Cell may not have competed well in the Cell Games, but he is still one of the most memorable Dragon Ball antagonists in the franchise's lengthy history. And if he hadn't developed such a massive ego while on his pursuit of perfection, the Cell Games would have ended very differently. In fact, if Cell had taken his tournament more seriously, he could have easily defeated the Z Fighters.
The list below celebrates Perfect Cell as a fan-favorite villain by counting the many ways that he could have won the Cell games. Perhaps Gohan got luckier than fans remember.
9 Cell Could Have Started The Tournament Sooner
Before the Cell Games even started, the Z Fighters were gifted nine days to prepare for their tournament with Cell. During this time Goku, Gohan, Vegeta, and a number of different challengers spent a year training in the hyperbolic time chamber.
Not only did Gohan have plenty of time to train for his fight with Cell, he even had enough time to rest. If Cell had just started the tournament earlier, he could have avoided fighting Goku and Gohan entirely.
8 Cell Could Have Ignored Traditional Tournament Rules
As the Cell Games progressed, the traditional tournament rules that fans have come to expect from Dragon Ball were abandoned little by little. If Cell had abandoned these rules earlier, he could have avoided exposing his tricks to Goku.
Before Gohan and Cell ever began their epic clash, Goku took advantage of the tournament rules that forced Cell to challenge the Z Fighters independently. If Cell had attacked the group of Z Fighters in some sort of Battle Royal Tournament, he may have defeated Gohan before the young man had the chance to embrace his full power.
7 Cell Could Have Collected Dende's New Dragon Balls
In order to save the men and women that were lost in Cell's path to perfection, Goku worked with the Namekian people to build Earth a new set of Dragon Balls. After Dende creates the new Dragon Balls, Goku makes quick work of collecting them. With the Dragon Balls in their inventory, the Z Fighters were bound to win.
If Cell would have had the wherewithal to collect the Dragon Balls and wish for a more perfect form, perhaps he could have overcome the combined might of Goku and Gohan.
6 Cell Could Have Absorbed Android 18 Or Android 16
Cell's pursuit of perfection is what drives him throughout the entirety of the Androids Saga. While Dr. Gero torments the Z Fighters with his Androids, Cell grows in strength by absorbing anyone who can grant him more power as a warrior.
During the Cell Games, Cell completely forgets his mission to achieve the perfect form. When presented with Android 16 and a weakened Android 18, Cell makes no effort to absorb them. If Cell was able to add Android 16's power to his own, perhaps he could have overcome Gohan in the end.
5 Cell Could Have Just Destroyed The Earth
For an Android that never shuts up about destroying the Earth, Cell certainly struggled to mount an organized and efficient plan of attack against the blue and green planet. Cell's hubris throughout the tournament is expected of someone who calls themselves perfect, but it becomes idiotic after Goku and Gohan challenge him.
If the Cell Games were part of an elaborate plan to destroy the Earth, Cell should have abandoned the games as soon as it was made clear that he could not win. As soon as Perfect Cell was exhausted by the Z Fighters, he could have concentrated all of his power into an Earth-shattering attack, ending the Cell Games and becoming the champion of Earth.
4 Cell Should Have Shut Up About Destroying All Of Humanity
Cell's motivation shifts in confusing ways throughout his short life on Earth. First, he strives for perfection, then he demands destruction. The Cell Games offers both destruction and perfection. By battling Goku, Cell will become stronger. By defeating him, Cell will destroy Earth.
But could Cell's destructive attitude be a symptom of Dr. Gero's madness? It is clear that Cell seems more interested in finding the perfect form of combat than he is with destroying the Earth. If he had never mentioned destruction, the Cell Games could have been his to win.
3 Cell Could Have Defeated Goku Before Revealing All His Tricks
Days before the tournament even began, Goku claimed that he was no match for Cell's power. He even went to visit Cell to confirm his weakness. Still, when Cell and Goku fight in the Cell Games, the android acts as if he and Goku are evenly matched. Cell even reveals all his tricks to Goku, perhaps toying with the Saiyan.
If Cell had ended the battle early, which he very clearly could have, Gohan wouldn't have had such an easy time defeating the perfect android afterward.
2 Cell Could Have Defeated Gohan Quickly
If Cell had managed to overcome his pride at any point in the tournament, he could have walked away from the Cell Games as the victor. A perfect organism has no reason to retreat and build up strength, but when Goku pushed Cell to his limits, he should have abandoned his hubris and began taking the tournament seriously.
Even when Gohan pushed Cell to his limit, the android continued to attack as if he had the advantage. If he would have just used his full strength when Gohan and Goku were weak, he could have easily won the Cell Games.
1 Cell Should Have Held On To The Senzu Beans
After Goku waves the white flag so Gohan can tag in, the spiky-haired protagonist gives Cell a senzu bean. Cell soon acquires all of the senzu beans, but fails to hold onto them for the duration of the Cell Games.
Cell's biggest mistake during the tournament was losing the bag of senzu beans that he stole from the Z Fighters. If he were able to continue restocking his stamina, he surely would have been able to win the Cell Games.