When Trunks kills Cell

[Zephyr]

After the Cell Games.

Trunks is planning to go inform everyone that he had defeated #17 and #18, when Cell shows up to take it.

Now, if Trunks was able able to go back to the main timeline (which him planning to do seems to imply), then if Cell took the time machine, he would have gone back to the main timeline where Gohan, Vegeta, and Piccolo could all put him away with ease.

Just something my girlfriend pointed out as we were watching. It's kind of a sad twist of irony for that specific Cell that even if Trunks didn't get in his way, he would have been done in regardless.

[CordonBloo]

Cell would have gone back to before that time, like he did before.

[Hitiro]

Cell would have gone back to before that time, like he did before.

Cell made it abundantly clear that he didn't set the time for going back into the past last time. Why do you think he would this time around? He also has no way of knowing that the time Trunks is going to another Cell had already failed in.

[Dayspring]

Cell would have gone back to before that time, like he did before.

Cell made it abundantly clear that he didn't set the time for going back into the past last time. Why do you think he would this time around? He also has no way of knowing that the time Trunks is going to another Cell had already failed in.

Because the time machine was completely out of fuel, which suggests Trunks hadn't set that time either, but rather that the machine just went as far back in time as it could before running out of power.

[TheDevilsCorpse]

Because the time machine was completely out of fuel, which suggests Trunks hadn't set that time either, but rather that the machine just went as far back in time as it could before running out of power.

The time machine could just as easily be out of fuel because Cell didn't bother to turn it off once he arrived. Just because you reach your destination in a car doesn't mean you won't run out of gas if you don't bother to turn off the engine.

[SpiritBombTriumphant]

If I recall correctly the Cell that was encountered in the main timeline was from another timeline. Because Trunks' timeline was unique with him being the only survivor and having killed 17 & 18, it would've simply been that Cell went back to the main timeline and gotten his ass kicked. It's not the same thing as when main timeline's Cell (who was in fact from a different timeline) appeared and went into his larval state for a few years.

It's pretty safe to say that Cell from Trunks' future and the Cell that Gohan killed in the main timeline were done no matter what, and that no Cell from another future would come to that one.

[Dayspring]

Because the time machine was completely out of fuel, which suggests Trunks hadn't set that time either, but rather that the machine just went as far back in time as it could before running out of power.

The time machine could just as easily be out of fuel because Cell didn't bother to turn it off once he arrived. Just because you reach your destination in a car doesn't mean you won't run out of gas if you don't bother to turn off the engine.

That's not the same thing. A car engine uses internal combustion, so it is still in use when it's idling, which is what uses up the energy. The time machine wouldn't be in use, so it wouldn't use the energy. Assuming I'm wrong, idling wouldn't consume at least as much power as its previous usage.