Recap / Dragon Ball Z Abridged E 55

"Yes? Yeah, I guess it is a win-win for you, isn't it? All right, then. It's officially' The Cell Games, presented by Hetap."

"I'd kill for a Hetap!"

"WHOA! JESUS!"

"Nope, actually, it's Goku."

—Goku, interrupting Cell's call with Hetap about a sponsorship for the Cell Games.

Original Airdate: September 28, 2016

Vegeta is not happy with Goku's progress. Lord Popo is not happy with Vegeta's attitude.

Goku and Gohan has finally managed to complete their training and got out of the Chamber but the underlying question is: Is it enough to defeat Cell? Can Goku or Gohan stop the green dude from destroying not just the blue planet but the whole universe?

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Fine. Your literal tropes disgust me anyway:

• Achievements in Ignorance: When Trunks asks how Goku and Gohan have remained in Super Saiyan form ever since they left the Hyberbolic Time Chamber, Gohan states that they have reached a point in their training where they can maintain it without getting tired. Goku, however, believes they simply forgot to "turn it off", which Gohan is somewhat concerned about in hindsight.
• All Women Are Lustful: Later in the episode Chi-Chi asks Krillin to take Gohan out for the day. Goku worriedly asks her what's going with Chi-Chi responding, "He (Cell) gave us one week and I'm using it!". Cut to the next scene outside of the house at night with the sounds of Chi-Chi having aggressive sex with Goku resulting in him firing off a Kamehameha.
• Answers to the Name of God: Very casual version.
  Cell: (after Goku surprises him) Whoa, Jesus!
  Goku: No, actually. It's Goku.
• Big "WHAT?!": After Goku and Gohan reveal that they managed to find a way to sustain their Super Saiyan forms permanently, without a loss in stamina, Vegeta furiously lets out this as his response. His voice practically echoes as he says it.
• Brick Joke:
  • At the beginning, Goku quickly eats a large bowl of noodles before saying that he's "not pooping tonight". Before he leaves Cell during their conversation, he says he's going to have a "high fiber dinner" to deal with the implied constipation from said noodles.
  • Piccolo makes Gohan an outfit identical to his own, and warns him that it's going to take a while for him to get used to going through doors, as a result of the enormous shoulder pads. Goku later mentions that going Super Saiyan full-time also makes walking through doors difficult (due to the large hair).
  • Goku offhandedly mentions that his inability to revert from a Super Saiyan is not only a concern for Cell, but for doors as well. Mr. Popo's reaction alludes to Goku's panic in Episode 53 over breaking the "Sixth Rule of Popo's Training".
• Broken Record: While Bulma works on him, Android 16 tries to make conversation. The problem is that he spends the entirety of it talking about how stupid Goku is, and adding more petty reasons why he is obliged to kill him. Bulma eventually has to tell him to change the subject.
  Android 16: Very well. What is your favorite type of bird?
  Bulma: Oh, um, penguins.
  Android 16: WRONG!
• Brutal Honesty: Trunks finally decides to tell Gohan about the mentor/student relationship they shared in his timeline. However, cool as it sounded, Gohan is quickly able to infer just how things ended up for his future self.
  Gohan: I died, didn't I?
  Trunks: Brutally.
• Bullying a Dragon: Vegeta somehow thinks he can taunt Mr. Popo despite being warned what would happen if he is being insulted. Cue Vegeta being reminded of the pecking order and experiencing a freefall right in front of Korin and Yajirobe.
• Call-Back:
  • Piccolo refers to Nappa as "(Vegeta's) dumbass friend" just like Chaotzu did in the previous episode.
  • Gohan's delivery of the line "That's not inaccurate" is done in the same way as Vegeta's "That's not untrue" in the previous episode after watching the Hetap commercial.
  • Upon Goku and Perfect Cell meeting each other for the first time, Cell asks Goku's opinion on the Cell Games arena, noting that he just got done "patching a hole" in it.
  • Chi-Chi prefacing her sex with Goku by noting that "(Cell) said one week, and I'm using it." This refers back to the last episode, with Roshi using the line as justification for going on a hentai marathon.
  • Goku climaxes by shooting a Kamehameha through the roof, just as Vegeta did after having sex with Bulma for the first time, and that cut scene from History of Trunks where Future Gohan accepted Future Bulma's proposal. For added bonus, each are likely the occasions where their female partners got impregnated with their sons.
  • Mr. Popo kicks Vegeta off the lookout for calling him "Black Man" a second time, just as he did to Krillin way back in Season 1 when he forgotten his place in Popo's "Pecking Order", and to Goku a few episode earlier for repeatedly misnaming the Hyperbolic Time Chamber.
• Continuity Nod: The news ticker during the report on Cell's rampage makes mention of Paozu Tuna going extinct in the wild.
• Costume Evolution: Rather than go back to wearing a gi fashioned by his mother, Gohan instead requests that Piccolo provide him with an outfit identical to Piccolo's own. The suggestion leaves Piccolo momentarily stunned.
  Nail: Did our heart just skip a beat?
  Kami: That is precious!
