LogFAQs > #983847481

Oh might be nice to discuss some DBZ here instead of on the boards where Scotty and his alts muck up every thread.

Ill take these in order.

im_not_13 posted...

So the main Cell from the show killed a completely alternate timeline Trunks to come back to absorb 17 and 18?

Technically it was Cell from Trunk's alternate timeline. Main Timeline Cell was still a cicada in a jar that Krillin killed. (Yep, Krillin killed Cell AND did more damage to Frieza on Namek than Vegeta. That's my dog.)

How was he able to kill Trunks so easily in his base form?

Because Imperfect Cell was far more powerful than a SSJ1. Remember, when Piccolo fused with Kami he jumped beyond Goku and Vegeta, becoming (briefly) the most powerful Z-fighter, and he was only able to fend Cell off, even getting one arm damaged in the process.

Cell retreated only because he wasn't at full strength and backup arrived for Piccolo. Then he went on an absorbing spree, and the next time you saw him he was far beyond Piccolo even without the androids.

Why was this Trunks going back to the past in the first place? Did he beat 17 and 18?

Yes, that alternate Trunks was coming back to tell Goku that he had defeated the androids in the future (the weaker ones) so Cell would have still been far beyond his capabilities.

If he did I would imagine he would be strong enough to fend off Cell.

No, the androids were weaker in Trunk's future. Cell was on a whole other level.

And speaking of which, why were the main 17 and 18 so much stronger? It was never explained...

I don't think it was ever actually explained why they were stronger. There may have been a line about hand-wavey, "timey-wimey!" shenanigans that I'm forgetting.

Surely there would be an unlimited number of Trunks and Cells out there if 3 can exist? Why didn't more come back to the past?

Because the series is already 300 episodes long, and we're moving on. Oh look, a pink guy.

Also, there probably were many more alternate Trunks going to many alternate timelines, but since they're other timelines, we never saw them, just this one.