Fred suffers a stroke on the Rocinante during a dogfight with the Free Navy, but the live-action character departed earlier this season courtesy of Sakai.īuying Alex and Bobbie time to rescue Naomi in the Razorback, James Holden takes the Rocinante to combat the Marco Inaros' ambush. Alex may not die in the source material, but his demise mirrors that of Fred Johnson in the original books. Additional dialogue (such as Bobbie's 'stroke out' line) and reshoots could've covered up the hastily altered ending effectively enough. The pilot remains a key character in later books, and his death doesn't drive the narrative forward whatsoever. There remains no confirmation either way, but it seems highly unlikely that The Expanse would've killed off Alex Kamal had concerning allegations not been raised. Related: The Expanse Season 5 Missed A Major Book Moment Viewers have been told before that relying too heavily on this technique can trigger a stroke, and by pursuing Naomi's ship so ferociously, Alex's body has given out.

In the semi-realistic world of The Expanse, entering a hard burn during space travel requires a cocktail of drugs that are shot through a ship's seats directly into the passenger. Unfortunately, they return to find Alex has died of a stroke. Bobbie dons a suit of her own and physically drags Naomi safely into the Razorback. Alex and Bobbie finally understand what Naomi Nagata has been trying to tell them, but still they refuse to concede. In a desperate final gambit, Naomi puts on a VAC suit and jumps into the void of space, using her body to mime out a warning message. Meanwhile, Chrisjen Avasarala has been reinstated as the UN Secretary General, as Earth's leaders finally realize she's the only politician with her heart and her head in the right place. Little do the pair know they're heading into a trap, as Naomi's vessel is rigged to blow. Accompanied by Fred's loyal crew from Tycho, Holden sets out to rescue Naomi and halt Marco's ascension, and is quickly joined by Alex and Bobbie in the Razorback (now dubbed the Screaming Firehawk). The leader of the Free Navy also swipes Fred Johnson's Protomolecule sample, has the outward face of the OPA assassinated, takes Naomi Nagata hostage, and politely forces other Belters to join him or be destroyed.

Marco proves his capabilities in no uncertain terms in The Expanse season 5, attacking Earth with stealth-clad asteroids that devastate the planet to the brink of collapse. Heading into The Expanse's fifth season (and second on Amazon Prime), Marco Inaros was primed as the next major antagonist after Earth, Mars and The Belt finally struck common ground in the wake of the Protomolecule Ring Gate opening.

The Expanse season 5 represents a seismic shift both for the fictional Sol system and the show itself, and the finale is packed with standout moments - here's our deep dive into the dramatic conclusion.

The expanse book 5