WiC Watches: The Expanse season 4

Image: The Expanse/Amazon

Episode 404: “Retrograde”

In the wake of yet another shooting by Murtry, this one killing multiple Belters, the settlement has gone into lockdown mode. Murtry is on the hunt for anyone who was associated with the Belters he gunned down for conspiring against him. Since he listened in on conversations between the members of the rebel group, he knows exactly who to look for. The settlement’s resident doctor, Lucia Mazur (Rosa Gilmore), who didn’t even participate in the rebel group, becomes Murtry’s focus. Dr. Mazur, with the help of Naomi and Amos, escape the camp in an attempt to make it to the Rocinante and evade the RCE and Murtry.

Naomi is in the worse condition she’s been in since she stepped onto New Terra, yet she jumps to help this woman without hesitation. Her internal drive and will to help has always been a part of her character, but here it seems over the top. By the time they make it near the Rossi, Dr. Mazur is basically carrying Naomi with her. Though her body is failing her, Naomi isn’t without aide. She makes contact with Holden for assistance and uses the Rossi’s rail gun to scatter the RCE troops, allowing their getaway. It’s the first problem we’ve seen Naomi overcome this season by outsmarting it. Though she simultaneously takes a huge loss, as she’s forced to go back into orbit around the planet to save herself.

Bobbie is still trying to do the right thing, but it seems she’s surrounded by people who want the opposite. When she tries to confess her crime to her boss, the guy asks if she can make the connection again, so he can get in on the action. So far each person Bobbie has trusted to uphold basic laws has been on the wrong side of said laws. But Bobbie’s not having any of it, as she quits her job right after. This leads to her arrest, and then full-time employment by the mob boss detective, whose name still hasn’t been made clear. You can look it up and find it: it’s Esai Martin (Paul Schulze), but it only flashes on screen once, and he’s never referred to by name by any other characters. Bobbie’s moral fabric seems to be hanging in the balance as her values and code are torn down by the people around her. Once again, we see a character have to overcome obstacles in ways that put them way out of their comfort zone. The potential for a grand character arc for Bobbie is very apparent and appreciated.

Finally, we meet Marcos Inaros (Keon Alexander). He doesn’t make the impact I thought he would, although I’m a little biased on account of having read ahead. We first see him floating in an air lock under questioning by Camina Drummer (Cara Gee) and Klaes Ashford (David Stratharin). He has been charged with breaking the treaty the O.P.A. (Outer Planets Alliance) has with the inner planets, Earth and Mars. We see him constantly avoiding questions and answering in mock rallying cries for the Belt to rise against the migrating Inners. His bloodied and bruised appearance makes him seem less cunning and charismatic and more crazed and vengeful. It’s certainly a different take on the O.P.A. leader, and will make for an interesting conflict between him and the rest of the organization. He is ultimately let go because of his speeches about the Ring changing nothing between the Inners and Belters. Basically, they let him go on the grounds that he doesn’t kill anyone until the Inners break the alliance. Foreshadowing anyone?

The final scene of this episode is the first glimpse of the James Holden we came to know in previous seasons. After saying his goodbyes to Naomi and Alex, he stalks up to Murtry, who makes his case that he had no intention of harming Naomi. The scene is shot from a wide angle, far away from the two men. There is a strong western vibe: two men, staring at one another, guns in hand. It’s only when Holden walks right up to Murtry and punches him, disarming him in the process, that the camera shifts to a close-up shot for each man. James tells Murtry he’s not in command anymore and the gravity of the scene is felt, and you can almost feel the power shift in that moment, and the righteousness that is James Holden come back. It was only a matter of time and now the fate of the people of New Terra falls on Holden.