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"This can't be happening! I am complete! It is impossible for a Saiyan child to defeat me! I am the ultimate fighter! I have no equal! Yet somehow, this one is different. Very well, if I have to prove myself once again, then so be it, but this will be the last time!"
Cell

"Cell's Break Down" (セルにへん!!くずされたかんぜんたい Seru ni Ihen!! Kuzusareta Kanzentai, lit. "Cell's Disaster!! The Destruction of His Perfect Form") is the twenty second episode of the Cell Games Saga and the one hundred eighty-seventh overall episode in the uncut Dragon Ball Z series. This episode first aired in Japan on May 26, 1993. Its original American airdate was December 18, 2000.

Summary[]

CellKamehamehaAgainstGohan

Cell charging the Earth-Destroying Kamehameha

After Cell realizes that he is no match for Gohan's awesome new powers, he decides to use the Dragon Team's techniques in full power, such as Krillin's Destructo Disc, Piccolo's Special Beam Cannon and Rapid Fire, to no avail. After his attacks failed, Cell tries to destroy the Earth with his Earth-Destroying Kamehameha. Gohan easily deflects the enormous ki wave with a Kamehameha of his own, which swallows Cell.

Goku reflects on Gohan's growing power and flashes back to when he and Gohan were training in the Hyperbolic Time Chamber and Gohan managed to achieve Super Saiyan 2 for a split second before passing out from exhaustion and states that it was during that incident that he realized that, should Cell achieve his Perfect Form, Gohan was the only one out of the Z Fighters who would stand any chance at defeating Cell. Back at the fight, realizing that Cell is still alive and that he could regenerate due to having his own cells inside him alongside those of the other Z-Fighters, Piccolo asks Goku to tell Gohan to finish Cell. Gohan refuses, stating that he wants Cell to suffer for what he did to the Earth.

"I am whole! You, wretched child! How dare you?! HOW DARE YOU?!?!"
Cell begin to lose his temper

SSJ2Gohan(HTC)

Gohan Super Saiyan 2 as seen in Goku's flashback

Cell regenerates and transforms out of rage, sacrificing speed for power, a transformation which he had previously mocked Future Trunks for. While realizing that Cell was too slow to catch him, Gohan pummels the Android with two powerful kicks - one to the face and stomach respectively - making him sick. Piccolo, realizing what's happening, informs Goku and the others that it won't be long before Cell's power fades from him, telling Goku and the others to watch. Just as Piccolo predicted, Cell ended up regurgitate Android 18, to the other Z-Fighters shock. Piccolo then predicted this ultimately meant the end of Cell, although Goku privately expressed doubts as to whether that was truly the case. With Android 18 no longer a part of his body, Cell's perfect power begins to fade away and he eventually reverts to his Semi-Perfect form.

Major Events[]

  • Cell uses the Power-Weighted Form after becoming desperate.
  • Cell regurgitates Android 18.

Battles[]

  • Gohan (Super Saiyan 2) vs. Cell (Perfect/Power-Weighted)
  • Goku (Super Saiyan) vs. Gohan (Super Saiyan) (Flashback)

Appearances[]

Characters[]

Locations[]

Objects[]

Transformations[]

Techniques[]

  • Destructo Disc - Used by Cell against Gohan, however, the young Saiyan easily catches and destroys the disks.
  • Explosive Wave - Used by Gohan to destroy the Destructo Discs fired by Cell.
  • Special Beam Cannon - Used by Cell, but Gohan easily deflects the blast.
  • Rapid Fire - Used by Cell against Gohan, to no effect.
  • Earth-Destroying Kamehameha - Used by Cell in an attempt to destroy the Earth. Gohan counters the blast with his Ultimate Kamehameha.
  • Ultimate Kamehameha - Used by Gohan to counter Cell's Kamehameha. Gohan's blast easily overpowers and leaves Cell in a critical condition.
  • Regeneration - Used by Cell to regenerate his body after being partially destroyed by Gohan's Kamehameha.
  • Explosive Demon Impact - Used by Gohan to severely cripple Power-Weighted Perfect Cell, enough for Cell to regurgitate Android 18.

Bruce Faulconer tracks[]

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.
  • Cell performing the Destructo Disc which Gohan catches much to everyone's disbelief is exclusive to the anime.
  • Cell performing the Special Beam Cannon which Gohan simply swats away into the air and Cell performing the Rapid Fire technique which proves futile is exclusive to the anime.
  • Goku's flashback of training with Gohan in the Hyperbolic Time Chamber and catching a glimpse of his hidden power is exclusive to the anime.
  • The manga merely has Gohan counter by kneeing Cell in the gut before the latter is forced to vomit up 18. The anime adds in a kick to the face beforehand.

Trivia[]

  • Gohan's line, "Watch and Learn.", is integrated in the remastered version when Cell launches his Special Beam Cannon towards him.
  • During the original Toonami broadcast and initial DVD release of this episode, it was titled "Cell's Mighty Breakdown".
  • In edited versions of the episode, the scene where Cell vomits up Android 18 is removed, instead being replaced by it cutting to Gohan smirking while Cell is heard screaming off-screen.
  • This episode marks the first time Gohan uses the Kamehameha, aside from when he called a Masenko a Kamehameha when he fought Vegeta.
  • It is implied in this episode that Gohan's first transformation into Super Saiyan 2 was actually during his and Goku's training in the Hyperbolic Time Chamber, but he was not able to maintain the transformation before losing consciousness.
  • The scene of Gohan telling off Cell for pushing him too far was not in the Japanese version. Instead, the Narrator clarifies that Cell has realized too late that angering Gohan for the sake of a good fight was a mistake.
  • Cell's taunt to Gohan just before firing the Earth-Destroying Kamehameha differed between versions: In the English dub, he tells Gohan that there's nothing the latter can do to save Earth (implying he was planning on destroying Earth regardless of Gohan), while in the Japanese version, he instead warns Gohan that dodging the attack will result in Earth being destroyed, making clear he was strictly aiming for Gohan.

Gallery[]

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