The Expanse’s Series Finale Made Us Even More Bummed the Show Is Over

“Babylon’s Ashes” is not only The Expanse season six finale, it’s the sequence finale, and the episode is as bombastic and action-packed as you’d count on—but it surely’s additionally received fairly a couple of quiet moments, and collectively they serve to remind us how a lot we’ll miss this outstanding present.

After final week’s “Why We Fight” noticed the shocking (however, let’s face it, inevitable) team-up of former foes UN Secretary-General Avasarala and badass Belter captain Camina Drummer, all techniques are go for The Expanse to showcase the combat the sequence has lengthy been constructing towards: Marco Inaros versus… everybody. Literally everybody.

First it’s value noting that “Babylon’s Ashes” clocks in at simply over an hour, which means it’s about 20 minutes longer than some other season six episode (although in contrast to the opposite episodes, it doesn’t have an “X-Ray” bonus quick hooked up). We start once more on Laconia, the place Admiral Duarte stands alone at the hours of darkness, gazing on the protomolecule-fueled construction within the planet’s orbit with quiet glee. Cara, in the meantime, has reunited along with her fearful dad and mom, whose aid at seeing her is changed by abject horror once they see who she’s introduced along with her: Xan, again from the useless due to some Laconian necromancy.

Though Cara remains to be in some way satisfied that this alarming creature (who has black eyes and bleeds black blood) is, in reality, her little brother, her mother and pa do the right factor: freak out and lock Zombie Xan in a closet. But earlier than they will summon the troopers for assist, Cara tips them into considering she’s run away once more. Once she’s alone with Xan, she lets him out and so they flee into the forest collectively. “It’s OK,” Cara tells him. “If I die, the dogs will fix me.” As she turns to face him, we see her from his POV and… yep, he has that trademark protomolecule blue-o-vision. The shot cuts to a different take a look at the floating protomolecule construction, flashing that very same shade blue. Then we get one other shot of Duarte staring skyward, nonetheless happy as punch.

Next up, the warfare room, the place Avasarala, Drummer, Holden, Bobbie, and different navy representatives are gathered to debate Operation Stop Marco Inaros From Entering the Ring and Getting Behind Those Massive Guns at Medina Station. The Free Navy has divided its fleet into three battle teams, so Earth, Mars, and Drummer’s anti-Marco Belters plan to do the identical. “These numbers are too evenly matched for my comfort,” Avasarala murmurs, earlier than snapping “It is this kind of bullshit that has left all of us with fewer ships!” when Drummer and the Martian Admiral give into long-standing tensions and start snarling at one another. If they don’t succeed, Avasarala says, “Marco will hunker down in Medina Station behind his rail guns, in control of our colonies and a thousand systems, dictating the fate of our species for a generation.”

With stakes that top, it’s a must to hope there’s a back-up plan… which is the place the Rocinante is available in. As Holden explains, they’re going to rendezvous with an ice hauler (keep in mind the Cant!) that’s been transformed right into a troop transport carrying an assault workforce that may goal Marco’s rail weapons. They’ll take management of the weapons and switch them on Medina Station, forcing the Free Navy to give up—and can then be poised to blast any enemy ships that handle to make it by the Ring. Holden, Bobbie, and even Drummer are assured on this crackerjack plan, however Avasarala isn’t certain. “You’re such a fucking optimist,” she says. “It’s a miracle you’ve lived this long!”

The Free Navy can also be, unsurprisingly, in full pre-battle mode, with Filip now reinstated on the bridge—all due to Rosenfeld, the one one who can get Marco to do something—after his transient punishment stint as a trash collector. After Rosenfeld’s achieved giving Filip a gruff welcome (couched within the type of a “You better not fuck up again” kind of warning), she goes to talk to Marco concerning the impending combat. She’s not as jazzed as he’s about taking over their enemies, however he piques her curiosity by hinting on the arrival of latest weapons. “You’re expecting something more from Duarte?” she asks, however he responds by merely reminding her how a lot he likes surprises.

On the Roci, small moments earlier than the storm. Bobbie and Holden share a reminiscence of Alex; Naomi asks Clarissa for a favor, a gesture that’s actually extra of a peace providing; Clarissa calls Amos “boss,” main Naomi and Amos to reminisce about their very own friendship. But Clarissa isn’t feeling one hundred pc, so she heads to the med bay to run a take a look at. The information isn’t good: due to her failing mods, her endocrine system is collapsing, which the pc confirms has no treatment. She doesn’t point out it to anybody; as an alternative, she heads to the kitchen and makes the Roci crew their first home-cooked meal (utilizing spaceship substances, however nonetheless) in, nicely, who is aware of how lengthy? They take pleasure in a household dinner collectively, understanding that is the final second of tranquility earlier than issues get extraordinarily bushy on the market. Amos tells Clarissa he’ll be a part of the assault workforce on the Ring Station, and when she says he can’t depart the Roci with no mechanic, he tells her “The ship’s got one!” The Clarissa redemption arc has come full circle eventually. She doesn’t inform Amos to not go on what might very nicely be a suicide mission; as an alternative, she says: “You know, for someone who says they don’t want to be a hero, you sure end up being one a lot.”

