Unraveling the Protomolecule: Mystery and Conflict in The Expanse Season 1
In the cinematic world of space-based science fiction, no show is larger than Star Wars and Star Trek; some would say Battlestar Galactica and Stargate SG-1 come close, but they’re still nowhere near as popular. Much of a show’s reputation came from the time when they were aired or released on the big screen. Back in the day, none were bigger and bolder than Star Wars and Star Trek, which made everything that followed look like a copy attempt and a massive nod to their popularity. But now things have come a long way since the day when they were considered groundbreaking in every aspect. When it specifically comes to sci-fi storytelling, however, The Expanse might just be everybody’s next favorite. Here is a deeper look at mystery and conflict in the expanse season 1.
The Expanse, an adaptation of a novel series of the same name by James S. A. Corey, is a hard sci-fi that focuses on the political tension in the solar system between three major factions: the Earthers, the colonies on Mars, and the inhabitants of the asteroid belt between Mars and Jupiter. Respectively, they’re represented by the United Nations (UN), the Martian Congressional Republic Navy (MCRN), and the Outer Planets Alliance (OPA).
On the galactic level, the political battle between Earth and Mars is only a few steps away from transforming into an all-out military conflict. Conspiracies lurk underneath the interplanetary relationship, and there are some private corporations who will definitely benefit from the tension.
The solar system is basically a capitalist society. And just like typical capitalism, the hierarchy needs an underclass to serve everyone above. The Expanse gives this underclass group called the Belters, the society who has spent generations mining resources in the asteroid belt to where the belt itself actually became inhabitable. But this inhabitability came at a significant cost; the Belters, who were originally humans, now appear as if they’re a different species entirely because of generations of exposure to low gravity environments. As a matter of fact, the Belters are practically aliens; returning to Earth is impossible since their bodies cannot adapt to the planet anymore. Their bones are too thin and brittle to survive on Earth.
The Belters are sick and tired of being used by everyone else of the Inner Planets (Earthers and Martians) as slaves whose primary role in the society is to feed them with their hard-earned raw materials. With no proper appreciation from the Inner Planets, the Belters are primed for revolution under the banner of OPA. Peace among the major factions in the solar system is delicately balanced. OPA wants more rights for their people, and they even consider themselves freedom fighters. The Martians keep on stockpiling military technologies because they know war is coming. The solar system is just about ready to explode, and that’s before the protomolecule comes to the scene and complicates the matter further.
Not much is known about the power of the protomolecule in The Expanse Season 1. You have a glimpse of its ability to feed on humans (and an entire civilization on a space station) but the true danger and potential remain largely a mystery. The protomolecule was first discovered on Phoebe, one of Starun’s moons, by the MCRN and an Earth-based private corporation known as Protogen. The team from the Protogen conducted an experiment by exposing the Martian team to the then-unknown substance. Knowing the effects of the substance on human bodies, they burned all evidence of the experiment along with the bodies before leaving Phoebe. MCRN flagship Donnager was dispatched to Phoebe to investigate the matter, only to discover the charred bodies of the scientists.
Protomolecule is not a life-form, but it can consume living organisms and make use of all the infected organisms in a variety of ways. It can basically rewrite or reprogram anything it touches for its own purposes, and that’s why it has huge potential to be weaponized. The crew of the Rocinante and Detective Miller are trapped in a large-scale conspiracy by some powerful Earthers to transform the protomolecule into super weapons and sell it to the highest bidder. While Holden and Miller are doing real investigative work in space, the Secretary-General of the United Nations is treading on a thin political balance surrounding the situation to prevent all-out war between Mars and Earth.
We think all the mysteries and conflicts presented in The Expanse Season 1 make for an excellent introduction to the overall series (as depicted in the novels). Over the course of 10 episodes, you’re spoiled with an exciting storyline that focuses on the system-wide investigation following the destruction of the Canterbury and the disappearance of Julie Mao. Separate plot lines are woven into a single major arc, and the characters follow their own paths of development, which are intertwined with each other as well. All the twists and turns get increasingly more complex until they’re all pulled together by the revelation about the protomolecule, which brings everything into a satisfying, coherent conclusion.
Do you see the protomolecule as an alien or a technology? Would you like to see more of Avasarala in the coming seasons? We’d love to hear from you.
Other Things You Might Want to Know
Is The Expanse Season 1 based on the first book in the novel series?
Mostly – about 75% of the first season – is indeed based on the first book in the series, Leviathan Wakes. However, there are also character elements taken from Caliban’s War (the second book) and Nemesis Games (the fifth book) as well. In fact, the fifth episode of the first season is an adaptation of a digital short story “The Butcher of Anderson Station,” of which the events are set before the story in the Leviathan Wakes.
Is Memory’s Legion: The Complete Expanse Story Collection part of the main series?
No, it’s a collection of short stories and novellas besides the main series. The collection comprises:
Drive
The Churn
The Butcher of Anderson Station
Gods of Risk
The Vital Abyss
Strange Dogs
Auberon
The Sins of Our Fathers
The only story excluded from the collection is “The Last Flight of the Cassandra,” as it is exclusive to The Expanse RPG.
Where to watch The Expanse Season 1 for free?
You can stream the first season for free on Apple TV+ with a free trial. On Prime Video, The Expanse Season 1 is also available for free, and it’s in 4K quality.
