Cell

Biodata

Feature	Value
Name	Cell (沙鲁)
Alias(es)	Dark Cell 268
Species/Race	Android; synthetic life-form created through genetic cultivation 116 117
Gender	Male
Occupation/Role	Self-proclaimed ultimate android; organizer of the Cell Games 116 127 128
Status	Annihilated by Gohan; later restored in Hell. A Dark Dragon Ball-corrupted counterpart, Dark Cell, was defeated by Super Saiyan 4 Vegito Xeno 142 200 268
First Appearance	Undeveloped specimen: 113; active appearance: 116

Power Progression

Stage / Realm / Level	Chapter	Notes
Imperfect Form	116	Arrives from the future seeking Androids 17 and 18; possesses the cells and techniques of Goku, Frieza, King Cold, and Piccolo.
Semi-Perfect Form	123	Achieved by swallowing Android 17 with his tail; his power and physical size increase drastically.
Perfect Form	125	Achieved by absorbing Android 18; overwhelms the Z Fighters and becomes confident that no one can stop him.
Revived Perfect Form (“Lightning Cell”)	141	Reconstitutes after self-destruction through a life core in his head; returns stronger and gains Instant Transmission.
Resurrected Cell	200	Recovers in Hell after the opening of Hell’s Gate, retaining his absorption-based growth potential and ambition for revenge.
Dark Cell	268	An alternate-timeline Perfect Cell empowered by the Dark Dragon Balls; gains dark energy, rapidly expanding power, and a more bloodthirsty disposition.

Background / History

Dr. Gero began an android project built around the cells of powerful warriors, but abandoned it because its completion required too much time. His automated computer continued cultivating the project independently, eventually producing Cell as a synthetic life-form containing the cells of Son Goku, Frieza, King Cold, and Piccolo. 116 117

Goku discovered an undeveloped Cell specimen in Dr. Gero’s hidden laboratory and destroyed the incubation tank, computer, and creature. 113 A Cell from the future nevertheless arrived in the present after ambushing and absorbing Future Trunks, stealing Trunks’s Time Machine, and using its preset destination to travel back in time. 116

Cell’s objective was to absorb Androids 17 and 18, evolve into his Perfect Form, and become unstoppable. To build his strength, he drained human life energy and concealed his aura while stalking the Androids and Piccolo. 116 118 119

Appearance

Cell is a green, tailed bio-android whose appearance changes substantially as he evolves. His earliest known body is described as monstrous and unnatural, while his later Perfect Form has a smoother green shell. 116 268

• Tail — Used to pierce targets, drain their energy, and swallow Androids 17 and 18. 116 123 125
• Semi-Perfect Form — Becomes larger and more muscular after absorbing Android 17. 123
• Perfect Form — Possesses a more imposing, refined body and an overwhelming aura after absorbing Android 18. 125
• Lightning Cell — Returns from self-destruction surrounded by blue lightning and dark energy. 141
• Dark Cell — His shell is veined with black-and-purple energy; his eyes become blood-red and his aura blankets the planet in dark pressure. 268

Personality

Cell is intensely arrogant and views himself as a superior life-form whose “perfection” entitles him to dominate others. He treats opponents as entertainment, dismisses weaker fighters with contempt, and takes pleasure in creating despair before defeating his enemies. 116 127 133

He is also calculating. Cell suppresses his aura to stalk targets, uses Solar Flare to escape unfavorable situations, and manipulates Trunks with claims about the future and Vegeta’s fate. 117 119 124 125

His composure falters when confronted with power he cannot control. Gohan’s growth forces Cell from amusement and confidence into rage, fear, and desperation; he eventually attempts to destroy Earth rather than accept defeat. 137 139 141

Abilities & Skills

Genetic Composite Physiology

Cell’s body incorporates the cells of Goku, Frieza, King Cold, and Piccolo, granting him a mixture of their power, combat traits, and techniques. 116

• Can wield techniques associated with his genetic sources, including Piccolo’s Special Beam Cannon and Goku’s Kamehameha. 116
• Possesses Frieza-style Death Beams. 126
• His aura is recognizable as a mixture of multiple warriors’ energies. 116
• His combat consciousness can evolve during battle when facing sufficiently strong opponents. 139

Absorption and Evolution

Cell evolves by draining life energy and absorbing powerful targets through his tail. 116 119

• Drains energy from living beings, leaving victims weakened or withered. 116
• Absorbed Android 17 to become Semi-Perfect. 123
• Absorbed Android 18 to attain Perfect Form. 125
• Continued absorbing humans while avoiding Piccolo during the hunt for the Androids. 118
• Retains an absorption-based capacity for further growth after his resurrection in Hell. 200

Regeneration

Cell can restore severe bodily damage through a life core located in his head. 141

• Regenerated lost limbs while fighting Gohan. 140
• Survived self-destruction because his life core remained intact. 141
• Returned from the explosion stronger than before. 141
• His regeneration does not prevent complete annihilation when overwhelmed by Gohan’s final Kamehameha. 142

Energy Techniques

Cell is a highly versatile ki user with access to both inherited and personally demonstrated techniques.

