Well, they're sticking with The Red Panda's death!
As I said it seems to be intentionally unconvincing, but it serves as a nice way to bring trope-savvy audiences along with Kit Baxter in not wanting accept having a lost a loved one to war. (namely WWII)
John Archer is stepping in as a robot duplicate (just last season Kit remarked "who would believe that!?"), who wants her to feel hope not dispair. He openly doesn't know.
Creates nostalgia!