Cell


 * For the mirror universe counterpart, see Daniel (mirror).

Captain Cell (previously known as Daniel) was an exiled Changeling, from the Founders' homeworld, and commanding officer of the USS Phoenix-X (NCC-75948) in the late 24th century. He changed his own name in 2379 after being sent back to 2344, where he spent 35 years immobilized and left to his thoughts.

The Gamma Quadrant
In 1879, the young Changeling lived within the Great Link on the Founders' homeworld. In February of that year, a small group of El Aurian transport ships had stumbled upon a wormhole that led to the Gamma Quadrant. They had planned to find and colonize a planet in the Gamma Quadrant. As per standard procedure, the El Aurians sent out a scout-ship to search ahead. Aboard it was an El Aurian by the name of Daniel, who accidentally crash-landed his vessel onto the nearest planet to his location. Unbeknownst to him, the planet was the Founders' homeworld.

Downed and with injuries, the El Aurian Daniel was approached by the young Changeling who, out of curiosity, innocently imitated the El Aurian Daniel's likeness. When the Female Changeling caught sight of this, she immediately killed El Aurian Daniel in hatred for all solids. Out of resentment to her actions, the young Changeling kept El Aurian Daniel's appearance and decided to keep his name.

Now known as "Daniel", the young Changeling was met with a second El Aurian visitor, named Guinan. Guinan had successfully landed her shuttle onto the Changeling homeworld, in search of her husband-to-be: Daniel. The Changeling, Daniel, quickly explained everything - to Guinan's dismay. But the Female Changeling's hate for solids wasn't over with her last victim, as she also desired the death of Guinan. Not wanting a repeat incident of murder, the Changeling, Daniel, turned against his people and protected Guinan until they could both escape on Guinan's shuttle.

By this point in time, the El Aurian's had already decided to colonize one of the planets in the Changeling system. This, and the encounter on the homeworld, had prompted the Founders to attempt a purge of the El Aurian infestation. By the time Guinan's shuttle was able to reach the colony, only twenty to thirty ships had escaped: one of which contained Guinan's father.

Guinan allowed the Changeling, Daniel, to carry on with the illusion of being her husband for safety: a thanks for warning her and attempting to save her people, and a sympathetic gesture for him being forced to leave his people. That same day, the El-Aurian ships evacuated through the wormhole through which they came, ending up in the Alpha Quadrant. ("The Links Traitor")

Vulcan
In 1879, the El Aurians had briefly become friends with the Vulcans. Some were allowed to live on their world. Daniel decided to move to Vulcan to settle for some time, while Guinan chose to explore other worlds - the first being Earth.

After about a century, and in 1983, Daniel was contacted via subspace transmission, on Vulcan, by the Female Changeling. She wished for him to return, but he refused. Fearing Guinan's safety, Daniel traveled to Earth in search of her. After quite some time, he was unable to find her. He returned to Vulcan and spent another few hundred years there, learning Vulcan martial-arts, how to teach, and become a leader.

In the 22nd century Daniel had heard about the Federation and decided to enter Starfleet Academy under the pretense he was a Human/Vulcan hybred. ("The Links Traitor")

Early Starfleet service
After Starfleet Academy, Daniel was discovered for being a Changeling by the secret organization, Section 31. Taking immediate action, Section 31 covered Daniel's tracks in order to gain him as an ally, deceiving him in saying it was for his own safety. ("Spider Agencies, Part II")

In May 2234, Daniel had been ranked Ensign during a lock down on Flortarios III, where the Federation was battling an enemy on the surface. There, he fought alongside Starfleet Captain Laumar Gotens until she was knocked out and close to death. Daniel brought her into a cave to wait out the firing in the area, until he was able to take her to a ship where she needed her symbiont transferred. During his stay in the cave, he encountered the Female Changeling, emerging from the wall. She approached him in the same manner as before, asking him to return.
 * It has not been stated who the identity of the enemy Starfleet was fighting on Flortarios III was.

Daniel retired his commission on Trill, after taking Captain Gotens to a hospital there where he witnessed her death. After a few years on Trill, prior to the 2240s, he was summoned by Starfleet. Feeling that enough time had passed, Daniel rejoined. From here on, he worked his way up the ranks until hitting Admiral in the mid-2300s. ("The Links' Traitor")

A few decades later, during this rank-climbing from the mid-23rd century to the mid-24th century, Daniel was sent on an away mission to one of the moons orbiting the Klingon homeworld. There, he met and befriended Menchez, after Menchez saved Daniel's life in an attack by other Klingons. ("Betrayal and Honour")
 * It is uncertain what vessel Daniel worked on in this time, or what his rank was. The mission and the reasons for being attacked are unconfirmed as well.

