Maybe, just maybe, all of Miller’s annoying character quirks were worth suffering through this season, just to see him buddy up with Holden (Steven Strait) in perhaps the most inept and hilarious pairing yet. It’s such a contrast from the apathetic Miller we used to know, but somehow, it feels right.

We finally see Miller shouting in his native Belter Creole, inciting violence and Belter revolution. Julie, to Miller, was finally an ideal he wanted to aspire to, and that made him pursue her like he’d never pursued anything in his life. All his life he’s had no cause to believe in, no group with which to align. But again, it makes sense for him to idolize her.

He doesn’t even personally know her, and for that, Miller’s kind of a scumbag with a savior complex. Of course, Miller doesn’t really care about Julie herself that much is clear. She was someone to be admired, protected. She was sincere, proving it by trying to help miners in their predicament. Then along comes Julie Mao (Florence Faivre), a young, spirited woman who willingly took on the Belter cause even though she was from Earth. From the very beginning, there have been mutterings about how he has abandoned his Belter brethren, removing himself from their cause and adopting an Earther attitude. Yet who they are at the end of the season is completely logical. That’s not to say everything in their lives are all neatly tied up and resolved almost the opposite, in fact. The decisions and actions they make in the finale make sense. Everyone’s journey follows a natural trajectory. This is especially true of each of our main characters. There were no shocking surprises thrown in for the sake of a twist, which a lot of shows unfortunately deem necessary for a finale. One of the things I was most impressed with in the finale, and in the show overall, is how everything made sense within a universe that was built from the beginning, including the character development. The entire two hours felt energetic and fresh, diving in to the mystery without a moment’s waste. But based on this short season, The Expanse is more than ready to take on the challenge. It’s not entirely fair to directly compare the two at this point, given the fact that BSG had the luxury of more than 100 episodes to explore heavier themes of morality and humanity. With a terrific season finale packed with action, character growth, and masterful storytelling, I can now say with confidence that The Expanse is, without a doubt, a worthy successor to Syfy’s masterpiece, Battlestar Galactica.

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