Who Is Goku’s Father in The Dragon Ball Franchise?

Over the years, the Dragon Ball franchise has introduced a number of memorable characters. Though some don’t always get the screen time they deserve, Dragon Ball’s cast is full of interesting characters who have had an impact on the series over the years.

Goku’s ancestors were always one of the central mysteries of the early Dragon Ball story, though it was never addressed in a way that made fans think about it. The question of Goku’s ancestry was not addressed until the appearance of Raditz and the other Saiyans. Goku’s father, Bardock, is one of the most well-known of the series’ supporting characters.

Goku’s father may not be a major character in Dragon Ball, but he has had a significant impact on the plot. Here’s what you should be aware of:

Who Is Bardock?

While Vegeta was of royal blood, Goku’s family was never of such high standing in Saiyan society. Bardock was nothing more than a low-class Saiyan warrior, which explains why Vegeta didn’t expect much from Goku when they first met on Earth.

Much of Bardock’s life is unknown, with the manga and anime ignoring his childhood and most of his adult years. When fans first met Bardock, he was just like any other Saiyan, clearing out planets with his teammates so that they could later be sold in Frieza’s Planetary Market.

Bardock, for the most part, possesses some of the less desirable traits associated with Saiyans, such as being extremely overconfident in his abilities and having no qualms about killing cold-bloodedly for the sake of his mission. However, unlike most Saiyans, Bardock is shown to be much more rational and occasionally exhibits compassionate traits that distinguish him from others. The Minus manga’s revamped version of the character takes this a step further, demonstrating outward friendliness toward other Saiyans as well as genuine concern for his wife and sons.

Though Goku is much kinder and more just than his father in general, the two share some qualities that go beyond their physical characteristics. Bardock is incredibly brave, demonstrating that he is one of the few Saiyans who has not been completely domesticated as a result of his servitude to Frieza. According to Shonen Road, Frieza’s independence can be attributed to his Saiyan pride, providing some insight into what made Frieza so tired of the Saiyan race in the first place. Though it didn’t make him any stronger, Bardock’s unique attitude set him apart from many of his contemporaries, including King Vegeta himself.

Impact on The Story

As per Shonen Road, while Bardock’s relatively minor role in the plot has been tweaked and changed as his popularity has grown over the years, the events leading up to his and Planet Vegeta’s demise have remained largely consistent. Bardock has a minor impact on the plot, but he gives fans some much-needed insight into the end of the Saiyan race while kicking off the events of the original series.

Bardock was first introduced in the Dragon Ball Z: Bardock – The Father of Goku TV special, which was the only material on the character until it was reworked years later. The special introduces fans to Goku’s father while also providing insight into how Frieza wiped out the Saiyan race. The plot was reworked years later, but it established some key plot points that became essential to Bardock’s story, namely his gaining clairvoyant powers and challenging Frieza in the face of Planet Vegeta’s destruction.Toriyama altered the character slightly in Dragon Ball Minus while retaining the majority of the original backstory.

The newer version of Bardock, who is shown to be much more concerned with his son and family than the original, sends Goku to Earth with his wife, Gine. Because Bardock’s ultimate fate remains the same, fans can assume that the events of the original TV special unfolded in a similar manner, despite the minor retcons introduced by Minus. In this new continuity, Bardock becomes much more involved by sending Goku to Earth, thereby indirectly launching the Dragon Ball story. Bardock reappears in the Super manga, where it is revealed that he played a role in the Granolah the Survivor Saga, where it is revealed that he both participated in the attack on Planet Cereal while also sparing Granolah and his mother. Even after his death, Bardock appears to retain some relevance in the Dragon Ball story.

Kenneth

Kenneth is a proud native of sydney, born and raised there. However, he pursued his education abroad and studied in Australia. Kenneth has worked as a journalist for almost a decade, making valuable contributions to prominent publications such as Yahoo News and The Verge. Currently, he serves as a journalist for The Hear Up, where he focuses on covering climate and science news. You can reach Kenneth at [email protected].