The Expanse is a sci-fi show based on a series
of books. It’s got drama, politics, mystery, space
battles, space lasagne, and the later seasons get really wild. The Expanse is set in a future where humans
have colonised the solar system . Earth is the old superpower, overpopulated, and “in
decline” . Mars is an independent world, with strong science and military, working
to terraform Mars – to transform the red rock into a “garden” . The people of the
asteroid belt are called Belters – they live dangerous lives on the frontiers of space
, and have their own culture and language. At the start of the story, scientists find
a mysterious alien virus called the protomolecule. Earth Mars and the Belt get into conflict
trying to control it – and in the first three seasons, the heroes of the story manage
to end this war. But the protomolecule grows into the Ring,
-- a kind of wormhole connecting to thousands of new habitable worlds in distant systems. So who are the main characters facing this
“new frontier” in Season 4? Holden is a brave heroic leader. He was born on Earth, to a family of eight
parents – five fathers and three mothers who all contributed to Holden’s DNA . They
ran a farm in Montana , and raised Holden to stand up for truth and justice . He served
in the Earth space navy, but quit when he was ordered to fire on civilians. So at the start of the story, Holden’s on
a ship called the Canterbury – til it’s suddenly destroyed as part of a protomolecule
conspiracy. Holden steps up as a leader, and fights to
protect his crew , Alex Amos and Naomi. The dangers they face bring them together
as an unlikely family, on a ship called the Rocinante. Holden can be naïve and impulsive, so Naomi
challenges him to make smarter decisions . They start a relationship, bonding over their shared
determination to do what’s right . The crew investigate the protomolecule, and Holden
meets Detective Miller. Miller is cynical and brutal, which challenges
Holden’s heroic ideals – Miller shows that to get shit done, sometimes you’ve
gotta be morally flexible. So sometimes Holden does bad things for the
greater good, even killing innocent people to save others . But Naomi reminds Holden
of his humanity, and helps him to stay grounded . Holden struggles with being a leader, and
being a hero , but when push comes to shove, he’s always willing to risk his life to
save others . In Season 2, Miller dies, crashing into Venus with a moon full of protomolecule. But in Season 3, Holden has visions of Miller. The protomolecule uses Miller’s consciousness
as a tool to communicate with Holden. The alien intelligence behind the molecule
guides Holden to open the Ring gates. So now, Holden and his crew face the mystery
and danger of alien worlds. Naomi is a smart skilled engineer . She’s
a Belter with a secret past – she was once involved with a radical faction of the OPA,
a group fighting for Belter rights . She had a son with an OPA guy – but the father took
the baby away from her . And Naomi was on a mission where “innocent people died”
. So Naomi is haunted with trauma and guilt . But she found support on the Cant, with
Amos . Amos is strange – he’s unemotional, and violent. But Naomi helps Amos to make moral decisions
, and Amos reassures Naomi that she’s a good person , no matter what happened in her
past. In the conflict over the protomolecule, it’s
the Belters who suffer most, which reminds Naomi of her loyalty to her people . So against
the wishes of Holden and the crew, Naomi gives a protomolecule sample to the OPA , and she
leaves the Roci to join a Belter ship. Holden and Amos feel betrayed , but Naomi
believes in the Belt, and in their mission to build an independent Belter nation . Naomi
is close friends with OPA leader Drummer, and helps her in Season 3. But in the end, Naomi returns to the Rocinante,
and to Holden Amos and Alex – cause while the Belters are her people, the Roci crew
are her “family” , and her “home” .
Amos is a mechanic born on Earth – he’s tough, blunt, and emotionally detached . He’s
secretive about his past, but it’s implied that he was sexually exploited as a child
, as part of organised crime in Baltimore . He learned to suppress all emotion , and
do whatever’s necessary to survive . He uses brutal violence without hesitation or
remorse . Sometimes he gets in fights with his friends, like Alex . He knows he’s not
good at making the right choices , so that’s why he’s reliant on Naomi . She’s his
“guide star”, “Lighting the way” “through the dark” . So when Naomi leaves the Roci
, Amos is forced to think for himself some more. He develops new friendships, with Anna and
Prax . Despite all the darkness in Amos, he’s a funny and loveable guy – fans call him
“Murder Snuggles” , cause he’s affectionate and honest and loyal and vulnerable, and he’s
trying so hard to be a better man. Alex is a cheerful Martian pilot, with a Texan
accent, and a fondness for country music. He flew with the Martian navy, and discovered
his passion for spaceflight . He has a wife and child on Mars, but he’s left them behind
cause he believes his true purpose is flying with the Rocinante, doing good, and saving
lives . Holden Naomi and Amos are his family now – but there is a sadness to Alex that
he’s estranged from his wife and child. He finds comfort in a friendship with Bobbie,
a Martian marine. Alex’s expertise as a pilot saves the Rocinante
countless times. So the main heroes of the story are the Roci
crew – Holden Naomi Amos and Alex. On Earth, there’s Avasarala, a powerful
politician in the United Nations, which controls Earth. Avasarala is charming, and scheming, and sassy
as all fuck. In Season 1, she’s ruthless in defending
Earth’s power – she tortures, and blackmails, and she betrays a friend . Cause years ago,
Avasarala’s son was killed by the OPA , and she’s determined to protect her remaining
family. She believes Earth comes first , and she’ll
do anything to defend her home. But Avasarala uncovers corruption within her
own government – her colleague Errinwright conspires to weaponise the protomolecule. So Avasarala works with the Roci crew, and
with Belters, and Martians, and risks her own life to stop Errinwright and prevent war. Avasarala learns to see the humanity in all
people – in Belters and Martians as well as Earthers . In Season 3, she becomes Secretary-General,
the most powerful person on Earth, and she urges peace and unity as humanity faces new
worlds beyond the Ring. Bobbie is a Martian marine – a tough and
confident warrior . She comes from a military family, and was fiercely loyal to Mars – at
the start of Season 2, she couldn’t wait for a war to wipe out Earth . But on Ganymede,
her squad is killed by a protomolecule creature. And Bobbie discovers that her own Martian
government unleashed this monster, to test it as a weapon . So Bobbie rebels against
Mars, and brings the truth to Avasarala. She helps the Earth government that she once
hoped to destroy – and fights for the greater good . In Season 3, she rejoins the Martians
, but then turns against them to help Holden. Bobbie is a Martian and a soldier, and she
wants to fight for good, but she says “the hardest part of this game is figuring out
who the enemy really is” . Drummer is a leader of the OPA fighting for
a future for Belters. She’s proud, uncompromising, fiercely loyal
to the Belt , and also pretty good at space handball. In Season 3, she becomes captain of the Behemoth,
a massive OPA ship. Drummer’s legs are crushed in an accident,
so Naomi sets up a mech so she can walk. Drummer and Naomi’s friendship runs deep,
it’s tied to their identities as Belters. So by the end of Season 3, Earth Mars and
the Belt are at a delicate peace. But the new worlds beyond the Ring gate promise
more conflict, and more mystery. What alien race made the gates, and what happened
to them? What new dangers will Holden, Naomi Alex and
Amos face? How will the Ring affect Avasarala, Bobbie,
and Drummer? Is peace and humanity possible in the cold
vast expanse? Season 4 streams on Amazon Prime Video on
December 13th. For more more Alt Shift X videos, please like
subscribe and comment. Thanks to Amazon for sponsoring this video,
and thanks to the Patrons, including Amol Borcar, Coral Carracedo, Colin Cannon, Jerome
Froelich, Juravle Catalin, Manu Gupta, and Grimace. Cheers.
