All Cell forms (including the "Lost" form)

In Dragon Ball Z, Cell is a villain defined by his “forms”—and every transformation is basically a step toward the same goal: reaching perfection by absorbing the Androids.

He starts in his Imperfect Form: taller, more insect-like, a tail built for draining energy, and the vibe of a predator hunting in the dark. This is the stage where he relies on victims and stealth, and the horror comes as much from his method as from his raw power.

After absorbing Android 17, he becomes Semi-Perfect: stronger and bolder, but still unstable—like his body is forcing a fit that isn’t fully complete yet. The shift is obvious: he stops being a hidden hunter and turns into a threat that wants direct confrontation.

Then there’s the version fans rarely stop to picture: the “lost” form, the one he would have had if he absorbed Android 18 first. The canon never shows it, but Cell’s own logic suggests it would be a different kind of semi-complete stage—less “brute tank” and more efficiency. Taking 18 first could have produced a Cell that felt more refined, possibly faster and more technical, with a different balance of power and control—like getting the “finish” before the bulk. Instead of an awkward middle phase, it might have looked like a prototype of perfection, dangerous precisely because it would be more “ready” to fight even while still incomplete.

Finally, once he absorbs the second Android, he reaches his Perfect Form: cleaner design, king-like posture, overwhelming power—and the ego to match. And after self-destructing and returning, he becomes Super Perfect Cell, keeping perfection but jumping even higher in strength, as if death itself “optimized” the blueprint.

In the end, Cell’s perfection is the famous part—but the “lost” form is the one that sticks in your head, because it hints at an alternate path where the monster wouldn’t just get stronger… he’d get better built.