The Expanse has come and gone and, surprising no one who’s a fan of
The Expanse, it was brilliant. Season five encompassed many personal journeys for our heroes, and through trials, tragedies, and space battles, they ended up back where they belonged. Well, most of them did. Let’s take a look at the season finale, “Nemesis Games.” Spoilers for
First, we should dispense with the elephant in the room. Alex Kamal is no longer with us. We knew it was coming, but I’m still seriously impressed with how the production approached Alex’s death. Ever since the sexual misconduct allegations against actor Cas Anvar came to light, and the show’s investigation of the claims and announcement that Anvar would not be back for season six, we knew that Alex’s time was limited. But how do you write off a central character who means a lot to fans, when his actor’s alleged actions make watching scenes with him uncomfortable?
The finale of
The Expanse season 5 has arrived on Amazon, and wow, there’s a lot for fans to unpack from the last 10 episodes. If you haven’t watched the season in its entirety (and I do mean
all 10 episodes, not just the first nine), check out our non-spoiler review.
If you’ve finished this season, however, read on for a
spoiler-filled take on some of the major events of season 5. We have a lot to discuss.
This is your final warning:
MAJOR spoilers for season 5 below!
Let’s start at the end of the season, and talk first about the finale, “Nemesis Games.” Readers of the James S.A. Corey books will recognize this as the title of the fifth book in the series. And as the episode title suggests, a lot of the events in the finale mirror what happens in the book.
Holden and Bull agree that the
Roci has no chance against their aggressors they’re outnumbered and extremely outgunned but what they don’t know is that three of the five ships pursuing them are under the command of Drummer (Cara Gee), or they
would be if Marco zealot Karal (Olunike Adeliyi) hadn’t bullied her way into being in charge.
The Expanse is careful to show us all of the ships involved setting up the battle ahead and then build the tension steadily; the camera is in constant motion aboard Drummer’s ship as Karal settles in behind the firing controls, eager to blast the
The Expanse Ended Its Best Season to Date With a Hell of a Ride
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The odds ain t good for these guys. (Image: Amazon Studios)
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It’s that time,
Expanse fans, when the finale we’ve been dying to see arrives and then leaves us dying to know what happens next once it’s over. Season four ended with Marco Inaros (Keon Alexander) preparing to attack Earth, but season five’s “Nemesis Games” ended with something even
through it this season.
The end is near, Screaming Firehawks, and with just one
Expanse episode to go after this week’s blazing “Winnipesaukee,” the stage is set for a finale full of questions that need answering, conflicts we hope to see resolved, and a reunion we’ve been waiting almost all of season five to see. But first: PUNCH IT!
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“Winnipesaukee” opens with Marco (Keon Alexander) getting an update on a recent Free Navy battle, which resulted in some Martian and UN ships destroyed, but also multiple Belter deaths. “The Free Navy mourns our allies who died in this valiant effort,” he says diplomatically, before adding with a grin, “But it was worth the price.” His smarm dissipates when he gets a message from Karal (Olunike Adeliyi), his eyes and ears in Drummer’s fleet, and she lets him know that something odd happened with the fake distress call he set to broadcast from the bomb-rigged