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For those who like their post-apocalyptic more on the hard sci-fi/space opera side, you’ll be overjoyed to hear that The Expanse is returning to Amazon Prime for Season 6 on December 10th! 

It’s been a long year without the crew of the Rocinante, the Belters, and the Inners, but this season is set to be the most post-apocalyptically relevant season yet! Unfortunately, we’re only getting 6 episodes, and these will be the last (at least on Amazon). While there are far more volumes in the book series, there is a twenty-eight-year gap between book 6 (Babylon’s Ashes) and book 7 (Leviathan Falls), so it makes sense Amazon wouldn’t want to foray into that territory. 

To lead us into Season 6, today I’ll be providing a short recap of where Season 5 left us and some projections. Usually, I’m one of “those people” who always reads the book before the show, but in this case, I’m going into it with no knowledge of the content (so if my projections are correct, it’s not because I “cheated” and read the books)!

Season 5 

The last episode, Nemesis Games, was killer. Marcos Inaros (the manipulative rebel leader of the Free Navy) ordered Camina Drummer, along with four other ships, to attack the Rocinante. Instead, Drummer backstabbed Inaros, and her ship defended the Roci in a sweet ship battle. Despite winning the fight, half of Drummer’s crew leaves her to forge their own path, unable to reconcile Drummer’s principles and devotion to her other friends. 

Meanwhile, Naomi was still trapped on the derelict Chetzamoka, which had been rigged to blow. Unable to stop the bomb, she opened a thruster to send the ship off course, then jumped out. Bobbie came to the rescue, pulling Naomi to safety inside the Razorback (now called the Screaming Firehawk). Unfortunately, Alex (due to being written off the show) dies of a stroke from too much G-Force acceleration (though at least he died rescuing Naomi). 

Amos and Clarissa made it to Luna after they escaped from Clarissa’s prison. Their harrowing journey across an Earth that grew more and more post-apocalyptic (caused by Inaros’ meteor attack early in the season) was one of my favorite aspects of Season 5. At the end of the finale, Amos convinced Holden to let Clarissa be on their crew (I’m guessing as mechanic and backup pilot). 

The “Once and Future Queen” Avasarala has exerted control over the system, enacting an “Emergency Power Provision” to place Earth and Mars under military control (as to be expected).

At the same time, Inaros has taken Medina station (or at least is in league with it) and has allowed traitorous Martians (which Bobbie was investigating for Avasarala) to wreak havoc before escaping the planet Laconia through the Sol Gate.

Yet, as the Martians enter, they are surrounded by a red mist, much like that on the Arborghast in the Season 2 Finale. We are led to believe that the mysterious alien entities (as yet unseen in the show) have wiped the ship from existence. 

On top of all this, Monica, the reporter, learns that the protomolocule was not destroyed in the Zmeya explosion but shot through an empty torpedo for the Martian traitors to find as payment for the ships Inaros requisitioned from them.

Whew! On to the fun part: some speculations on my part!  Let us know in the comments what you hope to see from the final season, but try to keep from posting spoilers (from the books)!

Given the state of Earth (in the trailer), I wonder if we’ll get Avasarala refusing to step down from power, claiming something along the lines of “stability.” 

I’m sure everyone is hoping that Inaros gets what is coming to him, but I really hope that involves Filip realizing his dad is a manipulative psychopath. I’d also be okay with Camina kicking his ass. Or if she and Filip teamed up! 

I really hope we get to see Bobbie pummel some people. Or at least more space marine aspects. 

Is the red mist connected to the protomolecule somehow (like a derivative?) or something completely separate?  

I’m 100% certain we will see Holden brood at least six more times (once per episode). 

I’m really hoping we see a lot more of the post-apocalyptic aspects of Earth! 

We better get more space battles!

And, finally, of course (if you read my Season 5 recap and reviews) I really really really hope Amos and Clarissa get together! 

Tina S. Beier

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T. S. Beier is obsessed with science fiction, the ruins of industry, and Fallout. She is the author of What Branches Grow, a post-apocalyptic novel (which was a Top 5 Finalist in the 2020 Kindle Book Awards and a semi-finalist in the 2021 Self-Published Science Fiction Competition) and the Burnt Ship Trilogy (space opera). She is a book reviewer, editor, and freelance writer. She currently lives in Ontario, Canada with her husband, two feral children, and a Shepherd-Mastiff.

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