Welcome Saiyan Warrior! Are you a fan of the Dragon Ball Z universe and the world of Saiyans? Don't move, you're in the right place!
In this guide we will study Bardock, an iconic and important figure of the Saiyan people. He is the father of the legendary Son Goku and had the courage to openly rebel against the great Frieza.
Bardock (バーダック Bādakku) is a low-class Saiyan warrior. He is married to Gine and is the father of Raditz and Son Goku. He is the main antagonist of the film: Bardock, the father of Son Goku. He is a fearless and skilled fighter totally devoted to the people of the Saiyans. He served under Frieza's Forces until he realized the Emperor's intentions and ultimately decided to rebel.
In this guide you will discover:
- A complete biography of the character
- Bardock's detailed history during Dragon Ball Z
- Bardock's Favorite Attacks
- Interesting anecdotes about Son Goku's father
- The detailed history of Bardock's squad
Are you ready to start this guide? So let’s get started without wasting a minute! 😀
BARDOCK APPEARANCE
Bardock bears a strong resemblance to Son Goku . This was notably noted by Frieza and Raditz when referring to the Saiyan.
He is a fairly tall man with dark, unkempt hair. His hairstyle is relatively unkempt and he has numerous spikes on the sides and back. Unlike Son Goku, his facial features are much more marked and severe . His skin is slightly more tanned and therefore looks a lot like Thales . The trait that sets him apart the most from his younger son is undoubtedly his long scar which runs along his left cheek. Like his fellow Saiyans, his monkey tail is wrapped around his waist. He is equipped with very sturdy green and dark blue combat armor but without shoulder pads. 👍
He also has blue pants, red leggings and arm protections of the same color. As Frieza's soldier, he is equipped with a classic green power detector . Shortly before his death, he will take Tora May's bloody armband just after the latter has taken his last breath and will then use it as a blindfold. He will keep it until his death in his attempt to stop Frieza . 👊
In the very first drawing, Bardock had a much longer scar and the shine of his green armor was lighter. The author who designed Bardock said that he only took Son Goku's model and added a more brutal look and added the battle armor of Frieza's forces.
BARDOCK PERSONALITY
Like the majority of Saiyans from Universe 7 and Frieza's Forces, Bardock is a fairly arrogant character. He loves to fight and is capable of killing without the slightest compassion . However, he stands out very strongly from his fellow Saiyans by showing a certain humanity and having a relatively calm character . Bardock is well liked by his companions and he cares greatly about others. The story demonstrates this perfectly during his actions where he tries to save his comrades. He is proud of his origins and has a strong desire to maintain his independence from Frieza. Indeed the entire Saiyan people as well as King Vegeta have all submitted to the Emperor but Bardock seems to be the only one with a fierce desire to challenge Frieza . 🤼♀️
Bardock also seems to have great intelligence for someone of his race. He is considered by his companions to be a brilliant person , but he dismisses such compliments by explaining that he is simply experienced and methodical in combat. In combat, Bardock displays strategy and generally acts intelligently . He is able to perceive the situation and adapt accordingly.
As explained previously, he feels strong compassion towards his friends and demonstrates unwavering loyalty. He takes the time to mourn each of his companions killed in combat and especially Tora who was his best friend and who assisted him in combat. When he learns that Frieza intends to destroy the Saiyan people, he will try to warn his companions on Planet Vegeta even though no one believes him. Despite this, he gathers his courage and decides to go and confront Frieza alone in the hope of saving his people. 🤜
BARDOCK BIOGRAPHY
Bardock is a low-class Saiyan who leads a group of four other warriors. These are Tora, his second, Fasha, Borgos and Shugesh . According to known information, his wife Gine was apparently part of this squad in the past. This group of mercenaries aims to travel from planet to planet in order to exterminate the different populations. The goal is to have an empty planet in order to be able to resell it as part of Frieza's intergalactic market. Bardock is renowned in the Saiyan army for his courage and bravery. Given the information left by Paragus in the film Broly the Legendary Super Saiyan , we can think that he was one of Bardock's superiors. 🤔
In the past, Son Goku's father saved Gine several times and that's when she started having feelings for him. The Saiyan warrior then withdrew from Bardock's squad due to her far too gentle nature. She further felt that she was not made for combat. His nature nevertheless softened Bardock's character by slightly changing his behavior, making him less cold . 👍
Usually, Saiyans show little interest in their children or the rest of the family but this was not the case for Bardock who seems to care greatly about the fate of Raditz and Kakarot .
