Unveiling the Future of 11 Beloved Expanse Characters: The Untold Stories from the Books

The Expanse concluded its TV series with the sixth season, but the story continues in three more novels and several novellas. On January 14, 2022, Amazon Prime aired the final season of the popular sci-fi show, which is based on James S. A. Corey's book series of the same name. Each season of The Expanse adapts one book, leaving three books remaining. Additionally, the TV show incorporates short stories and novellas to enhance the overall plot.

Although the TV series did not cover the entire book series, season 6 of The Expanse provides a sense of closure for viewers. This is due to a significant time jump of thirty years between the sixth and seventh books. Consequently, it serves as a natural stopping point for the series. The seventh book resumes with Admiral Winston Duarte and his rebel fleet returning from Laconia and seeking to dominate all civilizations linked to the Ring Station. This sets the stage for further captivating events involving beloved characters.

10 James Holden

Following a thirty-year time jump at the end of The Expanse season 6, Holden steps down as Rocinante's co-captain and passes the title to Bobbie Draper. Together with the rest of the crew, they join the resistance at the Laconian-controlled Medina Station. Their mission involves stealing classified information about the Laconian Military's weaponry. However, the plan goes wrong, and Holden gets captured and taken to Medina Station. Governor Santiago Singh realizes that Holden possesses valuable knowledge about the race responsible for the protomolecule creators' demise. Consequently, Holden is transported to Laconia, where he encounters Admiral Duarte, who was previously believed to be missing.

Four years later, James Holden becomes a respected captive on Laconia and leverages his fame to sow discord between Duarte and Cortazar. His efforts appear successful when Cortazar is killed, and a biologist named Elvi Okoye assumes the role of science directorate. Holden is eventually released and reunites with the Rocinante before the impending Siege of Laconia. However, Amos, who has been rebuilt, warns him that the dark gods are plotting to eradicate humanity.

Holden assumes the identity of Jim due to the transformative impact of the Laconian conflict. Together with Amos, he safeguards Teresa as she enters boarding school, but their plans are disrupted by an attack. On the Rocinante, Holden and the others strive to uncover Duarte's intentions. Following a heartfelt conversation with Naomi, Holden acquires the Protomolecule from the ship and administers it to himself. Accompanied by Teresa and an incapacitated Laconian officer, Holden ventures onto the Ring Station. As they search for Duarte, Holden experiences a decline in strength and abilities. He and Miller repel the guards within the Ring Station, further depleting his capabilities. After Duarte's demise, Holden assumes control of the Ring Station, instructing Naomi to evacuate everyone. Once the last vessel departs, Holden sacrifices his remaining energy to obliterate the Ring Station, resulting in his demise.

9 Naomi Nagata

Naomi Nagata's fate took a turn for the worse in The Expanse, and unfortunately, things didn't improve much for her afterward. In the beginning of book 7, Naomi steps down from her captain position on the Rocinante alongside Holden. Together with Clarissa, she devises a plan to disable the sensor system of the Medina Station, but their efforts are thwarted by a traitor. Tragically, Clarissa sacrifices herself to aid Naomi's escape, leaving a lasting impact on her.

Subsequently, Naomi rises as a leader in the resistance, joining forces with Bobbie to strategize for an imminent mission involving Laconia. While Naomi successfully cripples Laconia's shipbuilding abilities and antimatter production through a clever move, the resistance forces are eventually forced to withdraw due to the formidable Laconian battleship, Whirlwind, joining the battle and failing to secure a deal with the enemy. Nonetheless, Naomi persists in her efforts and later manages to negotiate a successful agreement for all parties involved.

Naomi subsequently makes the decision to assume leadership of the resistance from the Rocinante. Once she and the Falcon crew successfully locate Duarte, she bids farewell to Holden and they part ways. As Holden's team proceeds to enter the Ring Station, Naomi takes charge in preparing her fleets to confront the approaching ships. With both sides engaged in battle, numerous vessels are destroyed. Upon receiving a notification from Holden, Naomi swiftly coordinates the evacuation of the space enclosed within the Ring. She efficiently organizes everyone, and together they evacuate. Naomi sets course for the Sol system, subsequently becoming an enigma in The Expanse books.

8 Bobbie Draper

After assuming command of the Rocinante, Bobbie Draper actively participates in the resistance's plan to pilfer vital information concerning the Laconians. Progressing through the book, Draper spearheads a daring assault on the Gathering Storm, a Pulsar attack destroyer owned by the Laconians. She successfully seizes control of the vessel and leads a fleet of various ships, including the Rocinante, to the Freehold planet. Draper subsequently pilots the Gathering Storm to a nearby moon, assuming the role of its captain.

7 Amos Burton

In the next installment of The Expanse book series, Bobbie assumes the pivotal role of leading the mission to intercept crucial cargo parts for a Laconian Navy ship. With great success, she manages to capture the highly sought-after anti-matter cargo. However, rather than simply securing it, Bobbie sees the opportunity to turn the tables on the Laconians by utilizing the anti-matter against them. Subsequently, her initial plan to deploy the anti-matter in the form of destructive bombs targeting Laconian vessels quickly spirals into a chaotic situation. As the gravity of the circumstances dawns upon her, Bobbie reaches the profound realization that she cannot hope to survive the ensuing turmoil. In a selfless act of sacrifice, she bravely gives up her own life in order to eliminate their intended target.

