Movie scenes

ALBRIGHT: An unlikely move saves a father figure

Piccolo was in trouble in West City.

He was in a lot of trouble.

Gohan's "father" had ceded ground against the rampaging Cell Max. Quickly. The android hovered at least 200 yards in the air. He had lifted the Namekian above his head. He appeared poised to fling the slug being over his shoulders and back to Earth - a move that would have damaged his giant foe. 

And, then, it happened.

History repeated itself.

Similar to how a 9-year-old freshly-transformed Super Saiyan Gohan snapped against Perfect Cell during the Cell Games, an enraged 27-year-old Gohan snapped against Cell's planned successor.

He released a scream – one featuring shades of his younger self as he had achieved the Super Saiyan 2 transformation when facing the giant android's predecessor 18 years earlier

The sound echoed through a wrecked West City.

Power surged around his body.

As the bio-electricity sparked off of him, his entire form tensed up as he doubled over at the waist. Anger sat chiseled into his face.

An energy wave expanded outward from him, engulfing Piccolo, Cell Max, and the other remaining survivors in West City.

The wave lasted for five seconds.

Upon the wave's recession, Gohan emerged tall and stoic from the power-up. He had undergone a fierce transformation. His shoulders were pulled back, his hair was spiked and pointed at a 45-degree angle from his head, and his Saiyan blood had taken hold of him.

He stood ready for a fight.

Cell Max answered Gohan's challenge. With an almighty roar, he flung to the ground Piccolo, before launching himself at Gohan. The android's fist soared through the air. Cell Max prepared to deliver an uppercut to the Saiyan/Human hybrid.

Gohan didn't flinch. The android's fist only connected with Gohan's flaring energy.

Gohan looked at Max's fist, smiling up at the android. He pushed Cell Max's hand away from his body. His act did not go unnoticed by his gigantic adversary. Blank shock showed on Cell Max's face.

Max barely had time to process what had happened before Gohan quickly assumed command of the fight.

"Is that all you got," he said. "Okay, then I guess it is my turn."

Gohan launched himself off the top of the factory silo perch. His purple gee clung to his musculature. He soared through the air dead set on the android before delivering a kick to the android's solar plexus. Cell Max doubled over in pain, the kick forcing its tongue out of its' mouth, as it hurdled through the air before smashing into a pile of rubble.

Max quickly recovered from the hit that sent it into a dirt and rebar-filled landing zone. He rose. Max let out a roar, raising its right hand into the air as it did so. An energy ball grew in its palm, expanding to gargantuan proportions in mere seconds. Max intended to fire back at Gohan.

As the energy ball continued to grow, Gohan stayed calm. He looked up at Max's attack and he gave into his Saiyan blood. The corners of his mouth crept upward into a defiant smile. He flashed his teeth, relishing the challenge.

Before Max could launch his attack, a giant Namekian arm snaked through the air, wrapping itself once, twice, three times around the android before the hand latched onto Cell Max's crown. Piccolo yelled at Gohan, snapping the fighter out of his bloodlust.

"Gohan," he screamed.

Piccolo struggled with Max, but he kept his arm firmly around Cell Max's body. Piccolo even shrugged off Max's direct kick to his face.

Energy crackled and gathered around Gohan, who had raised his right hand's pointer and middle finger toward his forehead. The energy focused into a ball on his two digits.

Lightning rained down around his energized state.

Cell Max's eyes widened in fear. Whether he contained some memory of Perfect Cell or not, the android had correctly identified a dangerous situation. Max attempted to flee from the attack. It opened its wings, lifting Piccolo and itself off the ground. Piccolo wrapped his other hand around the android.

Gohan continued storing energy.

Above him, Piccolo swayed around the android's body. He yelled out to his adoptive son.

"Gohan," he said. "Take the shot."

Gohan readied his attack.

"Special Beam Cannon," he screamed.

He pointed his hand to the heavens, aimed the attack at Max, and he launched his attack.

Simultaneously, Max flicked his hand forward, unleashing his attack.

The black ball and drill beam collided in a mid-air meeting of deadly energies. Following a brief struggle, Gohan's beam broke through Max's attack and soared straight for its master's forehead.

Max struggled with Piccolo. The Namekian firmly held in place the android.

The entwined energy beams pierced Cell Max's head, his only weak spot according to Dr. Hero, Cell Max's creator, continuing through his forehead before blasting into space.

The android's eyes extinguished. Piccolo loosened his grip on the body. It fell to Earth where it landed with a thud.

The Namekian looked down at Gohan. He let out a smile. Whether the look on his face was one of pride, relief, exhaustion or a mixture of all three, it was hard to say. 

One thing was for sure: Gohan had successfully defeated another incarnation of the crazed android.