Re-Writting the Dragon Ball Z Movies to Fit the Canon

 

Before I say anything I want to point out that I know the movies are non-canon and exist in their own timeline with most of them taking place during points in the story that would have been impossible to happen the way they did in the movies. Many people have analyzed where they could possibly fit in the timeline and even some tried to re-write them fan-fic style. So, now I want to take a try at it. Not wanting to create a whole new timeline, I will try to have events lead to the same destination. How much do I need to change the movies or main story to make them fit? Click "read more" and let's find out.

I am going to categorize every movie into one of 3 groups;

Easy Fit - Movies that need little to no changes to fit into the timeline.

Minor Changes - Movies that need noticeable but doable changes in order to fit

Complete Overhaul - Movies that cannot possibly fit into the main timeline and need to have major changes to both the movie and series in order to work. 

Let's go!

Getting the obvious out of the way, History of Trunks, Bardock the Father of Goku, Battle of Gods, and Resurrection F have already been re-worked into the main story. Dragon Ball Super Broly and Super Heroes are already canon. Moving on!

DeadZone - Easy Fit

I am going to agree with the masses on this one and say it takes place in-between Dragon Ball and Dragon Ball Z before Raditz shows up. The only issue is Krillin would have known who Gohan is during the re-union episode but that can be covered with one line of dialogue. "Oh yeah I met him during that incident with Garlic Jr. last year."

Animation style matches more Dragon Ball than Dragon Ball Z, plus Goku using the Power Pole and Kami joining in on the fight also make it fitting for the timeframe.

Tree of Might - Complete Overhaul

I know that Worlds Strongest came out before this movie but that is just the beginning of my overhaul. I switched those two movies around so that Yamcha Tien and Chiaotzu can stay in the movie. (They only appeared in 2 so I'd rather keep them in.) Technically, this film takes place after Goku arrives on Namak but before the final fight with Frieza and still on Earth, which is impossible. The only time this movie could fit in is during the 1 year training for the Saiyans to arrive which still leaves 2 major problems, the Dragon Balls have been used and Goku is alive. Having the film take place any sooner is out of the question since Goku uses the Kaioken and Spirit Bomb and post Namek would have the whole issue of Super Saiyan to deal with so that is out. So, a hard re-write it is. 

First off, the bit where they use Shenron to restore the forest is replaced with the Z-Fighters re-planting the forest instead. Easy fix, but Goku, Yamcha, Tien, and Chiaotzu being alive plus Gohan being able to fight needs some heavy adjusting.

In the main story, Vegeta and Nappa arrive earlier than expected. So, I am going to treat that filler episode on Planet Arlia as canonical and use it as a reason that Vegeta and Nappa appear later. The Z fighters are taking a little time of rest because it may be their last chance. Turles heads to Earth because he also overheard the conversation on his scouter and figures that Earth will be perfect for growing The Tree of Might. King Kai catches wind of this and knows they need Goku's help but his training is not complete; I will change the plan to wait a year to wish Goku back to life since it has been confirmed that living beings can still be on King Kai's planet. So, King Kai sends Goku back to Earth early in anticipation of Turles' appearance. Gohan goes on a camping trip with Krillin, Bulma, and Oolong after returning home while Piccolo needed some alone time training and hearing of his Dad's return. Once the events of the movie play out, Goku returns to King Kai's to finish his training after reminding everyone that Turles is not the great Saiyan threat they were expecting and Gohan sneaks out to finish up with Piccolo.

This one was a mess.

World's Strongest - Complete Overhaul

Again, I switched the order of this film and Tree of Might. Borrowing a page from MasakoX, Piccolo barely survives the attack from Nappa, but the Dragon Balls need little more time to restore. I will have to change Shenron being used to melt the ice in order to restore, but instead a giant bomb created by Dr. Kochin that attracts the attention of Piccolo and Gohan. Goku sneaks out of the hospital before he was finished healing so he is not as strong as he could be. (This ties into filler later.) Things play out the same from there, Piccolo gets kidnaped, Roshi gets some fighting, and Dr. Wheelo is defeated. No real impact on the timeline.

Lord Slug - Complete Overhaul

This one will follow the changes with the last two movies which makes all three an overhaul. I will have these events take place shortly after World's Strongest with Slug arriving and stealing the wish the Z Fighters were going to use to revive Yamcha and Tien. Goku is still not fully recovered but is hiding it. Most of the film will play out the same, with two major changes, Piccolo will die in the battle which will prompt the trip to Namek just like in the series and Goku will be re-hospitalized. The false Super Saiyan motivates him to train harder than he should. This result in the events that occured in the filler episode The Search Continues where Goku injures himself and it rushed back to the hospital.

Those three are easily the most challenging, things should go smoother now.

Cooler's Revenge - Easy Fit

This one is easy, have it take place after Trunk's warning during the 3 year time skip. Goku and Gohan took a little break from training and decided to have a camping trip in order to let their bodies rest. The only issue is Goku seemingly not having control of his Super Saiyan form. However, the movie never stated directly that he couldn't transform, just that he didn't until the end. Let's just say he underestimated Cooler and his henchmen and after getting injured he didn't have the strength to transform right away. Everything plays out the same, Cooler is defeated and the gang resume their training.

