Bardock

Articles About Bardock
Manga	Dragon Ball Super Manga - Dragon Ball Minus
Other Media	Dragon Ball Z Films - Super Dragon Ball Heroes - Dragon Ball Heroes - Shin Budokai - Another Road

“	This will be an opportunity to change Planet Vegeta's fate, my own fate, to change Kakarot's fate... And yours too!	„
	~ Bardock to Frieza

“	I'm just a Saiyan, I suppose.	„
	~ Bardock to Chilled

Background

Bardock is a low-class Saiyan warrior, the husband of Celipa, and the father of Raditz and Son Goku. He makes his debut as the titular protagonist of the 1990 TV special Dragon Ball Z: Bardock - The Father of Goku. Bardock's childhood until his early years in adulthood is unknown, but he is shown to lead his own squad into battle, and they are very successful in accomplishing their assignments. He is an adept fighter and a devoted Saiyan Army soldier under the Frieza Force until he realizes his tyrannical boss plans to annihilate the Saiyan race.

This dropdown contains the synopsis of Bardock’s story. Read at your own risk as you may be spoiled otherwise!

Bardock - The Father of Goku After clearing a society on the Planet Kanassa as Great Apes, a weakened survivor emerges, catching Bardock off-guard, and instills in the Saiyan the ability of precognitive foresight. This ability, the Kanassan believes, will over time serve Bardock with vengeance for the crimes the Saiyans commit in the name of Frieza. While in recovery after the platoon's return to Planet Vegeta, Bardock is met with what he passes off as a delusion. In his vision, he witnesses the destruction of his home planet by the hand of Frieza and also sees the salvation of the planet Earth through his son Kakarot. During this time, presiding doctors attest that Bardock's power level is approaching 10,000, and that at this rate he may surpass the strength of the Saiyan monarch, King Vegeta. Bardock is still out of commission when Frieza executes his selfish plan to resolve the paranoia he is experiencing. Following Frieza's orders, the capable Soldiers Tora, Fasha, Borgos, and Shugesh are instructed to clear the civilization of Planet Meat. During their visit to the planet, the group encounters one of Frieza's most dangerous minions, Dodoria, and his elites, who betray them by Frieza's orders and make short work of Bardock's Team. When Bardock is informed that his Team has accepted an offer on planet Meat, a still injured Bardock hurriedly makes preparations to pursue his friends, unaware of the dangers that await at his destination. On his way to his Attack Ball, he comes across his newborn son Kakarot and checks his power level to see if his visions about him growing up to be a strong warrior is true, but disregards the notion after seeing that his son only has an average power level. Eventually, once upon Meat, Bardock discovers his ravaged comrades and, to some fortune, finds that Tora is alive but in critical condition. Vowing to avenge the four, Bardock removes Tora's Armband, now soaked in blood, and dons it over his head. Bardock is suddenly assaulted by Dodoria's Elite, although for a low-class Saiyan, he is able to dominate over the elite-class fighters until Dodoria launches a Energy Cannon, overpowering Bardock, blasting him into his friends' dead bodies and leaving him for dead. Bardock barely survives this attack, and coming to terms with the fact that his visions are actual premonitions and not a case of delirium, he desperately struggles against time to return to Planet Vegeta and change the grim fate of his people. Upon his return to the planet, he immediately begins spreading the word of danger, but his panic (as well as the state of his condition) only leads the other Saiyans to believe Bardock is overreacting after having finally met his match during a typical mission. Angry at the reaction he has received, Bardock yells at the other Saiyans for their disbelief and they are stunned into silence. Bardock realizes the hopelessness of his situation, but his son appears into him in a vision and Bardock goes into a frenzy takes to the skies where Frieza's Spaceship is orbiting, in