THE BARDOCK COMMANDO
In this section we will study the four Saiyan warriors who make up Bardock's squad. 📝
TORA OR TOMA (トーマ Tōma) :
Tora is Bardock's best friend and acts as a sort of second in command in the squad. Its name is a play on words referring to the tomato. He is one of the tallest on the team and has blue and gray battle armor . He has his hair tied in a ponytail and has a slightly tanner skin color than his peers. As Frieza's soldier, he is equipped with a green power detector. He also has a white scarf attached to his left arm which serves as an armband. 👌
Tora has a character and personality very reminiscent of Bardock's temperament. Just like him, he is a ruthless fighter capable of killing in cold blood . He maintains a strong friendship with the rest of the group and a high degree of loyalty to Son Goku's father. However, he is capable of joking, particularly when he highlights the arrogant side of his boss.
In the Dragon Ball SD version, Tora has a more comedic side when he tricks Bardock into performing a teamfight pose strongly reminiscent of that used by the Ginyu Commando. Son Goku's father, however, finds the pose awkward and humorously scolds Tora for doing something embarrassing. 😅
HISTORY OF TORA:
As part of an extermination mission, Tora attacks the planet Kanassa with his companions Bardock, Fasha, Borgos and Shugesh in the form of Giant Apes. 🐵
Son Goku's father is attacked by the last Kanassan alive and falls to the ground, seriously injured. Tora responds and kills the survivor Kanassan on the spot with an energy attack. Following this action, Tora and his companions bring Bardock back to Planet Vegeta in order to give him the best possible care.
Shortly after, Tora, Fasha, Borgos and Shugesh receive another mission on Planet Meat which involves once again exterminating the local population. Bardock, still in intensive care, cannot participate in the mission and the four Saiyans leave without him . Once there, the population of Meat is quickly massacred by the group of warriors. Without time to celebrate victory, Tora and his companions are ambushed by Dodoria and his band of elite warriors. Fasha, Borgos and Shugesh are the first to succumb to the attack and Tora ends up on the ground following a powerful punch to the face. The seriously injured Saiyan tries to recover his detector which had fallen but his enemy crushes him with a kick. Dodoria then exposes to Tora Frieza's intention to exterminate the Saiyan race . Tora is left for dead but is still alive and dying. 💀
Bardock, recovered from his wounds, arrives on the planet Meat and discovers the massacre of his group and has the chance to exchange a few words with his second before he takes his last breath.
Tora reveals Frieza's plan to Bardock before dying . Bardock vows to avenge his companions and unties Tora's blood-soaked armband and ties it to his forehead.
This scarf, now red , will become one of the most recognizable features of Son Goku's father. 📖
FASHA OR CELIPA (セリパ Seripa):
Fasha is a Saiyan warrior born on the planet Vegeta and working like the others on behalf of Frieza. She has an average build and height while having fairly white skin. She has short hair with spiky bangs that bears a striking resemblance to one of Videl's hairstyles. Fasha also has the rare distinction of having purple eyes . Equipped with combat armor without shoulder pads, she also wears a pink jumpsuit and a sturdy belt. Fasha also wears white gloves and boots. As a member of Frieza's army, she is equipped with a green power sensor and she also wears golden earrings. The Saiyan warrior also has a long yellow stripe down her left leg. 🤞
Fasha is like her companions, a courageous and ruthless fighter showing great skill. She maintains a high level of camaraderie with her peers and has a slightly maternal side which is demonstrated when speaking about Bardock's younger son.
