Hello readers. It's halfway threw the final Transcendsion Arc and I decided to add this FAQ/whos who/guide to the trilogy. It is not required reading so if and when I post the next official story chapter, feel free to skip over this if you desire.
Anyways let us begin.
1. What is Transcendsion anyway?
Answer: Transcendsion is word combining "Transcend" with "ascension". As for why I choose the word for the title of my trilogy, I wanted the entirety of the three sagas to be about transcending mortality in some manner. You can see this pattern from the start, right when Vegeta becomes a Super Saiyan Five during the Tlama Arc. The theme means either literal ascendsion in that manner, or transcending something else, such as personal hardship, dought, one's inner demons etc.
2. Super Saiyan Five?
Answer: I know there are many Dragonball fans who hate anything that steps beyond Akira Toriyama's work, including a hatred for GT, the movies, and sometimes even the DBZ anime itself. I am not one of those fans. I like the idea that the characters we know and love will continue to improve and reach higher forms and levels of power. This was the essence of DBZ.
Anyways, in my trilogy Super Saiyan Five(obviously) is a new level beyond the Super Saiyan Four interduced back in Dragonball GT's Baby Saga. Unlike previous Saiyan transformations, the fifth cannot be reached by normal mortal means. One must receive aid in some fashion from a higher power.
Super Saiyan Five is a sacred power, and only Saiyans who have reached Super Saiyan Four and are on the good side of the fence need apply. Moreover, a Saiyan must be in a situation in which there is no possible way to win by normal means.
So lets go over the existing SS5s revealed so far in the trilogy:
Goku: Goku received the form after intense training with Shenron himself. During the gap between GT and Transcendsion, Goku forefilled the requirements for the Super Saiyan Five form.
Vegeta: Vegeta if one recalls was the first SS5 to appear in the series. He released there was no possible way to defeat Tlama, as he had tried everything. After losing Bulma, it was the icing on the cake. Vegeta was assisted by a higher power(depending on others is the hardest thing Vegeta can do), and reached Super Saiyan Five.
(Perfect) Trunks: Perfect Trunks is the temporary union of the last remaining parts of both Future Trunks and Time Guardian Trunk's souls with the main timeline's Trunks. During the battle with the fifth demon king, in order to avenge Elidan, Trunks briefly assumed this form in order to destroy Hadeon, the fifth king.
Gohan: Gohan found his Mystic Super Saiyan Four powers no match for Dabura's improved strength. It took a near death experience among other things for Gohan to receive this transformation.
3. Any other new transformations?
Answer: Yes. In addition to the many villain transformations, there are afew new transformations worth mentioning. First there is Gohan's Mystic Super Saiyan Three and Four forms, which are a combination of his mystic power with the normal Super Saiyan transformations. There is also Piccolo's ascended form, which he received from Red Shenron, think of it as a Super Namek level two.
4. Will there be a Super Saiyan Six?
Answer: I won't say no. That is all for now :)
5. So the villains of the first two arcs, who are they and what inspired their characters?
Answer: Good question, I'll do Tlama and Krysis one at a time.
Tlama: Tlama is an evil god from an alternate diamension. Actually the negative energy stored inside Kohryu personified, Tlama's orginal goal was to undo and remake all that Kohryu had fought to create, which was the Kais, and otherworld itself. He also wished to merge with all mortal souls in order to increase his own powers.
Tlama is actually aztec for "a wiseman". If you have played the Baiten Kaitos games on the Gamecube, you may recall the character "Wiseman", an evil angelic like being who is evil personified in that game's universe. The entire idea for Tlama was inspired when I asked my brother if someone like Wiseman would be a good DBZ villain, to which he responded "maybe". I thought "why not?" and decided to write the story.
Krysis: Krysis is one of the Pariahan race, a people related to the Saiyans. Think Vulcans and Romulans from Star Trek. The Pariahans and Saiyans once lived on the same home world, with the Pariahans ruling over the less powerful and less long lived Saiyans. This all changed when the first Legendary Super Saiyan appeared and destroyed the home world, forcing both the Pariahans and Saiyans to look for new homes.
The Saiyans eventually found what was later called Planet Vegeta, taking it from the Tuffles, who in turn had taken it from the race Bardock found a millenia in the past(In Episode of Bardock special/manga).
The Pariahans found their own world, and became pacifists, dedicating their near immortal lifespans to the persuit of knowledge and peace. One of the Pariahans, later known as Krysis, rebelled and set off to create his own empire.
