The movie begins with Bardock and his team of Saiyan soldiers sent on a mission to conquer a planet and prepare it for Frieza's takeover. After completing the mission, Bardock starts experiencing vivid visions of his people's destruction at Frieza's hands.
Bardock initially dismisses his premonitions as hallucinations, but the visions intensify, and he slowly realizes the truth of his race's fate. He desperately tries to warn his fellow Saiyans and rally them to fight against Frieza, but they dismiss him as weak and betray him.
As Frieza's attack on Planet Vegeta approaches, Bardock decides to take matters into his own hands and launches a solo attack on Frieza's spaceship. He fights his way through Frieza's army, ultimately confronting the tyrant himself. In a final battle, Bardock inflicts a severe blow on Frieza, but it is too late to stop the impending massacre.
Bardock, injured and dying, has a final vision of his son Goku, who will be sent to Earth and grow up to become the universe's greatest defender. The movie ends with Bardock's death as Planet Vegeta explodes, with Goku's space pod launching him towards his destiny.