a last resort effort to throttle Frieza's plan to eradicate the Saiyans. As Bardock displays an abnormal ability to fend off hundreds of Frieza's soldiers, Frieza decides that the situation is growing out of hand. Frieza's decision is solidified by his perceived insolence of another Saiyan, King Vegeta, who has invaded Frieza's Spaceship with his servants in an attempt to rescue their prince, Vegeta (who at this time is nowhere near the ship, as he is carrying out orders on another planet). After killing King Vegeta and his Royal Guard, Frieza steps out into the orbit of planet Vegeta where he encounters Bardock, who insists that the Saiyans refuse to continue being oppressed and commanded by the tyrant and announces his intentions to avenge all killed for Frieza's cause. Intending to wipe out the Saiyans anyway, Frieza does not see a problem with Bardock's allegation, and somewhat patiently listens to Bardock's speech, staking out the perfect opportunity to commence his genocide. This opening comes when Bardock attempts to kill Frieza using a Final Spirit Cannon, which Frieza retaliates with by laughing maniacally as he expands a charging Supernova which absorbs Bardock's blast. Within moments, the Supernova is set free from Frieza's fingertip and careens through numerous bystander soldiers en route toward Planet Vegeta; Bardock is among the first of many to be consumed by the ball of energy. As he is incinerated within the Supernova, Bardock has one final vision, that of his son Goku (born Kakarot) challenging and defeating Frieza, which brings a smile to his face. His regret, however, is that he never had a chance to hold his infant son in his arms before his child was commissioned to Earth only days after being born. In the Japanese version as well as in Dragon Ball Z Kai, however, Bardock tells his son Kakarot to avenge the Saiyans and Planet Vegeta. Episode of Bardock As he is being overwhelmed by Frieza's Supernova, Towa uses a wormhole to capture him, however, he runs to the past. Bardock survives after his battle against Frieza and wakes up in a bed on a planet that looks a lot like Planet Vegeta. He is being treated by two aliens: the village doctor Ipana and his son Berry. Bardock remarks that the medicine used to heal him is similar to the fluid in Medical Machines and Ipana says that the name of the planet is Planet Plant, the old name of Planet Vegeta, so Bardock starts to wonder if he is in the past. When two Soldiers named Toobi and Cabira arrive and declare that they are going to conquer the planet, Bardock confronts and kills them. The villagers thank him, but Bardock flies away to a cave. When Berry arrives at the cave with a basket of food, Bardock tells him to leave, but eventually eats the young alien's food and grows tolerant of him over time. When the space pirate Chilled and his soldiers come to investigate Planet Plant, due to the death of Toobi and Cabira, Berry tells Bardock that he has a bad feeling about him. When Chilled and his Soldiers start terrorizing the planet, Berry begs Bardock to help the Inhabitants of Plant. Remembering his friends' decimation on Planet Meat, Bardock accepts and saves Ipana from Chilled's men. When he sees Chilled, Bardock confuses him for Frieza and angrily attacks him with a punch to the face. Chilled kicks him and begins to crush him. Chilled is about to deliver the finishing energy blast to Bardock when Berry rushes forward in an attempt to save him. However, Chilled throws the blast instead to him, wounding Berry. Upon seeing this, Bardock thinks of Frieza and the death of his crew and becomes furious. He then transforms into a Super Saiyan. He and Chilled begin fighting once more, and Chilled tries to Ki Blast him to death, and as a last resort, he uses a Death Ball to try to destroy Planet Plant along with Bardock. However, Bardock fires a Rebellion Trigger at Chilled, and the force of the blast sent the tyrant flying into space. The villagers cheer on Bardock and he smiles and then walks away. It is revealed that Chilled's knowledge about Super Saiyans was passed to his descendants.

