Trunks is a rather difficult character to do in that he has two separate identities, one being from the future in an alternate time line and one growing up in the normal time line. I am going to go by appearance in the show and then jump back to the normal time line.

Trunks Special





Trunks in the future has grown up in a world of terror and destruction. His father was killed when the Androids first attacked and he has had only his mother to depend on. Luckily, Bulma's intelligence and finances have allowed them to pretty much live their lives as normal as possible. Bulma attempts to keep Trunks from fighting but she fails when one day, while returning home, Trunks hears that the android have attacked another city. Trunks flies to the area but is too late. It is here that he meets up with Future Gohan and asks the Saiyan to train him. He wears Capsule Corps sweats to train in.

During his training with Gohan, Trunks is powerful but unable to attain the level of Super Saiyan. Trunks is sure that he can help in the fights with the Androids but has no idea how powerful they are. When the two fighters attempt to take on the Androids, both Trunks and Gohan are injured and barely escape. After that point, the training continues. One day, the Androids attack again and Gohan knocks Trunks out in order to protect him. Gohan takes on the two evil androids alone and is killed. Trunks finally arrives on the scene and the sight of his teacher's battered and lifeless body, he finally reaches the level of Super Saiyan.

Trunks returns to his life and looks on as his mother build a time machine that will allow him to travel into the past and save Goku from the heart virus that will kill him. Unfortunately, before it can be completed, Trunks again hears of another attack from the androids and thinking that he can defeat them now that he is a super saiyan, rushes to confront them. He soon realizes that even with being a super saiyan and carrying his sword, he is still no match for the deadly combo. He is injured, but luckily is not killed. Somehow his mother is able to get him back home and nurses him back to health. From there he uses the time machine to travel to the past.

Dragon Ball Z





We first see Trunks, a mysterious young fighter, who at this time no one knows the identity of. He appears just as the roboticly enhanced Frieza arrives on Earth with King Cold after the destruction of Namek. Frieza's men are just about to set out to find Goku's friends and kill them when they are cut down before they can get very far. Frieza is confronted by the mysterious purple-haired fighter that wears a capsule corps long sleeved jacket and carries a sword. At this point, Trunks is very confident that he can take care of Frieza and lets him know it. Frieza, on the other hand, is annoyed but seems to be unconcerned. It is not until Trunks reveals his true power that Frieza begins to get worried.

Trunks, surprises everyone when he transforms into a Super Saiyajin. Frieza attempts to destroy him but Trunks easily slices Frieza up and blasts him so that there is nothing left to repair. Trunks then confronts King Cold. The tyrant thinks that Trunks' power lies in his sword and is able to convince the youth to give it up. Unfortunately for him, Trunks real power lies within and although King Cold wields Trunks' sword against him, he easily catches it and destroys the evil villain and his ship. Trunks, shows little remorse, a hard heart and it is not until he returns to his normal form that he shows very much emotion. He yells to the approaching Z fighters and asks them to join him in meeting Goku. His appearance and knowledge of Goku's arrival is very mysterious and along with him refusing to tell them his name, makes the Z fighters even more curious. When Goku finally arrives, Trunks reveals his identity, parents, and future to only Goku. It is later that we find out that Piccolo had been able to listen in to the conversation. By that time, Trunks leaves in his ship for the future again to continue to fight the androids in his time.

Although Goku and Piccolo know that Vegeta and Bulma will get together and produce the child that will later become the mysterious fighter, no one else is aware of this fact. So, it is a shock to everyone when after three years of training, Bulma shows up at the meeting spot with a small baby in tow. The child just happens to have purple hair, is the child of Vegeta and is named Trunks. Trunks is pretty shy at this point and is doted on by his mom and grandparents. Vegeta does not seem to be interested in the baby and has actually left the planet to train in space.

When the androids arrive, the future version of Trunks again appears, and just in time too. He actually has to save the smaller version of himself and his mom when Android 20 attacks Bulma's aircraft. It is here that the rest of the characters learn that the mysterious youth is the future version of the baby that Bulma carries. We also learn that Trunks carries a lot of hatred and love for his father. He never knew his father in the future because Vegeta was killed before he was very old, but he is angry that Vegeta shows so little concern for his mother and his baby self. Although he dislikes his father's indifference, he still wants to save him and make his father proud of him. So when the chance arrives, he enters the Room of Spirit and Time with his father and trains with him. When he emerges from the year of training, his hair has grown long and his attitude is even more confusing. He wants to protect his father but seems to be very closed with his feelings.

After emerging from the Room of Spirit and Time, Bulma is waiting for them and gives them Saiyan armor that she develops using Capsule Corps technology and Vegeta's old armor. After putting on the armor, Vegeta takes off to confront Cell and is quickly followed by his son.

