Max Sterling - First Robotech War

First Robotech War

Max wasted little time distinguishing himself among both his fellow RDF pilots and their Zentraedi adversaries, as he notched nine confirmed kills in his first combat sortie in his trademark blue VF-1. Max was recognized as a true aviation prodigy, and his potential earned the attention of Roy Fokker, the SDF-1’s air group commander, who then assigned both Max and Ben to the newly-created Vermillion group under the command of Lt. Rick Hunter. In the course of the war, Max's skills were put to an ultimate test of survival during a reconnaissance mission that the Vermillion Group undertook to scout Zentraedi targets. After escaping capture by Zentraedi under the command of Breetai, he infiltrated Breetai's battleship in his Veritech and disguised it with a Zentraedi uniform. Max then helped Rick and Ben pilot a Zentraedi battlepod back to the SDF-1.

His fighting prowess eventually gained the attention of Zentraedi Quadrano ace Miriya Parina, who then sought him out in a furious battle that found its way into the streets of Macross City. Unbeknown to Max, his defeat of the Zentraedi force’s finest pilot made him marked for death by Miriya, who becomes so obsessed with finding him that she has herself micronized to human size in order to infiltrate the SDF-1 in an effort to find him. After several near encounters, Max and Miriya finally confronted each other in a video game clash at an arcade. Max again defeats Miriya and Miriya concludes (correctly) that Max is the pilot who had bested her in real combat. As Miriya storms off in anger, Max grabs her wrist and asks her to go out with him on a date. Miriya accepts, although she secretly plots to kill him when they meet.

Max, after consulting with his friend Rick Hunter about what he should wear, arrives at the park where he eagerly awaits Miriya's arrival. Hiding in the bushes, Miriya draws a knife and runs toward Max who, proclaiming in English a Zentraedi war cry: "Maximillian, prepare for your doom!" and throws the knife at him. Despite the surprise, Max is able to dodge Miriya's first attack and the knife buries itself in a tree. Miriya reveals that she is a Zentraedi warrior and that her mission is to take revenge against him, prompting Max to say "There goes our first date." Drawing a second knife, she continues to swing and thrust at Max, who struggles to dodge her attacks. Max manages to pull the first knife out of the tree and after a short fight, Max manages to disarm her and points the knife at her face while proudly proclaiming "I guess I win again." Beaten for a third time, Miriya becomes emotionally despondent and her anger and hatred give way to sadness. She falls to her knees, and asks a now shocked Max to kill her. Crying, Miriya believes she cannot live with the shame of being defeated and that her only option now to die by his hand. Yet despite all that has just occurred, Max puts his finger under Miriya's chin and says that he could never harm her because she is "so beautiful". Max and Miriya look into each other's eyes and Miriya realizes that the feelings that Max has awoken within her are not of hate but of love and the two, after seeming floating in air towards each other, passionately kiss. Max wipes a tear from Miriya's cheek and, although he admits it sounds crazy, asks Miriya to marry him. Miriya accepts, even though she has no idea what marriage is and despite the fact that the two have only been in love for a few moments.

Later, Max meets with Rick Hunter to explain what has transpired as well as his plans to marry Miriya. Rick, after spitting out his coffee in surprise, initially objects to Max's plans to marry Miriya and ridicules them as "silly idealism". Rick asks, aside from the fact that he and Miriya have only been on one date, what a human and a Zentraedi could possibly have in common. Max vigorously defends his plan to marry Miriya and introduces her to Rick. Rick, after seeing Miriya in a pink dress, is amazed at how beautiful she is and he suddenly changes his mind. Rick even agrees to help them with their wedding plans.

The two former rivals, now completely in love despite their rocky start, are married the very same day, using the same knives they fought with to cut the cake at a huge ceremony attended by all their friends and broadcast on television across the SDF-1. Captain Henry J. Gloval even speaks at the wedding to congratulate the two lovers and to call for peace between the two races. Even the Zentraedi observe the wedding by way of intercepted television signals, and many, including Breetai and Exedore, watch with curiosity. Many Zentraedi, after watching the wedding and joy that it has brought to the two lovers, become even more attracted to the human way of life and further question their current austere lives as warriors.

As the first marriage between a human and a Zentraedi, the union of Max and Miriya became an unlikely symbol of peace and understanding during the First Robotech War. The wedding is interrupted by a massive Zentraedi attack as Breetai is ordered by Dolza to send his entire fleet to destroy the SDF-1. Max and Miriya race off to battle, with Miriya insisting Max take her with him in his veritech fighter. Miriya shows Max how to disable Zentraedi power armor without killing the pilots, a tactic which is then utilized by the SDF-1's forces. This development, combined with their increased exposure to human emotions and culture (which was amplified by seeing Miriya, their greatest warrior, get married to a human) causes a wave of mutinies to spread through the Zentraedi fleet as soldiers refuse to fight and turn against their superiors, forcing Breetai to call a truce. Thus, Max's decision to spare Miriya's life not only led to his marriage to his former rival but also saved the lives of everyone aboard the SDF-1. Afterwards, Miriya becomes Max's wingmate on duty, piloting a distinctive red VF-1 alongside Max's blue one. The two are almost always together, even in battle. In the final battle against Dolza's Grand Fleet, the two fight side by side in their veritechs. Despite the seemingly impossible odds they face, they smile at each as they engage the enemy fleet.