General Information

Name: Bardock

Origin: Dragon Ball Z Special 1: Tatta Hitori no Saishuu Kessen

Sex: Male

Age: Unknown

Classification: Alien, Legendary Super Saiyan

Species: Saiyan

Occupation: Member of Frieza Force (Formerly)

Status: Deceased (Even though Bardock was shown to be alive in Episode of Bardock, he was far in the past where he should be long dead by this point)

Alignment: Initially Neutral Evil (Bardock like other saiyans were uncaring planet conqeurors that killed anyone that got in their way), Chaotic Good in Episode of Bardock (After remembering the deaths of his comarades at the hands of Frieza, Bardock went to save a town from the evil emperor Chilled)

Codex Statistics

Key: Bardock - The Father of Goku | Episode of Bardock

Tier: Initially 7-B, Higher with Zenkai Boost. Far Higher with Oozaru | At least 7-B, Higher as a Super Saiyan

Dimensionality: 3-D

Attack Potency: Initially City level (Bardock was initially a low class warrior, which should make him comparable to Raditz, who casually overpowered Piccolo and Son Goku, and can cause explosions dwarfing the mountains, which results in these levels of energy), Higher with Zenaki Boost (Bardock was approaching a power level of 10,000 due to his zenkai boost). Far Higher with Oozaru (His power as a great ape increases tenfold) | At least City level (Healed from his injuries of nearly dying to Frieza which should have boosted him considerably), Higher as a Super Saiyan (Achieved the legendary Super Saiyan status and easily defeated Chilled)

Durability: Initially City level, Higher with Zenaki Boost. Far Higher with Oozaru, Higher with Guard Up (Ki allows a fighter to extend beyond their bodies limits, allowing them to even block attacks that would otherwise kill them from raising their guard) | At least City level, Higher as a Super Saiyan, Higher with Guard Up

Striking Strength: Initially City Class, Higher with Zenaki Boost. Far Higher with Oozaru | At least City Class, Higher as a Super Saiyan

Lifting Strength: Class 1 (Superior to Early Saiyan Saga Goku, who before training with King Kai is able to barely move around and jump in gravity that multiplies his weight by ten times, where he's naturally 62 kg, thus making him 620 kg on King Kai's planet) | At least Class 1

Travel Speed: Superhuman (Superior to Early Saiyan Saga Son Goku, with Goku being capable of traveling over a million of kilometers in six months which results in these speeds), High Hypersonic with Zenaki Boost (Superior to Saiyan Saga Son Goku, with Goku being capable of traveling over a million of kilometers in two days which results in these speeds) | High Hypersonic

Combat Speed: High Hypersonic | High Hypersonic

Reaction Speed: High Hypersonic (Far beyond 22nd Budokai Son Goku, who could dodge a mouth blast from Tambourine, which he used to tag the flying nimbus where even post King Kai training Goku used the flying nimbus to make it to the saiyans implying it is at least comparable to his flight speed by then, with Goku being capable of traveling over a million of kilometers in two days which results in these speeds. Should be far faster than Mercenary Tao, who stated that a jet would take too long and used his pillar, with fighter jets reaching up to 1000 mph) | High Hypersonic

Stamina: Superhuman (Bardock was capable of surviving a blast from Dodoria and had the strength in his incredibly batterde body to go warn his saiyans about Frieza's destruction and after they laughed to him he went on to fight a huge amount of Frieza's army. Should be comparable to Vegeta who stood thinking for three days without showing any signs of tiring or growing hungry)

Range: Standard Melee Range, Interstellar with Ki Attacks (Ki attacks can reach out of the planet and to other planets. All ki attacks should be comparable to Goku's kamehameha, which reached all the way to the sun)

Intelligence: Genius (Beat an entire planet of aliens with precognitive powers, a consistent saiyan warrior that has conquered planets, with even the lower class warriors being able to conquer planets from time to time with no real issues)