Meanwhile, Avasarala’s preparing by meditating, although she’s interrupted by the information that Marco’s ship, the Pella, has been situated by the UNN battle group utilizing drive signature intel offered by the Rocinante. (Hearing this, Drummer’s battle group is greater than a bit of upset they gained’t be those to take Marco on.) When the information signifies that the Pella has been hit, Avasarala’s preliminary elation provides strategy to confusion. There’s one thing bizarre concerning the scenario: not one of the different Free Navy ships are falling again to guard it. Could Marco not be aboard his ship? Or… might that perhaps not be Marco’s ship in any respect? Could the drive signature be falsified in some way?

Yes, sure, and sure. This info is quickly shared fleet-wide, but it surely’s too late for Drummer and firm, who’ve already realized {that a} Free Navy freighter of their midst is definitely the Pella in disguise, cloaked in outer armor that falls away. It’s a Belter-on-Belter melee! Though her ship is almost torn aside, Drummer miraculously survives and decides to chase after Marco—till she will get a message from her Belter ally Walker; the grizzled veteran is mortally wounded and has set his ship to collide with the Pella as one final fuck-you to the Free Navy. The outcome: heavy harm on either side. Aboard the Pella, Rosenfeld is fatally injured, dying in entrance of an anguished Filip. Drummer takes all of it in and calls it. “We’ve done all we can,” she says, earlier than muttering one thing in Belter creole that appears like a prayer for the Rocinante.

Speaking of, the Roci and the ice hauler filled with armed troops are stepping into place close to the Ring Station. (In his cramped drop pod, Amos wryly observes that he appears like he’s in a transportable bathroom.) “Good luck,” Clarissa says, however she’s corrected by Bobbie and Amos: Before a combat, you say “Good hunting.” They’re nonetheless gonna want loads of luck as a result of the rail weapons are fired up, and as quickly because the tons of and tons of of pods start to launch, troopers begin getting picked off, even because the Roci tries to assist with evasive maneuvers. (Extra props for the music in these scenes, as tense and thunderous because it’s ever been on The Expanse.) As the battle heats up, the Roci’s reactor wants an pressing repair; Clarissa struggles to make the restore and is knocked out within the course of, however when Naomi goes to assist her, she finds that not solely is Clarissa OK (groggy, however OK), she has managed to MacGyver a repair for the reactor simply in time.

Amos and Bobbie’s pods launch to the Ring Station, and in opposition to some quite steep odds, they land safely—however most of their fellow troopers don’t. The stakes are as excessive as they’ve ever been on The Expanse as Bobbie and Amos plan their do-or-die assault underneath chaotic quantities of heavy fireplace from what seems to be each conceivable course. Aboard the Roci, Holden and Naomi scramble to assist as finest they will, however with the Ring Station’s rail weapons popping off, the ship can’t get too shut. Amos takes inventory of the scenario and tells Bobbie, “Fuck it. I’d rather get shot in the front than the back.” She agrees, however whereas Amos is letting the remainder of their dwindling group in on the plan, Bobbie makes her transfer, clad in her nigh-indestructible Martian energy armer and annihilating the reactor powering the rail weapons. As troopers from Medina descend, she’s hit a number of instances, and Amos runs in to assist her—but it surely’s an excessive amount of. It’s an excessive amount of! Until… the Roci seems and swiftly eliminates the remainder of their opponents! (“Fuck yeah, Roci,” is Amos’ relieved response, a sentiment little question echoed by each single Expanse fan watching this nerve-wracking sequence.) Our heroes are saved, however at a steep value: there’s now no firepower to maintain Marco at bay if he makes it by the Ring. “No other choice,” Bobbie wheezes. “Had to take out the guns. I’m sorry… we lost the guns.”

Truly, we’re all wheezing after what we simply witnessed, so The Expanse properly pivots to a quiet second that finally ends up being simply so scrumptious. On a video message, Admiral Duarte has one thing essential to inform a sure smug Free Navy chief: “Marco Inaros: in regard to your request for additional armaments, your request is denied. Any further communications will be refused, and any ships attempting to enter our space will be destroyed. You were a useful distraction, but I have gods to kill. The ring to Laconia is now closed. You’re on your own.” Marco is bowled over, however he places on gobs of fake bravado when Filip enters, and has a glib response to information of Rosenfeld’s loss of life. “Death for some is the price of our freedom and our future,” he tells his son. “The greatest gift any true Belter could wish for is to die for the cause.”

Filip, who’s taken a very long time to get thus far, wonders aloud if Marco actually means “for Marco” as an alternative of “for the cause.” Marco reminds him that is the life they’ve chosen, however Filip once more has one thing to surprise: when did he select? “After all we’ve been through, you still can’t see what you’ve been given,” Marco tut-tuts, and one thing glints throughout Filip’s face. Unaware (or probably not caring) that his son has simply had an epiphany of kinds, Marco stalks to the bridge. It’s speech time! “When we sweep through the Ring one last time, and sweep away the Rocinante and all vestiges of the inners from our space—when that moment comes, our long struggle will finally be over and our victory complete. We will rise from the ashes of the inners’ failures and sow the seeds of our humanity across the stars!” Everyone joins him in a chant of “Beltalowda!”—everybody besides Filip.

