With every new sci-fi show set in space, it’s nothing unusual if you expect it to be as big as Star Wars and as exciting as Star Trek. You want them to tell tales of planets with weird sounding names, filled with untold aliens and even weirder cultures. The Expanse, however, takes a much more intimate approach and depicts humans as a spacefaring species: despite all the technologies and resources, apparently we still take all our shortcomings with us. Social injustice, dirty politics, xenophobia, and greed – you name it, we have it. Here is a deeper look at the character arcs and development in the expanse season 1.
During The Expanse Season 1, it might not be immediately clear who the heroes and villains are. But as you move through the episodes, you’ll realize how the show puts heavier emphasis on the cerebral side of space adventure rather than the typical battle between gun-slinging intergalactic cowboys and murderous villains with overpowered laser blasters. The political intrigues and conspiracy depicted in The Expanse are just as complex as the characters themselves, bringing life to an engaging and believable story with impressive visual effects that naturally force you to pay attention to every tiny detail.
The Expanse Season 1 introduces you to a lot of characters, but the focus is only on three major points of view:
- Detective Joe Miller: the disappearance of Julie Mao, daughter of one of the most powerful people in the solar system, sets the foundation for the detective’s journey. What appears to be a simple missing person’s investigation turns out to be part of a much larger political conspiracy that threatens the well-being of an entire solar system. As complexity rises, you’ll get to know Miller’s character down to a personal level through his unwavering resolve to get to the bottom of the mystery. He is a determined detective who finds himself entangled in precarious situations that help highlight his complex mix of loneliness and self-doubt. Miller is an old-school investigator carrying out his duties surrounded by futuristic environments sprinkled with primitive crimes.
- Captain Jim Holden: following the destruction of their ice hauler, Jim Holden and the remaining survivors of Canterbury are trapped in a continuous struggle for survival. They’re motivated as ever to figure out the mastermind of the attack, but it seems like one riddle only leads to another without an obvious answer in sight. Holden is your straightforward hero who always tries to do the right thing despite the complexity of circumstances. Sometimes, his choices lead him and the crew to more trouble because the world around him doesn’t always play by the same simple good vs. evil rule. It’s precisely this kind of inner battle that makes Holden such a pleasant peculiarity to have.
- Chrisjen Avasarala: while the viewpoint of Avasarala, the Secretary-General of the United Nations, is not exactly “forced” upon the viewers in the same way that Holden’s story and Miller’s journey are, the narrative presented from the politician’s perspective provides a helpful insight into the backbone of conspiracy surrounding Julie Mao’s disappearance and Canterbury’s destruction. She’s a powerful politician with a knack for manipulative tactics to uncover well-planned intrigues. It’s a good thing that she doesn’t stand with the villains.
The remaining crew members of the Rocinante make the presence noticeable as well. Naomi Nagata is easily the more practical side of Holden. She is a capable leader – and technically much more qualified than Holden – but it’s not a role she aspires to do. Amos Burton, the mechanic, is both dangerous and loyal. He often turns to Naomi for moral compass and guidance. Alex Kamal, the pilot, always sees the upside of everything and keeps things light when things get seriously concerning.
The complex story arc with separate plot points that eventually intertwine makes The Expanse a binge worthy show, and the characters make it even more captivating. While it seems like you’re bombarded with a group of confusingly diverse characters from the get-go, the chemistry among them feels genuine. Each character is also unique enough that you don’t get overwhelmed just by trying to memorize who they are and what they do in the story.
We think The Expanse scores a massive point for being an ambitious show. It would take more than just a few episodes until you can separate the heroes from the villains, simply because the show seems to focus too much on the plot line intricacy and leaves the characters somewhat unexplored – at least during the first season. You barely have any idea why characters do what they do and whether they actually have common goals at all. You only know them as pilots, detectives, soldiers, and politicians, but it’s not entirely clear what they’re after even as you get to the fourth or fifth episodes since you’re still trying to connect the dots. The story gets moving at an enjoyable pace halfway through the season, and then things get clear for you to fully realize how promising the show really is.
Some people say The Expanse is trying to be the Game of Thrones in space. Do you think that’s an appropriate comparison? Did you actually read the novel series before watching the TV show? We’d love to hear from you.
Other Things You Might Want to Know
Novels in The Expanse series:
- Leviathan Wakes
- Caliban’s War
- Abaddon’s Gate
- Cibola Burn
- Nemesis Games
- Babylon’s Ashes
- Persepolis Rising
- Tiamat’s Wrath
- Leviathan Falls
Besides the nine novels in the main series, there are also several other short stories and novellas to give more details to the story, although you don’t actually have to read the additional books as they’re complementary in nature.
Are there The Expanse comic books too?
Digital comics The Expanse Origins #1 – #4 are tied to the main book and TV series. Following the conclusion of the TV series (Season 6), there are 12 more comic books as part of The Expanse: Dragon Tooth series.
Other popular books by James S. A. Corey:
Apart from The Expanse series, James S. A. Corey’s most popular books include:
- The Captive’s War trilogy (an ongoing series, and currently there’s only one book published “The Mercy of Gods”)
- Star Wars: Honor Among Thieves (book 2 of Star Wars: Empire and Rebellion)
Short fictions:
- A Man Without Honor
- Silver and Scarlet
- The Drones
- Rates of Change
- The Hunger You’re Fed
- How It Unfolds
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