Return of Cooler - Minor Changes

This movie can be salvaged into the main timeline with one big, but understandable change, Dende. I will have this film take place earlier than it is implied with it being near the end of the 3 year training gap; so I will replace Dende requesting the Z Fighters help New Namek as Guardian of Earth with him reaching out to Kami from New Namek. Vegeta, who was still training in space, had achieved Super Saiyan, Sensed what was going on, and joined in. In the film, only Goku witnessed Vegeta transform so his big reveal to the other Z-Fighters when he is fighting Android 19 can will happen the same because Vegeta disappears into Space at the end of the film.  

Super Android 13 - Minor Changes

This one will feel out of character for Goku and friends, but it is manageable. After Goku recovers from his heart virus he tells ChiChi that he needs to take Gohan and train and in the series ChiChi reluctantly gives in. However, I will change it that ChiChi adds a condition that the 3 of them need to have a proper shopping trip as a family first which leads to the mall scene in the movie. Trunks gets tired of watching Vegeta sulk for 3 days and decides to spend some time with Krillin and Roshi which again leads them to the mall scene. Cell is moving slower than the original series and is kind of being ignored. Events from there play out the same and adds even more motivation for Trunks and Krillin to track down Gero's basement lab.

A bit of a stretch, but no worse than a filler arc.

Broly - The Legendary Super Saiyan - Complete Overhaul 

This one used to be an easy fit. For awhile, you could have easily placed it during the 9 days leading up to the Cell Games. ChiChi made Goku change back for the school interview and the Z-Fighters are finished with their training and are trying to enjoy a little picnic to take their minds off of the Cell Games, and bam perfect fit. However, the release of the canon Dragon Ball Super Broly complicates things. Making them two different Broly's who look almost the exact same, have twin Fathers and with a near identical backgrounds would be too much of a stretch and there is no way the two can be the same person from different encounters with the 2 sequels this movie spawned and the way the canon Broly played out. I could simply brush this one off like Trunks or Bardock and say it was already re-written and adapted, but that again would conflict with the two sequels. So, as a last resort, I am going to have to use different timelines. These events will still take place during the days before the Cell Games, but this Broly will be the one from Trunk's timeline. Paragus and Broly are unaware of this, but Broly's rampage that destroyed South Galaxy also ripped a whole in the time flow and Broly rushed through it sensing Goku for the first time. Their plan goes as before completely unaware of the shift through timelines.

I am not to proud of this one but it was the best I could come up with without conflicting with the DBS Broly.

Bojack Unbound - Easy Fit

This one may as well be canon with how easily it fits into the timeline. It takes place after Cell is defeated in both timelines, Future Trunks comes back one last time to tell everyone of his success and say goodbye but decides to stick around for Hercules tournament just for fun. Nothing needs to be re-written or changed at all, done.

Broly - Second Coming - Easy Fit

Going off the first Broly movie actually happening, this movie can take place shortly after Videl learns of Gohan being the Great Saiyaman and before Goku's return for the World Tournament. It is not set in stone how much time took place during the training for the tournament so this one can play-out just fine. Again, assuming the first Broly movie happened.

Bio-Broly - Complete Overhaul

This movie is so terrible it is better of just forgotten about. Here is a tricky case, it would seem to have happens after the 25th tournament while the Z-Fighters are dealing with Majin Buu and before Goten and Trunks race off to join them. However, Krillin went with them to Majin Buu but he is prominently featured in this movie. So, the only way I can think to make this work is for Krillin to have avoided Dabura's stone spit and instead told to retreat. He returns to accompany his wife to pressure Hercule for her money and before Goten and Trunks learn about Majin Buu. Why Krillin would be completely uninterested in what is going on during the Majin conflict and non of those events cross paths? For the same reason this film exists, just to milk Broly's popularity.

Fusion Reborn - Minor Changes

This one can almost fit in, the biggest issue is Gohan. I will have Majin Buu sleeping for the full day and not just a few seconds and him thinking it was a day in order to keep him out of this. I am going to have this take place very shortly after Goku returns to Other World and after Kibito heals Gohan. Normally, Gohan stayed with Supreme Kai and Kibito to obtain the Z Sword, but in this timeline he quickly bolted back home after healing in order to ensure everyone that he is okay. The events of the movie play out the same but it ends with Gohan being taken by Kibito and Supreme Kai in order to acquire the Z Sword. 

Not a great solution but acceptable.

Wrath of the Dragon - Easy Fit

This one is even easier than Bojack. It takes place after Kid Buu is defeated but before the fat Buu can be seen in public. Nothing needs to be changed at all. You could consider this movie canon as it and it will not affect anything except why Goku never uses his Dragon Fist again.

I am not even going to try and touch the Dragon Ball or GT movies.

So, that was my take. Movies 2, 3, and 4 were a mess and Broly was a bazar case, but overall I am happy with this. Till next time, this is Cendoo the Ghost Ranger, signing off.