In 2364, Daniel was in command of the USS Kyushu. ("Remnants")
 * This is presumably under the rank of Captain, before he was promoted to Admiral.

Commanding the Phoenix
In 2369, Daniel took an on-again/off-again role as captain of the USS Phoenix (NCC-65420) when needed. Sometime between this year and 2373, the Phoenix had encountered Menchez commanding the IKS Bochnah. At the time, the Bochnah was under scrutiny by the Klingon Empire for Menchez's supposed intention on ruining relations with the Federation. Daniel set the records straight and cleared Menchez's name, and in thanks, Menchez gave his ship's cloaking device to the Admiral. ("The Links' Traitor")
 * Why Menchez was suspected for treason is uncertain, and what mission the admiral was on was also not stated.

In 2373, Admiral Daniel took full command of the Phoenix. ("Betrayal and Honour")

In 2374, while traveling in the Tiloniam system, he encountered the Female Changeling once more, who beamed aboard his ship from a cloaked Dominion vessel. After another failed attempt to persuade Daniel to return, she beamed away. But almost immediately afterwards, Daniel met Night Gotens who was drifting nearby in a Starfleet shuttle from the USS Xena (NCC-92382). Daniel was forced to save Night's life from sudden incoming Jem'Hadar warships. After a battle, the Phoenix was totaled (but salvaged - the Phoenix was seen again in "New Beginnings") and Daniel was given command of the USS Phoenix-X (NCC-75948).

Due to the near-destruction of the Phoenix, Daniel's rank was knocked down to Captain. But in truth, this was the wish of Admiral Theseus (working for Section 31). Theseus sent Captain Cid to devise the reasoning behind Daniel's demotion - which was the publication of Daniel being a Changeling. ("The Tiloniam System", "The Links Traitor", "The Tilonian System")

Captain of the Phoenix-X
The USS Phoenix-X was a special vessel carrying transwarp drive for the X-Project. It was the perfect opportunity for Section 31 to use Daniel, someone who felt owed them, to take command of the ship. The drive's existence became known only to the ship's crew and Section 31.

Along with Commander Night Gotens from the USS Xena, Ensign Dan was another officer assigned to the Phoenix-X, to Daniel's dismay. From the beginning, Ensign Dan tested Daniel's patience and continued doing so during the entire run under Daniel's command.

In his first year aboard the ship, Daniel had encounters with the Borg, Deep Space 9 faultering, a Second Maquis group and an unspoken encounter with the USS Voyager (NCC-74656).

In his second year, he had encounters with large threats such as the Trozonian generation warship, Mirror Universe duplicates of the Phoenix-X crew, and Romulan and Cardassian enemies working together against him. (Various episodes in Season 1)

In his third year, Daniel and another Changeling, Shane, were taken prisoner by a Doctor Steve, after the Phoenix-X was temporarily decommissioned. The experiments would go on for two months until the two were rescued by Commander Gotens. The Phoenix-X then was brought back into service, and the Captain retook his command position. ("Experimentalism") A month later, Daniel helped a group of Helenion refugees return home. ("Christmas Special")

A month after that, Daniel temporarily received omnipotent powers from X, a fallen Q. Throughout his continual encounters with the omni'X and Q, over the next few years, Daniel gained and lost powers accordingly to each encounter. (See: Cell)

In the late 2376, Daniel was captured by Klokian, who attempted to extract omnipotent powers from him. Through this encounter, Daniel was brought into the 39th century where Commander Seifer and the crew of the Phoenix-X were forced to travel and rescue Daniel. ("Fight, Part I, II & III")

In 2377, Daniel used the Phoenix-X`s transwarp capabilities to assist the starship Voyager return home from the Delta Quadrant. Unfortunately, the consequences proved discomforting for the crew, as the Phoenix-X`s secret of harboring an advanced engine was revealed. The resulting revelation led to a chain of events that saw the destruction of Starfleet Command. Daniel then decided to reset the timeline by going back in time and stopping themselves from saving Voyager. This was successful, and Daniel restored the timeline; but in order to do so, had to destroy the past-Phoenix-X. ("Phoenix Restoration")

Education & service record

 * 1983 > late 22nd century || Various schools, institutions and temples on planet Vulcan

Starfleet

 * Early 23rd century > five years later || Starfleet Academy
 * Early 23rd century > 2234 || n/a posting(s) - n/a position(s), Security officer
 * 2234 > sometime in or before 2240 || resigned
 * sometime in or before 2240 > 2369 || n/a posting(s) (reinstated), n/a position(s)
 * 2369 > 2373 || on-again/off-again, the USS Phoenix (NCC-65420), n/a posting(s) - Admiral, Commanding officer
 * 2373 > 2374 || USS Phoenix - Admiral, Commanding officer
 * 2374 > present || USS Phoenix-X (NCC-75948) (special ship) - Captain (demoted), Commanding officer

