What happens when Cell assimilates #17 and #18?

[Anonymous Friend]

I can understand that Majin Buu is magical and when he absorbs people thay change into little microscopic pod people, but what happens when Cell assimilates the Cyborgs?

Does his biological parts dissolve them and breaks them down into nutrients-like substances or does his cybernetics take them apart and integrates them together with his own parts?

And how does this come into effect when #18 is retched out of him?

[Duo]

I hope you're ready for nothing but theories and speculation, because the series gives no answers for those scientific aspects in any way, shape, or form, and anyone who proclaims their answer as "absolute" are complete idiots (which won't happen here anyway).

Me? I have no theories. I don't think Toriyama-sensei really cared to think about it passed the "making them go into his body" part.

[Conan the SSJ]

I can understand that Majin Buu is magical and when he absorbs people thay change into little microscopic pod people, but what happens when Cell assimilates the Cyborgs?

Does his biological parts dissolve them and breaks them down into nutrients-like substances or does his cybernetics take them apart and integrates them together with his own parts?

And how does this come into effect when #18 is retched out of him?

The closest kind of explanation I can think of is a GT one. In the Super 17 saga, Cell extends the base of his tail and attempts (and succeeds) in absorbing Goku during his time in Hell. However, through some insane Grand Tour manner, Goku finds a way out right before he's "digested". So it would seem the absorbed victim, rather it be #17, #18, or in Budokai 1's what-if case Krillin; is digested in a specific form so that Cell takes on particular physical traits and their full amount of power. This type of "digestion stasis" also appears to keep the victim alive (exactly like Super Buu), as seen when 18 is puked out following Gohan's SSJ2 transformation.

[Casual Matt]

I can understand that Majin Buu is magical and when he absorbs people thay change into little microscopic pod people, but what happens when Cell assimilates the Cyborgs?

Does his biological parts dissolve them and breaks them down into nutrients-like substances or does his cybernetics take them apart and integrates them together with his own parts?

And how does this come into effect when #18 is retched out of him?

The closest kind of explanation I can think of is a GT one. In the Super 17 saga, Cell extends the base of his tail and attempts (and succeeds) in absorbing Goku during his time in Hell. However, through some insane Grand Tour manner, Goku finds a way out right before he's "digested". So it would seem the absorbed victim, rather it be #17, #18, or in Budokai 1's what-if case Krillin; is digested in a specific form so that Cell takes on particular physical traits and their full amount of power. This type of "digestion stasis" also appears to keep the victim alive (exactly like Super Buu), as seen when 18 is puked out following Gohan's SSJ2 transformation.

That makes enough sense. Those are the only times we see him open his tail to absorb someone, too. If he did it his usual way, they wouldn't have remained intact. And in the Androids' case, he probably wouldn't have gained the mechanical parts from them he needed.

[Zackarotto]

Heh heh... when I saw this topic, I thought there was somebody who didn't know about Perfect Cell yet.