Why Dragon Ball Super Should Bring Bardock Back to Life

Dragon Ball Super's latest manga arc "Granolah the Survivor" gave us the unexpected twist of bringing Goku's father, Bardock back into the spotlight. Even though the Granolah Arc is set long after Bardock died in Freeza's attack on Planet Vegeta, Granolah's dark backstory (the extermination of his people on Planet Cereal) revealed a hidden chapter of Bardock's life. Turns out the Saiyan mercenary became a hero, defying the Freeza Force and their cohorts The Heeters to save the life of Granolah, the sole surviving Saiyan. Now Dragon Ball Super has potentially cleared a lane to resurrect Bardock – but should it happen? 

Here's why Dragon Ball Super should bring Bardock back to life: 

Return of Bardock – Father of Goku

Basically, Dragon Ball Super's Graonlah Arc has set out a lot of dots that connect together to explain how Bardock could be resurrected. As stated, Bardock saved Granolah and a sole surviving Namekian on Planet Cereal (Monaito) from the Freeza Force's genocide; Monaito has two Cerealian Dragon Balls, which have already been used by both Granolah, and the Heeters member Gas to achieve unparalleled power. Since Gas's wish came second, he seems to be the reigning power in the universe now. 

However, it was Bardock who defeated Gas during the Cerealian Genocide – though no one knows how. To get that answer, fans suspect the Cerealian Dragon Balls will be used to wish Bardock back from the dead to get that answer.

Wild New Element 

Bringing Bardock back would introduce a wild new element into Dragon Ball Super: Goku having to finally face his daddy issues and Saiyan identity. Dragon Ball Super has been laying groundwork for years now (the Broly movie, now this Granolah Arc) for Bardock to come back as a clear anti-hero rather than a villain – a la Dragon Ball Z Vegeta. How Bardock relates to Goku, Earth, and the general staus quo of Dragon Ball Super would be a wonderfully unpredictable story to explore. 

Father vs. Son

The idea of Goku and Bardock battling is something that's only existed inside of Dragon Ball fan-fiction and chat threads for decades – until now. With Dragon Ball Super's Granolah Arc setting up the potential return of Bardock, fans could finally get one of the most highly-anticipated fights of all time: Goku vs. Bardock. It wouldn't just be a novelty, either: battling Goku's various Super Saiyan forms is the quickest way for Bardock to get up to speed on what Saiyan power (and his own bloodline) has evolved into. 

Best New Freeza Arc

Bardock's return isn't the only set of breadcrumbs Dragon Ball Super's Granolah Arc has laid out: Freeza has been the big antagonistic presence in the background of this entire story. It was Freeza who ordered Bardock and the other Saiyan mercenaries to slaughter Planet Cereal; it is Freeza's return from the dead that has motivated The Heeters to make new moves to secure the Dragon Balls' power – so that they can finally take Freeza's throne. With Bardock's story also in the mix, It's clear that bringing Goku's father back wouldn't just be a new addition to the Dragon Ball Super Universe – it would be beginning of a whole new story arc, which finally has Goku, Bardock, Vegeta, (Broly and Granolah?) head out to settle their respective beef with Freeza, once and for all. 

Who doesn't want that? 

Get caught up with Dragon Ball Super's new manga arc chapters free online.