Reasons For Why Gohan Acted Like He Did In The Cell Games

[thatdbzguy]

I know I've made a few threads regarding Gohan's out-of-characterness in the CG before, but this one has a bit of a different goal.

I'd like us all to discuss possible, IN-UNIVERSE (meaning no resorting to just blaming Toriyama for screwing up) reasons as to why Gohan seemed to contradict everything that was previously established about his character. Was it puberty? Was the pressure getting to him? Did he hit his head a little too hard when Cell knocked him into that mountain?

Do you have any theories?

[TheGmGoken]

Simple he wasn't ready. Hell just go on what Piccolo said. He still a little boy who doesn't want to fight. Even if it was OOC you can't forget he is still a kid. Hell he NEVER had this must pressure. Where even though his father was there he had to protect the Earth. He also might have been scared of his rage because he can't control it and he didn't know how to access it by will.

[Super Vegetto]

He didn't see Cell killing or hurting anyone so bad. That's why he said that he doesn't want to fight and kill him.

Like having a fight against guy you don't know and you must kill him because it must be done. Not every kid could do that and it's just out of plot purpouse at that time...

[Kamiccolo9]

He grew up some during his year in the ROSAT. Just like Goku grew up some during his training with Kami (which is when his "no killing" policy started). I imagine that Goku taught Gohan some of the same lessons that Kami taught him. Gohan, over-thinking the lessons, took that to the extreme, and developed a somewhat pacifistic nature. Fortunately, after the Cell Games, he seemed to learn that a more balanced approach was best.

[KentalSSJ6]

He grew up some during his year in the ROSAT. Just like Goku grew up some during his training with Kami (which is when his "no killing" policy started). I imagine that Goku taught Gohan some of the same lessons that Kami taught him. Gohan, over-thinking the lessons, took that to the extreme, and developed a somewhat pacifistic nature. Fortunately, after the Cell Games, he seemed to learn that a more balanced approach was best.

Goku is more of a hit or miss on that no kill policy. Sure he'll give you a chance to live, apologize, leave and so on and so forth but if you throw that chance back at his face, well...

Spoiler:

[Kaboom]

The best way I can figure is that Gohan prefers to fight out of necessity, not for enjoyment like Goku does. The way Cell had decided to stage everything as a "game" for his own amusement probably didn't appeal to Gohan.

[garnetjester]

I didn't think it was that out of character. I think Gohan likes to fight, but only if it's necessary to protect what he thinks is important, or like, as a sport, but not to kill. Remember how he almost couldn't fight back when Nappa and Vegeta were around? He knew that Freezer was really evil and killing people left and right, so he was fighting him and his minions seriously that time. When the Cell Games happened, Cell was making threats but he wasn't really acting on them so much, so Gohan tried to talk Cell out of it because he didn't want to get so mad that he'd be unable to control himself, but well, Cell was a jerk and that pissed off Gohan and the rest is history.

[Kamiccolo9]

I didn't think it was that out of character. I think Gohan likes to fight, but only if it's necessary to protect what he thinks is important, or like, as a sport, but not to kill. Remember how he almost couldn't fight back when Nappa and Vegeta were around? He knew that Freezer was really evil and killing people left and right, so he was fighting him and his minions seriously that time. When the Cell Games happened, Cell was making threats but he wasn't really acting on them so much, so Gohan tried to talk Cell out of it because he didn't want to get so mad that he'd be unable to control himself, but well, Cell was a jerk and that pissed off Gohan and the rest is history.

Cell had already killed hundreds if not thousands of people. They were taking Cell very seriously.

[Kakarot88]

I have never thought Gohan's reluctance to fight Cell was out of character.
Here's why:

• When we have seen Gohan confronted with a villain he reacted in one of 3 ways:
  • scared (ex: Nappa)
    attacked because there was no other choice (ex: Freeza's footsoldiers, Gurd, Recoom, Freeza)
    or attacked because he flew into a rage.(ex: Raditz, Nappa after his first scared moment, Dodoria, Freeza at the stabbing of Kuririn)
    (this list is not meant to be exhaustive)
  Gohan went to Namek to bring back Piccolo and the others whom he to some degree felt responsible for their deaths.
  Conversely Goku went to Namek to fight some really strong guys!
  
  Later when confronted with a new threat: Artificial Humans again Gohan answers the call to arms and trains with his father out of a sense of duty.
  Goku did it to well...fight some really strong guys!
  
  Up until this point Gohan has never truly been given an option:
  • he was physically forced to train with Piccolo and
    duty bound to aid his potentially soon to be deceased from a heart disease father,
    all the while never once saying he no longer wanted to be a man of higher learning or that he enjoyed battle
  Moreover, the only time it seems Gohan truly wanted to battle was to save Piccolo from Cell, but again that was not a desire to fight someone stronger but a desire to save one of his best friends. Never once do we here Gohan say I want to fight so and so because they are stronger.
  
