Ask HN: Have a Fallen Hero?

My "grand dev" - guy who majorly influenced the dev who majorly influenced me - after having been promoted all the way up to director, is letting the product burn, the dev team burn-out, while jamming his head up the butt of our globally infamous customer and going full waterfall. I've been surprised, over and over for the last year) to see my confidence in this person misplaced.

Ever seen this? What is it? I'm in my 40's, is this going to happen to me?