Crowler's missions are not as bad as Zane's or Arkana's.
But yeah, it's always better to unlock them on their event, the unlock missions when they are added to the gate are usually ridiculously annoying if not hard.
It's the effect damage one for crowler I can't land. I don't have some of the craftier ways available so I have to try the same situation as in the show......which doesn't happen.
I mean....they do this for almost every unlockable character. They get first unlock event, get a second one, and then become available at the gate, therefore ending their specific event cycle