3x01 Fight or Flight

I finally managed to return to these great characters after a couple of years, I watched the first two seasons when it was still on Netflix and after that I had no access to the new seasons as Amazon was not available in Poland back then. In the meantime, I read all but the last Expanse novels and loved them, both the "old" characters as well as the new introduced in the saga, so I wonder how it would play out in the show and whether they introduced profund changes from the books. Though I must say I really enjoyed this episode, it is visually stunning with the spaceship and all, and I missed all the main characters though I couldn't recall some of the background ones.

The situation at Roci is really tense after Naomi sent the protomolecule to Fred Johnson (though I am not sure whether Naomi really does it in the novels?) and it is a bit of a sad start to the season, but on the other hand the message Alex records for his family is quite moving, from what I recall from the novels, Alex does return to his wife and child in the later novels but as he confesses here in this scene, he cannot really live without piloting ships and isn't happy staying too long in one place, this is something he cannot change in himself. The scenes with Avasarala and Bobbie are also very emotional, and both of them are among my favourite characters both in th novels and the show.

I guess it is much easier to write a critical review but rather difficult if you really enjoyed everything about the episode, I can't wait to watch more :)

Season 3 premiere finally fullfills the show's promise of all-out-war between Earth and Mars, now that the undersecretary Erinwright has assassinated the Martian minister negotiating peace talks and Avasarala is stuck in space, all things have escalated. The Minister of Earth is preparing for a formal declaration of war against the red planet. How are our space warriors and the undersecretary, along with the Martian Marine, going to prevent humanity from destroying itself in the search for power, control and weapons.

Even with all the shit the Roci crew has gone through, everything Holden has put them through, still they fight. They might change ship names and alliances, but their only master is humanity. Next step for them, new ship name/signature to keep on fighting the good fight. With this new name, they will have gone through hell and back, but come out the other side anew.

Watching Avasarala dealing with actual battle and war, not just politics, is a gift that keeps on giving. She is a fighter and she will not go down until she gets what she wants.... kicking and screaming, but getting what she wants.... and somehow she inspires loyalty from the most unexpected people (Bobbie "I'm MMC" Drapper and war-guilty Earth solider)

Also, Errinwright is a fucking rat, the worst of the worst, who only looks out for himself and will throw anyone under the bus to save himself, to make himself the hero of the story, not its villain.

And Johnson, now holder of the protomolecule, just became a major player and leader for the Belt in their interest to defend themselves against the inners. Sidenote: while I know Naomi had her reasons to give the blue gue to Johnson, Amos and Alex were right, it wasn't her decision to make. They are a team and make decisions like a team.

Again, this episode shows me why I love Avasarala so much. Even when facing imminent death, her first priority is what she wants to achieve and everyone within her vicinity will help her, come hell or high water.... and she gets them to do it with even against their instincts.

Okay, that's it. I'm in love with Bobbi Badass Drapper. Damn.

And the razoback is everything Julie Mao said it was. Having Bobbie and Avasarala escape the cluthes of the UN and Mao in search for the truth is a great ode to what Julie stood for, to use her favorite thing, her ship, in pursuit of that goal.... love it!

Fav line: "You've done your planet a great service."

Visuals: That opening scene covering Venus, Earth (and Moon), Mars and the rest of the system, with the communication transmissions being picked up as we go over each is genuis in reestablishing where we are in the story, updating everyone with the politics and changes that have taken place since the finale. One of my fav opening sequences for a season (episode).