps and unique power levels to Super Saiyan that only a few characters experience under the most extreme circumstances. One of Dragon Ball SuperThe most debilitating battles in the series are the heroes' crusade against the combined efforts of Goku Black and Future Zamasu. These villains are relentless, and even Super Saiyan Blue Vegito's strength proves insufficient. Goku Black and Future Zamasu taunt Future Trunks, telling him that all the destruction in his timeline is his fault. This evokes the same feelings of helplessness Future Trunks felt when Future Androids 17 and 18 mocked him earlier, and triggers an explosive rage in the Saiyan.

Future Trunks ascends to Super Saiyan Rage status and is suddenly able to counter the villain team's attacks. In fact, Super Saiyan Rage Future Trunks pushes Future Zamasu and Super Saiyan Rosé Goku Black onto the defensive, helping buy Goku and Vegeta enough time to devise a new strategy. Future Trunks seemingly defeats Super Saiyan Rosé Goku Black before the villains turn to fusion as their final gambit.

4 Super Saiyan Third Grade Future Trunks Battle Perfect Cell

Everyone is terrified when Semi-Perfect Cell absorbs Android 18 and becomes Perfect Cell. Cell's power increase is beyond expectations, and it seems a truly invincible villain has emerged. Super Saiyan Second Grade Vegeta is quickly eliminated by Perfect Cell, and Future Trunks—though worried—does everything he can to prevent further consequences. Future Trunks surpasses Super Saiyan Second Grade status and reveals the more powerful heights of Super Saiyan Third Grade. Future Trunks' transformation is met with a cataclysmic display of power, and it temporarily appears that Future Trunks may be able to prevail.

It doesn't take long to discover that Super Saiyan Third Grade, while stronger than his predecessors, is substantially slower to the point of actually being a step backward. Super Saiyan Third Grade Future Trunks can't defeat Perfect Cell, but still results in one of the Dragon Ball Zare more suspenseful battles. Furthermore, the fight ends with Future Trunks finding a way to stoke Perfect Cell's pride and ego enough to grant the heroes ten extra days of training so they can match Cell's strength.

3 Future Trunks unleashes his Sword of Hope against Fused Zamasu

Goku Black and Future Zamasu are some of the Dragon Ball SuperThe most determined villains, and they nearly succeeded in their plan to wipe out all mortals from existence. Future Trunks has already surpassed his limits during this war when he accesses Super Saiyan Rage. However, he takes it a step further when he channels humanity's energy into his sword, transforming it into the ultimate weapon. This process is similar to Goku's Spirit Bomb technique and rightly celebrates Future Trunks as the true hero of this story arc.

It's rare that someone other than Goku or Vegeta can eliminate the main antagonist. However, Future Trunks deserves this victory and carries the weight of his entire fractured timeline on his shoulders. Future Trunks uses his Sword of Hope against Fused Zamasu and cuts the fused monster in half. It's the breakthrough in the battle the heroes were looking for, even if Omni-King Zeno's intervention is necessary to completely destroy Infinite Zamasu and end this threat.

2 Future Trunks is introduced through the evisceration of Mecha-Frieza and King Cold

Future Trunks' first appearance in Dragon Ball Z is absolutely unforgettable and arguably the best introduction to any character in the franchise. It took Goku dozens of episodes to defeat Frieza, so the Z Fighters are understandably horrified when he appears on Earth, complete with cybernetic upgrades, with his powerful father at his side. It seems a major battle is imminent against Mecha-Frieza and King Cold.

Future Trunks, out of nowhere, appears and destroys these two villains with zero difficulty. It's a crucial turning point that establishes more Super Saiyans and that this isn't a singular transformation experienced by Goku. It also establishes a new power level where Super Saiyans become the baseline of the series. It's a powerful way to introduce a new character and immediately prove that he's one of the Dragon Ball Zof the most interesting individuals.

1 Future Trunks returns to his timeline to eliminate the androids

Future Trunks has done a lot to prove himself as a hero, but few are as cathartically satisfying as the Cell Saga epilogue, where he returns to his timeline to clean up Dr. Gero's mess. Future Trunks helped defeat Cell in the prime timeline. However, he still wants to return to where he came from, rather than continue living in the past with the new friends he's made. Future Trunks becomes substantially stronger throughout the Cell Saga, and it's incredibly satisfying to see him harness that power and use it to accomplish what was previously impossible.

Future Trunks not only defeats Future Androids 17 and 18, but also eliminates them with a single shot. The Androids are caught completely off guard, and Future Trunks finally manages to deliver justice to Future Gohan. It would be easy for Dragon Ball Z Skipping Future Trunks' emotional return, which makes it such a rewarding display of strength and spirit. It's a moment that highlights everything fans love about Future Trunks and why he's so popular. Dragon Ball character.