The hype has been building for Dragon Ball Super: Super Hero since October 2021, and in all this time, the secret identity of the ultimate villain has yet to be revealed. The Red Ribbon Army is clearly behind all the chaos, as Gamma 1, Gamma 2, and Dr. Hido are introduced in the trailer - but, the main antagonist remains mysteriously encapsulated within a metal sphere.
A fan-favorite theory suggests that Cell will fill those shoes, and they are encouraged by the fact that the villainous Android has received a new form in the Dragon Ball Super card game.
Cell, The Awakened
The Cell, The Awakened card was revealed less than two weeks before the film was initially due to be released (22 April), fitting in with Toei Animation's familiar strategy of promoting new merchandise to build hype around an upcoming feature. The android's card will form part of a set of new Awakened characters for the Dragon Ball Super card game. Cell's new transformation appears to be superior to the Perfect Cell metamorphosis, with a golden-yellow glow that is similar to Piccolo's latest form - another possible suggestion that they could appear on screen together?
The super villain's new title, "Cell, The Awakened" could be in reference to Gohan's awakening in the Cell Saga - the Dragon Ball Super card game already has a set of Awakening cards, but it only features heroes. Nevertheless, all of these cards are assumably referencing episode 20 of the Cell Saga, where young Gohan is pushed past his limits and transforms into Super Saiyan 2 - the first Saiyan (of the Z-Warriors) to do so. If Cell were to reappear in his iconic Super Perfect Form, he would doubtlessly be easily defeated by Gohan's Ultimate state, and the android would therefore need to make some improvements with an upgrade of his own to stand any chance of winning.
Cell's Potential in Dragon Ball Super: Super Hero
After running for almost four decades, Dragon Ball has earned the right to be nostalgic at times. Fans know very well that Toei Animation loves to bring back a fan-favorite character (or villain) - and why should Dragon Ball Super: Super Hero be any different? Considering the fact that Gohan seems to be the main protagonist in this film, it would make perfect sense for Cell to return as the secret enemy. In the Dragon Ball Z Cell Saga, Gohan's greatest opponent was the insectile android, and the Saiyan managed to unlock a new power potential while trying to take him down. Piccolo receives a new form for the film and in the trailer he suggests that Gohan has an upgrade of his own - it would only be poetic justice if Cell is the one to encourage another powerful transformation.
Viewers are well aware that Cell met his demise in Dragon Ball Z when Gohan defeated the formidable foe with a Father-Son Kamehameha. It is, however, entirely possible that the Red Ribbon Army is capable of rebuilding the android, adding some upgrades as they go along. The fact that Dr. Gero is out of commission is a non-issue, as the Red Ribbon Army has Dr. Hedo to help them, who has already successfully created Gamma 1 and Gamma 2. Dragon Ball Super: Super Hero will be Dr. Hedo's debut, so fans are not quite sure what to expect from the quirky-looking scientist.
Another aspect of the Dragon Ball Super: Super Hero trailer that gets fans talking is Gamma 1 and Gamma 2 - who get a significant amount of screen time, but don't appear to be that powerful. True, with such limited information they are only really being judged on their looks (which hint at them filling comic relief roles), but a strong fan theory suggests that this pair of androids have a higher purpose than just battling the Z-Fighters. The last time Cell was able to make an epic transformation, he had to first absorb Android 17 and 18 to complete the process, and if Cell were to make a come-back, Gamma 1 and Gamma 2 are conveniently ready and available. One Dragon Ball fan on Reddit goes as far as to suggest that the pair of androids were specifically designed to grant Cell the most power potential upon absorption - which could also now explain Cell's new Awakened form.
Dragon Ball Super: Super Hero is due to be released in Japan on 11 June 2022.