Top 10 Darkest Dragon Ball Moments Ever

Welcome to WatchMojo, and today we’re counting down our picks for the Top 10 Darkest Moments in Dragon Ball.

For this list, we’ll be looking at the most grim scenes from the OG series, “Z,” “Super,” and “GT.”

Did we miss any spine-tingling moments? Let us know in the comments below!

“Dragon Ball Super” (2015-18)

Zamasu’s Zero-Mortal-Plan promised a few casualties. But, no one expected that to include the entire timeline. Or that it would be destroyed by Grand Zeno himself. See, after the Fallen Kai merged with reality, the only solution left was for Zeno to hit the proverbial reboot button on Trunks’ world. Sure, it took out Zamasu, but it wiped out literally everything else in the process. Trunks and Mai escaped to the prime timeline beforehand, but it's hard to celebrate their survival when their entire reality just got backspaced out of existence. How these two managed to hold it together, we’ll never know.

“Dragon Ball Z” (1989-96)

At first, finding the Namekian Dragon Balls doesn’t seem so bad. Bulma, Krillin, and Gohan found Namek easy enough, and even made some new friends along the way. But, then, the Spirit Bomb drops: This isn’t Namek, these aren’t the Dragon Balls, and their new allies aren’t even Namekians at all. Turns out, they’re actually stranded aliens trying to steal Bulma’s ship.As if their slimy true forms aren’t terrifying enough, the thought of being stranded on a desolate planet is even worse. Thankfully, Krillin and Gohan end up showing these guys who’s who. But, they still got eerily close to ending the Namek Saga before it even began.

“Dragon Ball GT” (1996-97)

The cruelest fight in all of “Dragon Ball” isn’t against androids, space tyrants, or destroyer gods; it’s the one that’s a family affair. Albeit, a mind-controlled one. See, under Baby’s possession, Gohan and Videl are ordered to execute their daughter. They would’ve done it, too, if Uub hadn’t rescued Pan at the last second. To really rub it in, Pan spends the whole scene begging her parents to return to their senses As expected, it’s all for naught. In the end, there’s just something unspeakably bleak about two parents savagely attacking their own child. Especially since they aren’t even in control of their own actions.

“Dragon Ball Z” (1989-96)

Even the grisliest, most somber shows out there have the decency to spare dogs from the line of fire. But not “Dragon Ball Z.” Just as soon as Bee befriended the childlike Majin Buu, he got shot by some hunters. Talk about spectacularly bad aim. Not only is it a horrifying thing to see, but it also spells the end of Buu’s time as an ally. The gelatinous blob goes full supervillain in retaliation, and honestly, it’s hard to blame him. Luckily, Bee escapes with his life, but by then, the damage was already done. Majin Buu’s hate manifested into an even more terrifying form, and this one didn’t believe in second chances.

“Dragon Ball Z” (1989-96)

Vegeta’s Majin form is bigger, badder, and bolder, and he only needs one scene to prove it. His entrance at the World Tournament makes it all-too-clear he’s reverted back to his villain days. But, this is still Vegeta, and he tends to talk a big game. It’s only when he blasts away the stadium of innocent spectators that Goku realizes he means business. Vegeta’s sadism has always been particularly imposing, but this time, there’s an added heartache at seeing him succumb to his darker impulses. The worst part, though, isn’t that he offed a group of harmless bystanders. It’s that Bulma had to watch.

“Dragon Ball” (1986-89)

For the most part, the original series is defined by its breezy humor and wondrous sense of adventure. So, when King Piccolo’s minions left Krillin six feet deep, you could say it left quite the impact. There’d always been high stakes, but never at a level like this. You don’t just have to take our word for it, though. Goku’s rage practically speaks for itself. It was the very first time the earnest kid had ever been so furious, and it’s almost a frightening sight to behold. Krillin’s abrupt demise is a devastating moment, but it was necessary to prove that King Piccolo, and “Dragon Ball” as a whole, wasn’t playing around anymore.

“Dragon Ball Z” (1989-96)

Garlic Jr.’s wish for immortality majorly backfired. While it made him unbeatable, he failed to consider that Gohan and the others didn’t need to fight him. They only had to lock him up. And, conveniently, he gave them the perfect prison cell in the form of the Dead Zone. All it took was some clever positioning on Gohan’s part, and Garlic Jr. fell right into his own personal Hell. Since he can never die, there’s no chance for parole, either. Even for someone who tried to take over the world, a literal life sentence in an empty dimension feels excessively cruel.

“Dragon Ball Z: History of Trunks” (1993)

In a hopeless world ravaged by the bloodthirsty androids, Future Trunks found the tiniest glimmer of hope in his mentor, Gohan. But, like everyone else, eventually he fell in battle, too. At this point, there’s no Dragon Balls to bring him back. In fact, there’s barely anyone left for Trunks to turn to at all. That unparalleled sense of loss makes this one of the most moving character deaths the franchise has ever seen. It's all the more impressive considering “History of Trunks” pulled it off in just one movie. Suffice it to say, Trunks may end the scene going Super Saiyan, but there’s nothing bright about what this death means to him.

“Dragon Ball Z” (1989-96)

For all intents and purposes, Spopovich won this fight before a single punch was thrown. But, to give credit where it’s due, Videl didn’t give up easily. Not that it did her any good. If anything, her refusal to throw in the towel only makes each blow hurt even more. That’s really saying something considering this was already one of the most brutal beatdowns in the entirety of “Dragon Ball.” Don’t worry, the show makes sure you have a front row seat for all of it. It gets so bad, it’s actually a relief when Videl finally loses consciousness. Match results be damned, the real victory is that she lived through this at all.

“Dragon Ball Super” (2015-18)

It’s one thing to hear about a murder, and another entirely to see it firsthand. Especially when it’s characters you know. As it turns out, future Zamasu didn’t stop at taking Goku’s life. No, he also took it upon himself to murder Chi-Chi and Goten, too. Against someone with Goku’s face, they didn’t even have a chance of fighting back. All Chi-Chi could do was grab her son and try to make a run for it. But, in the end, their screams make it clear Zamasu left no witnesses. There’s no sugarcoating it; this scene is just plain horrific. Let’s just say that, when Goku explodes with rage, it’s very well-deserved.