Dragon Ball features some of the most iconic characters in anime and manga history. Goku and Vegeta have more or less become unofficial mascots of the art forms over the last several decades, while even its side characters, like Krillin and Yamcha, are well known outside the incredibly large and ever-growing Dragon Ball fan base. Ultimately, however, the series' Saiyans will always lead the way in of popularity. One of which, oddly enough, has remained popular among fans and even the creator of the series since his debut, despite having little screen time.

Bardock, Goku's father, debuted in the aptly-titled 1990 anime-original special Dragon Ball Z: Bardock - The Father of Goku, and instantly became a fan-favorite fighter while shedding light on the events that led to the destruction of Planet Vegeta. He refused to go out without a fight, and his last-minute bravery in the face of Frieza and his soldiers made him incredibly likable. However, his story would be rewritten over 20 years later, before he again returned to the story in Dragon Ball Super, and ultimately harmed his son's character in the process.

Bardock's Return Harmed Goku's Character

Goku's Rewritten Origin and Bardock's Return Did Damage to What Made Goku Special

Despite his relative lack of screen time, Bardock became one of Dragon Ball's most popular Saiyans. Even Akira Toriyama took a liking to him, and after watching the anime-original special, decided to make the character and his backstory canon. For years, fans wished to see Bardock's return, and eventually would in 2014's Dragon Ball Minus, though likely not in the way they had hoped.

Included in the larger 2014 short manga series titled Jaco the Galactic Patrolman, Toriyama rewrote the story of Bardock and, in turn, Goku's origin. No longer was Dragon Ball's protagonist a Saiyan who happened to become Earth's greatest hero despite being sent there to destroy the planet, but rather a Superman-type character, sent by his father to Earth with the hope of living on in the face of impending doom. At the time of its release, fans weren't entirely on board with the change.

His kindhearted nature was a large part of what made Goku so special following the revelation that he was a Saiyan. Sent to Earth for the purpose of annihilating humanity, he instead saved the planet on a number of occasions. The fact that he wasn't what he was sent to be is how he ultimately defeated Vegeta in the Saiyan Saga, turning the techniques of others and the relationships he made into strength. Though fans largely chose to look the other way when his revised origin was introduced, the series doubled down on it in Dragon Ball Super.

Dragon Ball Super Used Bardock to Further Damage Goku's Character

Bardock's Return Recontextualized Goku's Character

2018's Dragon Ball Super: Broly doubled down on the Dragon Ball Minus version of Bardock, placing Goku's updated origin story as the intro to the film. Later, the Saiyan returned in the manga's Granolah Saga, this time expanding his role and having a direct effect on the events of the arc and the series' protagonist. His contribution was fine enough, if not somewhat strange, putting stronger emphasis on Saiyan roots Goku never really cared about before. The Saiyan Saga made it a point that although he might have been an alien, Goku was an Earthling at heart.

Nevertheless, the fan base mostly welcomed Bardock's involvement in the story, until one moment became a major point of contention. Using the Cerealian Dragon Balls, Bardock wished that his sons "would end up thriving". The wish is vague enough, until many fans pointed out that the original Japanese more closely translated to something along the lines of "I wish my sons would grow up healthy".

It's still a vague enough wish, though if taken directly, it could mean that every threat Goku faced as a child during Dragon Ball was meaningless, and that he would have claimed victory over the likes of Demon King Piccolo anyway thanks to the Dragon Balls. This would recontextualize nearly the entirety of Akira Toriyama's original manga up to the point that Goku first died, effectively taking any weight out of the fights prior to Raditz' arrival.

Though Bardock is an incredibly popular and even likable character throughout his brief time in the series, Dragon Ball, and Goku's character as a whole, might be better off without him at this point. Any further changes to the Saiyan's origin, and he may become completely unrecognizable from the protagonist who became a household name prior to the events of Dragon Ball Minus. It's unlikely Bardock appears in any of the series' future events, and that may just be for the best.