Cell

Cell (セル) is a character from the Japanese manga and anime series Dragon Ball and Dragon Ball Z. He is the primary antagonist of the Androids/Cell story arc.

Characters Consumed

 * Android 17
 * Android 18
 * Son Goku

Personality
Cell is a very evil creature who has no regard for sentient life and will callously murder any number of people in order to achieve his goal. As he hunts down Androids 17 and 18, he takes delight in showing his overwhelming strength and disposing of all who stand in his way. He also relishes the act of absorbing 17 and 18 as they are the key to reaching his perfection. He briefly tries to persuade them to join him, egotistically claiming they will be part of his perfection, but they turn him down, which only mildly annoys him.

Motive
Cell desires nothing more than to reach his perfect form and then demonstrate the sheer power of his perfection. To this end, he wishes to absorb Android 17 and 18 as they are necessary to achieve his perfect form. When attempting to absorb Goku, he does so to eliminate his old foe and increase his own strength.

Background
Cell is a bio-android created by the scientist Dr. Gero, intended to be the perfect life form. His innate objective, therefore, is to absorb two of Dr. Gero's other androids, Android 17 and 18, in order to achieve his perfect form.

During the Androids/Cell storyline, Cell arrives from an alternate timeline seeking Androids 17 and 18 as they had been destroyed in his timeline. After absorbing countless people to increase his strength, Cell confronts Androids 17 and 18, intent on absorbing them. He first fights Android 17, easily overpowering him, and then makes an attempt to absorb him. However, another android, Android 16, intervenes and stops him.

Dragon Ball - Chapter 372, Dragon Ball Z - Episode 152
Android 16 proves to be a powerful opponent for Cell and he blasts him into a deep crater in the earth. However, Cell discreetly emerges from the ground and sneaks up on Android 17, who smugly believes he can still defeat him. Cell then opens up his tail and catches 17 by surprise as he clamps it down over him. Despite 17's resistance, Cell easily pumps him through his tail and into his body, absorbing him. Cell then transforms into his second "semi-perfect" form.

With only Android 18 left to reach his perfect form, Cell pursues her as she tries to escape, but is interrupted and nearly defeated by the Saiyan warriors Vegeta and Trunks. However, upon hearing of the potential of his perfect form, Vegeta allows Cell to locate and absorb Android 18.

Dragon Ball - Chapter 381, Dragon Ball Z - Episode 159
Cell quickly finds 18, but Trunks, Android 16, and the human warrior Krillin still attempt to stop him. Cell puts an end to their interference when he uses his Solar Flare technique to blind everyone. With the others momentarily incapacitated, Cell opens up his tail and engulfs Android 18. Despite some meager resistance from Krillin (anime only), Cell succeeds in pumping Android 18 completely into his body, absorbing her, and he finally reaches his perfect form.

Afterwards, to demonstrate the power of his perfect form, Cell holds a tournament called The Cell Games. During the tournament, he battles Son Gohan who hits him so hard that he vomits up Android 18, reverting him to his second form. Cell then detonates himself, killing Android 17 in the process. Cell then revives, being restored to his perfect form, but Gohan ultimately destroys him.

Dragon Ball GT, Episode 43
Cell teams up with the villainous Frieza to battle Son Goku, who has reverted to a child and is trapped in Hell along with them. During the battle, Cell engulfs Goku with his tail and absorbs him into his body. However, Goku quickly forces his way back out and Cell and Frieza are defeated.

Method of Consumption
Cell is able to swallow and absorb people whole with his tail. Though normally it has a pointed tip, his tail can open up and become a large funnel by which he can engulf victims as large as an average adult human and swallow them whole into his body. This method was used on Androids 17 and 18, whom he needed to absorb whole in order to reach his perfect form. When in his perfect form, though his tail is usually retracted, Cell can extend it and still use this method as he did when he tried to absorb Goku. Presumably, while in his perfect form, Cell will not transform again after absorbing someone, but he will gain a boost in power depending on the strength of the person he absorbed. However, according to the video game Dragon Ball Z: Budokai, if he absorbs someone other than the androids while not in his perfect form, he may inherit some of their physical characteristics.

People that Cell absorbs are presumably shrunken down or integrated some other way into his body so as not to drastically alter his body's shape or size. Although his tail is fairly long, Cell must generally be within close range to absorb his victims. The success of his absorption presumably depends on the strength of his victims, who may potentially push back against his open tail (as seen with Android 17). Once it has clamped down on them, however, escape seems all but impossible. However, if a victim is strong enough, they can potentially force their way back out of Cell's body, as seen with Goku.

Appetite
Cell does not "eat" his victims out of hunger, per se, but does so in order to increase his strength and reach his perfect form. Thus, he only absorbs however much he feels is necessary. There is no apparent limit to how many people he can absorb.

Status of Swallowed Prey
People that Cell absorbs whole are apparently somehow shrunken down and/or merge with his body, though the mechanics of this are unclear. They evidently still have some level of awareness as Android 17 was able to see and hear Goku while still inside Cell. Otherwise, they are completely incapacitated.

Quotes
"You should have listened to your friend!" (said before absorbing Android 17, Dragon Ball Z, Funimation dub)

"Time to devour the last morsel and become whole!" (said before absorbing Android 18, Dragon Ball Z, Funimation dub)

"So sorry to keep you waiting!" (said before absorbing Android 17, Dragon Ball Z Kai, Funimation dub)

"Now I'm gonna take my time and savor you properly" (said before absorbing Android 18, Dragon Ball Z Kai, Funimation dub)