  Against Cell, we for the first time see Gohan confronted with a new choice:
  • fight or fly into a rage and fight.
  From a practical standpoint no rational person want to lose control of themselves and when Gohan flies into a rage that is exactly what happens. Toriyama masterfully humanizes the non Saiyan side of Gohan. Especially, now that he has the power of a Super Saiyan, Gohan is understandably scared of what he could do when he flies off the handle like he has done so many times before.

The fact Gohan's actions seem less bad ass does not mean it is out of character. Gohan true to form acts like Gohan and wants to opt out of the fight and just be a normal kid.The only out of character moment to me is that Gohan lost his shit over 16 rather than Kuririn getting owned by the Cell Juniors.

[Eight-Star Dragon]

The user Cipher made a great post breaking everything down:

I don't think Gohan's characterizations in the Cell Games are nearly as out of whack as other people make them out to be.

For one: Gohan is okay with fighting. We know this. He enjoys doing it with his dad and Piccolo, after a time. He voluntarily enters the 25th Tenkaichi Budokai. He later becomes a superhero who regularly lays the smackdown on small-time villains.

But that's all for fun. It's exercise. Moreover, he likes helping people, hence the motivation to be Saiyaman. He does not enjoy fighting to the death.

This is a kid who balked at the first moment he was really supposed to hurt someone, failing to shoot a ki blast at Nappa. This is a kid who only stood up to the plate in the Vegeta fight when Piccolo had been killed or when his father absolutely depended on it. Ditto against Freeza.

With Cell, he's being sent in under completely different circumstances. One, it's organized. His father is sending him in with no immediate (though definitely plenty of non-immediate) threat, asking that, under no uncertain circumstances, he kills this guy. He's also just realized how powerful he is in comparison to Goku, and has genuine right to be afraid of what he might become were his rage to explode. Think about giving up your personality to something else. That's terrifying.

And then, as stated earlier in this thread, when push comes to shove, he doesn't know how to just make himself angry.

It's not that Gohan is against fighting. It's that he's not hugely in favor of killing, and in that moment there are a ton of new circumstances that would realistically make him less willing to fight.

{It comes from the last thread about this topic}

[Cursed Lemon]

Ultimately, there is absolutely no reason whatsoever for Gohan to see Cell in a different light than Nappa/Vegeta/Recoome/Freeza/etc.

I think the best rationalization for why Gohan did what he did is because he knew just how powerful he was; he knew that if he was pushed, he could destroy Cell with a flick of the finger.

That was NEVER the case beforehand - Gohan never had the strength to even do any noteworthy damage to his opponents (minus Raditz).

Thus, Gohan wanted to stop the fight before he hurt Cell, and there's no reason to assume that had he been powerful enough in the past, he wouldn't have done the very same thing for other villains.

[Monkey D Goku]

I thought it was simply due to his newly found mastery of his emotions. I mean in his SSj form he was always calm and calculating. Where as before his training in the time chamber his emotions were in a constant disarray due to the situations he was faced with.
He either
A. Gets pissed the fuck off
B.Scared as shit
C.Goes completely insane

During the cell games he was grown up and in control of his emotions. Notice how it took so much more effort to make him finally lose his cool. Cell had to have his cell jrs beat the shit out of his friends and crush #16. If that were Freeza saga Gohan then he would have gone ape shit as soon as the Cell Jr's came out.

Although I still didn't understand on why he was bent on showing mercy to Cell in the beginning. He knew freak had killed and absorbed so many people. Maybe Gohan wanted to be like his father and show mercy, so during his time in the Time Chamber he created a pacifist persona of himself that was meant to be like Goku. However the persona was false perception of himself. The true Gohan wanted to kill his enemies and brutally slaughter them just like he tried to do on Namek. So it took some pushing from Goku and Cell to bring the true Gohan out.

Also notice how during the Buu arc he never once reverted to that pacifist version of himself. Sure he didn't kill anyone as Great Sayiaman but he still enjoyed showing off his powers to the public and criminals making them cower in fear. Then later when Old Kai unlocked all his hidden power he once again became a arrogant sadistic character. Gohan enjoyed torturing Buu and causing him pain. Notice how it was so much easier for Gohan to become sadistic and cocky against Buu simply because his pacifist side was destroyed when Cell pushed his buttons 7 years ago.

In conclusion my theory is that Gohan ever since he was a child displayed erratic behaviour. His anger flashes and power are linked. As a child he never thought much of it but as he became older and during the Time Chamber training he realized his true sadistic self. Fearing this side and looking at the way his Father handles things, he created a pacifist side to himself that in his mind would make him be like his Father. However this persona is a false creation and was eventually destroyed or killed by his true self when Cell killed #16. Thus the sadistic Gohan was unleashed in full force.

Fast forward 7 years later Gohan is in high school his sadistic self has faded but it still subconsciously existed affecting his actions whether he knew it or not. This could be because his fighting sense dulled and his power dropped from what it once was. Old Kai unlocks his full power and he once again becomes the true sadistic Gohan. Only it was easier since he already did away with the pacifist Gohan and he no longer had a child mindset.

