Cell Returns!

"I must give Dr. Gero credit for his brilliant design! My complete power had been restored, even though I had lost Android 18! My cells had tasted the power and stored it away, reawakening it after the explosion while my new body grew!" — Cell

Cell Returns!
Japanese Name	白はく昼ちゅうの悪あく夢む！！恐きょう怖ふはより完かん璧ぺきに
Romaji name	Hakuchū no Akumu!! Kyōfu wa yori Kanpeki ni
Literal Name	The Nightmare is Reborn!! An Absolute and Perfect Terror
Series
Saga	Cell Games Saga
Episode #	189
Kai counterpart:	A Hero's Sacrifice! Last Chance to Save the World!
Chapter counterpart	Gohan's Pain The Tables Turn
Japanese airdate	June 16, 1993
English airdate	December 20, 2000
Previous episode	A Hero's Farewell
Next episode	The Horror Won't End

"Cell Returns!" (白はく昼ちゅうの悪あく夢む！！恐きょう怖ふはより完かん璧ぺきに, Hakuchū no Akumu!! Kyōfu wa yori Kanpeki ni, lit. "The Nightmare is Reborn!! An Absolute and Perfect Terror") is the twenty-fourth episode of the Cell Games Saga and the one hundred eighty-ninth overall episode in the uncut Dragon Ball Z series. This episode first aired in Japan on June 16, 1993. Its original American airdate was December 20, 2000.

Summary

Gohan prepares to avenge his father and Future Trunks

After blowing a hole right through Future Trunks' torso, Cell sarcastically asks the horrified Z-Fighters if they're surprised to see him again, only for Gohan to denounce the bio-android as a heartless monster. Cell then explains how he survived his self-destruction on King Kai's Planet, revealing that part of him had managed to survive the blast, allowing him to fully regenerate. In addition, his cells have retained the knowledge of his perfect power and, being of Saiyan genetics, Cell has received a massive power boost, allowing him to unlock his own version of Super Saiyan 2: Super Perfect Cell. After hearing Cell mock his father's death, Gohan powers up to his maximum and is ready to destroy the bio-android for good. Vegeta, Yamcha and Tien then notice Future Trunks' body twitching slightly, causing them to realize that he might still be alive. After Trunks vomits up a massive amount of blood, Yamcha and the other Z-Fighters then race to resuscitate him, only to realize just after arriving that he has already died.

Cell tries to kill Vegeta

After watching his son die right in front of him, Vegeta's anger finally erupts and blinded by rage, he attacks Cell by firing a Maximum Flasher, followed up with multiple ki blasts. After this giant barrage of energy blasts, Vegeta is slapped away by the powerful android and almost killed by a ki wave. However, Gohan jumps in front of Vegeta and takes the blast, which mangles his left arm, rendering it useless. Knowing that he has been dealt a crippling blow, Gohan realizes that it will take a miracle to defeat Cell once and for all, as the latter proclaims that he will never die.

Major Events

• Future Trunks, after being mortally wounded by Cell the episode prior, succumbs to his injury and dies after spitting up blood.
• Vegeta attacks Cell in a fury after his son is killed.
• Cell severely damages Gohan's arm when trying to kill Vegeta.

Battles

• Vegeta (Super Saiyan) vs. Cell (Super Perfect)

Appearances

Characters

Goku Gohan Vegeta Future Trunks Krillin Tien Shinhan Yamcha Piccolo Mr. Satan Caroni Pirozhki

Miss Piiza Jimmy Firecracker Lionel Android 18 King Kai Bubbles Gregory Dende Mr. Popo Cell

Locations

• Earth
  • Cell Games Arena
  • The Lookout

• Other World
  • Snake Way

Objects

• Battle Armor
• Champion Belt
• Halo

Transformations

• Super Saiyan
• Super Saiyan 2
• Super Perfect Cell

Techniques

• Maximum Flasher - Used by Vegeta out of anger of his son's death.
• Risking it all for a friend - Used by Gohan to save Vegeta from Cell's "Time to Die" attack.
• Super Energy Wave Volley - Used by Vegeta to attack Super Perfect Cell.
• Time to Die - Used by Super Perfect Cell against Vegeta.

Bruce Faulconer tracks

• "Cell Returns (soundtrack)" - At the beginning of the episode.
• "Vegeta Knows His Son" - When Vegeta thinks of how he has treated Future Trunks.
• "Vegeta - Super Saiyan" - When Vegeta attacks Super Perfect Cell.
• "Vegeta Powers Up" - When Vegeta fires his Maximum Flasher in an attempt to destroy Super Perfect Cell.

Differences from the manga

• Due to Caroni, Pirozhki and Miss Piiza being created for the anime, all scenes involving them are exclusive to the anime.
• Mr. Popo asking Dende what they can do after Cell returns and Dende's uncertain reply is exclusive to the anime.

Trivia

• In the English versions, there is an inconsistency with Cell's dialogue: after Cell recounts how he survived and returned, he says, "Goku failed, and so will all of you, but I'm willing to give you another chance if you want!". However, when Vegeta is remembering Future Trunks' death, Cell's quote is changed to: "Goku tried to destroy me, but failed! Thanks to him, I am stronger than I have ever been!". The second quote is more accurate to what he says in the Japanese version.
• This is the first episode in which Vegeta shows love for his family, both in his mental dialogue about Future Trunks dying and in becoming enraged that Super Perfect Cell killed his son.
  • The English version tones down the fact that Future Trunks died after vomiting up blood by having Yamcha simply say, "He might not make it.".
• In the English dub, during the recap for the previous episode, when covering Cell's abrupt return, the narrator while commenting on the sudden dust storm says, "Forget the weatherman, even I know when trouble blows through!", which is a paraphrase of a lyric from one of Bob Dylan's songs, Subterranean Homesick Blues.

Gallery

Future Trunks' lingering body Super Perfect Cell talks about how he came back Super Perfect Cell Cell after regenerating Cell using Instant Transmission in a flashback Gohan powers up against Cell Super Saiyan 2 Gohan Gohan preparing to fight Cell, again Vegeta looks at Future Trunks' dead body Vegeta powers up Vegeta attacks Cell An enraged Vegeta blasts Cell Gohan watches Vegeta blast Cell Super Saiyan Vegeta Gohan takes Cell's attack meant for Vegeta Gohan injured after protecting Vegeta