TV-Series
Description
Howard Glass is a character who appears in the Macross Frontier television series. He serves as the fourth elected president of the New United Nations Government and also holds the position of administrative director for the Macross Frontier fleet. His administration is credited with the creation of the Frontier colony fleet itself, meaning his leadership was responsible for the planning and launch of this massive interstellar migration effort.
In terms of background, according to novelizations of the series, Glass acted as a significant mediator between the reformist and conservative factions within his government. Before entering politics and becoming a member of parliament, his past includes work as a social activist alongside his late wife. He is also the father of Catherine Glass, a bridge officer and later a major in the fleet's military.
President Glass is characterized as a statesman who shoulders the immense political responsibility of ensuring the security and well-being of the millions of citizens under his care. His leadership style involves making critical public decisions, such as authorizing the announcement of the existence of the hostile alien species known as the Vajra following their first major attack on the fleet's main island city. While he holds the highest office, he appears to rely heavily on his trusted aides, sometimes to a fault. He is not depicted as having military or tactical expertise, and in this area, he seems susceptible to the influence of his close advisors.
Glass's primary motivation throughout the story is the protection and continuation of the Frontier fleet. He is a paternalistic figure who seeks to make the best political choices to navigate the crisis brought on by the Vajra, a threat that pushes his colony to its limits. He also holds personal hopes for his family's future, specifically wishing for his daughter Catherine to find happiness in her marriage to his right-hand man, Leon Mishima.
His role in the story is that of the highest civilian authority on Frontier. His decisions set the stage for the fleet's military and political responses to the Vajra threat. Tragically, his position makes him a target. During a chaotic Vajra attack on Island 1, as he is forced to flee his office and travel to the warship Battle Frontier to organize a counterstrike, he is assassinated. The perpetrator is his own trusted aide, Leon Mishima, who uses the confusion of the attack as cover for a coup d'état.
The character development of Howard Glass is cut short by his death. However, his passing serves as a major turning point in the story, removing a central moderate authority figure and allowing the more radical and treacherous ambitions of Leon Mishima to take control of the fleet. His death also becomes a crucial personal tragedy for his daughter, Cathy, who discovers his body and later works to uncover the conspiracy behind his murder. In the theatrical film adaptation, Macross Frontier Movie: The Wings of Goodbye, the specific circumstances of his death are altered, though he still falls victim to a conspiracy related to gaining control of the Vajra.
In terms of background, according to novelizations of the series, Glass acted as a significant mediator between the reformist and conservative factions within his government. Before entering politics and becoming a member of parliament, his past includes work as a social activist alongside his late wife. He is also the father of Catherine Glass, a bridge officer and later a major in the fleet's military.
President Glass is characterized as a statesman who shoulders the immense political responsibility of ensuring the security and well-being of the millions of citizens under his care. His leadership style involves making critical public decisions, such as authorizing the announcement of the existence of the hostile alien species known as the Vajra following their first major attack on the fleet's main island city. While he holds the highest office, he appears to rely heavily on his trusted aides, sometimes to a fault. He is not depicted as having military or tactical expertise, and in this area, he seems susceptible to the influence of his close advisors.
Glass's primary motivation throughout the story is the protection and continuation of the Frontier fleet. He is a paternalistic figure who seeks to make the best political choices to navigate the crisis brought on by the Vajra, a threat that pushes his colony to its limits. He also holds personal hopes for his family's future, specifically wishing for his daughter Catherine to find happiness in her marriage to his right-hand man, Leon Mishima.
His role in the story is that of the highest civilian authority on Frontier. His decisions set the stage for the fleet's military and political responses to the Vajra threat. Tragically, his position makes him a target. During a chaotic Vajra attack on Island 1, as he is forced to flee his office and travel to the warship Battle Frontier to organize a counterstrike, he is assassinated. The perpetrator is his own trusted aide, Leon Mishima, who uses the confusion of the attack as cover for a coup d'état.
The character development of Howard Glass is cut short by his death. However, his passing serves as a major turning point in the story, removing a central moderate authority figure and allowing the more radical and treacherous ambitions of Leon Mishima to take control of the fleet. His death also becomes a crucial personal tragedy for his daughter, Cathy, who discovers his body and later works to uncover the conspiracy behind his murder. In the theatrical film adaptation, Macross Frontier Movie: The Wings of Goodbye, the specific circumstances of his death are altered, though he still falls victim to a conspiracy related to gaining control of the Vajra.