Marvelous Geeks

The continuous discord about fandoms being the sole drivers of inclusion for romance in TV is both tiring and frustrating. As a fundamental part of our daily lives, romance is inarguably the most realistic part of any show and film, especially in genre television. Simultaneously, this idea that we should solely let men and women be friends boils down to internalized misogyny that comes from the old-decade viewpoints that women care about romance and only romance. Yet, both in the books and the show, The Expanse features one of the steadiest depictions of a love story. 

The series relies heavily on the characters to move the plot forward, and we’re also of the firm opinion that it’s one of the few shows to address character arcs for complex women admirably. At the same time, the show needed Jim Holden and Naomi Nagata’s love to keep the steadiness aboard the Rocinante. In more ways than one, they were the heart of the crew. There was never a question about whether or not they would make it to the end because their love has been a vital part of the characters’ journeys.

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Portrayed by: Dominique Tipper Show: Amazon Prime’s The Expanse

For six years, The Expanse‘s Naomi Nagata stood as a prominent example of a strong woman with a deeply vulnerable and undeniably relatable story arc. From the moment she graces our screens by exhibiting her abilities as an incredible engineer to the moment she leaves us as a woman who needs a quiet moment after a perilous fight, Naomi’s journey screams of truth, empathy, and grace.

Naomi consistently stood as the beacon of hope, ready to bring someone back home in a world with multiple wars and the shadows from her past haunting her every move. She understood the fundamental principle that people cannot fix other people, but it doesn’t mean you give up trying to help them find the right path. And more importantly, Naomi Nagata understood the importance of agency, the attribute that it’s not only her right, but something everyone in the world is deserving of.

Naomi Nagata almost exclusively exhibits vulnerability and tremendous heart in a world that demands bravery from women without allowing their layers to blaze through. She is an openly selfless character, but concurrently, one who seizes what she desires. In exercising her rights and having the platform to explore as she chooses, Naomi’s decisions were often for the advantage of everyone else in her life—the Rocinante crew, the Belt, and those who’ve needed someone to listen.

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Type: Romantic Show: Amazon Prime’s The Expanse Featured Characters: Naomi Nagata and Jim Holden

Genre television has forced us to believe that relationships need to go through tireless hurdles to be deemed excellent, but that was never the case with The Expanse‘s Naomi Nagata and Jim Holden (Nolden). For six seasons, from the moment they got together, their challenges weren’t back and forth nonsense, but instead, they grew even while they were on different planets—they grew even more in love while separated.

It’s necessary to note that apart from ardent love and loyalty, understanding the importance of agency is critical for every romantic relationship to be at its healthiest. And that’s a detail Naomi and Holden understood all too well, even while making mistakes in those areas. In a universe where Earthers and Belters wouldn’t have been as strong together, they set the model for what the world could look when differences are put aside, and there’s a selfless compromise in the mix. Though first there’s reluctance and a rightful lack of distrust on Naomi’s end, the budding friendship that’s fundamental in a firm romance starts to begin over shared drinks.

And when it finally turns into something more—when it becomes the vessel of hope they both need, there’s seldom a reason to continually remind each other of their love because it’s a force they ceaselessly show instead. The life they’ve had to lead never made any part of their journey easy, but being together through the storms and the quiet moments of solace has undoubtedly made it bearable. Solid from the moment they get together and stronger than they are apart, Naomi Nagata and Jim Holden cement the fact that real love isn’t a faux band-aid to solve all problems, but it’s a light to fight through the darkness. From reluctant friends to lovers and partners, their romance has made The Expanse beautifully noteworthy.

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The Expanse is top-tier in science fiction for several reasons, and its female leads are at the top of the list. Over the trajectory of six seasons, writers have mastered writing layered, deeply relatable women who’ve acted as multifaceted examples without ever trying to. And perhaps that’s the most admirable part of the series. On The Expanse, nothing is overt or in your face; instead, the writing carefully curates representing a world that looks different than ours, but it still matches the raw edges of our reality. And that’s especially the case with representation through the female leads.

Naomi Nagata (Dominique Tipper), Chrisjen Avasarala (Shohreh Aghdashloo), Camina Drummer (Cara Gee), Bobbie Draper (Frankie Adams), and Clarissa Mao (Nadine Nicole) all represent women who are innately realistic, badass by society’s definition of the term, and multifaceted to showcase true female strength. Real women are flawed no matter how put-together or what their careers entail. They have moments of tremendous strength and crippling vulnerability. No woman, no matter how strong she appears on the outside, is ever wholly okay on the inside, and The Expanse shows us how brilliantly true that is by giving each of the women complexities that match our own.

In the words of Little Women’s Jo March—women! The women on this series should stand as examples for representing all facets of strength, especially when it involves honoring a woman’s agency because that’s precisely what the series always did.

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In the same brilliant way The Expanse begins, it concludes its story by honoring its characters. It remains true the essence of chosen families, and it brings to our small screens the kind of finale that feels like the most lustrous sci-fi feature film—a perfectly balanced spectacle with high-speed action sequences and quiet moments of revelation and laughter.