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Powers and Abilities

Superhuman Physical Characteristics, Chi Manipulation & Ki Manipulation (All beings in Dragon Ball have ki, the very life force energy of all characters, ki allows a fighter to extend beyond their bodies limits, allowing them to even block attacks that would otherwise kill them from raising their guard, higher level users can lower their own durability to allow people far below them to fatally wound them. A users ki aura can exert itself as a weapon to attack), Attack Reflection (All Ki users are able to reflect attacks just by being stronger than their opponent. Examples include, Nappa deflecting a masenko from Son Gohan, Son Gohan being able to bounce back the spirit bomb, Son Goku deflecting a crusher ball from Jeice, Frieza deflecting a Final Burst Cannon from Vegeta, Son Goku reflecting multiple death beams back to back from Frieza, and Future Trunks being able to completely repel an energy blast with his hand from a Frieza Soldier just by being much stronger than them), Homing Attack (Ki users can create attacks that will home in and chase a target forever), Power Absorption & Transferal (Ki users can transfer their ki to others and absorb the ki given to them from others), Non-Physical Interaction (Those with ki can block intangible attacks when they focus and notices them), Healing (Ki can be used to heal beings, allowing them to survive even with half their torso, it can also heal from near death), Aura (Has an aura of ki surrounding him whenever he transforms), Intimidation, Metaphysics Manipulation & Pain Manipulation (Spirit Manipulation; Ki is the manifestation of one’s lifeforce, along with the aura giving one the feeling of being crushed, exerting fear into the target, sometimes making them incapable of moving as their body is instinctively stuck due to the sheer difference in power), Energy Manipulation (Ki is the latent power in one's body, this latent power allows them to form and create energy from controlling their ki, which can be used to shoot out energy blast), Explosion Manipulation (Ki attacks can create massive explosions, control the ki to set off a huge explosion under the enemy, or in front of them), Heat Manipulation (Ki user's ki attacks produce heat allowing them to cook and grill animals and raw meat, along with leaving behind steam after the attacks hit an area, showing its latent heat), Power Nullification (Those with ki can nullify attacks of lesser ki with their ki alone. They can also catch and nullify ki attacks around their level through focusing enough), Forcefield Creation (Ki users such as Cell can generate forcefields around themselves. These forcefields can be expanded, and used to protect others and defend against attacks far higher then the user), Self-Destruction (Ki users in Dragon Ball are able to release all of the energy within them to cause a massive self-destruction of energy that normally kills the user and turns them into dust though one can control it to surviving but having no stamina or energy left), Light Manipulation (Ki can be used as a flash of light), Light Manipulation (Ki can be used as a flash of light), Fusionism (Bardock can perform the Fusion Dance). Limited Resistance to Durability Negation (Ki users can focus their energy to localize an object to a specific spot to stop them from attempting to destroy their organs/insides)

Transformation (Transformative Arsenal; As a Saiyan, Bardock can transform into a Great Ape), Longevity (Saiyans can keep their youth until around 80 years old), Reactive Power Level (A Saiyan’s power increases if they survive from injuries in battle, with their powers allowing them to greatly exceed their previous levels beforehand), Rage Power (Mere rage can amplify a Saiyan to a level that's believed to be a myth even by the highest levels of Saiyans in the verse), Damage Boost (Saiyans attack power rises when health is low)

Skilled in CQC, Acrobatics, Flight (Bardock is able to freely fly around), Accelerated Development (Training; Physical Stats, Skill, & Abilities. Bardock as well as others can train and quickly grow stronger, surpassing even the earthlings, Bardock himself went from a low class warrior to reaching a power level of 10,000), Body Control (Should be comparable to Raditz, who can use his tail to attack enemies), Precognition (Destiny Perception; Bardock is able to see the future, getting repeated visions), Energy Projection (Able to create energy attacks)

Large Size (Type 1 Goku's Oozaru was larger than Pilaf's castle), Statistics Amplification (The Great Ape transformation increases his power tenfold), Breath Attack (Great Apes are capable of shooting energy blast out of their mouths)

All previous powers and abilities to a greater extent, Transformation (Partial Transformation; Can transform into a Super Saiyan). Resistance to Mind Manipulation (The original Super Saiyan was consumed by its own rage and power losing any sense of itself it had, Bardock is capable of maintaining Super Saiyan for as long as he wants)

Statistics Amplification (With the Super Saiyan transformation, capable of increasing his power level by a multiplier of 50), Light Manipulation (Super Saiyans can light up entire dark rooms), Weather Manipulation & Vibration Manipulation (Through Bardock powering up, he caused lightning storms)

Extrasensory Perception & Information Analysis (Scouters detect energy readings), Spaceflight (Bardock’s Attack Ball space pod allows for him to travel through space like other saiyan Attack Balls)

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Standard Equipment

*Attack Ball: This round Saiyan space pod only has room for one person, which Bardock used to travel from planet to planet; notably, he used this space pod to travel to back to Planet Vegeta after Dodoria tried to kill him.