Medina’s mighty weapons may be gone, however you may’t depend the Rocinante out of a combat, irrespective of how lopsided. Battered however nonetheless battle-ready, Holden, Amos, Naomi, Bobbie, and Clarissa discuss technique; there are restricted choices however each plan they give you is sorta half-cooked. Amos cuts to the chase: “Does anyone here really want to cut and run?” Of course they don’t; the way in which Holden sees it, that is last-stand time. Suddenly, Naomi, who’s been quiet by all this, speaks up with an unconventional concept: “We might be able to trigger the Ring entities.”

Say what? By her estimate, in the event that they push “every bit of mass and energy we can through the Ring all at once, and we time it all just right,” they need to have the ability to get up the entities—sure, those self same offended beings that annihilated the protomolecule builders, and don’t appear very thrilled to have random ships beep-bopping across the Ring house (see: the season 5 finale). The Expanse has been laying the groundwork for this plot twist all through season six, and what was beforehand a thriller lurking across the fringes of the story has now grow to be the one bizarre trick that would save humankind. It’s dangerous, however once more—that is last-stand time. Marco have to be stopped.

TENSE. SO TENSE. Timing is all the pieces, as Naomi mentioned, so the Roci hovers anxiously whereas the Pella approaches the ring. Naomi has a fast, heartbreaking imaginative and prescient of Filip, who will perish together with Marco if the plan succeeds, however she doesn’t hesitate in setting the plan in movement. (Later, we see her screaming in grief, lastly letting her nicely of feelings out.) As the Pella begins its transit by the Ring—nicely, you knew it was coming, however Marco, so sure of his victory, certain didn’t. Red, streaky, flamelike blobs overtake the display, and Marco and his topknot are worn out of existence without end.

YES! But there’s nonetheless a superb 10-plus minutes left in “Babylon’s Ashes,” which may be very needed for some series-finale mopping-up that must be achieved. First we sit in on a gathering between Earth (Avasarala), the Belt (Drummer), and the Martian Prime Minister, with a coffee-sipping Holden additionally in attendance. A forceful Drummer needs to ensure the Belt is handled pretty going ahead, understanding the outdated biases are prone to resurge even in any case that’s occurred. Avasarala pushes laborious for a transport alliance between all sides that may oversee visitors by the ring, and it’s quickly determined that the solely method this could occur is that if somebody actually neutral, totally reliable, and inarguably honorable is in cost. Someone like… hero Rocinante captain James Holden.

He’s not thrilled with the concept, however he accepts—then, within the very subsequent scene, after giving a speech at a proper occasion asserting his appointment, he promptly resigns. The president of the transport union, he says, must be the individual he chosen as his second-in-command: Drummer, after all. Avasarala is initially livid at being outplayed (she calls him a “duplicitous little shit”), however she sighs, says she hopes he’s proper (you recognize she is aware of he’s proper), and so they shake palms.

Back on the Roci, Bobbie’s taken her new spot within the pilot’s chair. Clarissa provides Amos a reproduction of the silver oni masks pin he misplaced when he went to go to her on Earth; then she flips up her lapel to point out she’s sporting one, too. (This is The Expanse equal of a kind of best-friend necklace units, and it’s pleasant.) Holden and Naomi loosen up of their room, reflecting on Holden’s determination. “You followed your conscience in the hope that others would follow theirs… the universe never tells us if we did right or wrong. It’s more important to try and help people, and to know that you did.”

While she’s speaking, we get a flashback to Marco’s final speech on the Pella. Amid the fist-pumping and chanting, we see Filip rise from his chair and depart the room after one final look over his shoulder. We see a tiny ship zooming away from the Pella as Naomi continues in voice over: “You never know the effect you might have on someone… maybe one cruel thing you said haunts them forever, maybe one moment of kindness gives them comfort or courage. Maybe you said the one thing they needed to hear. It doesn’t matter if you ever know, you just have to try.” We see Filip sort his newly chosen identify in: “Filip Nagata,” a tribute to Naomi in addition to a strategy to sever ties without end with you-know-who.

Holden’s thoughts has already drifted to the longer term—piracy will likely be a difficulty across the Ring, perhaps they will get a consulting gig for one of many colonies, and hey, no matter occurred to that protomolecule pattern?—however Naomi stops him. “Let’s just stay here for a minute.” We see the Rocinante zooming by house towards an unknown vacation spot… and with that, The Expanse is over.

We’ll have extra ideas on season six and “Babylon’s Ashes” coming quickly, however within the meantime: what did you consider the shortened season? Did the finale wrap up in a satisfying method? How loud did you cheer when Marco began to disintegrate? Share your reactions under!

Wondering the place our RSS feed went? You can decide the brand new up one right here.