History Characters / DragonBallBardock

[[BreakoutCharacter Bardock became popular]] with both Creator/AkiraToriyama and the fans, and he was given a cameo appearance during the Frieza saga, standing up to the tyrant, and being remembered by Frieza as "That Saiyan that stood up to me". After this, Bardock got a role in more side stories whose canonicity is heavily disputed, and his characterization [[DependingOnTheWriter depends on which writer is writing him.]]

* DyingMomentOfAwesome: He spends his last moments on a futile attempt to kill Frieza. In ''Bardock: The Father of Goku'' he kills several of Frieza's men and gets to launch a verbal tirade and a direct attack on the tyrant himself, while in ''Broly'' he gets to actually slow down Frieza's Supernova for a couple of seconds.
* EdibleThemeNaming: After burdock, a vegetable.

** Even down to the AlwaysSomeoneBetter parallel between King Vegeta, impact of death at the very least, that would be passed onto their sons. While King Vegeta did directly face Frieza, the latter quickly dispatched him with a kick. Frieza's sarcastic comment on his murder to his son implies that he only recalled it for the ForTheEvulz. Bardock however, with his BadassBoast to Frieza briefly remember his defiance before destroying him along with his own men along with Planet Vegeta. Despite being a mere speed bump in the Saiyan's destruction, Frieza when encountering Goku, instantly recalls Bardock, meaning that out of all the Saiyans he killed, including King Vegeta, Bardock is the only one that stood out.

* HereditaryHairstyle: Goku and his grandson Goten inherited his hairstyle. Maybe it's a second son thing.

** In ''Minus'', his one true selfless act, sending his son away from Planet Vegeta, pays off. Although Planet Vegeta couldn't be saved and he and his wife also die, Goku grows up to be the warrior to finally defeat and humiliate Frieza, avenging their entire race. His bloodline also lives on and is stronger than ever.

* XMarksTheHero: His most notable trait after his red bandana, [[AntiHero but he is far from a hero.]]

* EvilVersusEvil: Despite his sympathetic motives and love for his family and crew, he was still a Saiyan who slaughtered millions going up against the GalacticConqueror who oversaw the deaths of billions.

* HardWorkHardlyWorks: Played With. At least part of the reason Bardock became such an outlier to normal Saiyans in strength, particularly the lower-class he was born into, is attributed to throwing himself into the thick of battle and constantly racking up injuries that left him coming back alive but half-dead, [[CameBackStrong and thus receiving zenkai boosts from the recovery]]. However, just how much strength he managed to gain from that suggests that he had some level of TheGift just like Goku and later down the line.

* RuggedScar: [[StrongFamilyResemblance Completely identical to his son]] (and his son's son too), except for the fact that he has a scar on his cheek. Not surprising he'd pick something like that up, considering his job is to travel from planet to planet and wipe out their entire populations.

* ContrivedCoincidence: Bardock just so happens to have a change of heart for Muezli and Granolah because they remind him of Gine and his sons, even though he had been rampaging and killing hundreds of Cerealians before the moon got destroyed

* {{Expy}}: While the original incarnation was similar, this incarnation of Bardock is more in line with Jor-El from the Franchise/{{Superman}} mythos, as a loving father that alongside his wife sent his son to another planet, one that no one would bat an eye.

* AHeroToHisHometown: According to Toriyama, "because [Bardock's] actions of saving his companions, which is rare for a Saiyan, he is greatly adored among a portion of the low-class warriors".
* InformedFlaw: Both Bardock and Gine claim it's weird that Bardock's performing acts of kindness (watching out for his young son Goku, saving Gine, saving Granloah and his mom) but no modern entry shows him doing anything but.