  Piccolo (through gritted teeth) Shut. The F*ck. Up.
• Destructo-Nookie: Chi-Chi to Goku. And he fires a Kamehameha through their roof.
• Double Standard Rape: Female on Male: Downplayed. While not outright, Chi-Chi pretty much forces Goku to fulfill his end of the bargain back in Episode 45, which was to help her conceive another child if he's allowed to train Gohan. She invokes this because said training took a year (while in the Hypobolic Time Chamber) and thought Goku bleached their son's hair behind her back. The fact that it was just actually just a transformation doesn't change things, but allows her to use this against Goku. Ultimately Averted since the next episode clarifies that Goku did consent and wasn't pressured into it at all.
• Even the Guys Want Him: After examining Cell for himself in terms of power, Goku asks the others at Kami's Lookout why they never pointed to him about the villain's handsomeness. He then spends several more moments gushing about how good-looking Cell is.
• Foregone Conclusion: Korin pretty much expected Vegeta to eventually somehow piss off Mr. Popo and get kicked off the Lookout.
  Yajirobe: See? I told you it would happen.
  Korin: 'Twas never a matter of "if"... (Takes a sip of his tea while Vegeta hits the ground with a groundshaking thud) only "when".
• Friendly Enemy: Unlike Vegeta and Freeza before him, Perfect Cell is completely nonplussed when Goku either misinterprets his threats or reacts to them nonchalantly, likely due to sharing his DNA. He even cuts Goku off before he can make a remark about confusing "steaks" and "stakes", and expresses affection when Goku doesn't fully register his remark about the Cell Games being a "date".
  Cell: I'm going to miss him when he's dead.
• Hot Guys Are Bastards: Goku can't help notice on how handsome Cell is.
• I'm Standing Right Here:
  • A variation. As they're exiting the Hyperbolic Time Chamber, Goku warns Gohan not to let the others know just how strong they've gotten, because it will likely make Vegeta mad and Piccolo will just growl and grumble. However, either they're speaking relatively loudly or the design of the Lookout hallways is able to carry their voices, because everyone outside ends up hearing the entire conversation. Naturally, Vegeta becomes quite angry.
  • Goku suggests that Vegeta and Piccolo do some sparring after the latter finishes training in the Time Chamber, then whispers to Vegeta that he should try going easy on Piccolo. Piccolo, who has already been established as having excellent hearing, naturally takes note of this.
• Ironic Echo: As a result of the news report, Vegeta's joke that Piccolo is angry about his father King Piccolo's reign of terror, being "lost and forgotten to time", is immediately thrown back in his face by Piccolo in the span of seconds about he and Nappa's attack on Earth.
  • Cell callously asked Trunks if present Gohan knew that his future self died when he was younger. Trunks later talks to Gohan about how he would grow up to be an incredible fighter against the Androids/Cyborgs. Remembering that Trunks came from a Bad Future, it didn't take long for Gohan to guess that he inevitably died at their hands.
• Late to the Realization: It takes a few seconds of explanation from Piccolo for Vegeta to realize that the two of them have never actually fought before. Which is funny since Vegeta had to remind Yamcha 21 episodes earlier that he only fought Goku while his "dumbass friend" [Nappa] killed almost all of them.
• Mistaken for Dyed: When Goku and Gohan return home, Chi-Chi assumes that Goku has bleached their son's hair without her consent upon him asking for birthday cake. Despite him clearing up that it isn't bleach, she still is not amused.
• Mythology Gag:
  • Goku refers to Gohan as "Teen Gohan" upon exiting the Time Chamber, a reference to how this is how Gohan at this age is labeled in DBZ video games. Gohan expresses slight protest at this, saying that he's really only eleven (something that KaiserNeko and Lanipator have often pointed out in video streams).
  • During The Stinger, Nail and Kami suggest that Piccolo use his Clothes Beam ability to start a tailor shop after Cell is defeated. When Piccolo asks what they would name it, the two reply in unison "Big Green Threads," referencing the much-maligned Big Green dub.
• Noodle Incident: Tien wonders why nobody seems to talk about how dinosaurs are still a thing in their day and age, then makes a note about how humanity drove them out of the cities.
• One Dialogue, Two Conversations: While watching news reports of Cell's rampage, Piccolo, Vegeta, and Tien focus on completely different aspects of the reporting.
  Reporter: Over the last 13 hours, more than two dozen evacuation orders have been issued all over the globe. Thousands upon millions head for the countryside, including the endangered sasqatoad T. rexes, while others seek shelter. The world has never seen terror as real as it has today.
  Piccolo: You're kidding me.
  Tien: Yeah, right? Dinosaurs are still a thing. It's odd how we never talk about it. At least since we drove them out of the cities.
  Piccolo: I'm talking about terror! "Never seen," my ass! My dad released every murderer out onto the streets and overthrew the world government!
  Tien: Oh, right. And the king of the world is a blue Cairn terrier.
