As The Expanse enters the final three episodes of the season, the scope of the universe continues to expand while our far-flung character’s paths begin to intersect.
This continues tonight with Here There Be Dragons, the eleventh episode of the season. Syfy’s episode description simply reads “Bobbie makes a decision that changes her life forever”.
While Bobbie is a fan favorite character for readers of the novels, up until this point in the show she has been very difficult to connect with.
Sure, she is a badass Martian marine but her hyper-nationalism and aloofness as well as being apart from the main story has made her emotionally inaccessible.
This all changed last episode and looks to continue as The Expanse goes forward.
The political conflict between Earth and Mars has delayed terraforming on Mars.
Therefore Bobbie will never get to see her homeworld as a paradise. In contrast, Earth has not only taken their Eden for granted and ruined it, but they have denied generations of Martians from having their own.
This is deeply affecting for Bobbie and inspires bitterness and resentment towards Earth and its people.
By escaping her confinement to get a glimpse of the only ocean she will ever see, Bobbie found herself in a New York and Earth that was not at all what she expected.
Instead of a planet full of bureaucrats, warmongers, the spoiled and the entitled, Bobbie found that Earth, like Mars, is full of people.
She found kindness in strangers and witnessed the struggle of those on the ground.
Like in the real world, it is easy to demonize an entire group of people when you are completely removed from them.
When you actually meet them, though, these long-held beliefs become difficult to maintain.
Bobbie finally became a fully-fleshed out, emotional character in this episode. In seeing the humanity of the Earthers, she revealed more of her own.
There are a lot of pieces on the chessboard now as we race towards the end.
It looks like Ganymede may be the stage for the climax of the season.
The crew of the Rocinante is pursuing Dr. Strickland and Mei while struggling with the lengths they are willing to go to.
The breadbasket of the system is now in danger of failing. Mars has blocked our heroes off from Alex, the Rocinante and rescue.
Then there is of course the ever lingering threat of the protomolecule. A protomolecule that has been weaponized in a new way, presumably by Mars.
Meanwhile on Earth, Errinwright has finally had a crisis of conscience and come clean to Avasarala.
Perhaps with these two aligned and the wild card of Bobbie Draper they can make a difference in unraveling this conspiracy.
Here is a preview clip from the episode…
The Expanse airs Wednesdays at 10/9c on Syfy.