In the aftermath of The Expanse season 6, the Rocinante crew joins forces with the resistance at Medina Station in a bid to dismantle the oppressive regime of the Laconians. Amos collaborates closely with Bobbie, seeking to bring about the downfall of the Gathering Storm or even seize control. Throughout the course of this narrative, Amos dedicates himself to comprehending the enigmatic alien technology, engrossed in his studies aboard the ship. Eventually, he assumes an undercover identity to embark on a dangerous mission into Laconia, with the aim of annihilating the capital. Adopting the alias Timothy, he unexpectedly strikes up a friendship with Teresa, Winston Duarte's daughter.

Although many questioned whether Amos would survive until the conclusion of this book (especially considering the severe and life-threatening injuries he sustained while protecting Teresa), the mechanic defies all expectations and aids the Rocinante and the resistance during the Siege of Laconia. Additionally, he assumes a crucial role in the narrative as he later assists the crew in defeating Duarte by gathering confidential information on his covert schemes. The final glimpse of him occurs when a linguist arrives on Earth one thousand years later to unveil that Amos contributed to the planet's recovery from the aftermath of The Expanse.

6 Clarissa "Peaches" Mao

In the seventh installment of The Expanse, Clarissa finds herself debilitated by the effects of aging and malfunctioning implants. As the rebellion against the Laconians gains momentum, Clarissa, accompanied by Naomi and a covert operative named Jordao, undertakes a daring mission to disrupt Medina Station's sensor system. Regrettably, Jordao turns against his comrades, plunging them into a perilous situation. Determined to save Naomi's life, Clarissa activates her implants, eliminating the threat posed by the Laconians and Jordao. However, the exertion proves fatal, and she draws her last breath cradled in Naomi's arms.

5 Admiral Winston Duarte

Duarte announces his intention to kill a god at the end of The Expanse season 6. However, in the books, he disappears for thirty years. In The Expanse book 7, Admiral Winston Duarte returns with his fleet from Laconia, aiming to conquer 1,300 worlds that include the Sol system, Medina Station, and the Ring Station. Rather than directly participating in the action, Duarte manipulates others into doing his bidding. Furthermore, he has harnessed the power of the Protomolecule to transform himself into a superhuman entity with abilities such as eternal wakefulness and the ability to read minds.

After four years, Duarte emerges as the leader of the Laconian Empire. He begins grooming his daughter to eventually take charge of Laconia by accompanying him to political meetings. As the ships in the Ring Network start experiencing time anomalies, Duarte orders the navy to conduct a weapons test, resulting in the explosion of a bomb ship. In response, the enigmatic dark gods retaliate by causing the time anomalies, which lead to the destabilization of a neutron star, causing widespread destruction and radiation. Due to his vulnerability to the time anomalies, Duarte falls into an incapacitating state of dissociation from reality, referred to as a waking coma. Only his desire to protect his daughter Teresa eventually helps him recover from this state.

After receiving a cryptic message indicating that The Empire had narrow ambitions, Duarte vanishes aboard a vessel. Subsequently, the ship is discovered stationed at the Ring Station. Through intricate mental excursions, Amos uncovers Duarte's scheme to ascend as the God-Emperor of humanity within the core of a collective consciousness (signifying his intent to manipulate various sentinels and eliminate his adversaries). Despite Naomi Nagata's attempt to end Duarte's life by snapping his neck, they only succeed in dislodging the antagonist, tearing him apart.

4 Camina Drummer

In The Expanse season 6, Camina Drummer emerges as the hero in various ways. In the beginning of book seven of The Expanse, she assumes the role of president of the Transport Union and faces the challenge of bringing order to the colony on Freehold. In response to the attack by the Laconian battleship Tempest on the Sol system, Drummer makes the difficult decision to surrender in order to prevent further loss of life. She subsequently relocates to the Laconian capital and lives a quiet existence, remaining absent from any other part of The Expanse.

3 Chrisjen Avasarala

2 Filip Inaros

Following the occurrences of The Expanse season 6, the absence of Chrisjen Avasarala in the sixth installment of The Expanse book remains undisclosed. Throughout the span of this book, her activities remain a mystery. Commencing the seventh book, Holden finds himself in attendance at the funeral service of Avasarala, who peacefully passed away in her slumber four months prior.

While absent from the last three installments of The Expanse novels, Filip takes center stage in the captivating novella titled The Sins of Our Fathers. Rather than returning to his mother or the Sol system, Filip finds himself amidst a struggling settlement on the planet Jannah, fighting for survival against native creatures. In a bid for redemption, he puts an end to Jandro, a tyrannical and sadistic leader greatly revered in society. Following this act of violence, Filip chooses to exile himself as a form of self-punishment.

1 Xan and Cara Bisset

In The Expanse season 6 finale and Persepolis Rising, Xan and Cara suffer death and resurrection at the hands of Laconian Repair Droids. However, the reconstruction process leaves their skin gray and their eyes black. As a result, they gain access to the vast knowledge stored in the Library. Unfortunately, they are soon captured for experimentation, which sparks Duarte's fascination with immortality.

In the ninth book, Xan and Cara serve aboard the Falcon under the supervision of Elvi Okoye. Their primary task is to extract information from The Library concerning the enigmatic alien civilization responsible for the protomolecule. Gradually, though, Okoye shifts her focus solely to Cara, using her extensively. Over time, Cara becomes dependent on the dives, experiencing withdrawal symptoms when they cease. This marks the conclusion of Xan and Cara's narrative in The Expanse series.