Cell was the ultimate creation of Dr. Gero, who came from a future timeline, designed to possess all the abilities of the greatest fighters to have ever inhabited or visited Earth; the result was a "perfect warrior", possessing numerous favorable genetic traits and special abilities. He was one of the few Red Ribbon Androids not directly completed by Dr. Gero; he was completed by Dr. Gero's Supercomputer. He is the main antagonist of the Cell Arc, which includes the Imperfect Cell Saga, Perfect Cell Saga, and Cell Games Saga.

Cell is designed to have the ability to absorb any biological mass by stabbing his victims with his tail. This process, called "bio-extraction," drains all the organic mass out of the target from the inside out. This attack increases Cell's power, the exact amount depending on the victim's power level. Cell is also designed to absorb Dr. Gero's other Androids (Android 17 and Android 18) whole, integrating them into his systems. Each time he absorbs an Android, he evolves into a more powerful being, however he cannot absorb completely mechanical Androids such as Android 16. Upon assimilating both Android 17 and Android 18, he gains the ability to asexually reproduce, creating blue, child versions of himself, called "Cell Juniors".

He is also able to change his voice to one of his other forms at will, as Perfect Cell uses his Imperfect form's voice during his announcement of the Cell Games in "The Doomsday Broadcast" when explaining that he is the "creature from Nicky Town". He is also able to manipulate his voice into someone he's absorbed. This is demonstrated when Semi-Perfect Cell changeed his voice to 17's to try to convince 18 to merge with the Bio-Android.

The version of Cell that plays a large role in Dragon Ball Z hails from an alternate future timeline where he has already evolved to his Imperfect form. Unfortunately for him, neither Future Android 17 nor Future Android 18 are present, having already been taken out by his version of Future Trunks. In order to complete his evolution, Cell kills Future Trunks and steals his Time Machine, going back in time to the date set by Future Trunks in the "standard" timeline when both Androids are still functional, sometime around four years prior to the Androids' arrival.
 
                                                      
 
 
                                                      
  

                                         
 

Page Updated:  May 19th, 2024
I never got into DBZ... but some of my nerdy TV-watching friends in high school tried their absolute best to convince me that Cell was "the coolest" DBZ character (besides Vegeta and Trunks, of course). I didn't care much about this character (or those friends) at the time, because I was more interested in fighting games and training in martial arts, for example. I wasn't a big TV watcher back then. Future friends I met much later in life... again... tried to convince me that Cell and DBZ was cool. My 30-something friend showed me a cinematic fight between Cell and Goku (I think), which actually had great animation and impressed me. So am I a fan now? I'm still not sure, but I'll say Cell does has a distinguishing look and is a very recognizable DBZ villain. Cell's DBFZ appearance is what I expected and lives up to his menacing persona from the anime and manga.
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