Dragon Ball Questions Goku’s Past with a Big Bardock Reveal

Dragon Ball Super is back at it this month with another update, and it has fans peeking at the manga. After delivering a big movie update at New York Comic Con, the manga got to work this week with the release of a new chapter. And now, it seems like fans are looking at Goku in a new way all thanks to a little flashback with Bardock.

The whole thing breaks down in chapter 77 as fans walk through a special flashback with the Saiyan. The scene in question shows Planet Cereal under attack by the Saiyan race, and the devastation wrung was intense. However, Bardock took everyone by surprise when he showed mercy to Granolah and his mother.

The merciful moment is pretty counterintuitive to what you’d expect from Bardock, and that wasn’t lost on fans. The Saiyan race is said to be savage at best, and parents are not often considered very emotional. The men are most often associated with the stereotype, and Bardock has always come off as rigid. But as teased in Dragon Ball Super: Broly, he can be tender towards his kids.

Now, Dragon Ball Super is expanding the thought with Bardock’s rescue attempt in the manga. Even Vegeta puts two and two together when he tells Goku about his dad. Even though the hero cannot remember his early years, Vegeta assures Goku he is much too soft-hearted like his dad. At least, by Saiyan standards.

“In any case, your soft-hearted nature clearly runs in the family,” Vegeta shares. And to be honest, he isn’t wrong.

Of course, Dragon Ball Super fans have their own feelings about this. Some are fine with the revelation but others have questions about the whole thing. Goku doesn’t remember his dad, but the nature vs nurture debate plays in here. Is Goku kinder than the usual Saiyan because his dad acted the same? Or did Goku become the way he is thanks to Grandpa Gohan’s care? For now, it is up to fans to decide, but it seems Vegeta is more interested in Bardock than Grandpa Gohan these days…

What do you make of this Dragon Ball Super revelation? Do you think Goku’s disposition is more nature or nurture? Share your thoughts with us in the comments section below or hit me up on Twitter @MeganPetersCB.