  Piccolo: It's bullshit!
  Tien: I think it's pretty progressive.
  Vegeta: Aww, look at the poor Namekian, lost and forgotten to time.
  Reporter: Even the attack of the Saiyans five years ago pales in comparison to this overwhelming threat. As if comparing a cataclysm to a rampaging toddler.
  Vegeta: Bullshit! We turned an entire city into a glass floor!
  Piccolo: Aww, look at the poor Saiyan, lost and forgotten to time.
• Panty Thief: During the report on Cell's announcement at the beginning of the episode, there's also a report on Oolong being arrest for raiding a sorority.
• Product Placement: The company in charge of the fictional drink Hetap calls Cell to have their drink sponsored in the tournament. Cell decides to throw them a bone despite the fact that everyone dies if he wins. Since then, it has been officially fully dubbed as "The Cell Games, Presened by Hetap".
• Refuge in Audacity:
  • Who's the more audacious one, Hetap for wanting to sponsor the Cell Games, or Cell for actually allowing it?
  • The fact that Hetap considers the possible outcomes of sponsoring the Cell Games to be a win/win situation for them.
• Running Gag:
  • Goku's Instant Transmission continues to make a light popping sound whenever he uses it.
  • Goku once again affectionately refers to Vegeta as "Geets".
  • Vegeta becomes the latest person to get punted off of Kame's Lookout by Mr. Popo.
  • Like Roshi, Chi-Chi makes the best use of Cell's "one week" countdown until the Cell Games.
    • The way Chi-Chi and Goku have [intense] sex if just like Bulma and Vegeta. The difference is that Chi-Chi is trying to get pregnant.
• Screw This, I'm Outta Here: Piccolo vacates the Hyperbolic Time Chamber after three days once he, Nail, and Kami realize that they've already started seeing hallucinations of Cell.
• So Last Season:
  • Piccolo becomes extremely annoyed that Cell taking full advantage of the Sorting Algorithm of Evil has resulted in the media reducing his father's reign of terror to this. He points out that, while Cell has caused people to panic and evacuate their homes, King Piccolo released murderers from prison and overthrew the world government. Vegeta makes fun of Piccolo for this, but immediately becomes angry himself when the same news report says that Cell's cataclysm makes the Saiyan attack from years before look like the work of a "rampaging toddler" in comparison, with Vegeta protesting that they turned an entire city into a glass floor.
    • Another point of his Hypocritical Humor this episode. Nappa did everything of note and an accurate description of his actions would have been that of a rampaging toddler.
  • Goku whispers to Vegeta that he should go easy on Piccolo if the two decide to fight each other once they're done training. Piccolo points out that he was literally stronger than Goku yesterday.
    Goku: Yeah, but that was a year ago. We've all grown.
• Stealth Hi/Bye:
  • Goku takes Cell completely by surprise when he uses Instant Transmission to approach Cell while the latter is busy setting up his deal with Hetap.
    Cell: Need to put a bell on you.
  • When Goku and Gohan depart Kami's Lookout, Vegeta tells Trunks that they're going back into the Hyperbolic Time Chamber immediately, only for Trunks to reveal that Piccolo just went in (with a cut to the door slamming shut). Vegeta then wonders out loud if he's going to have to spend the next 24 hours hanging out with Trunks and Tien, only to turn around and discover that they've vanished as well.
• Strange Minds Think Alike: Cell weaponizes this after he notices Goku reacting to the word "stakes" as if they were "steaks" in that he KNOWS Goku was thinking of the latter.
  Cell: And before you say it, the prize isn't actually steak.
  Goku: I wasn't thinkin' that.
  Cell: Yes you were.
• Too Hungry to Be Polite: Goku and Gohan's first meal following their exit from the Hyperbolic Time Chamber is depicted rather ferociously, complete with extremely loud chomping sounds. Goku ends up spending a few moments of conversation answering questions while midway through a mouthful of noodles before Piccolo finally tells him to swallow. Goku does, though it takes several seconds for him to finish slurping it all down.
  Goku: I'm not pooping tonight.
• Tranquil Fury: Mr. Popo does not like being addressed as "Black Man". He gives Vegeta one warning and when he continues, Popo takes a deep breath and smashes him off the Lookout.
  Vegeta: Isn't that weird, Black Man?
  Popo: Yeah! Almost as weird as what's gonna happen if you call me that again!
  • Chi-Chi kept her temper in check when confronting Goku about Gohan's "bleached" look. She doesn't snap at him, but cashes in his promise to give her another baby as payback.
• The Unfought: Piccolo has to remind Vegeta that they never fought the first time around. Piccolo, Tien, and Chiaotzu all died while fighting Vegeta's "dumbass friend" [Nappa]. Ironically, at the beginning of the Cell saga, Vegeta was the one reminding Yamcha that the only one he fought was Goku.
• Xanatos Gambit: A rather odd variant of this is pulled by Hetap when they decide to sponsor the Cell Games. When Cell reminds them that his victory means everyone dies, they just call it a win/win situation.

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"He said one week. And I'm using it."