A Leader's Burden: Drummer's Dilemmas and Decisions in The Expanse Season 5

When the Ring Gate opens a network of wormholes to hundreds of inhabitable planets beyond the Solar System, no one is more concerned about all the conflicts over resources and territory than Avasarala, then the Secretary General of the United Nations. It might be all about power for the Martians and Earthers, but things are different for the Belters. Having been practically oppressed by the Inner Planets for centuries, the Ring Gate promises a new start, better living conditions, and true freedom. Avasarala almost immediately orders a blockade in front of the Ring network to prevent the mass exodus of the Belters. One glaring part of the teams that form the blockade is the OPA Behemoth, now repurposed as Station Medina under the leadership of Camina Drummer, a prominent Belter herself.

Klaes Ashford, also a Belter, is appointed as her second-in-command. OPA’s decision to join the UN in the blockade seems odd; many Belters even think of it as an act of outright betrayal. However, leaders of the OPA consider this nothing but a diplomatic gesture to foster a better relationship with the UN hoping Belters will get equal standing as Earthers and Martians in the future.

It turns out that Drummer’s role as the Station Commander is only the beginning of a series of unpredictable decision-making on her part, and not always in a good way. The Expanse Season 5 highlights many instances where Drummer is forced to make one difficult decision after another, clouded by dilemmas and questions about her true affiliation. Much of her exploits in Season 5 started with the chaos surrounding the disappearance of the UN colony ship Sojourner in the previous season. You need to take a step back and revisit her story to really understand what’s going on.

Sojourner

When the Ring network is freshly open, the OPA Behemoth is stationed right at the forefront of the blockade, preventing anybody from exiting the Solar System through any of the wormholes unnoticed. The situation gets tricky when a colony ship, Sojourner, that has been waiting at the gate for weeks, is found missing. All the passengers are executed, and their dead bodies are launched directly toward the blockade. Drummer and Ashford investigate the case, and it doesn’t take long for them to figure out that Marco Inaros is behind the murders. Inaros is a radical Belter and one of the most prominent to voice his disdain over the OPA’s cooperation with the UN. He was later captured and brought to Behemoth to face trial for the crimes.

OPA leaders are summoned, and they take a vote to determine whether Inaros should be sentenced accordingly or acquitted. They’re all Belters who share the same deep hatred for Earthers and Martians, so acquittal is always a possibility. The votes are evenly split, leaving Drummer to determine Inaros’ fate. Drummer votes to acquit Inaros. If she’s willing to cooperate with Avasarala as a diplomatic gesture, her decision to let go of the mastermind behind the mass killings of Earthers aboard the UN colony ship makes little sense. This directly implies that she has no problem with murders.

Pizzouza

Now that Inaros is at large again, Drummer is at odds with the UN. She quietly sends video evidence to Fred Johnson, an OPA leader, seemingly suggesting that Inaros is aboard the Pizzouza. Johnson forwards the video to Avasarala, who subsequently orders a team to apprehend the fugitive. He wasn’t there, but the firefight that ensues kills everyone aboard the ship. Drummer is upset that Johnson forwarded the video, so she resigns from her position. Ashford is determined to find and kill Inaros. Ashford offers her a chance to join him in the hunt, but she declines. Does she take Inaros’ side?

Ashford’s Death

Confrontation happens between Ashford and Inaros, in which the former kills the latter. It is Drummer who discovers Ashford’s remains and is struck with great remorse. Realizing her poor decision, this time she wants to hunt down the pirate. Now she changes her mind again about Inaros.

With Inaros

The next thing we know is that Drummer receives an invitation from Inaros, asking her to meet him. Drummer agrees, and that’s when she bumps into Naomi, who has been previously taken hostage by the pirate. Brandishing more than enough firepower to form an assault fleet, Inaros forces Drummer to join forces with him. Drummer reluctantly agrees and later on will lead an assault on the Rocinante.

We think Camina Drummer is a bit of a confused leader throughout the season. She might be a Belter with a resentment toward the Earthers, and that’s why she votes to acquit Inaros. But when Pizzouza is under attack and everyone dies, she also rejects an offer by Ashford to hunt Inaros down. Her decision changes again following Ashford’s demise, but still she ends up joining forces with Inaros, albeit reluctantly, to destroy the Rocinante. The inconsistency is quite baffling.

Do you think Drummer’s decision to acquit Inaros is justifiable from the Belters’ perspective? Does she actually make a good captain of the Behemoth? We’d love to hear from you.

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