This is simply what happens... heroes die. Real heroes that is. You're definitely describing the characters from the RT side. Although I don't think Max was ever a suck up, and RT does a crappy way of presenting these characters IMO. Hell, Obi Wan died, and Anankin died in the end. Remember Luke being young and stupid? He did learn though. From a writers standpoint, it's usually the character that the audience can most identify with that endures. We experience the world through his eyes (Hikaru's) and live and learn. Roy will always be my favorite Macross character. I just wish he would have died taking out about 200 Zentraedi at once. More of a hero's death is what he deserved.