The Expanse Advances All Its Plots in a Nail-Biter of an Episode

We’re two episodes into The Expanse’s six-episode remaining season, which suggests issues are already heating up—although there’s nonetheless time for some wonderful character moments, together with Bobbie calling Amos “Pee-Wee.” Also, Filip flails, Clarissa steps up, and any person lastly tells Marco Inaros to get his head out of his butt and lives to inform the story. Let’s fireplace up “The Azure Dragon,” we could?

We open with the little woman on Laconia, who’s racing to get assist for the injured mom fowl because it clings to life. She’s transferring so frantically that she almost steps into the trail of an oncoming jeep, which goes awfully quick contemplating it’s on a slim street by way of the forest. Her mother and pa, who’re scientists, consolation her because the creature dies, however additionally they gently remind her that they’re on an alien planet, and feeding human snacks to the native wildlife isn’t a good suggestion. “They have a different kind of chemistry that doesn’t work well with ours,” her mom explains. While the woman worries in regards to the child birds left behind, her dad and mom hustle off to a gathering with “the soldiers,” griping that “we have nothing to do with whatever they’re building in orbit” and about their communications being minimize off from “back home.” This all seems like necessary foreshadowing, however that each one sort of will get brushed apart when the woman—after telling her little brother to not observe her—returns to the woods to try to assist the child birds. Imagine her shock when the “strange dog” we met final week emerges from a bush and snatches the fowl carcass away in its mouth. What?!

Meanwhile, within the Belt, the Rocinante is linked as much as a UNN provide ship, restocking forward of the crew’s quest to trace down Marco Inaros’ spotter ship, the Azure Dragon, once they’re informed their “mission specialist” is able to board. Holden is stunned by this—till he hears “the orders came direct from the Secretary-General herself,” and the battle-ready Bobbie Draper seems, prepared to assist the Roci kick some Free Navy ass. Time to lock and cargo, certainly.

Languishing in a Ceres jail cell: morose assassin Filip Inaros, not less than till his father exhibits up and makes use of his intimidating whisper to drive station administrator Nico to let him go. Marco informs Filip his cowl story is that he acted in self-defense, and says he doesn’t plan to punish him additional, although he does get a serious knife-twist in: “I would think that the embarrassment you’ve become since we’ve arrived on Ceres would be punishment enough.” In the Inaros household, this passes as a instructing second.

Aboard the Roci, Bobbie goes over the Azure Dragon information with the remainder of the crew, and he or she informs them “We’re gonna capture it.” Everyone’s startled—they had been anticipating a “search and destroy” operation—however Bobbie says Avasarala needs to protect the date onboard. That makes the mission far more harmful, and likewise nonpolitical for the reason that Roci is an unbiased outfit. “If we fuck up, it’s on us,” Holden says grimly. Bobbie protests that it’s extra about morale—the great guys want a win—and likewise factors out that she’ll be doing a lot of the heavy lifting, however there’s an unease among the many crew. Amos and Holden are nervous about taking pointless dangers (Amos can be nervous about not getting paid sufficient for taking mentioned dangers), whereas Naomi can’t get enthusiastic about killing Belters, even ones which are a part of Marco’s Free Navy.

After that awkward group assembly (Bobbie’s shocked to see famous fugitive Clarissa aboard, however she goes together with it), Holden shifts gears and asks Bobbie if she’s heard of any ships going lacking on the Ring throughout transits—notably the rogue MCRN ship Barkeith—and says that he thinks it may need one thing to do with the protomolecule that was stolen from Fred Johnson (RIP). It’s a thriller to Bobbie as nicely, however she tells Holden she’ll look into it… and that’s our weekly reminder in regards to the protomolecule’s ever-troubling continued existence.

In the Belt, Drummer’s sole remaining ship, the Tynan, docks with the ship of a former OPA smuggler named Walker who’s agreed to take the battle-weary Michio aboard as a part of his crew. The scene is brimming with rigidity, however Drummer quickly realizes Walker—who’s Free Navy however loathes Marco Inaros (Walker’s sly crack that “I intimidate him… sexually” is a hell of an icebreaker)—is extra on her wavelength than she realized. When he tells her Marco’s been transferring provides off stations to “supply depots” stashed across the Belt, she’s intrigued… and it provides her an thought. If there are different ex-OPA Free Navy members who’re tiring of being beneath Marco’s management (“tired of licking the floor for scraps,” as Drummer places it), perhaps they’ll band collectively to take a few of that energy again, just like the pirates they was once.