*Saiyan Armor: Due to being a part of the Saiyan Army and Frieza Force, Bardock has Saiyan Armor. This armor is unbelievably durable, but also incredibly stretchy; the armor can stretch so much that it fits around Saiyans when they turn into a Great Ape.

• Scouter: Technology developed by the Tuffle race, but adopted by the Saiyans after the Tuffles were wiped out. This advanced piece of technology can detect the presence of life forms, calculate anyone’s battle power, and can also be used for telecommunication.

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Notable Techniques

*Flight: The ability to fly with the use of ki.

• Ki Blast: The most basic form of energy wave.
• Saiyan Power: The genetic abilities of all Saiyans to quickly and instinctively grow in power and performance the more they endure struggles or the more injuries they recover from.
• Divination: The ability to see events far away in time and space. In Dragon Ball Minus and Broly, Bardock lacks the ability.
• Final Revenger: First, Bardock grabs his clenched fist as he charges at the opponent and punches them in their face before reverse side kicking them up into the air. Then, he yells as he flies after the opponent and punches them up into the air again. Next, he grabs the opponent by their head and leaps over behind to knee them up further into the air. Finally, Bardock flies up above the opponent and Double Axe Handle punches them down to the ground, inflicting a high amount of damage.
• Full Power Energy Wave: An energy sphere charged and fired in the form of an energy wave from their hand.
• Flip Shoot: Bardock flips backwards, avoiding enemy attacks, and fires a blue energy wave at the opponent.
• Flash Spirit: First, Bardock elbows the opponent in the face, he then kicks the opponent away and then shoots a Full Power Energy Wave at them, inflicting great damage.
• Rebellion Spear: First, Bardock charges a light-blue aura around his body as he strikes a crouching pose. Then, he shouts "I will never forgive you!" as he charges toward the opponent using the blue aura as a shield, inflicting a great amount of damage. In addition to the physical attack portion, it doubles as a movement technique as the user can change the direction of the charge to avoid attacks or change the course of the charge to attack a specific target.
• Final Spirit Cannon: As he says "I'll blow you away!", Bardock puts his hand forward and charges a blue energy sphere. Then, he shouts "THIS ENDS NOW!" as he draws his arm back, and then he brings his hand forward and fires the attack at the opponent, inflicting a great deal of damage.
• Dragonthrow: A grapple throw Super Saiyan Bardock used against Chilled.

*Oozaru: As with all Universe 7 Saiyans with a tail, Bardock can transform into a Great Ape once absorbing enough Blutz Waves either from a natural source such as a full moon or artificially via a Power Ball. Bardock can remember everything in the transformation state and control it like an Elite Saiyan. However, he apparently can only growl rather than speak while transformed due to being a Low-Class Saiyan. Despite the pronounced snout while in this form, Bardock visibly retains his scar while transformed. Bardock's physical parameters increases 10-fold his base power level while in Great Ape form.

• Super Saiyan: Bardock achieved this transformation in the Dragon Ball: Episode of Bardock special during his fight against Chilled. As a Super Saiyan, Bardock resembles his son. His hair becomes blond and stands up, his eyes turn into a light green, and he acquires a golden aura. His strength, like all Super Saiyans, increases in 50-fold. He is the second to achieve it while having a tail, but unlike Goku in Dragon Ball GT with all his conventional Super Saiyan forms, his tail does not turn gold while transformed. In this form, Bardock develops a new technique derived from his Final Spirit Cannon (also called Rebellion Trigger), which was used to win his battle against Chilled.

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Other

Standard Tactics: Bardock will engage in hand to hand combat, along with shooting ki attacks. If needed he will turn into a great ape if the moon is in the sky.