• Kamehameha — Uses powerful blue-white Kamehameha waves against Piccolo, Trunks, and Gohan. 116 126 140
• Special Beam Cannon — Fires Piccolo’s spiraling beam technique. 116
• Death Beam — Fires rapid finger-based energy shots at Trunks. 126
• Solar Flare — Blinds opponents to create openings or facilitate escape. 117 125
• Four Witches Technique — Creates four additional bodies to attack Trunks simultaneously. 135
• Little Cells — Produces seven subordinate Cells, each possessing roughly eighty to ninety percent of his aura. 137

Instant Transmission

After regenerating from self-destruction, Cell states that he learned Goku’s Instant Transmission. 141

• Used teleportation during his fight with Trunks before his revival. 126
• Gains a more explicit mastery of Goku’s technique after his life-core regeneration. 141

Relationships

• Dr. Gero — Originator of the project that led to Cell’s creation; Gero abandoned the project, but his computer completed it. 116 117
• Dr. Gero’s computer — Cell’s direct creator and cultivator. 116 117
• Son Goku — Genetic source and principal adversary; Goku sacrifices himself to remove Cell’s self-destructing body from Earth. 116 141
• Piccolo — Genetic source and early opponent; Cell drains Piccolo’s left arm and demonstrates Piccolo’s techniques against him. 116
• Future Trunks — Cell’s victim in the future timeline, whose Time Machine he steals; later a target of Cell’s psychological manipulation and combat opponent. 116 124 126
• Android 17 — One of Cell’s required absorption targets; absorbed to achieve Semi-Perfect Form. 122 123
• Android 18 — Cell’s final absorption target; swallowed to attain Perfect Form. 122 125
• Gohan — The fighter who ultimately overwhelms and annihilates Cell with a Kamehameha. 137 142
• Kakarot Xeno, Vegeta Xeno, and Trunks Xeno — Time Patrol members who confront Dark Cell during the Cell Games timeline anomaly. 268
• Super Saiyan 4 Vegito Xeno — Defeats Dark Cell after Kakarot Xeno and Vegeta Xeno fuse. 268
• Demon God Putine and Demon God Greby — Dark Demon World agents connected to Dark Cell’s empowerment; they steal the Dark Two-Star Dragon Ball after his defeat. 268

Story Role / Major Arcs

Android and Cell Emergence Arc

Cell emerges as a future-born threat after Piccolo encounters him in the city. He reveals his artificial origin, drains Piccolo’s energy, and explains his plan to absorb Androids 17 and 18. 116

After escaping Piccolo, Gohan, and Trunks with Solar Flare, Cell stalks the Androids while feeding on humans and concealing his aura. 117 118 119

Evolution Arc

Cell arrives during Piccolo and Android 17’s battle, exploiting their exhaustion and conflict. Despite Piccolo’s intervention, he successfully absorbs Android 17 and becomes Semi-Perfect. 121 122 123

He then destabilizes Trunks with claims that the future cannot be changed. While Trunks rushes to protect Android 18, Cell blinds him with Solar Flare and absorbs Android 18, becoming Perfect Cell. 124 125

Cell Games Arc

Perfect Cell gives Earth’s strongest fighters ten days to prepare for the Cell Games, intending to crush their hope publicly. 127 He constructs an arena, hijacks global broadcasts, and threatens humanity with annihilation if no challenger can defeat him. 128

Cell casually defeats Hercule, Caroni, and Paloonia, then battles Trunks and abolishes the ring-out rule, declaring the entire Earth the battlefield. 133 135 When Gohan enters the fight and begins surpassing him, Cell releases seven Little Cells in an unsuccessful attempt to overwhelm him. 137

Defeat and Revival

Gohan’s growing power strips Cell of his confidence and drives him into fear. Cell responds with increasingly destructive attacks, then attempts to self-destruct and take Earth with him. 139 140 141

Goku uses Instant Transmission to remove Cell from Earth at the cost of his own life. Cell survives through his life core, returns stronger, and claims to have learned Instant Transmission. 141 Gohan ultimately destroys him completely with a Kamehameha. 142

Cell later begins recovering in Hell after Hell’s Gate opens, declaring that the universe will belong to him. 200

Dark Cell Incident

During a timeline anomaly at the Cell Games period, the Dark Dragon Balls corrupt an alternate Perfect Cell into Dark Cell. He overwhelms Kakarot Xeno, Vegeta Xeno, and Trunks Xeno before Kakarot Xeno and Vegeta Xeno fuse into Super Saiyan 4 Vegito Xeno and defeat him. 268

Notable Quotes

“I am the most perfect creation...” 116

“Once I find Android 17 and Android 18 and absorb them, I'll evolve into my true perfect form!” 116

“I'm going to take you all down with me, including this Earth!” 141

Trivia

• Cell’s future-time travel was not planned through independent time-machine design; he used the destination already set by Future Trunks. 116
• He calls his escape from Piccolo, Gohan, and Trunks a strategic retreat, using Solar Flare to blind them. 117
• His Cell Games arena bears a large character for “Cell” branded into its center. 128