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Dragon Ball and power scaling go hand in hand and the discourse surrounding Cell Max is a very interesting element. This antagonist was created as a callback to one of the series' most iconic villains, Cell, and his memorable fight with Son Gohan, as the latter reached Super Saiyan 2 for the first time in the manga.
While this is all well and good, there is the question of who is the strongest between the two Cells in the Dragon Ball franchise. It is true that the answer is quite straightforward to those who are watching or reading the series until recently, but this can also be an interesting source of analysis when considering both Cells' potential and how far they can go in terms of development.
Disclaimer: This article contains spoilers for the Dragon Ball series.
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Explaining who is the strongest between the original Cell and Cell Max in Dragon Ball
It is fairly straightforward to say that, yes, Cell Max is stronger than the original Cell of the Dragon Ball franchise. At this point, most of the main cast is stronger than the original Cell. Against the new one, Gohan had to unlock a transformation that, on paper, makes him rival the likes of Goku and Vegeta in Super. This last part is very important in this argument because those two characters are now a lot stronger than Dr. Gero's creation.
In that regard, there isn't a lot of debate surrounding these two characters, but the more interesting question is who has the biggest potential between them. Sure, Cell Max is stronger now, but what if Cell had the potential to train and develop? After all, he has Saiyan and Frieza cells in his organism, giving him an edge over most characters in the entire series.
On paper, the original Cell has the potential to become even stronger because of the Zenkai boosts he can get because of his Saiyan biology and can become a lot more powerful at a quicker pace thanks to the Frieza biology.
It is also worth pointing out that Cell Max is a mindless monster. At the same time, the original one can rationalize, come up with plans, and would also have a greater capacity to learn and evolve as the series goes by, so he has, on paper, greater potential.
Cell Max's role in the Dragon Ball franchise
As mentioned earlier, there is no denying that Cell Max's role in the Dragon Ball franchise, whether in the movie or the manga, has been mostly for fanservice.
Designing a character to look like the villain defeated by Son Gohan at the peak of his popularity in the Super storyline speaks volumes about the intent behind this antagonist. It emphasizes the significance of the Super storyline, where the character is the central focus.
However, there is nothing inherently wrong with fanservice as long as it is done with taste and respect to the original version. Most people agree that it was healthy for the franchise to give the likes of Piccolo and Gohan a bit of time in the spotlight, not having to rely on the duo of Vegeta and Goku for once.
Final thoughts
Cell Max is stronger than the original Cell since the former appears at a point in the story where characters are far stronger than the latter. It is a fairly straightforward answer, although it is also worth pointing out that the original Cell probably has a greater potential ceiling and could have become a lot stronger, considering his Frieza and Saiyan biology.
