S03.E12: Congregation / S03.E13: Abaddon's Gate - The Expanse

Man, the tension on the Behemoth between the factions. Even in a place as alien and scary as the slow zone, with them all powerless against unknowable technology, humans still fight amongst themselves. Typical. For every Ashford or Anna, there's always a Diogo.

Ashford says, "you were expecting mutiny". Heh, little inside joke for book readers, there.

I really liked how quickly the Martian captain accepted the idea of blowing up the Ring, and trapping everyone inside it. And I liked Ashford proving that all his big words about Belters becoming something more, becoming the equals to the great powers, weren't bullshit. He was ready to sacrifice himself to save humanity too. And I liked how the sacrificial, 'noble' choice was framed here as the wrong one. But Ashford ended up being part Ahab, part Colonel Kurtz in how quickly he refused to see any other argument. It felt a tad rushed, but I guess it had to be, to get this story told.

That first, sweeping, CGI shot of the slow zone, showing all the ships being pulled into the centre and then zooming in on the Roci, was great. This show is going to be truly something else with Amazon's money behind it.

I loved how Amos gravitated to Anna almost immediately. He was truly baffled by Anna, but she's just the sort of person he always looks for, when trying to make the right decision. But man, that was a neat bit of juxtaposition between two utterly different world views:

"Why do you [help people]?"

"Because it needs to be done. That's what most of my life is: Seeing what needs to be done and trying to do it."

"Mine too."

They were just so fascinated by each other, and I hope we see more of them interacting, because this is the most I've ever liked Elizabeth Mitchell in anything, and her mix of pure empathy and scientific curiosity when trying to figure Amos out was really cool.

The little moment with Alex and Bobbie realising they were shooting at each other was great. Bobbie goes from macho Gunnery Sergeant to unsure and concerned in an instant. And of course, there's none of that with Amos. He likes Bobbie, but he'll still kill her if he has to. But I guess Bobbie screwed up her reinstatement.

I could totally get on board with a Holden/Naomi/Drummer, three person relationship. Think it might be a bit too much for Holden to handle, though. But given that Drummer is not interested  in Holden, I guess that's a moo point. Cara Gee was fantastic again in this episode. Showing real vulnerability, both physical and emotional, which we haven't seen from Drummer before, but still hiding it behind macho bravado.

I did think she was going to sacrifice herself heroically, but I'm so freakin' glad she didn't. There's so much more to do with her character, and if there was a fitting way to get rid of Diogo, squashed by an elevator was perfect. Little shit.

Speaking of sacrifices, I don't buy that Clarissa Mao redeemed herself just because she killed the reactor and got shot for it. But I don't think the show is trying to sell it to me either. She was never a monster, and we always saw how much what she was doing hurt her, but she was driven by the twisted, deranged hatred of Holden. A man who, just as Amos had never met Ashford, she still wanted to kill. Then she does meet him (kind of) and realises he's not what she thought he was, which throws her neat, 'woe is me' vengeance plan completely out of whack. And all those people she killed, it didn't mean anything. Now that's hit home for her, I don't think she'll even try to avoid punishment.

Thirteen hundred new systems for humanity to fight over? This is what I love about this show, and these books. For all the talk of aliens and threats from outside the Solar System, it's about humanity. About the things we do to each other. Every new secret seems to be about how there are things bigger and scarier than us and yet... we still find ways to make it all about us and how we can profit from it.

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