2-06. "Paradigm Shift"
Written by Naren Shankar
Directed by David Grossman
First aired 1 March 2017
SYNOPSIS
A series of flashbacks, sprinkled throughout the first half of this episode, relate how a Martian fusion engineer, Solomon Epstein, developed his revolutionary drive, which opens the rest of the Solar System to colonization.
At the UN, Errinwright reviews the fallout from the Eros incident, and arranges for a ship to investigate Eros' crash site on Venus. Later, Avasarala confronts Errinwright about Jules-Pierre Mao, threatening Mao's business empire and his family over his involvement in the Eros incident, and demanding Errinwright convince Mao to surrender. Then Avasarala has dinner with Michael Iturbi, a UN scientist who suspects the Eros incident involved something alien, and begs her to get him onto the ship being sent to Venus.
The Rocinante crew discusses what to do with the Protomolecule sample they hid. Holden insists that it be destroyed by firing it into the sun. Naomi uses a simulation of the missile flight to convince the others it happened.
On Tycho Station, Holden and crew return to a hero's welcome from Belters. Later, Holden learns that Fred Johnson has possession of the UN nuclear missiles that didn't self-destruct.
On Ganymede, Bobbie Draper and her team are patrolling the agricultural domes. UN Marines suddenly charge the Martians and open fire. Seconds later, a full-scale battle breaks out in orbit, during which the enormous mirrors orbiting Ganymede are destroyed; the wreckage comes crashing down on the agricultural domes, destroying most of them. After the battle on the ground subsides, an injured Bobbie regains consciousness and finds a creature with no vac suit staring down at her.
ANALYSIS
"They are engaging in orbit!"
One might think "Home" would be a tough act to follow, but they manage to keep the pace and plot twists intense enough to maintain the momentum, flicking from scene to scene at breakneck speed. The battle in orbit over Ganymede is mind-boggling, with multiple ships firing streams of shells that twist and turn through space, blasting debris everywhere. And nary a ray gun to be seen!
The flashbacks presenting the origin of the Epstein Drive painlessly explain how propulsion works on The Expanse.
Best Scene: When Avasarala confronts Errinwright about Jules-Pierre Mao's involvement in the Eros incident, she unleashes a scathing, vicious monologue detailing what she'll do to Mao and his family in disturbingly vivid terms. "Be sure to tell him that." Shohreh Aghdashloo can really dish it out!
Best Line: I love Fred Johnson's summary of Miller: "He was a pain-in-the-ass suicidal ex-cop... who got the job done."
Hard Media Commentary: Showrunner/Executive Producer/Writer Naren Shankar; Supervising Producer/Writer Daniel Abraham.
SCORE: 