When Filip coldly tells his father, вЂњDoesnвЂ™t alter your plan. Likewise thereвЂ™s the sudden chilly resolve shown by Filip, who is shown loading a gun just before failing to react to his fatherвЂ™s news that the Chetzemoka trap didnвЂ™t work. The same sort of question mark hangs over Marco himself, who has only rarely appeared actively engaged in a systemwide rebellion. There was even time to explore MonicaвЂ™s suspicions about the fate of the protomolecule and BullвЂ™s continued disregard for the вЂњskinnies,вЂќ even the ones that saved them from annihilation. It gave The Expanse fans the space battle action theyвЂ™ve been craving while skillfully merging several of the seasonвЂ™s storylines. Starting the episode with HoldenвЂ™s self-sacrificial burn and blast to buy Alex time to rescue Naomi was totally the right move, though. Even the death of Alex and the onboarding of Clarissa felt more like turning points than resolutions.

ThereвЂ™s nothing wrong with that per se, especially since the season does resolve somewhat with the reunion of the Rocinante crew and with AvasaralaвЂ™s return to power, but Marco is still at large in a severely damaged solar system - and the Martians are apparently just getting started. So it turns out, it seems, that The Expanse season 5 was one giant setup for season 6, the showвЂ™s final run.

This The Expanse review contains spoilers.

The expanse season 5 episode 8