LilMouse

By the end of a series, the audience likes to see that people grew and that there's a change from their Pilot self to their finale self. I don't think we can say that about Max. He was still scared and running and hiding. The only thing that changes is his group of friends expanded.

Roswell 10/2/00

Yes I agree. The only time I saw him take control was when he was with Tess at the Harvest!

starryeyesxx

He really didn't grow at all, but it actually felt like he'd regressed because he had multiple changes to grow & always hid from them...I don't see how anyone can actually look at Max's journey & find it satisfying

LilMouse

I loved them keeping the shield up together.

People who only watch shows for romantic relationships/shipping would be satisfied. Others who actually care about story won't be satisfied.

Roswell 10/2/00

I agree. I did agree with Tess when she said to Max you were a king now you are just a boy!

The one thing I loved about Tess and Michael they told it like it is!

starryeyesxx

I don't get the writers at all - the fact that they had Tess & other characters sometimes call Max out on stuff like this makes me think that they were aware of it & weren't just clueless, but....they just couldn't be bothered to do anything about it?

Roswell 10/2/00

I feel Michael and Kyle had growth on the show. Kyle everyone hated in season one and by the end you loved him.

Same with Jim you never knew if he was good or bad. Then we saw he was one of the good guys.

Michael I feel was the only alien who embraced his alien side and wanted to find the truth as to why he was left on earth. He was always searching for home and learning how to control his powers.

Eventually I am glad Michael found some closer in the people around him. He found his home in Maria and in Max and Isabel.

His powers he did learn to some what control but he knew deep down he never would really fit in but he was ok with that.

starryeyesxx

I don't think any character showed a massive amount of growth. I loved Kyle, but most of the time he was just there....the writers didn't really give him very much material, which I think is a real shame because he had a lot of potential

Roswell 10/2/00

I agree about Kyle! I wanted more as well. Especially his journey of finding himself aka finding religion to Buddha and how he dealt with being brought back to life.

LilMouse

My assumption is they knew Max could've improved himself, but since improving himself meant giving up on a romantic relationship with Liz, and the majority of viewers would despise that, the writers chose to hold him back. Hold Max back for the sake of his relationship with her.

starryeyesxx

I definitely think that was part of it, but at the same time it wouldn't have been impossible for him to embrace his life as an alien & his responsibilities as king while still being with Liz - the writers just take the easier route, but imo it backfired because by linking his relationship with Liz to his desperate need for self-denial, it really made their relationship look worse....

LilMouse

I think that's true to a certain extent. Because what happens when Max has to go back home and lead a planet? Liz wouldn't be able to go with him, especially since they said humans can't survive on Antar (Let's not get started with human baby Zan surviving there ) and I think the writers figured any story where Max embraces his alien self means he has to leave Liz on Earth.

starryeyesxx

That's true, I guess I always though that Max would have to spend a lot of time preparing for a big war on Earth before he returned & that some battles would take place there too, but ultimately Max would have go back to Antar & I do think that it would have been quite a storyline if he had let her go for her benefit, so that she could have a normal life & not get dragged into the huge but dangerous destiny he had. I mean, even when he was in major denial about his destiny & was trying to be with Liz, he was being massively selfish because as much as he wanted to pretend he was normal he was repeatedly putting her life in danger....honestly, I can't help but feel like his whole relationship with her was more about him trying to hide from who he was & that he never really saw things from her side

LilMouse

I always thought Max and Liz should've been broken up for years before he went back home, and that he should've been the one to do the breaking up, not only after realizing that their lives aren't compatible but also realizing his love for her wasn't as strong as he thought it was. It was childhood love.

I also think someone major should've died in battle. Alex wasn't major enough for me cause he was gone most of s2.

Roswell 10/2/00

Don't even get me started on season 2 and the Alex story. I agree Alex too strong of a character to be the first one to fall. Grated he was not around for most of season 2 but we loved him since season one.

If it had been Sean to have been the first one killed that would of been a better storyline. Sean was a character we gt to know in season 2. Plus he had a connection to two major characters. He was Maria's cousin and Amy's Nephew. So right there if Sean would of been killed it would of hit more home for Maria and Amy. He also was close to Liz.

Then the story could of unfolded. Sean goes missing. Alex comes home from Sweden to a massive search to find Sean only to find him dead.

It would of been a better story if there had been more killing along the way in the town to the people the Pod Squad was close to or knew. Like Brody ect. the gang would of become closer to finding out the truth as to what was going on.

It would of made more sense if Kivar had been the one to have done all of the killings. We hear so much about him in season 2 and how powerful he is by future Max and then nothing. Kivar shows up in season 3 and he is nothing but a love sick frat boy. Nicholas was more evil then Kivar.