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Cell Max is the overarching antagonist of the 2022 martial arts fantasy anime film Dragon Ball Super: Super Hero and it's manga retelling.
Cell Max was a Bio-Android created by Dr. Hedo for the Red Ribbon Army to aid them in their goal of world domination. The design of Cell Max was based off of the blueprints of the original Cell, albeit he was far stronger than his predecessor. Unlike the original Cell, Cell Max is not a sentient, but a mindless creature. Hedo intended to install Cell Max with a control device before releasing him, although the Red Ribbon Army was forced to activate him prematurely after they came into conflict with the Z-Fighters. As a result, Cell Max went on a mindless rampage until he was destroyed by the combined efforts of Son Gohan and Piccolo.
Like the original Cell, he was voiced by Norio Wakamoto in Japanese and Dameon Clarke in English.
Appearance[]
Cell Max bore a similar physical appearance to the original Cell's Semi-Perfect form, albeit with some major differences. Cell Max had a large, muscular humanoid body with several insectoid-like features, including spotted green and red segmented carapace all over his body, fly-like wings (similar to the Perfect Cell), and a tail. Unlike the original Cell, his tail had a mace-like protrusion at the end of it. He had yellow eyes (which later turned red) and primarily green skin, as well as human-like facial features. V-shaped upwards-pointing horns protruded from his head and formed a crown shape.
Personality[]
Unlike the original Cell, who was fully sentient and capable of rational thought, Cell Max was nothing more than a mindless living weapon driven by his instincts. His only thought was to destroy everything in his path, regardless of whether whatever he faced was hostile or not. Even though he was nothing more than a mindless berserker, Cell Max still displayed an instinctual understanding on how to fight.
Synopsis[]
Creation of Cell Max[]
The original Cell was an intelligent Bio-Android created by the genius Dr. Gero that threatened to cause planetary extinction on Earth until he was destroyed by the combined efforts of the heroic Z-Fighters. Gero had been working for the Red Ribbon Army, a clandestine organization led by Commander Magenta that sought to claim dominion over the Earth. Over a decade after the defeat of Cell, Magenta recruited Gero's grandson Dr. Hedo to make a new series of Red Ribbon Androids. Commander Magenta wanted Hedo to create a successor to Cell, and although he was reluctant, the scientist agreed.
Using the blueprints of Cell as a reference, Dr. Hedo constructed a gigantic Bio-Android dubbed Cell Max that greatly surpassed the original in terms of power. Unlike the original Cell, Cell Max wasn't capable of intelligent thought and required a device to be kept under control. Kept in a containment cell deep in the Red Ribbon base, Cell Max was only supposed to be activated as a last resort; Hedo had already created a pair of heroic Androids called Gamma 1 and Gamma 2 who he hoped would be able to defeat the Z-Fighters by themselves. The Gammas began their attacks on the Z-Fighters before Cell Max's control device could be installed.
The Battle of A Life[]
The Z-Fighters Son Gohan and Piccolo attacked the Red Ribbon Army's base and were able to gain the upper hand against the Gammas. Fearing the Red Ribbon Army would lose, Magenta decided to activate Cell Max and have him kill the Z-Fighters despite the lack of a control mechanism. Although Dr. Hedo tried to stop the Commander, Magenta was ultimately able to free Cell Max from the containment cell. Awakening with an enraged scream, Cell Max flew outside into the open air and unleashed a massive sphere of destructive energy that engulfed much of the Red Ribbon Army's base and personnel.
The Gammas saved Hedo from the energy sphere and immediately began battling Cell Max. Gohan and Piccolo, who were now joined by their fellow Z-Fighters Android 18, Son Goten, Krillin, and Trunks Brief, decided to help the Gammas to destroy Cell Max before he could go on a rampage. Although their coordinated attacks were able to occupy Cell Max, the Z-Fighters and the Gammas weren't able to properly damage the Bio-Android. The Gammas suggested that they aim for his head, as Dr. Hedo had installed a cautionary countermeasure that would cause Cell Max to explode if his head was damaged enough.
However, even after Goten and Trunks fused into Gotenks the Z-Fighters were unable to score a hit significant enough to defeat Cell. As a result, Gamma 2 decided to launch a suicide attack on the Bio-Android in the hopes it would defeat Cell Max. Flying into the upper atmosphere while the Z-Fighters distracted Cell, Gamma 2 descended and unleashed all of his energy into a strike that obliterated Cell Max's left arm but failed to kill him. Before Cell Max could step on Gamma 2's deactivated remains, Piccolo intervened and used his Namekian physiology to grow to Cell Max's size.
Cell Max began brutally beating Piccolo and the other Z-Fighters while Gohan started charging his energy in the hopes of defeating the Bio-Android with one powerful shot to the head. Seeing Piccolo and his other friends struggle for their lives awakened a new power in Gohan, allowing him to attain a powerful new transformation. Believing Gohan to be a threat, Cell Max formed an enormous energy sphere that eclipsed the sky. However, having completed charging, Gohan unleashed his "Special Beam Cannon" technique that easily destroyed Cell's energy sphere and shattered his head, causing him to self-destruct and take the Red Ribbon base with him.
Gallery[]
Trivia[]
- Cell Max was created and designed by Akira Toriyama, the original creator of Dragon Ball. Toriyama previously stated that the Semi-Perfect form was his favorite of the forms taken up by the original Cell, which may have inspired the decision for Cell Max to resemble Cell's Semi-Perfect state.
- Dameon Clarke, Cell Max's English voice actor, also voices the Dragon Ball antagonist Paragus.
- Cell Max's signature energy beam attack bore resemblance to the "Giga Rays" used by the "Gandora the Dragon of Destruction" card from the Yu-Gi-Oh! franchise.
- According to Akira Toriyama: Had Cell Max been fully completed according to the plan, he would have been powerful enough that even Broly couldn't defeat him. But since he was forcibly activated by Magenta, he became an uncontrollable rampaging monster[1].
- Similarly in a 2005 Game Boy game Dragon Ball GT: Transformation, when Goku, Trunks and Pan first fight lord Luud they comment that Luud has an amazing power but because he's behaving like a child he doesn't know how to use it to his advantage.
- The original Cell (at least, the one from an alternate future timeline) required 20 years before emerging from gestation under the care of Dr. Gero's Supercomputer. After which, he needs at least 4 years before shedding his skin to reach his Imperfect Form, and then required to absorb Android 17 and 18, before finally achieving full power (within initial specifications). While Cell MAX didn't develop to his full potential due to Magenta's premature activation, he had reached a power level far greater just from a few months of gestation alone.
- His immensely greater power, while requiring fewer steps and much shorter development, is either indicative of how much smarter Dr. Hedo was than his grandfather, or that having the plans to Cell allowed Hedo to find shortcuts that Gero was never able to in his lifetime.
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 Villains
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