3-13. "Abaddon's Gate"
Written by Daniel Abraham & Ty Franck and Naren Shankar
Directed by Simon Cellan Jones
First aired 27 June 2018
SYNOPSIS
While Holden talks to Miller, Melba listens in. Holden learns that the Station regards humans as a threat, and detonating the nuclear weapon proved it. In order to calm the Station, every ship must power down. Holden, Naomi and Drummer break into the Behemoth's engine control center, while Anna and Monica, with protection from Amos and Alex, broadcast a message to the rest of the ships asking for their help. Bobbie leads a Marine squad to stop the broadcasts, but when she realizes Alex is there and hesitates, her squad attacks her. With help from Alex and Amos, Bobbie defeats her squad. Using Bobbie's power armor, Diogo goes after Holden, Naomi and Drummer; Naomi saves Drummer from Diogo by sending an elevator down on him.
Ashford removes Melba's mod blocker so she can help him prepare to destroy the Ring Gate; Holden and Naomi reach the bridge and try to convince Ashford to power down instead. Ashford orders them killed, but Melba engages her mod and saves Holden and Naomi, then powers down the Behemoth. All of the other ships do likewise, and the Station releases them. The Station then opens 1,300 other Ring Gates.
On their way out of the Ring Space, Holden has an internal discussion with Miller about his motives for seeking Holden's assistance, and believes Miller wants to discover what killed the Protomolecule's creators. Holden laments that this will also give rise to a "blood-soaked gold rush" of exploration.
ANALYSIS
"Gonna need a ride."
The season finale moves along fairly swiftly, if unevenly—Holden pauses right in the middle of the climatic action sequence to declare his love for Naomi. Good sentiment, bad timing; deserving of a very rare eye-roll emoticon award. But then we have Amos' thoughts on life and death—who knew Amos could be so deep? Melba's turn to the good side of the Force is satisfying, as is the means by which she shuts down the Behemoth (think about her first day on the job).
Best Scene: Amos tries to convince Monica to help them broadcast their message to the fleet, using all the tact of a bulldozer. Anna intervenes, and Monica advises Amos, "Should have led with that."
Best Line: With the Marines bearing down on them, Amos and Anna discuss life and death, and Amos gets surprisingly philosophical: "Everyone leaves unfinished business. That's what dying is." (Possibly my all-time favorite line of the whole series, albeit admittedly for personal reasons having to do with my health—it was my email signature line for quite a while.)
Technobabble Alert: As the season stumbles to a close and the Station opens over a thousand Ring Gates, we arrive at a variation on Stargate SG-1, although allow me to put this in perspective: The Expanse is to Stargate what Star Trek is to Lost in Space. (Let that sink in, because it works on multiple levels.) Also, the resolution to the threat seems all too sudden and neat, and overly-reliant on still more technobabble. But, we've had worse.
SCORE: 