Trunks Ascends

is the tenth episode of the Perfect Cell Saga and the one hundred sixty-second overall episode in the uncut Dragon Ball Z series. This episode first aired in Japan on October 28, 1992. Its original American airdate was November 3, 2000.
==Summary==
The episode begins with Vegeta frozen in a mix of horror and disbelief at the lack of effect his attacks have had on Cell. Android 16 is amazed at how Cell has powered up so much. After taunting Vegeta once more, he decides to give Vegeta a taste of his power, kicking him through numerous rock formations. After catching himself in midair, he groans in pain and falls into the water below. Krillin begs Future Trunks, who is now powering up, to help Vegeta.
As Cell mockingly thanks him for his aid, outright stating that he would never have been able to reach his Perfect Form were it not for Vegeta's foolishness, Vegeta climbs out of the water drained and angry. Floating into the air, he throws his arms to the side and begins drastically powering up. Daring Cell to take his attack head on, Vegeta gathers so much raw energy the island begins to crumble and the clouds begin to move apart. Giant electrical bolts explode from his aura and tear at the ground near Cell and Android 16. 
Still smirking, Cell prepares himself, while Android 16 takes a step backward. Vegeta grins at this and lets out a small laugh. Future Trunks yells at his father to stop in order to avoid obliterating the planet, but Krillin frantically suggests that they leave. Vegeta then shouts "Final Flash!" and lets loose a gigantic golden energy wave. As the energy wave closes in, Cell's expression very quickly changes, with Cell fearfully asking "What's this?" before the massive beam slams into him. The blast shakes the very Earth itself and is large enough to fire straight off of Earth, disappearing into outer space.
In the Hyperbolic Time Chamber, Gohan is in Super Saiyan, firing a barrage of ki blasts. Goku calls him to eat and asks him to cook a steak. Goku throws it into the air and Gohan shoots it, but ends up using too much power and sets Goku's hair on fire. At first Goku does not believe Gohan's warnings, believing that he is changing the subject to avoid being berated, however soon comedically panics upon realising that his son was telling the truth.
Vegeta breathes heavily after using the Final Flash. Cell's arm, along with most of his torso, is completely blown off. This greatly amuses Vegeta, and Cell yells at Vegeta to stop laughing, which only causes Vegeta to laugh harder. Cell quickly drops his pained facade and reminds Vegeta that he has Piccolo's Namekian cells within him. This statement quickly silences Vegeta as Cell's arm suddenly regenerates, shocking the Saiyan prince. After Cell regenerates easily after his grievous injury, Vegeta desperately fires a massive energy blast barrage in a panic, but this has no effect on Cell, who emerges from the smoke and punches Vegeta in the face. Vegeta falls to the ground and attempts to recover, only to see Cell's foot kick him high into the sky. Future Trunks and Krillin look on in horror as Cell proceeds to elbow Vegeta hard in the back, smashing him into the ground. Injured and unconscious, Vegeta falls out of his Super Saiyan Second Grade form. 
Future Trunks is now so enraged that his irises disappear, the rubber band holding his hair back breaks, and he is glowing brightly. His energy is so high that it accidentally zaps Krillin. Cell is shocked as it appears that Future Trunks has power that greatly outmatches his father.
==Major Events==
*Vegeta performs the Final Flash against Cell.
*Vegeta is defeated by Cell.
*Future Trunks begins to power up into his Super Saiyan Third Grade Form.
==Battles==
*Vegeta (Super Saiyan Second Grade) vs. Cell (Perfect)
==Appearances==
===Characters===
*Goku
*Gohan
*Vegeta
*Future Trunks
*Krillin
*Android 16
*Cell
===Locations===
*Tropical Islands
*The Lookout
**Hyperbolic Time Chamber
===Objects===
*Battle Armor
===Transformations===
*Super Saiyan
*Super Saiyan Second Grade
*Super Saiyan Third Grade
===Bruce Faulconer tracks===
*"Frieza Transforms" - During the fight between Vegeta and Cell.
*"Vegeta's Theme" - Before Super Vegeta proceeds to charge his Final Flash against Perfect Cell and after the Final Flash was revealed to have vaporized Cell’s arm.
*"The Dragon Theme" - When Vegeta is charging energy to use the Final Flash.
*"Vegeta - Super Saiyan" - When Vegeta uses the Final Flash attack against Perfect Cell.
*"The Howling" - While Gohan is training in the Hyperbolic Time Chamber.
*"Destruction (soundtrack)" - When Perfect Cell regenerates after Vegeta's Final Flash.
*"Perfect Cell Theme" - When Cell regenerates (remastered version).
*"Trunks Powerup"- When Future Trunks turns into Super Trunks.
==Differences from the manga==
*In the manga, the Final Flash beam is fairly narrow which is why it put a relatively sized hole through Cell. In the anime, the beam is shown to be much larger, completely encompassing Cell's body though it still creates the same size hole in Cell's side.
*Goku getting food ready and having Gohan cook it with his energy but accidentally setting his alight, is exclusive to the anime.
==Trivia==
*This episode marks the debut of a Super Saiyan Third Grade.
*This episode is also the debut of the Final Flash in the anime.
*The incident where Gohan uses too much of his power while helping his father roast some steaks, accidentally setting Goku's hair on fire in the process, is later referenced in "Meet Me In the Ring".
*In the original Funimation dub, the track that plays when Cell regenerates is "Destruction (soundtrack)". In the remastered version of the scene, however, it is replaced by "Perfect Cell Theme".
*When Vegeta is seen wiping his face before Cell kicks him into the air, his left pupil is black, despite him being in Super Saiyan.
**This is similar to a previous error with Vegeta having black eyes and eyebrows in the episode "Follow Dr. Gero".
*Takao Koyama, the person responsible for creating Broly and the Legendary Super Saiyan state, cited the transformation sequence Future Trunks utilized to ascend to Super Saiyan Third Grade in this episode as being the direct basis for both.DRAGON BALL 大全集 6: MOVIES & TV SPECIALS (in Japanese). Shueisha. 1995. pp. 212–216. ISBN 4-08-782756-9.
**On a similar note, Future Trunks upon fully powering up turns his head to look at a terrified Krillin in a similar manner to Broly just after the latter used Blaster Meteor in Dragon Ball Z: Broly - The Legendary Super Saiyan.
==Gallery==
==References==
==Site Navigation==
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ca:Episodi 162 (BDZ)
pt-br:Trunks Fica Furioso!!
fr:Dragon Ball Z épisode 162
it:Trunks supera il limite del Super Saiyan
Category:Episodes
Category:Dragon Ball Z episodes
Category:Perfect Cell Saga
Category:Uncut Dragon Ball Z episodes