Did y'all think Goku would find a way to defeat Cell? Maybe it was cuz I was 12 at the time, but damn I couldn't see it being Gohan coming through in the clutch. I thought Gohan pretty much got to his peak at the time by hitting Super Saiyan.
Cell Saga Expectations
- Thread starter Kabnis
- Start date
In my opinion, I think goku held back just so gohan and reach his full potential.
Mic-Nificent
I didn't eat nobody
If you watch DBZ from the beginning it's obvious they were setting Gohan up to eventually take over from Goku. I was more disappointed when they through all of Gohan's development into the bushes just to bring Goku back.
i'm a firm believer that SSJ Goku and SSJ2 Gohan were both capable of defeating Cell before he self-destructed and became Perfect Cell.
Days of Future Piff
Superstar
Low key though, Goku's fight with Perfect Cell was doper than Gohan's 
This is why I don't see why some people say DBZ should have ended with Frieza where Gohan was still weak as ish. If anything it should have ended with Cell. Everyone coming together. Gohan's victory at the Cell Games parallels his dad's victory against Piccolo during the 23rd world martial arts tournament.
Mic-Nificent
I didn't eat nobody
Low key though, Goku's fight with Perfect Cell was doper than Gohan's
It was a better fight because they were more evenly matched.
Gohan's fight against Cell played out like those fights Vegeta would have when he KNEW he was stronger than his opponent.
TheNatureBoy
Veteran
Yeah, as a kid I expected Goku to be the one to defeat Cell. Having said that the moment when Cell destroys that big android and Gohan snaps and you see the look in his eyes and he goes Super Saiyan is easily one of my top if not my favorite anime moment.
Days of Future Piff
Superstar
Yeah, the buu saga was
Even in the Cell saga it was starting to fall off.
A lot of dope characters like Trunks, 17 and 18, and Cell were introduced, and Gohan got to step up and fill his dad's shoes, but too much of Cell's progress was the result of the heroes not being on point (Vegeta
) and a lot of charcters started getting straight up left behind in terms of power. Piccolo was that dude when he fought 17, but after Cell went perfect, he was pretty much stuck with the humans in the "done" camp. 
Mic-Nificent
I didn't eat nobody
Yeah, the buu saga was
Even in the Cell saga it was starting to fall off.
A lot of dope characters like Trunks, 17 and 18, and Cell were introduced, and Gohan got to step up and fill his dad's shoes, but too much of Cell's progress was the result of the heroes not being on point (Vegeta
nikka went from the most powerful being on the planet to another glorified jobber in the less than a day
No goku went 100% against cell, Gohan being half saiyan had a higher potential and hidden power no one else had at the time.
your belief on goku is 100% wrong, Cell didn't even fight goku at full power and goku went all out. Cell mention the next battle they engaged in goku would've been killed. Goku fought cell first so gohan could see how he fought.
Urbanmiracle
Brooklyn the planet...
I think Goku knew all along while training in the Room of Spirit and Time that he couldn't out right beat cell. He took a gamble with Gohan to see if he could tap into his hidden potential.
when Gohan is getting a beatdown.
Mic-Nificent
I didn't eat nobody
I don't know why so many of yall are on that "Goku could have beaten Cell if he really wanted to" shyt when he flat out said he gave his all and wasn't able to beat him.
There only instance where Goku was throwing fights was during the Buu Saga against Majin Vegeta and during his fight with fat Buu.
Gohan was a level above everybody else by the end of the Cell Saga. Goku knew it and everybody else could sense just how powerful he was.
There only instance where Goku was throwing fights was during the Buu Saga against Majin Vegeta and during his fight with fat Buu.
Gohan was a level above everybody else by the end of the Cell Saga. Goku knew it and everybody else could sense just how powerful he was.