It is at this point that Trunks reveals that he thinks his father takes too many chances and actually attempts to stop Vegeta. He transforms into his Super Saiyan form and attacks Cell. His hair, because it is so long has been pulled back into a ponytail, but it still stands up with the transformation, barely being held by the band. When Vegeta allows Cell to absorb Android 18, the Prince of Saiyans finds out that he really is no match for the villain. He barely escapes death and does not see his son surpass him in strength because of his unconscious state.

Trunks far surpassed his father's strength when training in the Room of Spirit and Time. But, he refuses to use his new found power while his father is still aware of what is going on. He shows great concern for his father by not wanting to destroy his pride. It is not until his father is going to be killed by Cell that his anger erupts and along with it his new form. He greatly increases his muscle mass and strength when he transforms into his Ultra Super Saiyan form. Unfortunately, by increasing his muscles, he sacrifices his speed and can no longer keep up with Cells movements. He is easily defeated while Krillin takes his unconscious father to safety. It is at this point that Cell announces the Cell Games and gives Trunks the time restraint to prepare themselves.

Trunks returns to Kami's tower and brings the bad news of Cell's challenge and threat to destroy the planet. While there, Bulma, concerned for her son, rushes to him to ensure that he is okay. She then sees how long his hair is and cuts it for him. But Trunks again enters the Room of Spirit and Time and his hair grows out again.

Trunks and the other again enter the battle but now under more controlled circumstances. Goku goes first, but soon steps down so that his son can take his place. To enrage Gohan, Cell sends miniature clones of himself to attack his friends. Gohan is finally tipped over the edge by the destruction of Android 16 and reaches the level of Super Saiyan 2. Gohan is a real threat to Cell now and while the others look on, Cell attempts to blow himself up to destroy the Earth. Luckily, Goku is able to use his special technique of Instantaneous Movement to transport the evil creature to King Kai's Planet, but he also sacrifices himself with the move.

It is as the dust is clearing and the shock of Goku's sacrifice leaves everyone with their guard down, Cell returns and takes a blind shot at the Z fighters. Trunks happens to be in the direct path of the beam and is struck in the chest (yeah, nice hole there). He is taken to a safer location by Tien and Yamcha while Gohan finishes the battle and is eventually wished back using the dragon balls.

After Cell is destroyed by Gohan's awesome attack, Trunks is again ready to make the journey back to his time to destroy the androids. He changes back into his original outfit he arrived in and again has his hair cut. This time he wears a black arm band over his jacket and bids his new friends goodbye.

Upon arriving in the future, Trunks gets rid of the jacket and goes to confront the androids wearing his black tank top. He now has the strength, due to his training in the Room of Spirit and Time, to defeat the deadly menaces that have plagued his world for so long. He easily defeats the two androids in his Super Saiyan form.

Trunks again wears his Saiyan armor and is about to return to the past to let his friends know that he has been successful in defeating the Androids. But, before he is able to leave, Cell shows up. Luckily, Trunks' training in the past allows the warrior to fight the evil villain and he is able to defeat Cell.

This is the point that Future Trunks' Time Line comes to a close in the series. Baby Trunks is continuing to grow up and now has a best friend. Goku and Chi Chi have had another child, Goten who is about a year younger than Trunks.

It is at the beginning of the Buu Saga that Trunks is seen again. Gohan is now in high school and has new little brother, Goten. Trunks is 7 years old at this time and very different from Trunks of the future. The young saiyan is very cocky and sometimes annoyed with the younger Goten following him around. He is always looking for a fight and even gets Goten to disguise themselves so that they can fight in the Tenkaichi Budoukai.

Trunks and Goten, although both being very young, are able to reach the level of Super Saiyan at a very young age, much to the surprise of their parents. While both being very powerful and similar in power levels, the two are able to fuse and form Gotenks.

Dragon Ball GT





During GT, Trunks is now involved in the running of Capsule Corps. He looks rather like a nerd and is constantly being bothered by the busy schedule that he must keep.

During the search for the Black Star Dragon Balls, Trunks goes with Pan and the now young Goku into space to recover them. He is dressed more casually and gets fairly annoyed with Pan's antics during the trip.

Movie Appearances





Trunks appears in Movie 9 in his future form, Because Gohan is still young it is probably during the time that Trunks returned to the past to tell the Z fighters that he defeated the Androids and Cell. Both he and Gohan are able to transform into Super Saiyans. During the tournament, Trunks is able to defeat his opponents fairly easily, even being able to block the blade of his evil opponent with his bare arm. He wears the outfit that he first arrived in but instead of the long sleeved jacket he originally wore, he now wears a jacket with no sleeves. Also his sword is later thrown to him by his father who joins the battle.

During movies 10,11, 12, and 13 Trunks appears as he is in the normal time line, as a kid. During these movies he battles against Brolly and other villains, such as Hitler. His fun loving and mischievous nature comes out in both movies.