There aren’t many characters in Dragon Ball who have the ability to stand up to Broly. When enraged, the Saiyan becomes a weapon of mass destruction, and is able to far overpower Goku and Vegeta in their Super Saiyan Blue forms. Though neither of Earth’s heroes used their strongest transformations in the fight against Broly, it’s likely he would have overpowered them anyway.

Goku and Vegeta were only able to stop Broly once they fused, with Gogeta’s Super Saiyan Blue overpowering him entirely. However, there was one villain that could have put him down for good, had he been given the time he needed. According to Akira Toriyama, that villain was Cell Max, but a version fans never got to see.

A Perfect Cell Max Would Be a Problem For the Saiyans

Akira Toriyama Claimed Not Even Broly Could Have Defeated a Full-Power Cell Max

Cell Max was the terrifying antagonist of 2022’s Dragon Ball Super: Super Hero, bursting his way onto the battlefield after being prematurely awoken. Several times larger than his original incarnation, Cell Max was more like a kaiju monster than an actual fighter, recklessly thrashing around while firing off beams of energy in every direction.

He was entirely mindless, and that’s because Magenta let him loose before he was finished cooking. According to Dragon Ball‘s legendary creator, Akira Toriyama, Earth’s heroes are lucky he did. In 2022, to coincide with Super Hero‘s release, Toriyama discussed several different aspects of the film, and dove into both of the movie’s headliners, Gohan and Cell Max.

He said, “If Cell Max had been completed according to plan, he would’ve been a superhuman who even Broly couldn’t defeat. But since he was forcibly activated, he became an uncontrollable monster.”

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Why Is Broly’s Base Form So Strong? Dragon Ball Has an Answer

Broly’s base form instinctively draws upon the power of the Great Ape, but his lack of emotional regulation leads to an uncontrollable berserk state.

A completed Cell Max might have become the most intimidating villain in all of Dragon Ball, maintaining his massive size, incredible speed, and over-the-top strength, but with the cunning attitude and battle smarts of his former Perfect self. If a berserk, full-powered Broly couldn’t beat him, it’s unlikely Beast Gohan would have, either.

The inside and out knowledge of the Saiyans’ techniques, along with the brutal and evil nature of Cell would have made a frightening combination that could have spelled disaster for the Earth.

Broly Will Be Key For Dragon Ball Going Forward

The Series’ Most Powerful Saiyan Will Play a Major Role In Dragon Ball’s Future

Though he was the main antagonist of the film that directly preceded Super Hero, Broly would’ve been on the heroes’ side had the main Saiyans been present for the battle. After returning to Vampa, he was brought to Beerus’ planet to train, with Goku attempting to teach him how to control his rage and make use of his massive potential.

There aren’t many more powerful allies to have in the Dragon Ball universe, and with Black Frieza looming over the narrative, Goku and Vegeta will need him. Broly, being pushed to the limits of his strength, might be the only character capable of hanging in with Frieza. Even if he’s badly beaten in the process, he’d at least be able to buy the heroes enough time to think up a plan.

Dragon Ball Super, following the defeat of Cell Max, will be approaching its finale when it makes its return, but it seems Gohan and Piccolo were luckier than fans thought to escape their most recent battle alive. Whatever threat approaches next, they’ll be needed to win the day, and Broly might just be their secret weapon.

Dragon Ball Super

7/10

Release Date

2015 – 2018

Network

Fuji TV

Directors

Ryota Nakamura, Masanori Sato, Kenichi Takeshita, Takao Iwai, Hideki Hiroshima, Masato Mitsuka, Kazuya Karasawa, Ayumu Ono, Takahiro Imamura, Tatsuya Nagamine, Kôjiro Kawasaki, Kouji Ogawa

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  Masakazu Morita

  Whis (voice)

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  Masako Nozawa

  Son Goku/Goku Black/Son Gohan/Son Goten (voices)