Dragon Ball Z is one of the most legendary shonen anime of all time. It wouldn't be a stretch to say that most people got into anime because they saw Dragon Ball Z on their television screens and instantly fell in love. The battles, beam attacks, and power-ups made for the ultimate power fantasy that is still an absolute blast to watch.
Dragon Ball Z has several excellent story arcs that feature powerful villains and riveting fights. Most people consider the Cell Saga to be the best of the lot, with the iconic tournament central to this arc being a thing of beauty. Watching Goku and Cell duke it out is amazing, although the Saiyan follows up this fight by making a rather bold and controversial move: Goku hands Cell a Senzu Bean before tagging Gohan into the battle.
Here are some reasons to try and justify Goku's questionable action.
6 He Wanted Gohan To Improve During This Fight
Goku knew that Gohan had a power ceiling that he was yet to reach. While his son definitely had the potential to become one of the strongest warriors of all time, the fact remained that Gohan was simply too soft-hearted to really get into the heat of battle. Goku needed to find a way to change this so that his son could finally awaken his true power once and for all.
This is why Goku decided to give the Senzu Bean to Cell. He wanted to face a powerful threat full-on, knowing that his current power level wasn't nearly enough to take down someone so powerful. If Gohan really wanted to defeat Cell and save the Earth, then his latent potential needed to be realized through whatever means possible.
5 He Knew That Gohan Read The Fight And Would Approach Cell Tactically
Goku's fight with Cell was a tense affair where both fighters were pretty much on even ground for a while. However, unlike Cell, Goku didn't have the power to heal his injuries. As a result, the Saiyan realized that this battle would become harder to win if it was a prolonged one.
Therefore, instead of letting Gohan have the first round, Goku decided that his son needed to read his father's moves in battle first. That way, Gohan could realize what he could try out in battle and what he should avoid no matter what. With the Senzu Bean, Cell would fight at full strength and be more predictable instead of fighting erratically while injured.
Gohan is one of the smartest characters in the series, so it's a given that this tactically astute fighter would excel in battle as well. This was a fact that Goku was counting on, although the scenario could be different if the opponent Gohan was fighting ended up being both powerful and desperate at the same time.
This is why Goku decided to bring Cell back at full strength during this fight with Gohan. That way, the fledgling Saiyan could try calming down and reading Cell's moves instead of having to worry about a powerful fighter who's also unpredictable.
4 He Wanted Cell To Underestimate His Son
Everyone who was serious about fighting Cell during the tournament knew exactly what this powerful fighter was capable of. This applies to the Bio-Android, who was very much aware of his strengths and realized that pretty much no fighter would be a match for him aside from Goku.
However, Goku didn't trust himself to predict Cell when he was injured and cornered. Therefore, to make Cell relax and underestimate Gohan's power, he decided to give the villain a Senzu Bean so that he wouldn't take Gohan too seriously. This allowed the Saiyan's latent abilities to develop before bursting out in a torrent of fury and anger.
3 He Knew That Gohan Would Be The One To Take Down Cell
While Goku had a ton of reasons to support Gohan in his encounter with Cell, the fact of the matter is that Kakarot's ultimate reason was that he believed in his son. He knew that Gohan had the power to surpass him and take down Cell once and for all.
Giving Cell a Senzu Bean to let him fight at full strength meant that Gohan would have to give his all during this challenging battle. Only by breaking his limits could this noble Saiyan attain the power to take down Cell for good.
2 In A Way, His Senzu Bean Saved Gohan's Life
Even an injured Cell would be a huge threat to all the fighters in the Cell Games, including Gohan himself. Goku knew that Cell only wanted to fight him, and would've disposed of any threat if they came in the way of him and Goku.
Consequently, instead of leaving Cell hanging, Goku decided to give him a Senzu Bean while refusing to take one himself. By doing this, he could lull Cell into a false sense of safety and prevent him from obliterating Gohan in a few seconds. By doing this act, Goku took himself out of the Cell Games, raising Gohan's worth in the process.
1 Goku Wanted Another Fighter Who Could Save Earth In His Stead
Goku realized that Earth would constantly face dangers and he wouldn't be around to take care of all of them. He needed a successor who could protect the Earth in his wake if anything ever befell him.
This is why he decided to groom Gohan for the role of being the next protector of Earth. Of course, the young Saiyan needed to prove himself and a fight against a fully-powered Cell was the perfect test!