Television Review: Godspeed (The Expanse, S2X04, 2017)

Godspeed (S02E04)

Airdate: February 15th 2017

Written by: Dan Nowak
Directed by: Jeff Woolnough

Running Time: 40 minutes

Each episode of The Expanse operates under the stringent constraints inherent to premium television drama: a relatively brief running time of barely forty minutes and the non-negotiable requirement that every instalment conclude with a compelling, often breathless, cliffhanger. This structural tightrope walk would represent a near-impossible challenge for many scriptwriting teams, demanding relentless pacing, efficient character beats, and constant narrative propulsion. Yet, particularly at the dynamic start of Season 2, these constraints are, for the most part, met with remarkable dexterity and confidence. The fourth episode, Godspeed, stands as a potent testament to this skill, transforming potential limitations into the very engine of its gripping, morally complex narrative. Far from buckling under the pressure, the episode leverages its compact form to deliver a masterclass in tension-building and thematic resonance, proving that within the confines of the format lies fertile ground for sophisticated science fiction.

The episode picks up precisely where the previous one left off, with the high-stakes gamble initiated by Fred Johnson. Facing the apocalyptic threat of the protomolecule-infested Eros Station, Johnson has reluctantly accepted Detective Miller’s desperate plan: to use the colossal Mormon generational ship, the Nauvoo, as a cosmic billiard ball, nudging Eros onto a collision course with the Sun. This audacious scheme requires the uneasy cooperation of James Holden and Naomi Nagata, who reluctantly agree. Their repaired Rocinante will play a crucial role, while a team of Belter volunteers, including Miller and Diogo, must undertake the perilous task of boarding Eros’s surface to plant bombs, permanently sealing its airlocks and preventing any escape of the horrific pathogen within. The initial execution appears flawlessly orchestrated, a ballet of orbital mechanics and human courage against the silent void.

However, the fragile hope sustaining the operation shatters with the sudden, unexpected appearance of the Marasmus, a ship seemingly tethered to Eros in blatant defiance of the quarantine. When hailed, Dr. Mesplede (Alex Woods) delivers a plea of humanitarian intent, claiming his vessel arrived only to aid Eros’s victims and insisting no breach of the station occurred. This facade of noble intervention quickly crumbles. Miller and Diogo, deep within Eros’s labyrinthine corridors setting the final charges, discover a horrifying truth: an entrance has been forcibly hacked, and one of Mesplede’s colleagues lies dead, having made fatal contact with the protomolecule. The Rocinante, utilising the asteroid configuration to jam Marasmus’s communications, confronts the deception. Holden, acutely aware that exposure of their mission could trigger interplanetary panic or intervention, issues a stark ultimatum: desist or be destroyed. Mesplede, convinced the Rocinante is a Martian vessel, frantically attempts to broadcast warnings to Earth and the Belt, framing Eros as a Martian bioweapon. When these pleas are ignored Holden, with grim necessity, orders the Marasmus’s destruction.

The violent disintegration of the Marasmus proves devastatingly counterproductive. Shrapnel from the explosion strikes one of critical bombs, crippling its timing mechanism. This forces Holden into an agonising, self-sacrificial decision: he must remain aboard the doomed Eros, manually ensuring the bomb detonates at the precise moment of Nauvoo’s impact, sealing the station’s fate. The tension reaches its zenith as the Nauvoo hurtles towards collision… only for the unthinkable to happen. At the very last moment, Eros itself moves, altering its trajectory and miraculously averting the impact. This sudden, inexplicable shift – the protomolecule asserting its terrifying agency – renders Holden’s potential sacrifice moot but plunges the situation into even deeper, more terrifying uncertainty.

Simultaneously, the episode weaves in a crucial political subplot, demonstrating the far-reaching consequences of Johnson’s covert alliance with Avasarala. Information provided by Johnson enables the UN to locate and recover the wreckage of the stealth ship. This forensic treasure trove yields irrefutable evidence linking Protogen, and crucially, its shadowy financier Jules-Pierre Mao, to the conspiracy. Summoned before a steely Avasarala and the visibly uncomfortable Undersecretary Errinwright, Mao delivers a masterclass in corporate denial, deflecting all blame onto "rogue employees" with practiced insouciance. His subsequent private dismissal of Errinwright is a chilling declaration of independent, ruthless ambition, foreshadowing the escalating power struggle on Earth.

Written by Dan Nowak and directed with taut efficiency by Jeff Woolnough, Godspeed excels precisely because it focuses relentlessly on the deceptively simple, physics-driven problem at hand: moving a rock. The brilliance lies in how this seemingly straightforward engineering challenge is constantly undermined by human fallibility, deception, and unforeseen cosmic intervention. The arrival and destruction of the Marasmus is the pivotal moment; while Holden’s decision is utterly justifiable within the desperate context – protecting billions from panic and potential Protogen exploitation – it indelibly stains the protagonists. The Rocinante crew, particularly Holden, cross a moral event horizon, transforming from idealistic heroes into necessary executioners. This moment, more than any preceding one, plunges the series’ already dark undertones into near-abyssal territory. The special effects, particularly during the Eros surface sequences and the Marasmus destruction, are exceptionally well-realised, grounding the spectacle in tangible reality. Miller and Diogo’s bomb-setting mission feels less like swashbuckling space opera and more like the gritty, dangerous work of blue-collar labourers – sweaty, physically demanding, and utterly vital, a hallmark of the show’s commitment to authenticity.

The episode’s emotional core resides in Miller’s burgeoning, hard-won camaraderie with Diogo. Their shared ordeal, the dark humour amidst the horror, and Miller’s ultimate willingness to step into young man's place for the final, fatal task is a beautifully understated moment. It provides Thomas Jane with a showcase for his nuanced portrayal, revealing the haunted detective’s buried capacity for selfless connection beneath the cynicism. Miller’s apparent, almost expected, demise – a logical culmination of his obsessive quest – is rendered profoundly poignant by this connection. Yet, true to the episode’s title and its mastery of the cliffhanger format, the very last seconds deliver the unexpected: Eros’s movement. Miller’s sacrifice is not just averted; it becomes irrelevant against the terrifying new reality of the protomolecule’s awakening intelligence. This twist doesn’t cheat the audience; instead, it elevates the stakes exponentially, transforming a personal tragedy into a terrifying omen for all humanity. Godspeed is a pivotal, morally uncompromising chapter that exemplifies The Expanse at its absolute best – where physics, politics, and profound human drama collide with devastating, unforgettable force.

RATING: 7/10 (+++)

Blog in Croatian https://draxblog.com
Blog in English https://draxreview.wordpress.com/
InLeo blog https://inleo.io/@drax.leo

InLeo: https://inleo.io/signup?referral=drax.leo
Leodex: https://leodex.io/?ref=drax
Hiveonboard: https://hiveonboard.com?ref=drax
Rising Star game: https://www.risingstargame.com?referrer=drax
1Inch: https://1inch.exchange/#/r/0x83823d8CCB74F828148258BB4457642124b1328e

BTC donations: 1EWxiMiP6iiG9rger3NuUSd6HByaxQWafG
ETH donations: 0xB305F144323b99e6f8b1d66f5D7DE78B498C32A7
BCH donations: qpvxw0jax79lhmvlgcldkzpqanf03r9cjv8y6gtmk9