The Expansedelivered some of the best science fiction television of the modern era and introduced some incredibly complex and compelling characters. Based on the bestselling book series by James S. A. Corey (a pen name for Daniel Abraham and Ty Franck),The Expansetakes place in a far future in which humanity has colonized the solar system. The solar system’s three factions include the United Nations of Earth and Luna, the Martian Congressional Republic on Mars, and the Outer Planets Alliance (OPA) in the Asteroid Belt.
In the first season ofThe Expanse,Detective Joe Miller stumbles upon a conspiracy involving a dangerous alien bioweapon known as the protomolecule. This investigation brings Miller into contact withJames Holden and his crew aboard the Rocinante, and they all get dragged into a conflict that could threaten the fragile peace of the solar system.The complex characters and pitch-perfect casting were some ofthe best things aboutThe Expanse,and these characters in particular elevated thesci-fi show.
8Alex Kamal (Cas Anvar)
Seasons 1 – 5
Originally from Mars, Alex Kamal joins the Rocinante’s crew as an incredibly skilled pilot. Surrounded by more serious and sometimes cold personalities,Alex’s warmth helps bring the Rocinante crew together,and he even occasionally cooks homemade meals for everyone. While flying the Roci, Alex locks in, calmly piloting the ship through tricky maneuvers and dangerous space battles.
Although Alex made it to the end ofThe Expansebook series, his character was killed off during the show’s fifth season due to numerous allegations of sexual misconduct against actor Cas Anvar.
Alex’s piloting skills saved the Rocinante and its crew on multiple occasions, and he later lost his life saving Naomi while performing high-G maneuvers in the Razorback. As the glue that held the Rocinante crew together,Alex’s loss naturally impacted the story.He was often one of the show’s most likable characters, and he always remained loyal to his crew members, eventually coming to see them as his family.
7James Holden (Steven Strait)
Seasons 1 – 6
AlthoughThe Expansefeatures an ensemble cast,James Holden could be considered the main character throughout most of the show’s run. As the captain of the Rocinante,Holden is heavily involved in most of the major events throughout the seriesand plays a large role in intergalactic politics. Despite arguably being the protagonist, Holden is not always the most likable or interesting character onThe Expanse,but his journey has its moments.
With his strong morals,Holden strives to do the right thing, and he often serves as the consciencefor the other characters. InThe Expanseseason 2, Holden embarks on a romance with Naomi, and though their relationship has its ups and downs, Holden always allows Naomi to be her own person. Holden bravely faces many difficult decisions throughout the show, and he helps save the solar system more than once.
6Joe Miller & The Investigator (Thomas Jane)
Seasons 1 – 4
InThe Expanseseason 1, Thomas Jane’s Joe Miller set out to investigate the disappearance of Julie Mau (Florence Faivre). Born in the Belt,Miller was working as a cop on Ceres when he began investigating Julie’s disappearance.When Miller stumbled upon a massiveconspiracy involvingThe Expanse’s protomolecule, he lost his job but refused to give up the search. With his cynical sense of humor and ambiguous morals, Miller made for an incredibly compelling protagonist.
Over the course of his investigation, Miller developed feelings for Julie Mao, despite the fact that he never actually met her. He was a flawed but likable character portrayed brilliantly by Thomas Jane. Miller ultimately sacrificed himself to save Earth, butThomasJane returned as a protomolecule-induced hallucination within Holden’s mind.With elements of Miller’s caustic personality built in, this so-called Investigator proved to be just as fascinating as Miller.
5Naomi Nagata (Dominique Tipper)
Having grown up in the Asteroid Belt, Naomi has more sympathy for the OPA and the Belters than her crew members, butshe tries to avoid violence whenever possible.Naomi has a brother-like friendship with Amos and a romantic relationship with Holden, and she has a complicated relationship with her former lover, Marco Inaros (Keon Alexander), and their son, Filip (Jasai Chase-Owens).