Encounters with the ill-conceived X-Continuum
In the Captain's third year aboard the Phoenix-X, he was merged with a renegade Q who changed his name to X. When Q cornered X aboard the ship, X ended his existence and put all his omnipotency into the Captain. Thus, for a short while, the Captain had full omnipotent power. ("The X Continuum")

omni'X
Unfortunately, in 2377, more Q had changed their name to X, one of which approached the Captain and drained the better part of a large amount of power - the X claimed that mortals throughout the Galaxy were being given the same amount of power in hopes of one day creating an X Continuum. ("Vengeance")

The next year, Captain Daniel would finally discover the X-Time bubble, where the Rogue X's attempt to create the X Continuum would be evident. Inside, many omni'X, like the Captain, sought to increase their power as much as possible in order to be worthy of joining the X Continuum. For a few seconds, Daniel was tempted. But Q arrived in order to take back all the Rogue X to the Q Continuum. The result was a no creation of the X Continuum: leaving all the omni'X, including the Captain, with whatever power they built on their own. ("Avalon Battlefield, Part II")

Q promised that he'd come back for Daniel, due to Daniel retaining the last remaining lost Q omnipotent material that was once X (who was once a Q). Q did come back for Daniel, a month or so later, requesting the return of Daniel's powers. The Q Continuum created a large space anomaly meant to destroy Daniel if he did not hand back the powers. This anomaly, causing massive stress to Daniel, persuaded him to give the powers back before it was too late. Thus, the Captain was without any partial-omnipotent power whatsoever for a short while. ("Destiny's Revenge, Part III")

This would change two years later, when the Captain was approached by a league of worrisome omni'X. These omni'X, led by Mishima, one who the Captain met in X-Time, feared for their lives as they were being hunted and slaughtered by the Klokian-- a species somehow repellant to omnipotent beings. Mishima empowered the Captain with partial-omnipotent powers once again, turning the Captain back into an omni'X. Though reluctant, the Captain did indeed assist the other omni'X in fighting back the Klokian. This helped turn the tide of the Klokian/omni'X war, and the Captain was able to return to his duties aboard the Phoenix-X. ("Power Levels")

In 2383, the Captain, who had changed his name to Cell, was met with Klokian. Klokian claimed he was on the run from the omni'X, after the tides of their species' quarrel had turned. Fearing an unending cycle of violence, Captain Cell stood up against the omni'X, and Mishima, saving Klokian's life. The omni'X were eventually forced to leave and pursue other Klokian elsewhere. ("Transphasic Meltdown")

The next year, when the X Continuum was finally created, Cell was met with Q, once more. Due to those current events, Q was on a mission to extract all power from any omni'X in the galaxy, which included Cell. After Cell's small power was taken, he was returned to normal. ("Forbidden Crossing, Part II")

Section 31
Daniel was assisted by Section 31 when he first entered Starfleet in the early 23rd century. They helped cover his background and dealt with anyone who questioned Daniel's history. ("The Links' Traitor", "Spider Agencies, Part II")

In 2377, Daniel discovered that one of his crewmembers aboard the Phoenix-X was secret reporting information on the crew's happenings to Section 31. This person was, Wallace. After Daniel discovered and confronted Wallace with this, Wallace felt guilty for his actions and joined Section 31 with intentions on using his placement to help the crew of the Phoenix-X whenever possible. ("Secret Shuttles, Part I, II, III, IV")

Daniel's first known link to serving Section 31 was through Admiral Theseus, and to a subordinate degree, Admiral Cloud in 2374. Theseus wasn't a direct member of Section 31, but launched the Phoenix-X with intentions of Daniel as being its captain. He handed Daniel top-secret missions of a covert nature. Cloud did the same, but Cloud's memory would be altered or erased after giving out such missions from time to time. At times, a third party would assign the missions--a Council representative, another admiral, or Captain Cid. (Various episodes in Season's 1 & 2)

In 2379, Daniel changed his name to Cell, and the Phoenix-X discontinued taking direct orders from Theseus and previous venues. They began taking orders from Theseus' assistants, Elena and Nelkast. In 2380, these "assistants" were discovered to be full-fledged Section 31 agents. Cell and the crew continued taking missions from these two, who were (as Theseus and all previous figures had been) usually disappointed and outraged in Cell's and the crew's normally failed mission outcomes. (Various episodes in Season 3)

In 2382, Cell discovered Theseus on an undercover mission for Section 31 and they became enemies. ("Spider Agencies, Part II") Two years later, Wallace returned to the Phoenix-X, on behalf of Section 31, to act as an observer during missions. ("Forbidden Crossing, Part I")

Family
The Female Changeling was in a way a mother figure and an enemy to Daniel. From the very beginning she threatened the new ideas and ethics that Daniel came to have. In 1879, Daniel escaped her and his people to live in the Alpha Quadrant. The Female Changeling would make several attempts to suade Daniel over to the side of his people over the next few Centuries.

