Episode 159 of Dragon Ball Z, first broadcast in Japan on September 30, 1992 and titled The Last Defense in Funimation's dub, is the one where Cell gets what he has wanted since his first appearance. Trunks tries everything to stop him, even attacking his own father, but a trick borrowed from Tien is all the monster needs to absorb Android 18. The full literal title reads "A Shock to the Entire Universe!! Cell's Spectacular Evolution Toward His Perfect Form," and after it the show skipped a week: the next episode did not air until October 14.
Summary
Cell has spotted Android 18, and Trunks notices at once. As Krillin begs the Android to run, the monster dives toward her, but the young warrior intercepts him with a punch that drives him into the ground. Android 18 flees, leaving Android 16 behind, and Krillin follows her.
Cell bursts back out of the earth and Trunks moves to chase him, but this time the obstacle is Vegeta: the prince strikes his son and slams him into a cliff to clear the way for his opponent. Cell sarcastically thanks him for being as brave as he is foolish. On Kami's Lookout, Bulma demands an explanation that Piccolo will not give, while baby Trunks bursts into tears.
Future Trunks, who has already watched his own world burn, will not let it happen again. When his father blocks him once more, he gathers an energy blast and sends him flying into the sea, then returns to the fight. Android 18 hits Cell twice to no effect and is about to be swallowed when Trunks arrives in time, knocks the monster away and shouts at her to run. Vegeta, surfacing, is surprised his son dared to go that far, and perhaps a little proud.
In the Hyperbolic Time Chamber, Goku carries an exhausted Gohan back to bed and reassures him that he is not holding his father back.
On the island, Trunks pounds Cell until the monster breaks away and uses Solar Flare, blinding everyone, Vegeta included. Krillin tries to shield the Androids blindly but is flicked aside; Android 18 strikes Cell, calling him a monster, and his tail closes around her. By the time they can see again, it is too late. Trunks' barrage of blasts does nothing: Cell starts to transform, the Earth shakes, and even on New Namek, Dende and Moori feel that power.
Our take
The episode works because it puts Trunks at the center of a family conflict that the manga settles in a few panels. Toriyama has Vegeta stop the boy before he can really react; the anime grants him an actual rebellion, with the blast that dumps his father into the sea and a long pursuit of Cell. It is an addition that deepens Trunks, the only one who knows what a defenseless world looks like, and makes the monster's victory more bitter.
The price is the usual stretching. In the manga Trunks never truly fights semi-perfect Cell and the Solar Flare comes right away; here the scene drags on, Krillin attacks during the absorption, and the transformation is watched from Kame House all the way to New Namek. It is theatrical, but it sets up the cliffhanger that the week off between September 30 and October 14, 1992 left hanging.
Trivia
- It adapts chapter 381 and the first two pages of chapter 382. Written by Katsuyuki Sumisawa and directed by Takahiro Imamura from Kazuhito Kikuchi's storyboard, with animation direction by Naoki Miyahara, it drew a 20.3% share.
- In the manga Trunks does not fight Cell: he tries to attack, but Vegeta stops him. Krillin's, 16's and 18's attacks, Bulma's outburst and Goku tucking Gohan in are anime additions too.
- This is the last time Cell uses Solar Flare in Dragon Ball Z.
- It was Peter Kelamis' final episode as Goku in the Ocean Group dub; Kirby Morrow took over from the next one.
- Funimation's English dub premiered on Cartoon Network on October 31, 2000.