Summary

• Goku gives Cell a Senzu Bean so that Gohan and the rest of Earth's heroes will truly believe in him as a phenomenal fighter who has surpassed Goku.
• Goku's healing of the Senzu Bean to Cell emphasizes the hero's desire for fair fights and helps the Senzu Bean become a deeper item that evolves beyond its origins.
• Cell's retrieval of the Senzu Bean and a pivot in the fight against Gohan throws Cell off his game and becomes the catalyst needed to help Gohan surpass his limits.

Akira Toriyama Dragon Ball Z endlessly entertained audiences through its climactic showdowns between heroes and villains. Dragon Ball Z knows how to set up an epic showdown, and there are often unexpected twists and turns that confuse the characters and the audience, so these battles rely on more than just brute force. Physical strength is often key to victories, but strength is useless without the right strategy or the ability to take big risks – not everyone will be rewarded. Dragon Ball ZThe heroes face unprecedented dangers during their encounters with Cell.

The villain's perfect form is so strong and confident that he even gives the heroes ten days to become more powerful and face him on a televised broadcast. It takes everything the heroes have to weaken Perfect Cell and turn the tide of the battle, which makes things quite confusing when Goku decides to give Cell a Senzu Bean that fully restores him to full strength. Goku's restorative gift to Cell is often criticized as a silly twist. However, there are some very logical reasons why Goku would take this risk.

Goku's Senzu Bean To Cell Is The Final Vote Of Confidence In Gohan

Gohan and the rest of Earth's heroes need to understand that Gohan is the future

Goku has always been the dragon ball main character of the franchise and part of the joy of Dragon Ball Z is to watch his continuing adventures as an adult. That said, Dragon Ball Z adopts more of a narrative that concerns itself with the next generation of heroes – such as Goku's son Gohan – and how to pass the baton to them. Gohan's tremendous potential has been present since Dragon Ball Zbegan and Goku never had any doubt that his son was destined for greatness.

However, Gohan does not have the same level of self-confidence and is someone who is often pushed into battle because it is necessary. Goku's decision to heal Cell with a Senzu Bean before his battle with Gohan helps his son truly understand how much faith he has in his ability. It is a gesture that indicates that Goku believes that Gohan has surpassed his own strength and can accomplish the impossible.

It's a crucial vote of confidence that Gohan needs to receive at this point in time if he is to truly blossom as a warrior. Gohan is used to being kindhearted and shy, which is reflected during his preparation for the Cell Games, but Goku's bold act here reinforces the idea that Gohan is Earth's greatest warrior. This is a crucial lesson for Gohan to understand, but it's a gesture that also resonates with the rest of the Z Fighters.

Earth's heroes have become increasingly dependent on Goku to eliminate the ultimate evil and solve their problems. Their trust and faith in him has reached a point where panic and despair erupt when he is unavailable. However, Goku's Senzu Bean to Cell and the faith he has in his son show the entire world that Gohan is the voice of the future who will be there to protect the planet, even when he cannot. It is a crucial turning point in the story. Dragon Ball ZIt is necessary for the Z-Fighters to understand that they can depend on others besides Goku.

Goku's gift of Senzu beans speaks to his desire for a fair fight

Goku's bold decision reflects his truly heroic nature.

Goku is driven by many powerful ideals, but one of his strongest beliefs is the idea of a fair fight. Goku truly enjoys worthwhile challenges and believes that combat is at its best when both opponents are evenly matched and no one clearly has the advantage. With a Senzu Bean in tow, Goku could easily use it on himself and presumably overwhelm the already weakened Cell.

It's a strategy that may make sense in the moment, but it's ultimately shortsighted for the future of the planet and antithetical to Goku's primary philosophy. Cell may be an evil villain, but Goku still believes there should be a sense of honor in his execution. A fair fight may seem superfluous when the Earth's survival is at stake, but Goku wouldn't want to see the heroes win any other way. It's fundamentally what separates them from villains like Cell.

This honorable approach to combat also promotes good values throughout the world, who watch the Cell Games broadcast before the feed short-circuits. Goku's noble gesture shows the world's population how to live their lives and that it is always valuable to be generous and optimistic, rather than fearful and doubtful. It is easy for Dragon Ball Z get lost in its insular focus on Earth's strongest heroes, but in this case, there's an entire population of terrified onlookers who can take solace in Goku's guiding actions.

Goku's switch to Gohan throws Cell off his game

This change in game plan confuses mobile

An abrupt pivot in battle can be an effective way to confuse and overwhelm an opponent. Gohan's eventual victory over Cell has a lot to do with the boy's tremendous power, but it's also important to consider that Cell lacks data and battle knowledge when it comes to Gohan and his fighting style. Cell has already spent a lot of time fighting Goku and has gained a vital understanding of how the Saiyan fights. There's less value in Goku taking the Senzu Bean and facing Cell a second time.

