The legend still grows.
Dragon Ball GT: A Hero's Legacy (known in Japan as Gokū Gaiden! Yūki no Akashi wa Sì Xīng Qiú; lit. "Goku Sidestory! The Proof of his Courage is the Four-Star Ball") is a TV special that aired during Dragon Ball GT featuring Goku's great great great great grandson, Son Goku Jr., who is being raised by his great great grandmother Pan.
Things are good for the two of them until Pan suddenly falls ill, and young Goku comes to the realization that the only thing that may save her is making a wish to the Dragon Ball, which leads to him taking a cross country trip to the home of his ancestors, which has since become a habitat for various Youkai.
A Hero's Legacy contains examples of:
- Action Survivor: Early on Goku Jr. would often be rescued from dangerous situations by sheer luck or someone else's assistance.
- Androcles' Lion: Goku Jr. rescues a bear cub from Susha. Later, the cub's mother attacks him, but stops and befriends him when the cub tells her what he did.
- Bad Samaritan: Goku Jr. runs into a few during his journey, like a trucker who gives him a lift, only to steal his stuff and abandon him when he stops to pee, and Mamba who saves him from wolves and offers him shelter, only to want to eat him.
- Batter Up!: In a flashback, Puck tries to attack someone with a baseball bat, but Pan shows up and easily disarms him.
- Bears Are Bad News: Averted, Goku Jr. meets two bears on his quest, but while the adult one attacks him at first, both of them turn out to be friendly.
- Big Brother Mentor: Puck tries to act like one toward Goku Jr., once he stops picking on him.
- Bring My Brown Pants: Goku Jr. wets himself when Mamba gives him a Close-Call Haircut with her knife.
- The Bully: Puck. At least at first
- Cool Old Lady: Pan.
- Disney Death: Puck falls down a ravine and Goku Jr. assumes he is dead, but he turns up all right at the end.
- Failure Is the Only Option: From the get-go, anyone remotely familiar with the show knows that Goku Jr. isn't going to get the resolution he wants in his quest (not directly, anyway), because he has no idea how the Dragon Balls work and just assumes one will do the trick. The original Goku even points it out at the end, and is surprised Pan never explained how they work. Of course, thematically, getting the Dragon Ball was never really the point.
- Future Imperfect: Goku Jr. only has stories of the Dragon Balls from Pan to go on and doesn't understand how they actually work.
- Generation Xerox: Like the original Goku, Goku Jr. was also raised by his grandparent, hunts for the Dragon Balls with a companion, and fights an evil demon lord. Goku Jr.'s personality is very similar to his ancestor Gohan.
- Hollywood Heart Attack: Pan is yelling at Goku Jr. for his refusal to stand up for himself when she suddenly collapses clutching her heart.
- Identical Grandson: Goku Jr. Technically, he's Goku's Great Great Great Great Grandson (according to the final episode of GT, anyway; he just calls Pan "grandma" in the special). However, while looking exactly like Goku, he has a completely different personality.
- Jerk with a Heart of Gold: Puck is a bully, but agrees to help Goku Jr. on his quest and tries to help him gain confidence in himself.
- Love Makes You Crazy: Played for Laughs when two of the forest demons let flirting distract them from their goal.
- Mooning: Done briefly by Goku Jr. to taunt the villains when he momentarily escapes them.
- Never Mess with Granny: In a flashback, Pan effortlessly defeats some bullies.
- Older Than They Look: Pan definitely looks old, but nowhere near her actual age of 110-114.
- Overly Long Gag: Goku can't remember how many greats go before the grandson part so just sticks with "Grandpa Goku".
- Please Wake Up: When Pan collapses from her illness, Goku Jr. pleads for her to open her eyes.
- Power-Strain Blackout: After Goku Jr. turns into a Super Saiyan and defeats Lord Yao, he passes out and wakes up with no memory of what he just did.
- Raised by Grandparents: Goku Jr.'s parents are never shown, and he lives with his grandmother Pan.
- Sleeping Dummy: While staying in Mamba's house, Goku Jr. becomes suspicious and has himself and Puck arrange their pillows so that it looks like they are sleeping in their beds and then hide near the window. Later that night, Mamba sneaks into their room and stabs the pillows.
- So Proud of You: Pan tells Goku Jr. how proud she is of him while in the hospital. The original Goku also says this to Goku Jr. when they meet.
- Spirit Advisor: The original Goku is briefly this to Goku Jr. after he finds the Dragon Ball.
- This Cannot Be!: Lord Yao says this almost word for word after Goku Jr. beats him.Lord Yao: I am Lord of the Demons; you are but a child. How...can this be?
- Took a Level in Badass: Goku Jr. becomes braver and stronger by the end of the special. Even managing to become a Super Saiyan.
- Training from Hell: Pan tries to raise Goku Jr. as the next defender of Earth with incredibly intense training sessions, but gives up on it since Goku Jr. is a scaredy cat and uninterested in fighting.
- Traveling at the Speed of Plot: Goku Jr. leaves Puck and his gang to start his journey to Mount Paozu in the morning and gets a lift from a trucker for some of it. He later meets Puck at a store, and Puck apparently traveled all the way by foot.
- "Well Done, Son" Guy: Pan fears that Goku Jr. may feel this way and blames herself for not being more supportive of him.
- You Remind Me of X: Pan comments that Goku Jr.'s refusal to train and fight reminds her of her father Gohan.
