2-07. "The Seventh Man"
Written by Georgia Lee
Directed by Kenneth Fink
First aired 8 March 2017
SYNOPSIS
Following the ground battle on Ganymede, Bobbie Draper is rescued by the MCRN and questioned about the events; her superiors seem skeptical of her report. She is devastated to learn she was the sole survivor—even Lieutenant Sutton was killed. After she recovers, Bobbie is awarded the purple heart, then she's ordered to Earth so she can testify about the battle, on the condition she agree to present a false narrative, claiming her team fired first, and omitting any mention of a "thing" without a vac suit.
At the UN, Avasarala presses for a peace summit with Mars to prevent further escalation. Over three thousand people were killed in the Ganymede battle, and the agricultural domes—on which the Belt depends for food—suffered significant damage.
On Tycho Station, refugees begin arriving from Ganymede. Fred Johnson meets with all of the OPA factions, recommending that Anderson Dawes represent the Belt at a peace summit with the UN and MCRN. Some of the factions object to the idea of returning the missiles Johnson captured back to Earth. Dawson learns from Drummer that Johnson has captured Cortázar, who has knowledge of the Protomolecule. With the intent to murder Cortázar, Holden goes to his cell and finds him gone: Dawson has taken Cortázar captive, using Diogo as a decoy in order to escape Tycho Station.
ANALYSIS
"You forgot how to be a good rock hopper."
The series maintains its momentum by offering us some powerhouse performances. Fred Johnson's meeting with the OPA is a showcase for Jared Harris' brilliant turn as Anderson Dawes—he utterly steals the show as his character expertly manipulates the crowd. Frankie Adams also does an admirable job as Bobbie being repeatedly questioned by the MCRN, increasingly overcome with sorrow as she realizes they were all slaughtered. "I'm so sorry!" she weeps.
For the aftermath of the ground battle on Ganymede at the opening of the episode, the effects teams were challenged to creatively portray the carnage with visual artistry, style and grace. They met the challenge with an amazing sequence.
There are some fascinating philosophical debates, particularly as Dawes and Holden verbally spar over returning from Eros emptyhanded; despite Dawes' apparent attempts to manipulate Holden, he in fact speaks truths regarding right and wrong, good and bad.
The scene with Anderson Dawes and Diogo Harari is also notable. There's something captivating about how they share Belter sayings and gestures; they breathe life and history into their culture, which is especially important when that culture is fictional. That we don't know what they're saying at times is irrelevant, and actually adds to the magic; it's these customs that build the rich tapestry of a Universe we can never experience in person, but can admire. And Dawes' musings about the vastness of the Belt is a mesmerizing head trip. "On Jupiter, you'd be celebrating your first birthday."
Best Scene: Dawes verbally seduces Drummer into revealing Fred Johnson's "secret weapon", amusingly discussing a supposed Belter method to treat constipation.
Best Line: On his way off the Roci, Dawe's offers a parting observation about Holden: "You remind me of someone. Just missing the hat, that's all."
Picking Nits: The whole thing about Amos being triggered by a young refugee boy and his mother is unconvincing and seems unnecessary, and his discussion with Cortázar about it just doesn't work for me; both of them seem out-of-character.
Hard Media Commentary: Executive Producer/Writer Mark Fergus; Frankie Adams (Bobbie Draper).
SCORE: 