She contacted him at his home on Vulcan in 1983, forcing him to promise that he would protect alien worlds from the likes of Changeling kind.

He was approached by her again when he was in Starfleet as an Ensign. The Ensign was assisting in a war on Flortarious III when she emerged from a cave wall. After returning to safety, Daniel was unenergized by the Female Changeling's constant intrusions and decided against returning to his life in Starfleet. Fortunately he quickly returned to his senses when Starfleet found him and persuade him to return.

In 2374, during the Dominion War, Daniel was approached yet again by the Female Changeling aboard the ship he was commanding: the Phoenix. Thanks to the war, and his continual resistence, she explained that he was branded a traitor by the rest of the Founders, and that there was nothing she could do for him anymore.

A year later, the Female Changeling made her way onto the Phoenix-X, where she explained that she had also been claimed a traitor by the Founders for her continual efforts with Daniel. By this time, the Captain's impression of her had descended into that of 'mortal enemy'.

Even after Q attempted to allow the Captian to re-live his life, Daniel was unable to change his feelings toward the Female Changeling. It was at this point Daniel was approached by Wesley Crusher, who opened the Captain's eyes to the Female Changeling's mother-like intentions.

Q later arrived to extract the Female Changeling from the timeline, claiming that she was meant to die in the Captain's previous timeline, and that having her remain alive in the Alpha Quadrant would eventually and somehow cause the fall of the Q Continuum. ("The Links' Traitor")

Night Gotens/Seifer
In 2234, Daniel gave up his rank and commission of Ensign after taking a dying Laumar Gotens to the Trill homeworld. He chose to stay on Trill for the next two years, as he had befriended the next host to the Gotens symbiont, Rivera Gotens. ("The Links' Traitor")

Daniel met Rivera Gotens again at a Federation Eelstock Convention on Flortarios III in 2302. Gotens, at the time, was back in Starfleet and ranked Lieutenant. Ever since meeting Gotens again, in 2374. ("The Tiloniam System")

In 2374, Daniel encountered Night Gotens and Ensign Dan on a shuttle from the USS Xena in the Tiloniam system. He beamed them aboard when Jem'Hadar attacked, and it wasn't long before the Phoenix was totalled and all personnel rescued by the Xena. Night Gotens transferred over to the Captain's command structure as executive officer, while Daniel was given command of the USS Phoenix-X at Deep Space 9 immediately after the incident. The two became close friends while serving together. ("The Tiloniam System", "The Links' Traitor")

Shane
In 2375, Daniel retrieved a container of Changeling protoplasm from a destroyed Klingon battle-cruiser. The protoplam turned out to be Shane, a Changeling, one of the hundred that were sent out by the Founders, who was living with the Klingons aboard the IKS Hou-Ling.

Since the ship had been destroyed, Shane decided to live among the crew aboard the Phoenix-X. Here he became a prankster to most of the crew and a good enlisted officer at times of need. But on the most part, he became good friends with the Captain. ("Retrieval")

In 2376, the Phoenix-X encountered a Borg Cube with the Borg Queen on it. Shane admitted to giving her half his Changeling protoplasm years ago so that she would spare the Hou-Ling, during an attempt at assimilation. When the Borg Queen threatened the safety of the Phoenix-X, Shane willfully allowed himself to be taken by the Borg in order to let the Phoenix-X go. Yet, Daniel decided not to give up on Shane and devised a plan to save him from the Borg, in the process, threatening the lives of the crew.

