Akira Toriyama's Dragon Ball Super continues to expand upon his iconic shonen series in exciting ways. Dragon Ball has been a mainstay of the anime industry for more than 35 years and the celebration that surrounds Dragon Ball Super is proof that the series is more popular than ever. There have been many satisfying changes across the course of Dragon Ball as the anime’s universe expands its scope and explores greater obstacles.
Dragon Ball Super looks forward to whatever the next big challenge will be, but it's also turned the clock backward to spend some time on important characters like Bardock, the father of Goku. Some crucial details about Bardock have come to light, which is all the more reason to give him a proper flashback arc.
9 Examine The Ramifications Of Bardok's Protection Of Granolah
Dragon Ball Super's manga has gone to some fascinating places following the events of the Tournament of Power. One of the most compelling developments involves a surviving Cerealian, Granolah, and how he owes his life to Bardock. Up until this point, Badock has been much more the image of a typical Saiyan warrior as opposed to the more kindhearted individual that Goku embodies. The most interesting material to explore in a flashback is how Bardock's generosity towards Granolah and Monaito went on to affect him and the identity crisis that he experiences as a result.
8 Dig Deeper Into Bardock's Relationship With Gine
Details on Bardock's past have been fairly slim, but one element that's often present is the character's wife and fellow Saiyan, Gine. Dragon Ball has gradually introduced more female Saiyans, but they're still a minority, so any focus on them goes a long way. Fans know that the majority of Saiyans are not emotional or romantic and only breed for preservation purposes. However, Bardock does exhibit empathy towards Gine and they have a rich history that's yet to be fully explored. A flashback could look at their time together on Team Bardock and what pushed the two of them into each other's arms.
7 Add More Depth to The Heeter Force
Dragon Ball is full of dangerous threats. Frieza and his massive army hold the most power and treat the rest of the galaxy like their playthings. However, Dragon Ball Super has highlighted the Heeter Force, who are a smaller unit but accomplish incredible things with the Dragon Balls that might lead to them overthrowing Frieza.
Dragon Ball Super establishes that Bardock has a history with the Heeters and a flashback that further explores this could also add greater depth to these new villains. They're a nebulous threat at this point and a Bardock flashback that features them could even reveal Gas' weakness and assist the heroes in the present.
6 Properly Canonize The Events Of Dragon Ball Minus
Bardock is an important character in Dragon Ball's history, but he's been a figure that hasn't been given many opportunities to receive development since he's a figure from the past. Accordingly, the temptation to return to Goku's father has been too irresistible. Ventures like Dragon Ball Minus have found ways to play with the series' lore and give Bardock a proper showcase. Some people love the idea of Super Saiyan Bardock taking out Frieza's ancestor, but there's still debate over whether this is considered canon. A proper flashback in Dragon Ball Super that includes these events could finally settle the matter.
5 Allows For More Material With A Young Raditz
When people think about Bardock, it's typically in relation to Goku and an opportunity to get some greater insight into the biological father of Dragon Ball's main character. Bardock has two children and Raditz, Goku's older brother, has been largely neglected in Dragon Ball's anime and manga. Flashbacks with Bardock could also double as excuses to dig deeper into Raditz's character, which holds just as much appeal. Bardock could train Raditz and the flashback looks at this intimate time between them or instead show Raditz out on his own during his early years.
4 Previously Unknown Secrets About Frieza Can Come To Light
Goku and the Z fighters have taken down more dangerous threats than Frieza, yet this galactic tyrant always finds ways to come back into the picture and make another aggressive bid for power. Frieza is responsible for the destruction of Planet Vegeta, along with the death of Bardock.
Goku and Bardock both have history with Frieza, which Granolah's presence only intensifies. A clever way to resolve the current problem at hand would be through a Bardock flashback that involves Bardock learning information on Frieza that's relevant for Goku or Granolah.
3 It Allows Goku To Form A Stronger Connection With His Father
Fans shouldn't forget that Goku isn't privy to the various Bardock flashbacks that the audience has experienced. In fact, Goku doesn't really learn much about his father until Granolah's invasion, where Monaito brings the Saiyan's history with the Cerealians to light. Vegeta seems to even have more knowledge on the nature of Bardock than Goku does at this point. Bardock's past remains vague, but it may finally be time for Goku to ask deeper questions about his lineage and gain a better understanding of who his father really was as a Saiyan.
2 Explore Bardock's Missions With Team Bardock
The majority of the Saiyan race were dedicated warriors who took pride in the invasion and conquering of weaker planets. There are a few glimpses of Bardock's time as the captain of Team Bardock as he leads a select group of Saiyans across the galaxy. The audience never gets a chance to really witness Team Bardock as a unit and there could be some entertaining flashbacks that purely focus on their missions on other planets. Bardock also meets his wife, Gine, on Team Bardock, so there are important stories to unpack beyond their combat accomplishments.
1 More Details On Obscure Saiyan History Can Be Filled In
Dragon Ball has gradually revealed tons of information on Saiyan genealogy and certain pockets of history when it comes to this warrior race, but this has only scratched the surface. There's still a lot about Saiyan development that's been overlooked and the extended flashback in Dragon Ball Super: Broly reveals enlightening pieces of history, like the retro scouter-scopes that exist. Dragon Ball doesn't need to be all about action and any additional details on Saiyan society lore and society would be appreciated by fans. The recent revelations about Bardock hint at a considerably more complicated race of people.