In the video games Budokai Tenkaichi 3 and Xenoverse 2 we learn that Bardock has a deep respect for Fasha and that he holds her in high esteem. Note that in Tenkaichi 3, Fasha is the only Saiyan woman present and thus the only woman who can transform into a Giant Ape. 🐵
The original name given to it by its author was Kōn (コーン) which is a play on words referring to a vegetable, corn. On the other hand, the name Fasha in Japanese refers to parsley.
Artist Katsuyoshi Nakatsuru originally drew Fasha with combat armor that featured protective shoulder pads . She also had a skirt and much longer, bushier hair. After Akira Toriyama completed his character sketches, Fasha's appearance then changed to the current design. 👍
A theory had been launched about Fasha by many fans which consisted of thinking that the warrior was the lover of Bardock and the mother of Son Goku . The theory obviously turned out to be false .
FASHA’S STORY:
The Saiyan warrior is introduced with her companions when the group eradicates the population of the planet Kanassa in the form of Giant Apes . After the victory, the Saiyans eat around a fire and Fasha advises Bardock to go visit his newborn son but the latter refuses to listen to her. Some time later, Bardock is seriously injured by a surviving Kanassan warrior and his companions take him back to Planet Vegeta in an attempt to heal him. 🌕
The group of Saiyans leaves Goku's father in the hands of the doctors and leaves for the planet Meat for another extermination mission. The population is quickly massacred but Fasha and his companions are quickly ambushed by Dodoria and his henchmen who want to accomplish Frieza's will. The four Saiyans are thus killed and it is said that Fasha was tortured by the Emperor's right arm before dying. 💀
BORGOS OR TOTEPPO:
Borgos is the tallest Saiyan of the Bardock Commando in terms of size and is also the most muscular. Its original name was Jagga (ジャッガ). With a bulky body, he has a shaved head but has large locks of black hair on each side of his head. He also has some scars on his forehead. Borgos is obviously equipped with a variation of Frieza's Forces battle armor and he has a green power sensor . The plates of his armor are mostly black and he wears a blue belly plate. His pants are dark blue and have black protections above his hands. 🖐
Borgos is a Saiyan who appears to have a very good appetite as he is seen eating the majority of the time he appears. It is important to note that this warrior is almost silent in the original Japanese version. Indeed, we only hear the sound of his voice when he lets out his war cry when charging Dodoria .
In the new dub, he talks with Fasha to confirm his feelings after transforming from a Saiyan into a Giant Ape . He claims it's like waking up from a dream and the memory is erased after the metamorphosis. Borgos is above all a ruthless fighter who has an impeccable sense of honor and has a strong bond of camaraderie with his companions.
In the very first original drawing, Borgos was not as tall and had a height that approached Bardock's. Additionally, the Saiyan was originally bald, just like Nappa. Borgos' scars, however, are not apparent when the Saiyan is in his Giant Ape form. This is a difference from Vegeta who retains his injuries in the series during his metamorphosis. 🐵
HISTORY OF BORGOS:
In the form of Giant Ape, Borgos, Tora, Bardock, Fasha and Shugesh attack the planet Kanassa with the aim of wiping out the local civilization. Shortly after the victory, Bardock is seriously injured by a surviving Kanassan and the group decides to take him back to Planet Vegeta in order to heal him. ✨
Shortly after, the four Saiyans go on a mission to Planet Meat without their leader. The small group ends up meeting Dodoria and her elite soldiers. A fight breaks out between the two camps but the Saiyans are massacred . Borgos and Tora are the ones to have resisted the longest. Borgos dies after charging at Dodoria and receiving a violent punch to the face.
SHUGESH OR PANBUKIN:
Shugesh is a Saiyan warrior belonging to the elite group of Bardock Commando fighters. He is a relatively medium sized warrior with a bulky body who appears to have significantly more fat than muscle. This detail does not prevent him from being very fast and an important element within the squad. His hair and eyes are black and he sports a thin mustache. Shugesh is equipped with green and black combat armor without protective shoulder pads. We can see that her outfit is slightly similar to the one Bardock wears. He has an olive green shirt under his armor. 👊
Like all members of Frieza's army, the Saiyan warrior is equipped with a green power sensor . Shugesh is a very skilled and ruthless fighter who has a sense of honor while being devoted to his leader. He maintains a strong relationship of camaraderie with his peers. Its name in Japanese refers to the pumpkin , which corresponds relatively well to its morphology and weight.