They soon found that Shane had been assimilated with nano-probes. Daniel decided the only way to diffuse the strength of the assimilation was to link with Shane and take on half the nano-probes. This proved successful, as the diffused nano-probes broke Shane's link to the Collective. ("The Return of the Borg")

Months later, Shane witnessed the Captain's ascent into omnipotent status. He was also present when the X decided to take that power away to a certain percentage. Both Shane and Gotens were privvy to the knowledge that the Captain would one day be forced to join the X Continuum. They both kept this a secret from Daniel, in fear of it actually tempting him. Unfortunately, Daniel found out on his own - and both Shane and Gotens were forced to go an extra step in convincing Daniel not to join. ("The X Continuum", "Vengeance", "Avalon Battlefield, Part II")

In 2378, Daniel was forced to let Shane go when Shane became responsible for helping bring omni-status to a Borg Cube. Shane and the Traveling Link joined forces in an effort to stop the Borg Cube. This was the last Daniel ever saw of Shane. ("Destiny's Revenge, Part III")

Menchez
In the early 24th century, Daniel saved Captain Menchez from disgrace within the Klingon Empire. After becoming good friends, they agreed to a mutual exchange of officer's between crew's. This exchange program started in the early 2370s and continued on to the Phoenix-X.

In 2375, the Captain met with Menchez again, where he assisted in stopping a war between the Federation and the Klingons. In late 2378, their exchange program with each other had come to an end. All Klingon and Starfleet crew were returned to their respective ships. But faining comforts by both the halves of each crew had suddenly led back the exchange program: and so the program was reinstated. ("Betrayal and Honour", "Destiny's Revenge, Part I")

Kugo
For a short while, in 2376, Daniel attempted a romantic relationship with Kugo. This was unknown to the crew, and unsuccessful. Since then, the two had continued to be friends, with no ill feelings toward the other. ("Identity")

Gul Meloneus
The Captain's first encounter with the Cardassian, Meloneus, occurred in 2374. During a mutual run-in, Daniel attempted to take a prisoner of war by beaming over an officer, Agenos, from Meloneus' ship. Meloneus retaliated by beaming Cell onto his ship, the Tarak, and placed the Captain in a holding cell under an anti-shapeshifting device. Battle ensued and Meloneus' wife, Carella, on board the Tarak, was killed. The Phoenix-X crew saved the captain and Gul Meloneus and his ship were captured. ("Missed the Mishap", "Secret Shuttles, Part IV") Meloneus soon escaped the Phoenix-X during a battle with the Second Maquis, and swore revenge against the Captain. ("Cookies")

In 2375, Meloneus was working with the Dominion in an attempt to kidnap the leaders of Flortarios III. It was an act of revenge against both Starfleet and Flortarios III, but he was easily thwarted by the Captain and the crew of the Phoenix-X. ("The Bajoran Trove") In the same year, on Stardate 52339.1, Meloneus teamed up with Romulan starship commander Plutark in exacting revenge against the Captain. They attempted to steal the schematics for an experimental slipstream torpedo, but their plans backfired when the Phoenix-X destroyed both of their ship's with one of the torpedoes. Meloneus was immediately beamed away to safety onto a cloaked timeship by his nephew Tellus. He then used the Timeship to go back in time to attempt to save his wife, but was ultimately unsuccessful thanks to interference by the crew of the Phoenix-X. ("Secret Shuttles, Part II & III")

Meloneus was brought back to the year 2377, where the Timeship was lost to the Phoenix-X crew. He returned to Cardassian space aboard Tellus' ship, the Scorpion. Meloneus would return in the same year for one last attempt at revenge against the Captain and Changelings everywhere, by joining the Fragma Alliance and upgrading his vessel. Meloneus asked for Shane as a prisoner, but only received the Captain who had taken Shane's likeness. Daniel ultimately gave Meloneus what Meloneus really wanted: the location of the Changeling homeworld, after hearing of Meloneus' pathetic childhood encounter with Changelings. But such information proved useless as Meloneus was chased down by the Fragma Alliance whom he cheated for technology. ("Secret Shuttles, Part IV", "BaKardi Slang")

Shadow Flare
The Captain first encountered Shadow Flare when trying to send him and his people back to the Mirror Universe in 2377. This proved unsuccessful, even as the Captain had come to realize that Shadow Flare was bestowed omni'X power. Daniel eventually allowed Shadow Flare and his people to remain in the original Universe, as long as they stayed away from and stopped stealing from Federation worlds. ("The Nega'Jem, Part I")

The Captain would meet Shadow Flare again in late 2379, when RaeLuna came to Shadow Flare for help. In a simple questioning on the subject of RaeLuna, both the Captain and Shadow Flare erupted into a physical battle. Such a battle then impressed Shadow Flare, causing him to co-operate. ("Responsible Delinquent")

Memorable quotes
"If you guys retracted the Telurian plague, you're on your own. The secret cure of that pathogen stays within the bulkheads of the Phoenix-X, and the Phoenix-X only."

- Episode 79, "Fantastic Method"

Background information

 * The Captain was originally based on one of the two main head writers of the series. The writer eventually left in mid-Season 2, but his character continued on as Captain.
 * Cell was named after Cell from the Dragon Ball series'.