It doesn't matter if they "died for nothing." Their deaths were incredibly poignant and showcased the deepest extent of their close friendship, especially in the anime. That qualifies as having a "moment to shine." Same with Yamcha beating the Saibaman and getting killed by him in spectacular fashion afterwards only to inspire Kuririn.Bergamo wrote:Chaozu and Tien died for nothing, and people to this day still make fun of how pathetic Yamcha was. Piccolo, Gohan, Krillin, and Yajirobe got a moment, but not everyone.
Just because a character has a poor performance in a fight does not mean they were poorly utilized. A poor performance can be incredibly positive for a character (or the surrounding cast) depending on the way it's executed. It's the difference between the way these characters were dispatched of in the Saiyan arc - with respect and dignity - that contrasts so much with the way characters are disposed of in this arc - at random and without purpose - and the fact that so many people fail to grasp the difference is incredibly troubling. It is very telling that this fanbase equates "having a moment to shine" with "getting a win."