Them apples
In this series the apples grown on Windermere have very characteristic marbling patterns on their skin, making it very easy to distinguish them from any other variety, and Windermere apparently exported a lot of them, from the amount of containers in the Episode 1. It's all well and good in the first episodes, when Windermere is still in a sort of the Space Cold War with the NUN, but we still see a lot of characteristically Windermeran apples even after they declare their war. Do they still continue to export them, or that's just remaining stocks?
- The import of the the apples is revealed to be completely deliberate, with the apples, branded as 'Galactic Apples', having an odd chemical makeup which, when used with drinking water used on many of the planets of the Brisingr Cluster, creates the key compound involved in Var Syndrome.
- For folks that remembered US-Soviet Economic Relationship during Cold War, probably Windermere still exports apple that is found to be desired by Brisingr Cluster in similar manner as US would dump their surplus on Soviet and not considering anything else.
- Most of the US-produced wheat was sold through Canada, where the Canadian own production masked its origins and allowed both powers to save face. In Episode 9 Roid says that they similarly sell their apples around the cluster through the host of dummy companies, though here it's to genuinely conceal their origin rather than to avoid the embarrasment, because here the sales are intentional instead of being simply expedient.
PMC
- Why all this lionizing of Private Military Contractors, or, in old terms, mercenaries, while the NUN soldiers, who fight for their country and not for a paycheck, get worfed or treated as villains?
- I see it more that, from Macross 7 onwards, the Macross series has been used to sell a mindset that the idea of massive military might is not what will win wars, but instead the unaffiliated groups who can look the people who a genuine military have to obey in the eye, and go 'No'.
- Because heavily armed extra-governmental groups beholden to no one and allowed to do was they please certainly have no history of being vastly more dangerous to the general public and barbaric then organized militaries... The truth though is that it's the same reason every RPG party ever is composed of mercenaries, it's an excuse to allow them to do ridiculous things at a whim and act in a completely unprofessional manner. Like recruiting random teenagers off the street with no real experience, training them for like a month, and then sending them into combat in a fighter jet.
- I'll also add that the Marvel Cinematic Universe has SHIELD doing most of the successful military operations.
- I see it more that, from Macross 7 onwards, the Macross series has been used to sell a mindset that the idea of massive military might is not what will win wars, but instead the unaffiliated groups who can look the people who a genuine military have to obey in the eye, and go 'No'.
Mirage's ears
Why does Mirage have pointed ears? Even if the newer Zentradi clones have pointed ears, Miriya sure as hell did not.
- We know nothing of her father. He might have them, for what it takes. That said, her aunt Mylene did have the pointed years, as does her other sister, Emilia, from the Macross 7 Movie. In fact, about the only gals in the family to not have them are Miriya herself, and her eldest daughter Komilia, as they originate in the first series before the whole "Zentradis have pointy ears" thing started.
- Moreover, in the updated scene of the Max and Miriya first meeting
and later wedding, shown when Mirage talks of her family history, Miriya clearly has pointy ears, meaning the whole thing was already Ret Conned by that moment.
Logistics
How is Windermere able to mount any military operation? Yes, they're buying their weapons from Epsilon Corporation, but how do they pay for them? Windermere has an agrarian economy aside for the banned Fold Quartz exports (one of the reasons for their rebellion was in fact the ban on Fold Quartz), they just have next to nothing to pay for their equipment with.
- Epsilon was clearly in it for more than just monetary reasons. They knew about the Protoculture ruins and wanted access to them, so helping instigate a conflict between Windermere and the UN served their interests.
Mirage's last name
- Where did Mirage get her last name? Did Max and Milia have a son that was never even mentioned in any previous Macross series?
- In Japan it is common for a husband to adopt a wife's family name and enter her clan if it's more famous and influential than his own. It's entirely possible that this is what transpired here, as Jenius family is certainly famous and influential enough.