Weaknesses: Due to the nature of ki draining stamina and energy, Dragon Ball characters ki usage requires them to usually use their higher levels of energy in short bursts, allowing them to not be able to tank or die to far lower attacks such as attacks that have destroyed the planets of several worlds. Synonymous with the Saiyan warriors, Bardock is extremely overconfident and arrogant when he faces fighters he perceives to be far weaker than he. He cannot sense Ki, and relies on his scouter to tell him the strength of an opponent. His saiyan pride was so strong it made him go and try to fight Frieza in a situation he very clearly could not win.

Trivia

• Bardock's name, like all other Saiyan characters, is a pun on edible plant material, in this case, the burdock herb (this pun is more apparent in the Dragon Ball manga, where the character's name is literally spelled Burdock). Bardock's family are all named after root vegetables (burdock, onion, radish, and carrot). The word "burdock" transliterated into katakana is badokku (バードック, bādokku), but the character's name is written as Badakku (バーダック, Bādakku), changing the 'do' character to 'da'. This character change actually makes the kana sound more like "Bardock" to English speakers, making it difficult to accurately romanize the word to convey the pun. The word could be romanized as "Burdock", "Barduck", "Badack" or any combination of these syllables. While Viz's English publications of the manga use the spelling "Burdock", the Funimation dub of Bardock - The Father of Goku and the original Japanese version of Dragon Ball: Episode of Bardock both spell his name "Bardock". "Bardock" is also how Frieza pronounces his name while speaking aloud during the Frieza Saga of Funimation's Dragon Ball Z English dub.
• In a chapter of the Dragon Ball manga, Raditz alludes to Bardock when commenting that Goku "look[s] just like [their] father".
• Bardock was the first anime original character to later be included in two panels of the manga.
• In a flashback during the Frieza Saga, it is implied that during Bardock's confrontation with Frieza, all of the men behind him were part of his army to defeat Frieza. However, in Bardock - The Father of Goku, it is shown that those are all actually Frieza's men, and Bardock fought his way through them to get to Frieza.
• A commercial advertising Dragon Ball Z Kai on Nicktoons shows Bardock when he forms the blast about to attack Frieza. No blood is present, and Bardock's scar is missing from his face, this was to most likely censor Dragon Ball Z Kai because it was on a children's network.
• The way Bardock tries to warn the Saiyans about Frieza destroying them all in the 1990 TV special is similar to how Jor-El from Superman tries to inform his people of Krypton's destruction. Ironically, the 2014 Dragon Ball Minus manga further increases the similarities between Bardock and Jor-El.
• Bardock is the only user of Super Saiyan 4 to keep his tail secured around his waist even while in the said form.
• Sonny Strait gave Bardock three different voices; the first (in the original FUNimation airing) is somewhat high-pitched, almost similar to Krillin, the second (first appearing in 2000s until Raging Blast) is standard baritone in vocal pitch (as with most common male voices), and starting from Dragon Ball Z Kai, his voice exhibits a more virile and brazen disposition, sticking with his Japanese (aggressive) tone.
• In the Budokai Tenkaichi and Raging Blast series, if the player has Bardock fight Nappa, the latter will refer to Bardock as "garbage", owing to Bardock's status as a low-class warrior. This is very odd, as Bardock has a power level of 10,000 whereas Nappa has a power of 4,000, which is much lower.
• Bardock is notable for being involved in the genocide of at least two races, the Kanassans in Bardock - The Father of Goku and the Cerealians in Dragon Ball Super manga.
  • Ironically, the last surviving Cerealian Granolah would later seek revenge on the surviving Saiyans, which includes Bardock's only surviving son, Kakarot. In a further level of irony, it would later be revealed that Bardock was the reason why Granolah lived to see another day. In addition, both genocides ultimately had Bardock learning of his race's eventual fate in Frieza's hands (in the case of the Kanassan genocide, because the last Kanassan forcibly gave him the ability of precognition to have him learn of the Saiyans' impending doom as revenge; in the case of the Cerealian genocide, it's because both Gas and Elec when encountering Bardock strongly hinted at Frieza's plans to commit genocide against the Saiyans in the future).

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