[Analytical Delusion]

I think it's possible that his time in the ROSAT did him a lot of harm psychologically. Even though it's time spent with his father, those are incredibly harsh conditions that might've been overwhelming enough to affect his mindset.

[mAcChaos]

I think it's possible that his time in the ROSAT did him a lot of harm psychologically. Even though it's time spent with his father, those are incredibly harsh conditions that might've been overwhelming enough to affect his mindset.

Nah, he probably looks back fondly on that since he got to spend time with Goku for a whole year. He was already under much worse on Namek.

[thatdbzguy]

I think it's possible that his time in the ROSAT did him a lot of harm psychologically. Even though it's time spent with his father, those are incredibly harsh conditions that might've been overwhelming enough to affect his mindset.

Don't you think this should have actually been established instead of just ignoring any development for Gohan and making him OOC?

[thatdbzguy]

I have never thought Gohan's reluctance to fight Cell was out of character.
Here's why:

• When we have seen Gohan confronted with a villain he reacted in one of 3 ways:
  • scared (ex: Nappa)
    attacked because there was no other choice (ex: Freeza's footsoldiers, Gurd, Recoom, Freeza)
    or attacked because he flew into a rage.(ex: Raditz, Nappa after his first scared moment, Dodoria, Freeza at the stabbing of Kuririn)
    (this list is not meant to be exhaustive)
  Gohan went to Namek to bring back Piccolo and the others whom he to some degree felt responsible for their deaths.
  Conversely Goku went to Namek to fight some really strong guys!
  
  Later when confronted with a new threat: Artificial Humans again Gohan answers the call to arms and trains with his father out of a sense of duty.
  Goku did it to well...fight some really strong guys!
  
  Up until this point Gohan has never truly been given an option:
  • he was physically forced to train with Piccolo and
    duty bound to aid his potentially soon to be deceased from a heart disease father,
    all the while never once saying he no longer wanted to be a man of higher learning or that he enjoyed battle
  Moreover, the only time it seems Gohan truly wanted to battle was to save Piccolo from Cell, but again that was not a desire to fight someone stronger but a desire to save one of his best friends. Never once do we here Gohan say I want to fight so and so because they are stronger.
  
  Against Cell, we for the first time see Gohan confronted with a new choice:
  • fight or fly into a rage and fight.
  From a practical standpoint no rational person want to lose control of themselves and when Gohan flies into a rage that is exactly what happens. Toriyama masterfully humanizes the non Saiyan side of Gohan. Especially, now that he has the power of a Super Saiyan, Gohan is understandably scared of what he could do when he flies off the handle like he has done so many times before.

The fact Gohan's actions seem less bad ass does not mean it is out of character. Gohan true to form acts like Gohan and wants to opt out of the fight and just be a normal kid.The only out of character moment to me is that Gohan lost his shit over 16 rather than Kuririn getting owned by the Cell Juniors.

It was out of character. Absolutely nothing led up to his contradictory behavior in the Cell Games.

[Mystic Buu]

I think it has to do with mastering the Super Saiyan form.He had to be calm to master it and trying to get angry was difficult for him.And for the first time,he was the only one who could stand a chance against Cell and pressure was big on him.

[Godo]

I'd like us all to discuss possible, IN-UNIVERSE (meaning no resorting to just blaming Toriyama for screwing up) reasons as to why Gohan seemed to contradict everything that was previously established about his character.

It was out of character. Absolutely nothing led up to his contradictory behavior in the Cell Games.

It's not easy to look at a picture if you close your eyes when doing so.

And there is already a thread where the reasons as to why have been discussed to death. You just didn't like the fact that not enough people agreed with you 100% and patted you on the back.

[rereboy]

I know I've made a few threads regarding Gohan's out-of-characterness in the CG before, but this one has a bit of a different goal.

I'd like us all to discuss possible, IN-UNIVERSE (meaning no resorting to just blaming Toriyama for screwing up) reasons as to why Gohan seemed to contradict everything that was previously established about his character. Was it puberty? Was the pressure getting to him? Did he hit his head a little too hard when Cell knocked him into that mountain?

Do you have any theories?

He's a little older in the Cell games, so he can feel the responsibility that is dropped suddenly on him much more intensely than he would feel before. He no longer just reacts like kid Gohan (who was a very young kid), he now thinks, he's more aware of the world, of what's at stake, and that makes him hesitate.

The manga just needed a little more exposition to make the evolution appear natural.

[thatdbzguy]

I'd like us all to discuss possible, IN-UNIVERSE (meaning no resorting to just blaming Toriyama for screwing up) reasons as to why Gohan seemed to contradict everything that was previously established about his character.

It was out of character. Absolutely nothing led up to his contradictory behavior in the Cell Games.

It's not easy to look at a picture if you close your eyes when doing so.

And there is already a thread where the reasons as to why have been discussed to death. You just didn't like the fact that not enough people agreed with you 100% and patted you on the back.

Are you saying that there is some sort of build-up to his behavior that I'm just not seeing?