Dragon Ball Z went to some extraordinary lengths to keep Goku out of its conflicts until the very end, all the while doing whatsoever information technology took to ensure said conflict lasted long enough for him to wrap up whatsoever was keeping him out of the fight. Goku spent most of his fourth dimension in DBZ either training, expressionless, on his way, ill, or some combination of the four.

The serial' infamous "expect for Goku" trope has created bug for other characters, whether it be a forced lack of intelligence or plot-required weakness -- but perchance the most egregious plot hole created by this narrative trend was Krillin'southward time on Namek during Dragon Ball Z'south "Frieza" Saga.

Krillin uses the Solar Flare against Frieza

Krillin himself fell to the wayside about immediately once DBZ began, with Raditz using just his tail to slap Krillin through a house. Goku's closest friend and biggest rival struggled to remain relevant, accomplishing next to nix during DBZ despite possessing 2 of the (objectively) most powerful techniques in the series.

While Krillin's Destructo Disc -- which consists of a blade of energy that can cut through anything -- is his own creation, he has too borrowed fellow Z Fighter Tien Shinhan'south signature move on a number of occasions. The Solar Flare is depression-primal the franchise's nearly unstoppable technique that, bluntly, should exist used far more often than it is given its 100% success rate.

The fact that Krillin is capable of using both of these techniques ways that, despite being the franchise's most powerful villain at that indicate, Frieza should've been light piece of work. The Solar Flare is so unstoppable because people witnessing it for the first time, similar Frieza, have no thought what'south coming -- while the people who exercise know what information technology is have inexplicably never thought to just shut their eyes. The blinding power of this assail used by someone as weak as Krillin was all the same completely debilitating to someone equally powerful as Frieza, still he failed to capitalize on an incredible opportunity when he used the Solar Flare against the evil infinite emperor.

As his dependence on Scouters proved, Frieza was unable to sense Ki during the "Namek" Saga. This ways that after being blinded and writhing in agony from the Solar Flare, a well-placed Destructo Disc would've been the cease of this arc considering Frieza wouldn't have known the attack was coming.

Krillin uses the Destructo Disc against Frieza

Some villains, similar Cell, are powerful plenty to withstand a Destructo Disc without injury, but Frieza wasn't that stiff. Indeed, Krillin used the attack and successfully cut off Frieza's tail; coupled with the villain's demise at the hands of his own version of the technique, therein lies the proof that Frieza would've been vulnerable to a Solar Flare-Destructo Disc philharmonic assault from the serial' nearly disrespected character.

Frieza'southward airs -- especially where someone as weak every bit Krillin was concerned -- was more than enough to exist his undoing despite his being vastly more powerful than anyone else on Namek. Krillin's missed opportunity to outmaneuver the greatest villain to that betoken isn't a blemish on his grapheme and so much every bit it'due south indicative of the "wait for Goku" trope. Doing whatsoever it takes to stall for time until the hero shows up at the last minute to save the mean solar day, unfortunately, requires other characters to be forced to brand disquisitional mistakes for the plot to continue.

That said, perchance Krillin simply didn't think of a Solar Flare-Destructo Disc philharmonic. Hindsight is xx/20, and who amidst united states hasn't looked back at something and thought "oh, that would've been a good idea." Fighting an evil space emperor hundreds of times stronger on an alien planet is probably really stressful, so Krillin tin can surely be forgiven for his lapse in judgment. Things worked out anyway as the Dragon Balls revived everyone whom Frieza and his men killed, then no damage no foul for Krillin.

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