Dragon Ball Super's Bardock retcons actually become problematic because of how Goku's story changes as a result. Given his limited presence in the Dragon Ball franchise, morphing Bardock from savage Saiyan to reluctant antihero isn't an especially significant rewrite. Bardock's backstory is told only via the 1990 movie special and Episode of Bardock, which was already standing upon shaky canonical ground. The Dragon Ball Super manga, meanwhile, has made Bardock's personality even softer around the edges, with the Granola the Survivor arc revealing how Goku's father once saved a mother and child from Frieza's goons upon being reminded of his own family back on the planet Vegeta.ĭragon Ball Super is clearly breaking Bardock's continuity in order to repaint Goku's father as a hero - and this isn't a huge problem in itself. At the very least, Bardock loved his family enough to 'Jor-El' Goku safely to Earth in a pod. Related: Dragon Ball Z: Every Z-Warrior Goku Fought (& What Happened)Ģ018's Dragon Ball Super: Broly flashbacks showed Bardock adopting a more caring attitude toward his family - still a warrior, but lacking the traditional bloodlust of his Saiyan brethren, and no more deadbeat of a dad than Goku himself. In his early Dragon Ball Z era stories, Bardock was depicted as a Saiyan in the classic mold - brimming with unadulterated rage, merciless when destroying planets, and prideful to a fault. The problem lies not in Dragon Ball Super giving fans more Bardock, but in how Dragon Ball Super has altered Bardock's characterization. Essentially a more rugged, angrier version of Goku, Bardock has a chip on his shoulder and the hardened battle experience of Vegeta. Bardock then made a time-bending appearance in 2011's Episode of Bardock, and has enjoyed even greater prominence thanks to Dragon Ball Super's numerous flashback sequences.Īs a fan-favorite character for over 30 years, more Bardock in Dragon Ball Super is no bad thing. It wasn't until 1990's Dragon Ball Z: Bardock - The Father of Goku, however, that another family member was unveiled. Are Dragon Ball Super's Bardock retcons becoming a problem, or is this something fans should expect by now? Goku's Saiyan heritage remained unknown to Dragon Ball fans until Raditz's arrival brought the hero's origins to the surface.

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