Will The Rocinante Crew Break Up After The Expanse Season 6?

Will the Rocinante crew still be together when The Expanse season 6 rolls its end credits one final time? From knockout space battles to an intricate, detail-rich plot, The Expanse has plenty going for it. By far its greatest strength, however, is the chemistry and bond between main characters aboard the Rocinante – Steven Strait as James Holden, Dominique Tipper as Naomi Nagata, and Wes Chatham as Amos Burton. Before The Expanse season 6 Alex Kamal piloted the ship, but his actor, Cas Anvar, was let go following multiple misconduct allegations. Though not a direct replacement, the remaining trio are now joined by Nadine Nicole as Clarissa “Peaches” Mao.

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A sense of familial loyalty, an undercurrent of tension, and a smattering of lasagna have endeared the Rocinante crew to audience hearts, and when the quartet separated in The Expanse season 5, the absent ingredient was keenly felt. The Expanse season 6 corrects course by quickly bringing the gang together (including honorary member, Bobbie Draper), but with the end now imminent, the question of the Rocinante’s terminal destination becomes impossible to avoid. Not adapting the final 3 books, The Expanse will likely require a different conclusion to its source material. So, will the Roci family breakup, or continue their galactic freelancing?

The Expanse has dropped numerous hints that the Rocinante crew are heading for an acrimonious split come season 6’s finale. Ship dissatisfaction was immediately apparent in the season premiere, with Amos vocally complaining about the Roci’s role fighting Marco Inaros’ Free Navy, and Naomi uncomfortable with killing her own people. The longer the war drags on, the more bitter and resentful Naomi and Amos are becoming… but that once-inseparable Nagata-Burton partnership is crumbling also. Naomi is handling guilt over Alex’s death by remaining constantly icy with Peaches, but time spent with the Roci’s latest addition has increased Amos’ confidence and independence, and he pushes back against Naomi. She goes so far as suggesting Amos and Peaches find employment elsewhere and, sadly, he actually agrees with her.

Recent events involving Holden and a certain “dud” missile have only deepened divisions. Rightly assuming that killing Naomi’s only son might put a downer on their romance, Holden secretly disarmed the nuke that would’ve killed Marco Inaros and ended the war. Amos demanded an explanation, but Holden clapped back with ferocious refusal, driving a wedge between captain and mechanic. Naomi might’ve been more thankful for Filip’s stay of execution, but her relationship with Holden is treading rocky ground also. The Expanse season 6 has dropped numerous hints of romance between Naomi and Camina Drummer, and as the Roci engineer longs to reconnect with her Belter roots (and possibly reconnect with Filip too, eventually), her relationship with Holden may be doomed.

The Expanse season 6 is preparing the entire Rocinante crew for a split, sick of the terror and misery war reliably brings, and a little sick of each other too. Given how season 6 is billed as The Expanse‘s final run on Amazon, breaking up the Roci team makes sense as a TV-only conclusion. Ending with the main cast still together implies a future continuation, and in the Expanse novels, the crew do indeed remain active for 30 additional years until book 7 begins. Decommissioning the Rocinante in The Expanse‘s series finale would signal a proper end to the adaptation, and if the core trio lay personal gripes aside to amicably go their separate ways, season 6’s split can avoid leaving viewers empty and miserable.

Having said that, the introduction of Winston Duarte and the continued “Protomolecule destroyers” storyline both suggest season 6 isn’t the end for Holden and his gang. Such explicit future setup has many viewers believing The Expanse will continue in some form, perhaps as a movie or sequel series featuring a new cast. That could mean the Rocinante crew follow the books and stick together, which would perhaps honor The Expanse‘s central theme of family a little better. Sure, Naomi shouts at Amos, and Holden shouts at Amos, and Amos shouts at everyone who isn’t named after fruit. But like any other family unit, the Rocinante stands united when all is said and done. Not only is that a message The Expanse can bow out on proudly, but it leaves the door ajar for more misadventures ahead.

The Expanse season 6 airs every Friday on Amazon.

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