It is interesting to note that in early drawings, Shugesh had an appearance that closely resembled Nappa 's appearance. He was indeed much taller and had much more muscle mass. 💪
STORY OF SHUGESH:
Shugesh and his companions are on the planet Kanassa with the aim of exterminating the entire population. In Giant Ape form, Shughesh suffered a wound to the cheek from a gunshot from one of the Kanassan defenders. He then responds by crushing him with a powerful kick. 🦶
It is important to emphasize that after the victory of the Saiyans , Shugesh will remember the Kanassan warrior who left him the scar on his cheek. After Bardock is seriously injured by a survivor, the group decides to take him back to Planet Vegeta in an attempt to heal him.
Shortly after, a new mission on the planet Meat is assigned to the small group. Shugesh and Tora understand that they will have to leave, leaving Bardock and accomplishing the mission alone. After massacring the population of Meat, Dodoria arrives with his elite warriors in order to kill the group of Saiyans under Frieza's order. The four Saiyans are massacred and Shugesh is one of the first to fall. 💀
BARDOCK IN DIFFERENT FILMS AND SAGAS
During the Saiyan Saga , Bardock appears in an excerpt during the first episode of Dragon Ball Z Kai. We can see him when he finds himself in space facing Frieza above the planet Vegeta. The Saiyan attempts to attack the Emperor with his ultimate attack, the Final Spirit Cannon in order to save his people. Under the gazes of Zarbon and Dodoria, Frieza just chuckles and fires his Supernova. The attack thus explodes the planet Vegeta while killing Bardock who was in the trajectory of the projectile. 💥
Bardock also appears in the Namek Saga . As Bardock is primarily a creation of Toei Animation, we had to wait for the broadcast of the film Bardock the Father of Son Goku before finally seeing the character in the manga. When Frieza sees Goku for the first time, he remembers his face to face with Bardock just before the explosion of Planet Vegeta. Frieza immediately remembers this moment thanks to the striking resemblance between Son Goku and his father. With a certain logic, the Galactic Emperor then deduces the relationship between Bardock and Goku. 🤜
The majority of information that we know about the character comes from the film which is entirely dedicated to him: Bardock, the father of Son Goku . With his squad, Bardock completely massacred the population of the planet Kanassa in the form of a Giant Ape. However, shortly after, as the Saiyan group celebrates their victory, a Kanassan survivor appears. The latter touches Bardock with a ray of energy and gives him the power to see the future. He explains to him that the Saiyan people are doomed to disappear and that Goku's father will be haunted by this vision until his death. Bardock tries to attack the Kanassan but falls to the ground. Tora executes the survivor and the Saiyan group brings Son Goku's father back to Planet Vegeta to heal him. 🌕
During his convalescence on the planet of the Saiyans, Bardock is struck by a hallucination which he will interpret as a premonitory vision. During this flash, he glimpses the destruction of the Saiyan world at the hands of Frieza and also sees the Earth saved by his youngest son Kakarot . At the same time, the doctors who take care of Son Goku's father declare that the latter's power has greatly increased and that he is approaching 10,000 units . One of them also claims that he could surpass King Vegeta's level. 😮
Bardock is still in intensive care when under the orders of Frieza, Tora, Fasha, Borgos and Shugesh (the four members of Bardock's squad) leave for the planet Meat in order to eradicate the local population. 💀
Once there, the group of warriors finds themselves confronted by Dodoria and a few elite soldiers. The latter have orders to exterminate the Saiyans under the decision of Frieza.
Once awake, Bardock learns that his friends have gone on a mission to the planet Meat and he decides to join them. Despite his still recent injuries and unaware of the danger, he sets off quickly. 💥
On the way to his pod, he meets his youngest son Kakarot who has just been born. Bardock then checks his power level to compare it to the one he had in his visions. Noticing Kakarot's ridiculous level of power , Bardock ignores his premonition and continues on his way.
