5-08. "Hard Vacuum"
Written by Dan Nowak
Directed by Marisol Adler
First aired 19 January 2021
SYNOPSIS
Marco blames Filip for Cyn's death.
Aboard the Rocinante, Holden can find no trace of Protomolecule in the Zmeya's wreckage.
On Luna, UN Secretary General David Paster struggles to respond to the asteroid attacks. Admiral Delgado proposes a retaliatory strike on Pallas Station.
Uncomfortable about aligning with Marco, Drummer confronts Karal, a Marco loyalist. Drummer also suffers another devastating emotional blow as she learns of Naomi's apparent death.
Amos and Clarissa finally reach now-devastated Baltimore. They convince Erich to take them to Winnipesaukee Island, where they'll find a shuttle to get them to Luna.
Naomi discovers that Marco has rigged the Chetzemoka to destroy the Rocinante when Holden answers a fake distress call from her. After considerable effort, Naomi manages to modify the distress call, which is received by Holden, Alex and Drummer.
ANALYSIS
"This is Naomi Nagata... Tell James Holden I'm in... control."
Although there aren't any scenes I'd consider less than good, this episode achieves Best of the Best status solely by virtue of Dominique Tipper's utterly stunning performance. Note, too, that her sequence starts in the previous episode, and continues into the next.
Best Scene: Take your pick: any and every scene with Naomi will knock your socks off. Her facial makeup—particularly her eyes—is so effective that I wince with sympathetic pain watching her.
Best Line: It's not a line, at least in the traditional sense, but dayam... when Drummer learns Naomi is dead, she goes into a room by herself and releases an Epic. Primal. Scream.
SCORE: 
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Best of the Best