Cell defeats Gohan and the Z Fighters - What's next?

[UltraInstinctRorikon]

In terms of the Z villains, Cell is essentially one of the more lenient villains but his malice is just as sadistic as Frieza. He will give people opportunities if it means his battle will be better. But when he's satisfied that's it, he'll kill the earth. So where does that leave us?

Does he continue this quest of constantly testing how perfect he is until the universe is destroyed? Does he setup an empire eventually or does he live alone?

[Polyphase Avatron]

In terms of the Z villains, Cell is essentially one of the more lenient villains but his malice is just as sadistic as Frieza. He will give people opportunities if it means his battle will be better. But when he's satisfied that's it, he'll kill the earth. So where does that leave us?

Does he continue this quest of constantly testing how perfect he is until the universe is destroyed? Does he setup an empire eventually or does he live alone?

He probably uses Shunkan Idou to get to and terrorize as many planets as he can find by their ki, and destroy them when he gets bored. If he finds New Namek he might force the Namekians to gather the Dragonballs and make some wishes (more power, true immortality, that kind of thing). If he causes too much trouble, Beerus would eventually deal with him when he wakes up, assuming he doesn't run into someone else capable of beating him.

[Yuli Ban]

In terms of the Z villains, Cell is essentially one of the more lenient villains but his malice is just as sadistic as Frieza. He will give people opportunities if it means his battle will be better. But when he's satisfied that's it, he'll kill the earth. So where does that leave us?

Does he continue this quest of constantly testing how perfect he is until the universe is destroyed? Does he setup an empire eventually or does he live alone?

Cell's archetype is similar to that of a Great Awakened Evil, the kinds that heroes in various fantasy stories spend the entire time trying to stop from being made or reaching their full power. In some, they succeed right before the Great Evil is unleashed and prevent total hopelessness. In others, they fail and the Great Evil reaches its full power, giving us the climactic showdown between the forces of good and evil.
The idea behind these characters is that they are destroyers and evil incarnate. Going by this standard, he'd likely do everything he could to plunge the mortal realm and heavens into chaos for his own kicks just to see the looks on everyone's face as he destroys them.

You could replace Cell with the Blood Devil from Zu: Warriors from the Magic Mountain and little would be different other than that Cell is also driven by a Saiyan lust for battle. He has Freeza's ultra-arrogant sadism and love of theatricality (hence the Cell Games), but I strongly doubt he'd be so sedentary as to form an empire. He's already perfect and knows he's perfect, so what does that accomplish? Freeza has little interest in battle and all interest in inspiring terror.

[Peach]

I think he would conquer the universe, spreading fear and chaos.

He would most likely meet and fight Dabura at some point, which would awaken Majin Buu too.

After he runs away with his tail between his legs, he better pray he doesn't run into Buu (again), Moro, or Beerus.

[Koitsukai]

I think Cell's destined to a short life. I believe he'd go travel the universe trying to find some challenge out there, while also wreacking havoc.
Eventually, he meets Babidi who'd have no trouble controlling and using him to awaken Buu. Assuming Buu's egg survived Cell's attack on Earth.
Cell and Dabura would also kill Shin effortlessly, taking out Beerus too.
If Dabura was offended by Buu's persona, can you imagine Cell's reaction to a fat pink hungry blob? Buu would kill them both in a probably awesome fight.

Buu would kill Babidi sooner or later, and continue his carefree lifestyle.

Another scenario could be Cell destroying Earth awakened Buu but not at full power, making him the perfect challenge for Super Perfect Cell before killing him.

[Matches Malone]

This is the kind of show I'd love to see get made, call it DB What if and show us all the different possibilities we could've gotten if certain events played out differently.

I think the king Piccolo and Baby arcs can give us a good idea of what would happen if the heroes lost, as both of them pretty much caused all kinds of problems when they temporarily defeated everyone. With Cell, at that point Gohan, Goku, and Future Trunks would be dead, so there's a number of ways things play out. Cell just kills everyone and destroys the universe, He runs into Babidi and becomes his henchman, He attracts Beerus' attention and gets killed by him, or he gets overconfident and gives Vegeta and Piccolo a chance to train and they somehow take him down.

[MrSatan2099]

I think this would be an interesting alternate future to explore, much like Trunks' alternate reality with the Androids. Maybe he stays on earth until Babidi and Dabura show up to awaken Buu? Maybe he wakes him up himself? Eslseworlds and What-Ifs are some of my favorite things in comic books, I'd like to see more of them in Dragon Ball for sure.

[coola]

GBA Supersonic Warriors would probably happened:

Cell creates Cell Jrs to kill every earthling, while Cell himself goes to deep sleep..he wakes up several years later to find out energy of "children" were used to free Buu, after he kills Babidi and Buu, he blow up Earth, and goes into space, looking for more challenge.