WARNING: The following article contains spoilers for Dragon Ball Super Chapter 77, "Bardock, Father of Goku," by Akira Toriyama, Toyotarou, Caleb Cook and Brandon Bovia, available now in English through Viz Media.
Dragon Ball Super Chapter 76 ended with a shocking revelation: The person who saved Monaito and Granolah when Freeza attacked Planet Cereal was none other than Bardock, Goku's father. The revelation threw into question everything Granolah thought he knew about the Saiyans and challenged his desire to get revenge on them. Now, in Dragon Ball Super Chapter 77, Monaito reveals just how Bardock saved the last Cerealian.
Titled "Bardock, Father of Goku," Dragon Ball Super Chapter 77 opens on Planet Cereal forty years prior to Granolah's battle with the two Saiyans. Everything is pretty idyllic, and there are Namekians living in harmony with Cerealians. However, on the night of a full moon, Freeza's army attacks Planet Cereal. The Saiyans come out in their Great Ape forms and start laying waste to the population.
Soon, Monaito is given the Dragon Balls by his planet's elder, as he's the last surviving Namekian. Soon, a Great Ape begins pursuing a Cerealian through the streets. This ends up being Granolah, who was running to his mother. They hide in a religious building of some sort, and the Great Ape spots them. However, just as that's going on, a Cerealian named Flayk destroys the moon, ending the Saiyan's Great Ape transformation. Initially, the Cerealians are confident they can now fight the Saiyans and win. Soon, though, they learn Saiyans are plenty formidable without a transformation.
No longer in his Great Ape form, Bardock enters the church where Granolah and his mother are hiding. Granolah's mother -- Muezli -- fires an energy blast at Bardock, but it doesn't phase the warrior. Instead, Bardock flashes back to seeing his wife, Gine, just after she gave birth to Goku. They decide to name him Kakarrot.
Then, Bardock's thoughts are interrupted by a Saiyan named Leek. Bardock refuses to go with him, saying that he's going to check Planet Cereal for survivors. Leek then leaves, noting that Freeza is planning on visiting the planet himself soon. Goku then turns on his scanner and detects that Muezli and Granolah are the last surviving Cerealians. However, there's one other being in the mountains.
Monaito hides the Dragon Balls in his Namekian hut when Bardock enters. The Saiyan easily blocks the attack. Bardock then reveals that he brought Muezli and Granolah with him, and they ask to shelter with the Namekian. He accepts, and Bardock warns them to stay hidden, as Freeza is coming. When asked why he's helping them, Bardock replies, "I just felt like it. That's all." Bardock then gives Monaito his name.
In the present, Granolah expresses shock that he survived due to a Saiyan's mercy. Monaito then says Granolah is "the spittin' image of that Bardock fella." While Goku doesn't know much about his history, Vegeta notes Bardock was, in fact, the Saiyan's father. Vegeta then adds, "In any case, your soft-hearted nature clearly runs in the family." One question remains, though: Why didn't Granolah's mother survive?
Monaito then restarts his story. Before Bardock leaves, the elderly Namekian stops him and heals the wound he sustained from Muezli. This shocks Bardock, as he was unaware of the kinds of powers that Namekians possess. Then, they're interrupted by the Heeters -- Elec, Oil, Macki and Gas.
As Bardock explains, the Heeters are essentially brokers for Freeza. After the evil warlord conquers a planet, they turn around and sell it to the highest bidder. In this case, they're aiming to sell the planet to the Sugarians, who do indeed inhabit Planet Cereal in the present. Elec notes their plan to essentially rip off Freeza and eventually beat the warlord.
While Monaito and Bardock remain hidden for this conversation, Muezli comes out to ask what's going on. They shush her, and then Granolah comes out looking for his mother. He sees Bardock and yells. Monaito quickly puts the young man to sleep, but the Heeters have already heard and are closing in on them fast.
Bardock takes Monaito's robe to hide his identity and then stages things to look like he's just about to kill the last three survivors. Elec tells Bardock to kill them, but the Saiyan stalls, saying it might be worth learning more about the Namekian's strange powers. In response, Elec shoots Muezli in the chest. He then tells Bardock to kill the other two.
The Saiyan instead reacts by attacking them. While the Heeters are able to protect themselves, Bardock and Monaito gives them the slip, taking Granolah and Muezli's body with them. Monaito says Muezli is too far gone to save. Knowing their plan to betray Freeza has been exposed, the Heeters decide to kill Granolah, Bardock and Monaito. Gas volunteers for the job and takes off.
Dragon Ball Super Chapter 77 then returns to the present day. This time, the chapter focuses on the Heeters. Elec notes Gas did indeed fight a Saiyan in the past and tat he wants to get revenge for having lost the battle. Gas notes that he's gotten a lot stronger since those days. Elec agrees, but then he reveals Planet Cereal's one-star Dragon Ball, saying, "Never hurts to have insurance." As the chapter ends, Macki says, "We'll nab you soon enough, Dragon Ball number two." And as Planet Cereal only has two Dragon Balls, there's a good chance that she's right.
Dragon Ball Super Chapter 78 releases on Nov. 19 in English through Viz Media.
