>>23538531
Regarding the ending, I think Riddhe and Banagher surviving helps what felt to me like the thematic throughline. As the successors to Amuro and Char they encounter a similar final battle at the site of a great disaster, but instead of killing each-other as Char drives himself further into madness and Amuro near-helplessly gets dragged down by fate, the two of them manage to reconcile in the wake of "Lalah's" death and together forge a better path for humanity. If the two of them had died I just don't think it would have been as solid, compared to the very firmly hopeful tone, and I prefer it this way despite also really liking bittersweet conclusions.
I will admit, I feel like the "Lalah" part of this parallel is the weakest, since Mineva and Marida really have to share the burden, and most of that is on the latter.