When it comes to truly great hard sci-fi, there are few properties as compelling asThe Expanse. The show featureda complex tapestry of stories, covering interplanetary politics, character-driven action, space battles, domestic family drama, tragic romance, and alien horror. The show was critically acclaimed and ran for six seasons, even after a cancelation order that was announced just after season 3. The show was revived and moved from the SyFy channel to Amazon Prime Video, allowing the creators to finish the story they wished to tell.
The Expansebegan as a book series, which concluded after nine installments in 2021. The show version also ended in 2022, after adapting the events of the first six books of the series to the screen. For audiences, it was a bittersweet end; both iterations of the story of the Roci crew were finished up properly, but there was a lingering appetite for more material.The universe of the books– and consequently, the show – is bursting with fascinating characters and a few dangling plot threads. There could plausibly be room for more tales ofThe Expanse.
RELATED:Best Sci-Fi Performances of 2022
The most obvious idea for a spinoff fromThe Expansewould be a show centered on the final three books of the source material. The first six books ofThe Expansecover the impact of the protomolecule, the creation of the ring gates, and the war with Marco Inaros’ Free Navy, stories that werefaithfully adapted by the show. The remaining three books chronicle the fall of the empire of Winston Duarte, a man who took over one of the systems opened by the ring gates, and genetically modified himself with the protomolecule. Duarte appeared briefly in season 6 of the show, but since it was the final season, there was no time to explore his schemes.
The reign of Duarte and the Laconian Empire is an epic end toThe Expansebooks, all the more so because it takes place thirty years after the death of Inaros. The characters that audiences know and love are aged past their prime, making their response to another universe-threatening maniac much slower and more hesitant. An adaptation of the final three bookscould take the form of a miniseries, and perhaps hire new actors to play the elderly versions of Holden, Amos, Naomi, and their assorted allies. This version of the true end ofThe Expanseuniverse could be regarded as separate to the original show, but it would still wrap up some lingering questions viewers have about the protomolecule. It would also be immensely satisfying for book-readers to see these events on the small screen.
A spinoff of The Expanse could also go a more independent route, and take place in the far distant future – even after the fall of the Winston Duarte. The book series ended with a scene that takes place a thousand years after the lives of Holden and Naomi, andfeatures advanced technology, shortened travel between the ring gates, and an Earth that is still recuperating from the orbital assault of Marco Inaros. Amos (whose lifespan was lengthened by modifications of the protomolecule) is the center of this epilogue, and retains his implacable swagger. A series documenting the age beyond the formation of the ring gates might bring about some innovative stories. The basic history of the series alone would provide complex drama.
A more traditional spinoff ofThe Expansewould be a prequel, especially since prequel series are popular at the moment. The book series has already touched upon this opportunity, as the writers of the books have released multiple prequel novellas. Among them isThe Churn, which is a story set on Earth, focusing onAmos and his traumatic past. A prequel focusing on Amos, or Belter leader Fred Johnson (also known as The Butcher of Anderson Station), would be well received, but the character of Chrisjen Avasarala would be a prime candidate to star in a spinoff prequel. Her political career is legendary within both the books and the show. Seeing the rise of the Earth superpower through her judgmental eyes would likely entice fans.
The other official novellas also offer ample material for spinoffs, particularly as most of them expound upon storylines adapted to screen.The Sins of Our Fathersis a story about Filip, the son of Naomi Nagata and Marcos Inaros, and describes his future on one of the planets beyond the ring gates. He escaped the final battle in season 6 of the show, and perhapscould lead a spinoff series. Similarly, the novellaAuberondetails the inner workings of one of the most populous human colonies beyond the ring gates. It takes place during the events of the final three books, and shows the potential of a story set outside the main universe-shifting plots.
There is no shortage of officially released work by the authors, and most of itcan offer the basis for a spinoff. The novellas have been very well-received by fans, particularly Amos’ story, which set the background for his personal journey in season 5 of the show. The novellas provide significant depth and context for certain characters, but they can also act as a framework for a new story – maybe one inspired by the show rather than the books.
The world ofThe Expanseis nearly unlimited, as hinted at by its title. The book series and the show both broke the seal of the universe, allowing its characters and civilizations to explore their potential in uncharted territory.The books went farther with the story, laying the groundwork for the show to possibly follow it up. Yet the show has also made its own impression on modern media, with a different interpretation of the source material. One thing is certain: any form of return would be appreciated by its loyal fans.
