The Expanse Season 5 Episode 10 Nemesis Games Recap & Review

The Expanse Season 5 Episode 10 wraps up the season with heartbreak, suspense, and of course, a massive cliffhanger.

The Expanse is one of the best science fiction shows on television and I will stand by that statement as long as I live. This season proved it. Every single thing happened for a reason and it all pulled together in the end. Sure, some parts were predictable, but I did not see some things coming as well. 

Below is my recap and review for The Expanse Season 5 Episode 9 “Nemesis Games”. There will be spoilers of major plot points, so be warned! Read last week’s The Expanse Season 5 Episode 9 spoiler recap and review to catch up!

Warning: SPOILERS for The Expanse Season 5 Episode 10
“Nemesis Games”

This episode starts out with the Roci discovering a hunting party. Of course they realize it is Marco’s Free Navy, but what are they going to do about it? Holden says the Roci is a symbol for Marco and he won’t let them go — which we know to be true. No worries though, Holden has a plan. He tells Alex about the ships and that he has to go after Naomi himself, and the Roci will give them every second they can. Then the Roci heads off to confront the Free navy and keep them occupied so the Razorback can save Naomi.

One of my favorite parts of this episode is an amazing scene where we are getting a glimpse at all of the Free Navy ships as they travel through space. This is a cinematic masterpiece. I have always said that we don’t get enough of the outside of the ships, and this scene is pretty epic. Pleasing to the eye and a great way to show what the Roci is up against. 

As Drummer sits in her chair to get ready to attack the Roci, her crew tells her that she doesn’t need to be here for that. She answers with one of the best lines of the season – “I don’t look away from what I do“.

Cut to who is Naomi trying to destroy something — picking up where she left off at the end of the previous episode. At first I didn’t know what she was doing, but she clearly succeeds at it. Turns out she vented a thruster to put her ship in a spin — making it near impossible for another ship to dock her.

Alex and Bobbie see this and assume that there is a failure somewhere. Bobbie explains that they cannot dock, but Alex is not taking no for an answer. Saying that he will find a way. He sends a message to Naomi stating the same, and Naomi knows she needs to do something to stop it.

The Roci makes it to the Free Navy and things quickly change. Drummer disobeys her orders from Marco and refuses to attack the Roci. Instead, they kill Karal and the Free Navy starts to fire at each other. Eventually one of the ships is destroyed, and Drummer radios Holden letting him know that it is her.

Cut back to Naomi and she suits up and leaves the ship. It seems to be the only thing she can do to stop her friends from approaching. The Razorback has gone full speed to her and when they get there, they realize that she is outside the ship. Naomi is doing belter hand signals, which Alex is able to read – No radio. Low air. Ship explosion – do not approach.

Bobbie says there is no way that they can avoid the ship because it is circling Naomi. It seems like Naomi might die and she even mutters, “I’m sorry I called you an idiot.” But here comes Bobbie to save the day! She is a suit with thrusters and hooks her up to air, seemingly saving her life. Bobbie radios to Alex to pick them up but she is getting no answer. We see the Razorback and an alarm going off. Alex has stroked out from the burn, and died.

Naomi and Bobbie had been picked up and everyone, besides Amos, is reunited on the Roci. Naomi feels at fault, but Holden tells her not to think that way. We learn that Holden’s family is safe, and that they are all heading to Luna, where Amos is. Seems his shuttle made it there safely. The Roci destroys Naomoi’s ship with a missile as well, stopping the trap.

Marco is upset to learn about Karal and in retaliation she spaces Serge, the guy from Drummer’s ship. He records this and sends it to her ship. This causes some of her crew, including Oksana, to leave. Drummer says they can stay together and Oksana says they have nothing to stay together for.

Amos meets his friends at the Roci and immediately Naomi embraces him and starts to cry. “I know how close you two were. I’m so sorry” says Naomi and Amos points out that Alex was making a choice to save his family and as far as last stands go, that’s the one he would pick too.

Amos then asks to talk to Holden along and long story short, Peaches AKA Clarissa is now a part of the crew. Amos tells Hlden to have an open mind and the look on Holden’s face is hilarious. Cut to them all celebrating and enjoying drinks on Luna, saying that they have come a long way. They still will not fly a flag, but they know they can’t stay out of this fight.

Holden and Naomi discover that there is a good chance the potomolocule was on that torpedo that left the Zemeka. One they lost track of. But what would Marco do with it? Just then Avasarala tells them to come with her – and not make a fuss of it. Turns out there was another attack at the ring. Three ships were hit by stealth coded rocks in a micro meteor shower. And missiles came from inside the ring, there were multiple attacks.

An entire fleet of Martians have gone rogue and are now in league with Marco. They traded waships with Mrco to acquire the protomolocule and they plan to take it through the Ring Gate and settle on Laconia. We see Admiral Sauveterre and the Laconian group attempt this, but then, something happens. As the ship goes into the ring, that red circles them and they completely disappear on transit.

Overall Thoughts

What an incredible end to an incredible season. It was visually stunning, packed with suspense and action, gave us a little bit of heartbreak, and of course, left us with a massive cliffhanger. Now we have to wait another year or so to find out what happens at the end of this series. I am bummed to know the next season will be the last, but I am also really excited to see how it all wraps up.

About The Expanse Season 5

Season five of the series picks up as multitudes of humans leave the solar system in search of new homes and vast fortunes on the earth-like worlds beyond the alien Ring, and a heavy price for centuries of exploitation of the Belt finally comes due and a reckoning is at hand.

For the crew of the Rocinante and the leaders of the Inner Planets and the Belt, the past and present converge, bringing forth personal challenges that have wide-reaching repercussions throughout the Solar System. Amos (Wes Chatham) returns to Earth to confront his past and the legacy of the life he fought to leave behind. Naomi (Dominique Tipper) reaches out to her estranged son in a desperate bid to save him from his father’s toxic influence.

Bobbie (Frankie Adams) and Alex (Cas Anvar) confront the collapse of Mars as they chase a shadowy cabal with ties to terrorists and criminals. Holden (Steven Strait) wrestles with the consequences of his own past with the Protomolecule, the aliens who built it, and the mystery of what killed them.

Drummer (Cara Gee), with a new crew, fights to escape who and what she used to be. And Avasarala (Shohreh Aghdashloo), refusing to be relegated to the sidelines, fights to prevent a terrorist attack unrivaled in history.

Watch The Expanse Season 5 on Amazon Prime Video.

Tessa Smith

Tessa Smith is a Rotten Tomatoes Tomatometer-approved Film and TV Critic. On Camera personality and TV / Film Critic with 10+ years of experience in video editing, writing, editing, moderating, and hosting.

mamasgeeky.com/