One of the reasons people headcanon Grace as aromantic is the unfortunately realistic scene where they go "you don't have a family or a loved one" as if that's enough of a justification to send him on a suicide mission. As if not having a family makes Grace inherently less valuable and means he should be more willing to sacrifice himself for the greater good.
Grace wasn't sad and lonely, he was happy, he had a good life, he very much did not want to die. They have to do a looney tunes chase sequence and drug him because Grace was *very* unwilling to be the sacrificial lamb. Humanity's savior was dragged kicking and screaming into the role and called selfish for daring to be a coward, as if most of us wouldn't be.
And then he befriends Rocky, who never demands a sacrifice from him, who willingly prolongs his journey home so Grace can go back to his. Rocky has a mate back home and his species depends on his return, and still risks his life to save his squishy human friend. And Grace returns the favor.
And thus the power of friendship saves two planets.
