Krillin vs the Death Star

[Lord Raziere]

Yeah, but Krillin dying is also no big deal in DBZ at this point. Krillin dies like Stormtroopers miss.

.....he survived both the Saiyan saga and the entire Android and Cell Sagas......heck he made it through most of the Namek, Ginyu and freeza Sagas, until Freeza killed him at the last minute. It was a very big deal then. it caused Super Saiyans to be a thing at all.

the other two times Krillin died in DBZ was from getting turned to stone, and getting turned into candy.

we should really remember that most of the things that the Z-Fighters face are incredibly exceptional foes that have advantages that likely 99.999999% of the universe don't even think possible. Freeza is an exceptional being among people with high PL's. every fighter after that is even more exceptional and unique. I doubt there is a second Cell in all of existence, or any being comparable to Buu at least until the Majin race is made canon.

Basically any foe above Freeza is kind of a ridiculous anomaly to outdo a galactic emperor who is already a ridiculous anomaly. Normal combat is probably closer to what happens when Z-Fighters duke it out with minions or something, and Krillin held his own there just fine even in Battle of Gods.