Dragon Ball Super Has Raised a Major Question About Bardock's True Power

With a movie coming this spring, Dragon Ball Super has a lot on its plate, and the fandom is busy hyping the big feature. However, the manga has got its own thing going and seems to be laying the foundation for whatever future Dragon Ball has on television. This is why all eyes are on Bardock since the Saiyan has a role in the manga's ongoing arc, and a recent update has fans questioning his true potential.

The whole thing stems from Dragon Ball Super's most recent chapter. The update checked in on Granolah as the sniper fought with Gas. At some point, our hero got the upper hand, but it was taken away when Gas had his potential awakened. This left the Saiyans shocked, and Gas thought back to his fight with Bardock once he saw Goku on the sidelines.

Bardock having NO TAIL here might not be a mistake on Toyo's drawing part.
That may be cuz it's a part of Bardock's transformation: Lose your tail, and control your Saiyan instincts while in humanoid form. Basically like Broly's Rage form.
Thoughts?#DragonBallSuper pic.twitter.com/6GsdGySBlE

— SUPER クロニクル  (@DBSChronicles) January 21, 2022

Now, the flashback was short, and Dragon Ball Super did not show much of Bardock's actual fight with Gas. The Heeter thug seemed scared at the thought of Goku's dad, and his memory does show Bardock in good health. In fact, the hero is drawn in battle with a bright aura around him, but there is something wrong with the shot.

In the first panel, Bardock's tail is missing, and that is obviously a WTH moment. Unlike Goku and Vegeta, the fighters in Bardock's generation did not lose their tails. The Saiyan had his until the day he died, so fans thought its absence was a mistake. But in the next four panels, Bardock is still missing his tail.

Now, some believe the omission is due to Gas' shoddy memory or even because he is imposing Goku over his dad here. However, there are others who believe this choice was intentional. Bardock was strong, but if Gas is now the most powerful fighter out there, he must have been more powerful than we realized. His missing tail paired with Bardock's aura has fans questioning whether the Saiyan had a hidden form years ago. And if that is the case, Goku is going to need to learn it ASAP.

What do you make of this theory about Bardock? Do you believe the hero has been holding back? Share your thoughts with us in the comments section below or hit me up on Twitter @MeganPetersCB.