Additionally, Cell possesses Goku's DNA, so he's even more in tune with how the Saiyan works. He understands Goku on a molecular level. Interestingly, Dr. Gero didn't collect Gohan's DNA while constructing Cell, meaning Gohan is much more of a wildcard for the villain and he lacks proper data when it comes to his fighting style. Cell's past forms have faced off against Vegeta, Future Trunks, Piccolo, and even Tien, but he hasn't fought Gohan directly and doesn't have a proper read on the young Saiyan.

Cell can't count on the same advantages that helped him against the rest of the Z-Fighters. Goku may seem like the stronger, safer bet, but Cell's consumption of Senzu Beans and pivoting toward Gohan is ultimately a better strategy. It's also a decision that further reflects the importance of a fair fight and is in no way underhanded. Dr. Gero could have easily acquired Gohan's DNA, along with everyone else, but his decision to underestimate the boy plays a surprising role in Cell's undoing.

It's a fitting way for Dragon Ball Z to end the Senzu Beans

A hero's healing tool is used to help the enemy

Senzu beans are casually introduced into the original dragon ball and are an item that has received mixed reception. Senzu Beans have been crucial in many important fights, but they are often seen as a rather contrived means of prolonging a fight or helping the heroes catch their breath. They are a magical item that can miraculously reset the board, which is often extremely useful, but it doesn't always feel fair or reflect good storytelling.

What's important about Goku giving a Senzu Bean to Cell before their final fight is that it helps rewrite the narrative surrounding the Senzu Beans and push them into an exciting place. Goku's gift of the Senzu Bean to Cell is actually the final prominent use of a Senzu Bean in Dragon Ball Z, so it's especially poignant that it's used on a villain rather than a hero, which was its original purpose. Using a Senzu Bean to aid the enemy almost seems counter to the item's purpose and the reason it was instituted in the first place.

In doing so, Goku helps bring the Senzu Beans full circle and gives this tool a surprisingly cathartic journey to demonstrate how far the heroes have come. It's a touching act that shows that the heroes are more willing to help the enemy than themselves, which is a fitting final use of the Senzu Beans in Dragon Ball Z. It's probably no coincidence that Goku doesn't make use of a Senzu Bean when he's fighting Buu and needs to restore his strength for his Super Spirit Bomb to succeed.

It's a Dragon Ball wish that restores his strength here, rather than a Senzu Bean. It's a decision that may seem more complicated, but it follows the themes that are established through Goku's act of mercy towards Cell. Admittedly, Cell's consumption of the Senzu Bean isn't the dragon ball The franchise's final use of the Senzu Beans. There are three Senzu Beans that appear in the Buu Saga, but they are all used somewhat passively and do not provide any major advancements in battle.

None of these incidental uses are as important as Cell's application of a Senzu Bean, which completely changes the nature of his fight. These useful items also return prominently in Dragon Ball Super and are even used in similar transgressive means, such as when Goku gives one to the Planet Devourer Moro. That said, Dragon Ball Super was not originally part of Akira Toriyama's plan. If Dragon Ball Z were truly the end of the franchise, as Toriyama intended, then this would have been a moving ending for this healing tool.

A fully healed Cell is needed to push Gohan beyond his limits.

Gohan requires the right catalyst to ascend and grow.

Goku's decision to give Cell a Senzu Bean and completely cure this apocalyptic threat slowly makes sense when the hero's grander philosophy is taken into account. However, the biggest reason why this gamble is worth it is that Gohan would likely be unable to truly ascend, reach his full potential, and save the planet without facing Perfect Cell at full strength. Goku has infinite faith in Gohan and understands deep down that Gohan is strong enough to defeat Cell and end his reign of terror.

However, Gohan lacks the confidence to understand this for himself. He is still someone who relies on his father and lives comfortably in Goku's shadow. Goku, better than anyone, knows what Gohan can accomplish and witnessed his son temporarily attain Super Saiyan 2 status during his rigorous training in the Hyperbolic Time Chamber.

However, Gohan's ability to access this power is temperamental and he lacks the proper trigger and stakes to properly harness this incredible power. It requires Gohan to truly be pushed out of his comfort zone and genuinely fear not only for his life, but for the survival of the entire planet. Gohan needs to be placed in a scenario where his father isn't around to do the heavy lifting or protect him if he fails, which is what Goku orchestrates by restoring Cell to full strength.

It's a terrible gamble, but a necessary one if Gohan is to correctly believe that the weight of the world depends on his success. Gohan may never have properly ascended to Super Saiyan 2 strength without the circumstances Goku brought about by giving Cell a Senzu Bean. This becomes a crucial turning point not only for Gohan, but Dragon Ball Z as a whole, which establishes a new level of power and a revised hierarchy as the series progresses into the Buu Saga. It's easy to question Goku's gift of the Senzu Bean to Cell, but without it, Dragon Ball Zthe heroes probably would not have survived the greater dangers that lay ahead.