Once on Planet Meat, Goku's father witnesses the carnage left by Dodoria and notices that his companions have all been killed. Only Tora, his second in command, is still alive but in critical condition. The latter explains Frieza's betrayal to him before taking his last breath. Bardock removes Tora's blood-soaked white armband and places it on his forehead.
Dodoria and his elite soldiers appear with the firm intention of killing Goku's father. Bardock, wanting to avenge his companions, immediately goes on the attack. His new power easily allows him to gain the advantage over the elite soldiers but he is knocked down by a powerful energy shot launched by Dodoria. Bardock's body crashes to the ground near his companions and Frieza's men leave the planet, leaving the Saiyan for dead. Having barely survived, Bardock realizes that the hallucination he had earlier is a real premonition and decides to return to planet Vegeta in order to warn his people. Despite his injuries, he manages to land on the Saiyan planet and reveals Frieza's plan to his peers . The latter make fun of him and decide to ignore the warning. 😦
Bardock then becomes angry with the Saiyans, accusing them of their disbelief which results in them being grounded. Son Goku's father understands that he can only count on himself when Kakarot appears to him again during a vision.
Bardock gathers his forces and rushes through the sky until he arrives at Frieza's ship, located in orbit above the planet Vegeta. Despite his recent injuries, Bardock shows courage and more or less manages to repel the hundreds of Frieza soldiers who protect the Emperor's ship . 🛸
For his part, Frieza, who has had enough of the Saiyans' insolence, decides to intervene personally. Moreover, a few hours earlier, he was forced to kill King Vegeta who had revolted with other Saiyans.
The Galactic Emperor comes out of his ship and presents himself to Bardock. Son Goku's father states that he refuses to allow the Saiyan people to continue to be oppressed under Frieza 's rule and announces his intention to avenge all the Saiyans who were killed. 👊
For his part, Frieza listens attentively to the Saiyan's speech while savoring the moment and waiting for the perfect opportunity to begin the genocide . Bardock begins charging his Final Spirit Cannon and the Emperor decides to retaliate by attacking with his Supernova. The gigantic ball of evil energy engulfs Frieza's men as well as Bardock before hitting the planet Vegeta which instantly explodes to the Machiavellian laughter of the Emperor. Zarbon and Dodoria , Frieza's two right arms, are then the only ones to witness the destruction of the Saiyan world at the hands of the Emperor. 💥
Just before being incinerated by the Supernova, Bardock has a last vision where he sees his son Kakarot confronting and defeating Frieza. Goku's father smiles and then regrets not having had time to hug his child. Just before dying, he implores his son to one day avenge the Saiyan people (this last scene is only seen in the remastered version of Dragon Ball Z Kai ). 👍
We can also see Bardock in the film Cooler's Revenge . The scene of the planet's destruction is shown once again and Cooler is busy watching his brother confront Bardock. Shortly before the destruction of the Saiyan world, Sauzer detects a space pod taking off into space but Cooler completely decides to ignore it. He states that it is Frieza's fault that a Saiyan has to survive, pointing out his brother's negligence.
Although Bardock does not appear in the Broly film, Son Goku's father is mentioned by the Saiyan Paragus. Son Goku attempts to find Broly's superpowered energy using his teleportation technique and ends up running into Paragus . The latter then immediately identifies Son Goku as his son Bardock. 🤔
Watch Bardock's epic ending in video, above!
THE POWER OF BARDOCK
As a low-rank Saiyan, Bardock's power is quite low. We do not know precisely his power during his first appearance but his level must be close to 2000 units , a little higher than his eldest son Raditz . However, he will receive a huge power boost during the film Bardock the Father of Son Goku. After returning from the planet Kanassa in critical condition, he will see his power increase to 10,000 units after receiving treatment. He is at this time, one of the most powerful Saiyans in the universe, his power even approaching that of King Vegeta . His new power allowed him to defeat many of Frieza's minions including elite soldiers. He was thus able to make his way to Frieza only to be killed by the latter. 😥
Just like Son Goku, Bardock demonstrates that a low-ranking warrior is capable of reaching a formidable level of power.
