Dragon Ball Super 82: Will Gas finally be defeated at the hands of Bardock?

The title for the upcoming Dragon Ball Super 82 has been revealed, and the chapter is apparently titled “Bardock vs. Gas,” splitting fans on what may or may not be occurring within the issue.

One sect of the fanbase feels there’s a possibility that Bardock will return, with Goku eventually planning to make his way to a planet with Dragon Balls. He and Gas are going from planet to planet right now, so this is a possibility. The more likely scenario, however, is that DBS 82 will feature Gas having a flashback to his fight with Bardock.

Follow along as this article breaks down both possibilities for their chapter, as well as how realistic each outcome is.

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Dragon Ball Super 82 title teases Bardock resurrection, albeit unlikely

Dragon Ball Super 82: Bardock’s return?

The leaked title for Dragon Ball Super 82 seems to be teasing a return of Bardock in some way. While not entirely impossible, especially given the current circumstances of Goku and Gas’s fight, this event does seem somewhat unlikely to occur.

For starters, while it is entirely possible for Goku to head to a planet with Dragon Balls, gathering them is an entirely different story. While the Cerealian Dragon Balls have confirmed that they can function in pairs rather than septuplets, they need to be collected nevertheless.

Barring a sudden Dragon Radar appearance, Goku has no way of locating the Dragon Balls other than pure luck. While this could be how author Akira Toriyama and illustrator Toyotarou want to proceed, it would be somewhat deus ex machina-like, which might be disappointing for fans.

While it is possible that Goku could be revealed as being capable of sensing Dragon Balls on his own, this would also feel somewhat like a deus ex machina. Little hints — if any at all — in the story up to this point have suggested him to have this ability. Again, this may be the direction the creative team wants to go, but it seems extremely unlikely.

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Dragon Ball Super 82: Gas’s flashback?

The most likely scenario regarding DBS 82’s title is that Gas will finally have a full flashback to his Bardock fight. Based on context clues so far, it seems he lost the fight in spectacular fashion, as evidenced by his hatred for the now-deceased Saiyan.

Practically speaking, this is the only realistic option for what the title of the upcoming issue could be referencing. It makes little to no sense to bring Bardock back solely within the context of defeating Gas. The issue of collecting Dragon Balls is also a major plot hole here, limiting possible outcomes.

Furthermore, the flashback will likely serve as motivation for Gas's final push in this fight, which will presumably end the Granolah the Survivor arc. Considering the circumstances of the fight, a Bardock revival seems fairly unlikely.

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Dragon Ball Super 82: Wrapping up

While the title for Dragon Ball Super 82 is somewhat ambiguous without further information, it seems unlikely that Bardock will be making a living return. Little to no foreshadowing clues have suggested this, and for Goku to essentially stumble his way into a collected set of Dragon Balls is unrealistic.

Furthermore, bringing Bardock back for the sole purpose of defeating Gas would be incredibly detrimental to Goku’s progression, as well as Vegeta and Granolah’s. While a rematch would certainly be fun to see in Dragon Ball Super 82, it seems unlikely and detrimental to the story overall to do so.

Be sure to keep up with all Dragon Ball Super 82, anime, and film news as 2022 progresses.