After six seasons and a cancellation, The Expanse drew to a close in January 2022 with a truncated six-episode final season. While truncated, that final season still showed why the series rose to become the beloved adaptation of James S.A. Corey's books that it was.
The crew of the infamous Rocinante, led by their reluctant leader James Holden, got themselves entangled in the delicate politics of the Solar System—and like any Western character saddling up their horse, the crew blasted off to do what they've always done: be the good guys.
The problem is, it just isn't enough. Even after six glorious seasons, The Expanse still has a vast amount of story left to delve into, with so many more places to go. Yet the show is ostensibly over.
Daniel Abraham and Ty Franck—the two writers behind the James S.A. Corey pseudonym—have stated that they believe that this is only a pause, not an ending to the TV adaptation of the show.
But given that Amazon had already rescued the series from SyFy's first cancellation, and Amazon itself announced that the sixth season would be the last for the show, it appears that yet another TV network will need to step in to save the show and keep it going.
Here's our take on why Amazon's ending to The Expanse is premature and why it's such a big mistake.
1. Filip & Naomi's Story Is Unfinished
The final moments of the sixth season show that Filip Inaros, Naomi's son, had finally had enough of his father Marco's self-aggrandizing nature—and left The Pella before the ship met its end.
Naomi doesn't know this, instead believing that she killed Filip as part of her plan to stop Marco Inaros. She's seen distraught, with Holden attempting to comfort her over the loss.
This particular "ending" highlights a common point about the season, shared by fans of the show: it doesn't feel like an ending. There's clearly much more story left to tell, and the reunion of Naomi and Filip would comprise a substantial part of that.
2. What Lies Beyond The Ring?
The Expanse's final run opened with the story of a little girl who lives on a Ring colony. She discovers a bunch of creatures who can apparently heal other beings that have recently died—so when her brother dies in an accident, she uses the creatures to bring him back to life.
And... that's it. That's where the story ends, with the pair running from their parents, who believe that their son is not really their son.
This particular story is only one example of what happens beyond The Ring, and it's proof that there are abundant opportunities to expand the series and tell more tales in the show.
3. The Protomolecule Sample
What happened to the Protomolecule sample that Marco Inaros stole from Fred Johnson, anyway? The final season of The Expanse doesn't adequately address this plot element that drove the first four seasons.
The Protomolecule is left in the hands of Marco Inaros... and that's it. It's a strange narrative choice to those who've been faithfully watching the series, as it's the Protomolecule's appearance that caused all the radical changes in the Solar System at the series' start.
4. Drummer's Position as President of the Trade Union
Camina Drummer's role in The Expanse remains the most fluid. She's a Belter who attained a high position under Fred Johnson's faction of the OPA, then resigned when she could no longer serve under him.
Afterwards, the independent Drummer found a family and commanded her own scavenger ship, then later took over the remnants of Klaes Ashford's Tynan for herself when she discovered the wreckage.
During this part of Drummer's story, it felt loose but that was OK because it was clearly leading to something more: her turning against Marco Inaros after being coerced into his Free Navy.
Drummer works with The Inners to end Inaros' Free Navy, all before becoming the first Vice President of the Trade Union—and when Holden immediately steps down, she's made President.
Throughout the entire series, Drummer has been searching for a way to bring freedom to her Belters without having to serve under somebody else. In one sense, she's finally attained that.
But the ending is frustrating. Now that she's in charge of the Trade Union, there's still so much to explore in how she'd use her diplomatic skills for the good of her people—something we deserve to see.
5. The Books Provide Material Long Past the TV Series' Ending
The story of The Expanse in the books continues far beyond the point where Amazon has chosen to end the TV series, and that's one of the biggest gripes fans have against the show.
SyFy and Amazon both knew of the deeply rich material that existed when they picked up and produced the series, and that has resulted in one of the most intricate and profound TV series of the modern age.
Yet neither of them had the integrity to see it through.
The show's premature end comes down to Amazon's unwillingness to overextend their financial plans. It's a strange choice when Amazon is currently producing The Lord of the Rings: The Rings of Power, into which they've invested nearly $1 billion already.
Did Amazon want to cull The Expanse and use that money for their hot new property? Perhaps. But it seems odd that Amazon—a company with enough resources to send its CEO into space—would be struggling to produce two high-budget series.