BARDOCK’S ATTACKS AND TRANSFORMATIONS
Power Ball: Bardock is able to combine his own ki with a planet's atmosphere to create a sphere of energy. He can then send it into the sky to create an artificial moon. This technique allows him to transform into a Giant Ape at any time, without needing to wait for a full moon night. In some versions, Vegeta states that it was Bardock himself who invented this technique.
Divination : Son Goku's father has a rare ability that allows him to see certain events that will take place in the future.
Final revenge : Bardock charges his opponent and punches him violently in the face. He then follows up with a powerful kick in order to throw his enemy into the air. Bardock then quickly joins his opponent by inflicting a violent uppercut before reaching his back and delivering a powerful punch in order to make him crash to the ground.
Final Spirit Cannon : Bardock charges a sphere of energy into his aim and then unleashes a powerful ki blast towards his opponent. This is his most devastating attack. This technique is very well known in the Tenkaichi series.
Flip Shoot: Bardock performs a backward flip, dodging enemy ranged attacks and sending a large wave of blue energy towards his opponent.
Flash Spirit : first, Bardock elbows his enemy in the face. He then manages to knock him down and finishes him off with a powerful energy attack. This attack, inflicting high damage, generally renders Bardock's enemies unable to get up.
Spear of Rebellion : The user charges his ki and creates a blue aura around him. Bardock then charges his opponent and inflicts heavy damage because his aura serves as an explosive shield. The user is able in this state to change directions several times which allows him to strike several opponents.
Like all other Saiyans, Bardock is capable of transforming into a Giant Ape . His combat armor adapts to this form and his power is multiplied by 10. This evolution gives him destructive power but he no longer has any mental control.
This is what Bardock would look like as a super saiyan!
ANECDOTES
- Like other Saiyan warriors, Bardock's name refers to a vegetable . In this case, it is burdock . It is interesting that all members of Bardock's family are named after a vegetable with a root: burdock for Bardock, onion for Gine, radish for Raditz, and carrot for Kakarot. 🌿
- In the Dragon Ball Z manga, Raditz talks to Son Goku about Bardock when he tells the latter that he strongly resembles his father.
- Bardock is the very first character from the anime to be later included on certain pages in the manga.
- During a flashback during the Namek Saga , it is implied that Bardock attacked Frieza head-on with many men behind him. However, in the film, Bardock the Father of Son Goku , it is clearly shown that Bardock was alone and had to face many henchmen in order to reach the Galactic Emperor. 🛸
- The way Bardock tries to inform his people of the extermination of the Saiyans by Frieza is similar to the way Jor El from the Superman Universe (DC Comics) tries to warn of the imminent destruction of Krypton .
- Over the course of the various films and adaptations, Bardock has had three different voices.
- In the video games Budokai Tenkaichi and Raging Blast , if Bardock and Nappa fight together, the latter will make fun of Goku's father because of his rank and his low power. This presents a big inconsistency because Nappa who is supposed to be a high level Saiyan, has a power of 4000 while Bardock of lower rank has around 10,000 units. 💪
ARE YOU A FAN OF BARDOCK? EXPRESS YOUR PASSION FOR THE WORLD OF SAIYENS!
There you go, the guide on Bardock is now finished, you now know everything there is to know about Son Goku 's father ! We hope you enjoyed reading this article as much as we enjoyed creating it. 👍
Remember that Bardock, in addition to being the father of our favorite hero, is a symbol of courage and represents the greatness of the Saiyan people. He will indeed have found the courage to face the great Frieza alone in the hope of saving his world.
If, like us, you are a big fan of the Dragon Ball Z series, and more specifically of certain key characters like Bardock... We invite you to discover these two figurines which form a fantastic duo! Bardock and Goku both fight here together. These two collector figurines will perfectly complete your collection! 😉
