Summary
The penultimate chapter does everything it can to bubble the final battle.
This recap of Amazon’s The Expanse season 6, episode 5, “Why We Fight,” contains spoilers.
Read the recap of the previous episode.
Can you feel that? There’s an all-out war bubbling as the penultimate chapter considers the final chess pieces to finalize this popular sci-fi series. Many fans will wish that another season will be forthcoming, but at least the creators were given a chance to close the story. There’s at least that.
The Expanse season 6, episode 5 recap
Episode 5 opens up with the young girl Kara trying to find the creature on Laconia to help her deceased brother; she believes the creature can bring her brother back to life. She stays out in the jungle and ends up asleep. Her parents look for her, so Kara hides her brother and patiently waits until her parents walk by. Eventually, she finds the creatures, who are sitting with her brother, who is now alive. However, her brother’s eyes are glazed and he tells his sister that he feels weird. Kara explains to her brother that he was killed. Despite the strangeness of his reincarnation, Kara hugs her brother.
Marco Inaros is worried that recent battles are sewing doubt across the Belters, especially with Drummer’s aggressive war cry. The commander tells Marco that Drummer is free to act like a hero, but they should not care. Meanwhile, Avasarala receives a report on a deadly attack on Martian forces near the Medina Station — the ring station has rail guns attached to it. This gives plenty of advantages to Marco Inaros. Avasarala is under pressure to abandon Ceres Station and use all their forces to destroy the weaponry on the ring station to continue efforts to win the war. Avasrala does not want to concede the humanitarian crisis and states she will provide a decision in due course.
Avasarala wonders if she has gone soft, but Bobbie gets passionate and tells her to stop with self-pity and that they need to keep fighting.
Avasarala video links to Drummer and offers gratitude for her assistance; she welcomes her crew to their station. Drummer wants to ensure no disruption for her arrival at Ceres Station; she wants food and supplies as her crew is hungry and they need aid. Meanwhile, Naomi sends Drummer a message with words of positivity and tells her it’s amazing what she did with her fight to the Free Navy.
The episode then moves to the Free Navy en route to the Ring. The Free Navy celebrates its latest victory with the rail guns on the Martians. Filip visits his acquaintance who is kept in isolation; he broke radio silence to contact his brother. Filip tells him he is lucky after he broke a fundamental rule but he seems moved by his friend’s efforts. Filip researches his friend’s brother and confirms to him that he’s dead. The man blames himself, but Filip comforts him, reassuring him that it’s not his fault.
Naomi and Holden continue to look at transits through the rings — Holden believes the new data shows that this is bigger than the war. Holden meets Avasarla and tells her that transit through the Ring is more dangerous than they thought. He wants to convince Marco that the danger with the rings is real — every time they are used, it puts all of them at risk. Avasarala thinks Holden is naive and shows him the rail guns; she insists they need to end this war. She wants Drummer to be her ally. Holden is concerned that Drummer is not going to trust Avasarala.
The ending
On Ceres Station, Naomi speaks to Drummer and highlights how it’s good to see her. Drummer reveals that Josep and Michio are staying at Ceres Station and accounts for those she has lost. Naomi apologizes for what has happened and offers her sympathy — she reveals that she came to see her because Avasarala wants her on their side to fight in the war. Drummer is dismayed that Naomi is working with the Inners and coming to her. The women argue, but Naomi argues it is different now. Drummer does not believe this universe has a place for her. Naomi tells her that all they can do now is stand by the people that they love. Drummer bursts into tears, and Naomi embraces her.
This scene then moves to Drummer meeting Avasarala on the Ceres Station, and it feels like a tense stand-off. Avasarala wants to move forward together and reminds her that Marco Inaros will get many more Belters killed if they don’t win this war soon and that people will die on both sides. Drummer asks Avasarala if they will remember the Belters after victory. Avasarala assures that they will not forget. This is a historic moment as both women shake hands to declare that they will work together to end this war — Belters and Inners. The handshake provides murmurs in the background.
What will happen in the finale remains a mystery, but let’s hope it’s a thrilling experience. The penultimate chapter does everything it can to bubble the final battle.
Navigation logs
- Josep is impatient about the healing of his severed arm — he wants to be useful as soon as possible, but it will be a long process. An upset Josep explains how he cannot help in the fight. Michio tells Drummer that she will stay behind with Josep and help him. She doesn’t want Drummer to give up the fight by being distracted and gives her assurances that she can go.
- A drunk Amos tells Bobbie that Holden disarmed the torpedo and states he doesn’t know what he’s fighting for anymore. Bobbie laughs in disbelief at this news but reminds him what they are fighting for.
- The commander shows Marco Inaros video footage of his son’s passionate speech to the crew supporting the Free Navy’s efforts. Marco seems moved by the resurgence of his son.
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