Hundreds of years past, and Krysis founded an empire on an alternate version of Earth.
Krysis is a master swordsman and can attain speeds only a chosen few(such as Gogeta) can keep up with.
6. How do the movies fit into Transcension's timeline/universe?
Answer: Another great question. I'll answer each movie seperately.
The Dead Zone: This takes place between Dragonball and Dragonball Z. Most likely a matter of weeks or months before Raditz' arrival on Earth. Definitely part of Transcendsion's universe.
The World's Strongest: I'd fit this around a week or so after Vegeta's first defeat on Earth, with some continuity changes perhaps. In Transcendsion's version of this movie's events Piccolo was not alive, nor were any of the other characters killed previously by Nappa.
The Tree of Might: This one takes place after Vegeta's defeat as well, but in a universe where Piccolo, Tien and Yamcha were not killed by Nappa. In Transcendsion's version of this movie's events, Piccolo was not alive, nor were any of the other characters killed previously by Nappa. Also Goku was not surprised by Gohan's transformation.
Lord Slug: Same problem that Tree of Might has. There are too many continuity problems to fit it into Transcendsion however.
Cooler's Revenge: This movie takes place after Trunks warns the Z-Fighters of the Androids, during the three year gap where the Z-Fighters train. Definitely part of Transcendsion's universe.
The Return of Cooler: This takes place after Dende is installed as Earth's guardian, but before the Cell Games. There are some continuity problems with this movie that make it hard to fit into Transcendsion's universe as is. I don't think Cooler getting blasted into the sun and just happening to find a piece of a mechanical planet is very likely.
Super Android 13: This movie takes place in an alternate universe where three additional Androids(15, 14 and 13) appeared after Android 17 and 18 killed Dr. Gero and then were themselves defeated.
While the events of this movie never took place in Transcendsion, Android 13, 14 and 15 do exist in Transcendsion's universe, hidden away in one of Gero's many laboratories. Gero lied to 17 and 18 when he said he destroyed all Androids lower than number 16, knowing 17 and 18's rebellious natures.
I would go onto say that during the Super 17 saga in GT, Dr. Gero planned on finishing 13, 14 and 15 himself. Dr. Muu ruined that plan however.
Broly the Legendary Super Saiyan: This movie takes place during one of the days Cell gave the Z crew to prepare for the Cell games. Cell could sense the Legendary Super Saiyan's power, before Broly was defeated Cell hoped to battle the monster himself.
Plot to Destroy the Saiyans: This movie takes place in another alternate universe in which Lord Slug's movie is part of the continuity, also while the events of Broly's first movie are a part of this movie's universe, it is implied to me that Cell was defeated sometime before Broly was fought, possibly by Vegeta in a scenerio where he killed Cell before he could absorb 18.
While the movie's events are not part of Transcendsion, Hatchyack definitely exists in the universe. I'd say rather than a pre-Cell event, the Z-Fighters battled Cooler, Turles, Frieza and Broly(not in LSS form) sometime after Buu was defeated, but before the seven year gap to the end of Z.
Bojack Unbound: This movie takes place between a few months and a year after Cell's defeat. The events of this movie are a direct result of Cell destroying King Kai's planet. Definitely part of Transcendsion's universe.
2nd and 3rd Broly movies: Horrible monstrocities which ruined Broly's character..nuff said.
Fusion Reborn: This movie takes place in another alternate universe, one in which Goku defeated Fat Buu after first revealing his Super Saiyan Three form. While the events of this movie don't take place in Transcendsion's universe per say, they did take place in an alternate timeline.
In this alternate timeline Janemba, 7th King of the Demon world was sealed away in the sprit cleanser machine by the combined powers of all the Supreme Kais. Years of neglect on the machine combined with the careless actions of a young ogre set Janemba free, and while he was defeated in this timeline, his death in that universe's otherworld allowed him to return to Demon World(There is only one Demon World in Transcendsion) where he regained his full intellect and powers.
Wrath of the Dragon: This movie takes place shortly after Kid Buu's defeat, probably a matter of months. Definitely takes place in Transcendsion's universe, in fact this movie is very important to the overall story.
7. You answered who Krysis and Tlama were, but who is this Azrael guy who keeps appearing?
Answer: Azrael is the 10th king of the demon world. His power is vast and he has at least a small measure of power over the force of death itself. Azrael is behind nearly all the events of the trilogy in some manner. He is the ultimate enemy.
Thats it for now.
Thankyou for reading -SwordofGeddon.