Bardock's History
Background
Bardock is a low-class Saiyan mercenary who leads a small platoon comprised of four other Saiyan soldiers in Bardock - The Father of Goku: Tora, Fasha, Borgos, and Shugesh. His wife Gine was also part of Bardock's Team at one point. Together, the team makes a living by traveling to various planets where they decimate the defenses of these civilizations and prepare them for Frieza's Planetary Market. Bardock was famous for his bravery even among the Saiyans; he is mentioned by Paragus in Dragon Ball Z: Broly - The Legendary Super Saiyan when he recognizes Goku as Bardock's son, and it can be thought that Paragus was Bardock's superior according to the Supplemental Daizenshuu. After being saved on the battlefield by him several times, Gine developed some feelings for Bardock. Due to her gentle nature, Gine was not cut out for fighting and retired. Her gentle nature has also changed Bardock's behavior, as Saiyans usually do not demonstrate care for their children but Bardock does. Bardock and Gine already had two sons by the time of the destruction of Planet Vegeta. According to Akira Toriyama, the pair of Bardock and Gine were rare Saiyans who were joined by a bond other than for reproductive purposes, and in an interview, he says that Bardock himself might have had siblings, but perhaps even Bardock himself does not really know and, at any rate, he probably has no interest in it either.
A year after Frieza took command of the Frieza Force, Bardock was dispatched along with other Saiyans to Planet Cereal in order to lay waste to it as Great Apes, decimating the population and leaving Granolah as the sole, unknown survivor.
Dragon Ball Super: Broly and Dragon Ball Minus
Bardock and Leek are in a battle against aliens on another planet when they receive a message on their Scouters ordering all Saiyans back to Planet Vegeta.
The two head back to the planet, noticing Frieza's Spaceship hovering in orbit above Planet Vegeta. Bardock believes that Frieza must have a hidden agenda. Upon his return to Planet Vegeta, Bardock learns from Taro that Frieza's men had been asking about the Super Saiyan legend.
Bardock heads home to reunite with Gine and asks if their son, Kakarot, is still in his incubator. Gine says that he is, but it has been three years, so he will be released soon. Bardock also learns that Raditz is off world with Vegeta and Nappa. Bardock fills Gine in on what is going on and reassures her everything is going to be alright as he has a plan. His plan is to send Kakarot off world to a planet called Earth, which he already scouted prior and the population is mostly peaceful and anyone may not pose a threat to Kakarot. From there, they would wait it out and if Bardock is wrong they will simply go to Earth and get Kakarot. Bardock deduced Kakarot would be safer if they did not escape with him since their power levels were large enough for Frieza's scouters to detect them and they lacked the ability to lower their power levels.
Later at night, Bardock steals an Attack Ball, and he and Gine send Kakarot away to Earth, also deciding to inform Raditz about this. Bardock places his hand on the cockpit window as to does Kakarot. Bardock tells his son to be strong and brave for him and smiles at him as Kakarot is flown to safety. A month after this Frieza flies up above Planet Vegeta and throws his Supernova at it. Bardock tries blasting it but his attack is overwhelmed and he is disintegrated.
Dragon Ball Z: Saiyan Saga
Bardock appears at the beginning of the first episode of Dragon Ball Z Kai, he appears confronting Frieza in the stratosphere of Planet Vegeta, and attempts to attack him with his Final Spirit Cannon to change the future, however Frieza merely laughs and fires his Supernova which overtakes Bardock and then hits Planet Vegeta, resulting in the genocide of the Saiyans.
Frieza Saga
Because Bardock was primarily the creation of Toei Animation, it was only after the airing of The Father of Goku that Bardock would make an appearance in the manga. Bardock appeared in a two-panel cameo appearance, in Frieza's flashback when he sees Goku, who reminds him of Bardock, Frieza recalls that Bardock had attacked him right before he destroyed Planet Vegeta, and was killed alongside the rest of the Saiyans when Frieza destroyed the planet using a Supernova.
Bardock also made cameo appearances in the Dragon Ball Z anime series, including during Frieza's flashbacks to the 'final confrontation' scene featured at the climax of Bardock - The Father of Goku when Frieza deduces Bardock's relation to Goku when recalling his destruction of Planet Vegeta.
