1-05. "Back to the Butcher"
Written by Dan Nowak
Directed by Rob Lieberman
First aired 5 January 2016
SYNOPSIS
Having no better options, Holden and his crew accept Fred Johnson's proposal to dock at Tycho Station. In order to avoid the Tachi being identified as a stolen Martian warship, Holden and Naomi rename the ship the Rocinante. Through a series of flashbacks from 11 years prior, we learn of Fred Johnson's past as a UN Marine Colonel who led an assault on a mining station that had been overtaken by protestors. Despite attempts to surrender, the miners and their children are all killed, earning Johnson the nickname "the Butcher of Anderson Station."
On Ceres, Miller learns why Julie Mao was in contact with the man thought to be Bizy Betiko: evidently she voluntarily joined the OPA to support the Belter's bid for independence, and this man provided her with information on something that had the potential to destabilize the entire System. After retrieving a data chip from Julie's apartment, Miller is abducted.
ANALYSIS
"I've known people with causes... causes that get people killed."
In this episode, we're treated to flashbacks that fill in some of Fred Johnson's backstory. We're also treated to some of the harsh realities of life in this vision of our future: the mass killing of Belters—men, women and children—merely for the sake of making a political statement.
Best Scene: Although it's arresting and depressing, the aftermath of the destruction of Anderson Station is unforgettable.
Best Line: While Miller is digging in the corpse's leg for the data chip, Muss winces. Miller remarks, "Well, it's not like I'm hurting the guy."
SCORE: 