At that moment, he's finally able to turn Super Saiyan... and it's not even enough.
- Gohan's final stand before his death is one big tearjerker. He knows he will most likely die, but goes out to fight the androids one last time anyway. It is especially tragic since Gohan can go toe-to-toe with one of the androids, but not both, which is probably why the androids chose to kill him this time. It is even more tragic when you consider that Gohan has the potential to become powerful enough to destroy the androids if only his father had lived long enough to train him like his counterpart in the main timeline. Not only did Gohan die without killing even one of the androids, but his endless potential was also lost forever.
- Skyward Scream in Japanese, Big "NO!" in English. This is what triggered Trunks' Super Saiyan transformation. Eric Vale's brilliant performance in the English version makes that scene incredibly powerful, which makes the moment truly unforgettable. What makes it worse is that despite this, he's still no match for them and they allow him to live to satisfy their own sadistic pleasures. Trunks had just gotten stronger, but it was completely pointless. Much like his mentor before him who turned Super Saiyan after witnessing his own friends' deaths, but was still powerless to avenge them for years before dying a dog's death.Trunks: "Why, Gohan? Why'd you go at it alone? You should've let me help you! Damn you! You didn't have to do it alone! I can't do it without you! You were the only friend I ever had! Look... look what they did to you! It's not fair! DAMMIT, IT'S NOT FAIR! I WASN'T READY TO LOSE YOU! WHY DID YOU HAVE TO LEAVE ME?! GOHAAAAAAAAAAN!!!"
- The reactions of everyone at the beginning as they try to come to grips with the fact that Goku is truly and irrevocably dead. Yes, even Vegeta.
- The Manga chapter is perhaps more depressing, if only because all the fights takes place off-panel, really selling the futility of trying to defeat the androids. This is especially the case with Gohan who, despite losing an arm, thought all his near-death experiences would eventually allow him to surpass the Androids in strength. 17 then reveals that they had been holding back the entire time and Gohan starts to lose his resolve. When the story cuts back to the scene, Gohan is lying dead in a pool of his own blood.
- Trunks quickly finds out just how outclassed he is when he goes to fight the Androids by himself after Gohan's death. The actual "fight" ends rather quickly and Trunks just ends up running for his life and trying to hide. To really ground it in just how hopeless the situation is, 17 and 18 allow him to punch them in the face for a little while. They barely moved and then decide to give the poor boy the beating of his life.
- The events of this film become even more of a tearjerker when you think about them in relation to the Tournament of Power in Dragon Ball Super. Where is the mighty Team Universe 7 in this timeline (at the same time the Tournament of Power would have happened, no less)? Mostly dead. Goku succumbed to disease. Vegeta, Piccolo, Tien, Krillin, and now Gohan are dead thanks to the Androids, who are instead evil mass murderers in this timeline. Master Roshi is reduced to taking refuge in a submarine, powerless to stop the Androids. The only silver lining is that Frieza is no longer wreaking havoc across the universe.
- Though to be fair, this is undermined by the fact that not only was the Tournament only held because Goku reminded Zen-oh to do so, but also that Frieza (dead at the time) was allowed to compete, meaning those in Otherworld are clearly eligible. Of course, without the massive powerups across the board during the Buu and Beerus arcs, they'd likely be in trouble anyway.
- Poor Chi-Chi. She already lost her husband for good thanks to the heart virus and has aged poorly. Then, she has to worry about her son trying to fight the androids. Made even worse when they ultimately kill him, causing her to outlive her son.
