Despite all the excitement of seeing For All Mankind season 5 take place in the 2010s, there's a looming storyline that looks unavoidable at this point. No one wants it to happen, which is probably why everyone is hesitant to talk about it. However, that won't make it go away. It's still not definitely going to take place, but on the strong chance that it does, don't fret. There could be a notable silver lining.
Yes, the dreaded twist everyone is avoiding thinking about involves Joel Kinnaman's Ed Baldwin. Ed is one of the few remaining characters from For All Mankind's inaugural season back in 2019. Considering Kinnaman had just finished a critically-acclaimed run as Takeshi Kovacs in Netflix's Altered Carbon, Kinnaman had to choose wisely when it came to what his next project would be. For All Mankind turned out to be the right decision, but his time on the show can't last forever.
Why Ed probably won't make it past For All Mankind season 5
Ed was in his prime in For All Mankind season 1, which is when the show saw him in the early stages of becoming a spacefaring legend in the wake of the Russians' 1969 victory in the Space Race. Since then, Ed has been trying to redeem himself in his own eyes by being the first man to do anything in space. Sadly, he's always fallen short of doing so, but he has come second a few times. Regardless, in season 4, Ed was living full-time on Mars and was in his early 70s.
In For All Mankind season 5, the show's make-up department has been forced to work overtime to make Kinnaman look like he's now in his 80s. When the season 5 finale inevitably jumps forward another decade, Ed will be in his nineties, if he's still alive. Although it's not impossible that Ed could still be alive in season 6, just how much he'd be able to contribute to the story comes into question. Plus, the make-up in season 4 looks okay, but the limits of this aging-up technique are starting to show. Making Kinnaman look any older with prosthetics will venture into parody territory.
So, although I know I'm not alone in saying I don't want Ed to die, it makes sense on several levels to have his passing take place. All that remains is for the writers to find a suitable way for Kinnaman to make his exit. Dying peacefully in his sleep doesn't seem appropriate for Ed after decades of daring, trailblazing endeavors. Then again, anything too high-octane wouldn't be realistic for an octogenarian. It's a tricky balance to find, but it must be found in season 4.
Ed's death doesn't mean we'll never see him again
For All Mankind has zero supernatural elements, so I'm not suggesting some sort of resurrection storyline for Ed here. Instead, the show can operate within its own storytelling rules to allow Ed's return. Although For All Mankind hasn't made particularly heavy use of flashback sequences, the show has featured them before. So, Kinnaman could reprise his role as Ed in various eras of his life if For All Mankind season 6 or beyond ever wants to recall him to the cast. That said, there is another way Ed could come back.
Apple TV recently announced that Star City, the upcoming For All Mankind spin-off, will premiere on May 29, 2026. This means the first episode will actually arrive exactly one week after For All Mankind's season 5 finale. Although the spin-off will largely retell the story of the alt-timeline's Space Race from the Russians' perspective, this opens the door for more appearances from Ed. Star City isn't expected to feature the huge time jumps of its parent program, remaining mostly in the 1970s and dealing with the more immediate fallout of the Russians' victory.
Although Ed has already appeared during the franchise's version of the 1970s, there's no reason why Star City can't also flesh out his timeline in the spin-off. While he would likely receive far less focus in Star City than he did in For All Mankind, Kinnaman is still young enough to play Ed Baldwin during the 1970s-era of the spinoff show. So, even if Ed does die in For All Mankind season 5, it may only be a matter of weeks before we get to see Kinnaman playing him again.
For All Mankind season 5 premieres on Apple TV on March 27, 2026.