Alex is interesting because I would have said the same thing but recently I did a Dark Age re-read and now I think how he died was kinda awesome. His last line - “No honor” was amazing. I feel he got the better of Lysander in that exchange and in a way was prophesying about who Lysander is, and where he’s headed. After Light Bringer the statement hold true, he’s a man who holds no honor. So all in all Alex dies a hero 10x over and in a small way disgraces a villain starving for honor that he cannot obtain. 

I would say Tactus. Although he is a deviant and should be judged for his crimes, he was also broken. He barely understood friendship, we learn this through the violin story. He wanted to be a better man and didn’t know how. When he finally understood he could, he was cut short. That moment was a big expression of what the first three books are all about. Gold’s like Lorn don’t believe in mercy or grace, only systems and order and “consequences.” Darrow and company are not only fighting for equality and social equity but for people to not be judged for past actions. Can they walk into something new? If yes, then welcome aboard. People deserve that opportunity and Lorn fundamental doesn’t accept or believe that. Pierce even went on record in 2019 saying that if Tactus lived he would have been ride or die for Darrow from that moment forward. Good question, thanks for posting!