Episode 7 “Windmills” of SyFy’s space drama The Expanse hints real action is coming. If you have been disappointed by the TV series so far, stick it out to the next episode to see if Detective Miller and Jim Holden will team up when they get to Eros. Caution, spoilers ahead.
Detective Miller spends the first five minutes of “Windmills” having a mini psychotic breakdown in a subway car after beating himself up about Julia Mao. However, Miller was not the focus of this latest episode. By the end, he is on his way to Eros, a large asteroid on the belt between Earth and Mars where there are clues about the disappearance of Mao. Last week Miller found significant evidence regarding the conspiracy case but was subsequently fired by his boss, Star Helix Security Captain Shaddid, who is apparently in on the cover up. Miller’s trip is likely to follow up on what he found on the microchip that was taken by Shaddid when he was aggressively escorted off the premises.
Meanwhile, The Rocinante and Holden’s crew are also on the way to Eros on behalf of Tycho Station Manager and OPA leader Fred Johnson to investigate a survivor who may know more about the mysterious space war. On their way, Mars discovers the supposedly cloaked ship. When Naomi tries to figure out why their ship’s identity is broadcasting, she finds a radio signal in the bottom of the craft. Amos goes to investigate and he finds someone has boarded their ship to catch a ride, so they think.
The man claims to be a consultant that looked “too deep into Fred Johnson’s cookie jar” and wanted to leave the station before “OPA leg breakers” scooped him. In reality, the man is really an Earth U.N. spy who has been assigned to watch Fred Johnson on Tycho station. Holden doesn’t understand why Johnson would want to spy on them after they made amends. “He knows more than we do,” Holden convinces himself. After Amos spends time intimidating the unwelcomed guest, Holden reluctantly lets the spy help figure out how to get past the Mars patrol. If their true identity is revealed and Mars finds out they are riding in a stolen Martian ship disguised as a gas hauler, they’d be in big trouble.
While Naomi is trying to break into a vault in the Martian ship to find black ops codes to order Mars patrol to back off, Amos is downstairs near the air lock ready to blast anyone who walks through the door. Holden is trying to convince him to hold back, reminding him that hundreds of Martians died to save them. After Amos refuses, Holden puts a gun to his head but Naomi saves the day and breaks the 24-digit lock code.
The most interesting part of the story is UN political mastermind Chrisjen Avasarla’s visit to snowy Montana where Holden was born. Avasarla meets Holden’s mother and repeatedly asks her how to understand her son. Holden is a product of eight parents, all of whom contributed to his genetic makeup. “He has all eight of us in him, but he’s mine,” Holden’s mother clarifies. She goes on to explain that one day she opened the gates to the co-op and urged Holden to leave and never come back. “He grew up thinking he was alive because the land needed him,” she adds. They connect on an emotional level as Avasarla reveals she forced her son to join the Marines where he was later killed. Avasarla leaves knowing that Holden is a strong leader, but not capable of being an outright terrorist. As she’s walking through the snow she receives a call from her boss, UN Secretary Sadavir Errinwright who tells her as soon as Holden gets to Eres, he will be killed. She tries to persuade him that is not the smartest plan, but Errinwright does not seem to care.
Fred Johnson never appeared in “Windmills” and the episode did not expand on the Anderson Dawes storyline, which was the most intriguing part of the last episode. Looking to Episode 8, hopefully there will be some real action. Detective Milller and Holden may link up seeing they are both headed to Eros. Whether or not the two strong personalities will get along is anyone’s guess. After many episodes of Avasarla giving off cold-hearted, cutthroat vibes, she may actually be kinder than she seems. She definitely has a soft spot that may one day make her an ally to Holden and Miller.
Tune in to SyFy next Tuesday at 10 PM for the next episode.
