The Expanse Season 2, Episode 4 recap: “Godspeed”, Aired Feb. 15, 2017
The pace set by the second season of The Expanse is nothing short of impressive. We are rocketing through space, literally, in a quest to contain the Protomolecule and prevent all-out war between Earth, Mars, and the Belt.
You’ll remember Miller’s plan from last week: Use the Mormon dream ship Nauvoo “as a battering ram” to knock Eros toward the sun and use explosives to seal it forever. Yeah, it still sounds just as bat shit as it did last week. But there is one pro that becomes apparent right away. Everyone knows the Protomolecule must be destroyed before it can destroy humanity. So Holden and the crew agree to work with Miller again. Dream team’s back together y’all!
One of the best things about this week’s episode, and there were a ton, was the Nauvoo launch sequence. It was visually spectacular. I can say in complete honesty that I’ve never seen anything like it on TV. It’s just incredible. The ship, which we got to tour last week thanks to Miller’s sudden “interest” in salvation, represents a beautiful dream. The Nauvoo was meant to carry humanity into the far reaches of space. To make real the dream to Mormon’s have to preserve the human race far from its place of origin. As the Nauvoo launches, we are all aware of the futility of this dream. The ship is destined for destruction, but also, oddly, salvation. It just won’t be the salvation the Mormons had in mind. This scene is working for me on so many levels.
As the Nauvoo sets course for Eros, Miller and Diogo team up once again to handle another key part of the plan. They are setting bombs to detonate after the Nauvoo collides with Eros. These bombs will destroy all entrances to Eros and seal it, ensuring the Protomolecule will remain contained. Miller and Diogo make the perfect scene team because Miller is jaded by everything and seems to be on some mission to avenge Julie’s death, not caring the slightest if that mission ends up taking his own life, while Diogo is an idealistic kid who has seen the light and wants to fight for a cause bigger than himself. Together, they provide this episode’s mild comic relief.
The Roci’s crew provided the ride out for Miller and Company, and while they’re keeping a watch on the scene, they find a mysterious ship docked on Eros. The ship, Marasmus, destroys the drone they send to investigate but then hails the crew telling them they are in fact humanitarian doctors and mean no harm. The situation escalates real quick when Miller finds one of their crew inside an airlock on Eros, infected by the Protomolecule. The Marasmus crew threatens to expose what happened on Eros to the whole Solar System. Holden makes a split-second decision, in the name of containment and the continued survival of humanity, to fire upon the Marasmus, killing all aboard.
Holden already has a guilty conscience. The attack on Eros still weighs on him, and when he though he found a solution in Dresden, Miller went and shot him. He wants to save everyone. This is not going to be good for his fragile state of mind.
Holden’s decision to take out the Marasmus also has some serious consequences for Miller and Diogo, who are still on Eros. They are forced, with no warning, to shield themselves from the debris of the wreck. Though both make it through the debris shower relatively unharmed, one of the detonators of a bomb they planted sustained damage and is only being prevented from exploding by Diogo, who is keeping his finger on the button. Naturally, Miller with his death wish, takes over and prepares to meet his maker for the cause. It makes sense really. Miller’s only motivation for any of his actions has been Julie and spoiler alert, Julie’s already dead. Doesn’t give him a lot of cause to hang on.
As the Nauvoo bears down on Eros, Miller says his goodbyes to the rest of the crew sparking a very genuine tear from Naomi. The music builds as impact is nigh.
But then, just before the collision…
The Protomolecule emits some sort of screech and MOVES ITSELF OUT OF THE WAY.
This is obviously unprecedented, but unbelievably intriguing. We learned last week that the Protomolecule was emitting some type of coherent noises that could be speech, that it was potentially building something, and now it can move. On the teaser for next week’s episode, it also, apparently, has a plan. It has set Eros on a collision course with Earth.
Odds and Ends from “Godspeed”:
Chrisjen finally has some cards in her hand, and she’s playing them right. Errinwright is still clueless. Mao is upset. He thinks Errinwright will do anything to keep his job and what Mao wants is a real patriot. His hatred for Mars, the motivation behind his actions, is taking a clearer shape.
The humanitarian ship is a rental. I find it amusing that you can rent a spaceship.
The title of this week’s episode was, “Godspeed.” And I’m dying to know, IS THAT A PUN? I’m looking at you, Expanse writer’s room. The Nauvoo is a Mormon ship. A ship, one could reasonably assume, God called them to commission for their exploration project. It’s purpose in this episode: to speed toward Eros. Godspeed. God’s speed. Tell me someone else can see it, too. This amuses me more than it should.
(Featured Image Courtesy SyFy)