Speaking of Marco—who’s sporting a fairly intense topknot as his hairdo of selection this season—he’s on the Pella, speaking with Rosenfelt about getting provides to Medina. (As this episode exhibits, the significance of provides is a recurring theme on The Expanse, simply one other instance of the present’s dedication to realism amid its futuristic sci-fi setting.) But the dialog quickly turns to Filip—because the scene cuts to Filip sadly pawing by way of his useless finest buddy’s belongings; he actually appears to really feel real remorse and disgrace for what he did—and Rosenfelt really proves to be a great sounding board for Marco’s difficult emotions about his son. She additionally has the center to inform Marco he must cease fussing over Filip as a result of it’s distracting him from the struggle. Marco is shocked by her honesty, particularly since most of his acolytes are afraid of him, however he appreciates that she’s a straight shooter.

The episode builds to its massive scene about three-fourths of the best way by way of, because the Rocinante closes in on the Azure Dragon. The total sequence is one more entry within the checklist of thrilling space-battle set items that The Expanse is beloved for; recapping the eye-popping thrills in phrases received’t actually do it justice, however right here goes. Everyone fits up for the ambush—Bobbie in her Martian energy armor, which Amos admires, to which Bobbie replies he couldn’t deal with it and calls him “Pee-Wee”—however Dragon spots them and the Roci has to offer chase. Bobbie shouts at Holden to not destroy the opposite ship, reminding him {that a}) she’s in cost and b) this mission is to seize information. Once the Roci is shut sufficient, Bobbie launches herself onto the aspect of the Dragon’s hull and detonates a cost that renders it briefly useless within the water. As Amos heads over the blow the airlock, Naomi prepares to leap after him… solely to instantly freeze on the final minute (PTSD after final season’s harrowing un-helmeted house stroll, little question). When she hesitates, Clarissa makes the soar as a substitute, and Naomi guides her in de-activating the ship’s reactor (it seems like she’s defusing a bomb in an motion film) from aboard the Roci.

When a trio of Belters instantly seems, weapons blazing, Bobbie goes into defensive mode—till Clarissa prompts her super-strength mods, saving Bobbie from a harmful blast, but in addition puking and passing out within the course of. While Bobbie will get her again to the Roci, Holden and Amos take out the ultimate Belter after they board the Dragon. With Naomi and the Roci’s assist they’re rapidly capable of entry the ship’s information core, unlocking “the motherlode:” a list of each single stealth rock Marco has aimed toward Earth.

Aboard the UNN flagship Zenobia, intrepid journalist Monica Stuart has discovered that one thing massive simply went down, however Avasarala—who’s clearly feeling awfully happy in regards to the Roci’s massive success—received’t give her a scoop. Instead, she asks her to create a collection of tales about “what the Belt is doing to us” that’ll carry extra credibility than the state-run media. Monica is reluctant, saying she doesn’t do propaganda, however Avasarala lays it on thick, saying the undertaking might make it “just a little harder for them to feel good about killing Earthers,” and insinuating that if Monica turns her down, she’ll at all times surprise if her tales might have prevented extra deaths. Monica compliments her on the guilt journey routine (“I practice a lot when I’m alone,” Avasarala says), however she agrees to the proposal.

Back on the Roci, Clarissa’s recovering from the unwanted effects of utilizing her mods and getting a pep discuss from Amos when Holden enters to speak to her. (Amos stays put for the dialog, pointedly.) Though Holden acknowledges she was making an attempt to assist, he additionally reminds her that they’d a plan in place for a motive, and he or she shouldn’t have deviated from it; so long as she’s a part of the crew, she has to do what the captain says. He’s agency, however honest, and Clarissa smiles as he exits. Amos: “You know you just got chewed out, right?” Clarissa: “That’s the first time he said I was part of the crew.”

And aboard the Pella, Marco has gotten the information in regards to the Azure Dragon—particularly that each one the dear information it was carrying is now within the enemy’s fingers. Soon, Earth and Mars received’t be tasking their mixed army forces with stopping extra rock assaults; they’ll be free to return after the Free Navy, presumably making their first cease Ceres to take again management of the station. “No need to be so glum,” he tells Rosenfelt. “You said the fight would come soon enough… and here it is.”

The Expanse airs new episodes Fridays on Amazon Prime.