Naomi loves her Rocinante family, but her loyalty to the Belt sometimes puts her at odds with them. She’s a particularly gifted engineer and regularly comes up with creative solutions to problems. Perhaps more than anything else,Naomi is a survivor and a fighter who refuses to give upeven in the face of insurmountable odds. In many ways, Naomi is the heart of the Rocinante crew, but she’s also a brilliant and complex character beautifully portrayed by Dominique Tipper.
4Bobbie Draper (Frankie Adams)
Seasons 2 – 6
A former Gunner Sergeant in the Martian Marine Corps (MMC), Bobbie makes quite an entrance inThe Expanseseason 2, as the only survivor of an attack by a terrifying protomolecule-human hybrid. After participating in a cover-up of the truth about the hybrid,Bobbie grows disillusioned with the MMC.She then becomes a close ally to Chrisjen Avasarala, working as her security and gathering information for her.
With her dry and often witty sense of humor, Bobbie also adds an element of fun toThe Expanse,even when she finds herself in dangerous situations.
Not one to blindly follow orders, Bobbie does her best to stay on the right side of history, which eventually brings her into contact with the crew of the Rocinante. Bobbie openly speaks her mind and is fiercely loyal to her friends and allies. With her combat armor and hand-to-hand combat skills,Bobbie is one of the best fighters in the show,and she regularly takes the lead when a physical confrontation is necessary.
3Chrisjen Avasarala (Shohreh Aghdashloo)
One of the most important political figures in the solar system, Chrisjen Avasarala spends much ofThe Expanseas Secretary General of the United Nations. Having come from a family of politicians, Avasarala knows how to manipulate the system and cultivate relationships that will help her achieve her goals.Avasarala is a study in contradictions,making her one of the show’s most fascinating characters (thanks in large part to an always captivating performance from Shohreh Aghdashloo).
She can be cold and calculating, and will go to great lengths to protect Earth, even if that means torturing Belter prisoners for information. She uses curse words liberally, but also carries herself with poise, and rarely fails to appear put together in front of others.Avasarala has a beautiful character journey throughoutThe Expanse’ssix seasons,growing more compassionate to non-Earthers as she interacts more with Bobbie and the Rocinante crew.
2Carmina Drummer (Cara Gee)
Camina Drummer begins her journey onThe Expanseas the Assistant Director of Tycho Station, working under the command of OPA advocate Fred Johnson (Chad L. Coleman).As a Belter born and raised, Drummer is loyal to the Belt and the OPA,and she has certain principles that she’s not willing to compromise on. ThroughoutThe Expanse,Drummer serves as captain of a couple of different ships, and eventually her own fleet when she stands against the Free Navy.
The version of Drummer inThe Expanseshow actually derives from a combination of characters from the book series.
With her no-nonsense attitude, Drummer can be standoffish, butshe’s deeply loyal to her friends and has a strong sense of integrity.She clearly feels deeply but is willing to put her own emotions aside if something is in the best interest of the Belt. Cara Gee steals every scene she’s in, making Drummer one of the most dynamic and complex characters inThe Expanse.
1Amos Burton (Wes Chatham)
Wes Chatham truly is Amos Burton, and it’s largely thanks to his performance that Amos is such a compelling character. Having been raised among gangs in Baltimore,Amos has a warped sense of morality, but he makes a fiercely loyal protector and friend.Because of his rough upbringing, Amos is always aware of his surroundings, and his instincts have saved him and his friends on numerous occasions.
Although Amos serves as the mechanic aboard the Rocinante, he’s also the muscle of the group and is willing to kill those who threaten his friends.
ThroughoutThe Expanse,Amos often gravitates toward people with strong moral centers (like Holden) and looks to them for guidance about right and wrong. With his blunt personality, Amos can be hilarious and is often endearing, making him one of the show’s most lovable characters, and he ultimately has one of the best character journeys onThe Expanse.