There’s noticeable peace amongst the Inners and Belters, and it’s a direct result of the fact that the oppressed and marginalized now have a safe space to speak up. Where on any other show the righteous white man would sand on top, that’s not the case with The Expanse’s “Babylon’s Ashes.” Instead, it gives the series the kind of ending that honors those who’ve tirelessly been front and center of the battlegrounds. Camina Drummer’s position as President of the Transport Union showcases what it means to have people in a place of power capable of indeed denouncing the darkness behind eons of radicalized hatred. She is skilled, she is worthy, and it’s the kind of position that’s rightfully earned.

As someone who values a cookie-cutter sweet ending and who’ll never deem such decisions a cliché, I’ve always been amazed at how The Expanse could make me feel so much amidst its more dreary storylines, and that’s primarily due to the element of chosen families. It’s because of the Roci crew. It’s because of characters like Chrisjen Avasarala and Camina Drummer. The Expanse’s “Babylon’s Ashes” finishes in such a way where if the series ever decided to pick things back up, it could do so in a heartbeat. Open-ended and yet wholly satisfying.

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Sometimes, a series’ penultimate episode packs so much, it leaves very little room for the finale to explore the more volatile inclines—and usually, I’m all for that. But The Expanse isn’t that kind of show. It’s best during its quietly profound moments where a single decision changes the trajectory of the entire route, and it continues to orbit around the ongoing theme of found families beautifully. That’s certainly the case with “Why We Fight,” as the episode openly answers its titular question through the final few moments with the kind of performances that leave us all clad in goosebumps.

The Expanse “Why We Fight” takes the concept of found families into account when it forces characters like Amos Burton and Camina Drummer to question their loyalties and to make the decisions that will change their lives for better or for worse. Why we fight has been a running theme throughout the series as the tireless wars within the universe have taken far too much from people while seldom giving in return. And neither is wrong in their reservations—the conflicts between Inners and Belters have relentlessly put the people trying to do the right thing at risk of losing more often than not.

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Agency and its importance is an underlying theme The Expanse has understood from day one. It has dealt with the ramifications of taking it from someone even when its clarity isn’t as crystallized. Additionally, “everybody on this ship has something they regret” continues to be the force that exhilarates all these characters as they navigate through their choices, along with how those choices impact those around them.

In what’s a powerful fourth episode, The Expanse’s “Redoubt” orbits off of Holden’s decision in the final few moments of “Force Projection” and precisely what that means for the entire crew, Naomi especially, and his own psyche. It leads to some incredibly compelling conversations that establish the best part of this series—the quiet moments that mean more than the explosive ever could.

It’s also an episode about the attribute that “if you want the enemy to see you as human, then you have to see them as human,” and how that’s the component that differentiates everyone fighting against Marco and the polarizing regime he’s sitting on. We’re more than halfway through to the end of it all, and if nothing else, it’s potently noticeable that this series cares about exploring the emotions that matter.

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So much of the reason why James Holden and Naomi Nagata have always been one of my favorite on-screen couples is because of how intrinsically they understand each other’s boundaries. It’s especially the case for how much they’ve grown throughout the years, even when they were in different places, physically away from each other and with minimal contact. Thus, The Expanse’s “Force Projection” and their conversation about Naomi’s trauma does ample than merely showcase the detail that these two will always be around for each other. It clarifies how perfectly fit they are to be a solid couple.

The series’ decision not to shy away from Naomi’s heartaches and trauma by brushing it all off is everything to me as a woman who’s eager to watch realistic depictions of strong women on my screen. And Naomi Nagata is, in every way, the kind of strong woman who’s an inspiration to us all. Her journey ultimately tells us that strong women fall—strong women aren’t invincible. They’re human. At this moment, Naomi’s strength comes from the fact that she’s actively talking about the fact that she froze. It authenticates that vulnerability is a strength by revealing that amidst her heartaches and the trauma, she is dealing with it in a healthy way. She isn’t shying away from the truth, but rather, she is admitting to it and figuring out ways to overcome it.

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Best of 2021: Characters features spoilers for various shows. Please be advised if there’s something you don’t want to know.

We all have a different definition for what makes a character great or why they become a favorite of ours. Here at Marvelous Geeks, it’s often been the characters with the most growth of the season and the most layered. It’s been the characters we’ve stayed up late thinking about, wanting to know more about, and loved as though they’re someone we know. Somehow, the best of 2021 characters are always the ones there for you in a way you never expected them to be, and in our books, that makes them extraordinary.

For more end-of-the-year coverage, be sure to check out our Best of 2021: Ted Lasso Season 2 Special, as the shining example of what excellent TV looks like in its entirety. There’s also the Best of 2021: Scene-Stealers and Best of 2021: Performances who made this year a joy ride through and through.

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Having just watched solely the first episode of The Expanse Season 6, it’s undeniably clear that the series is off to a strong start. There’s a lot more happening than anyone could have predicted, but that’s a feature this show has often excelled at, its means of balancing character-driven stories with moments of intimacy and high stakes drama.

It’s the kind of start that makes you want to press play on the next episode immediately, except if you’re anything like me and utterly dreading the end of this show, you’re going to want to pace yourself. Thus, the now weekly release that Amazon Prime has adapted is a benefit we’ll understand more in the long term. This way, The Expanse stays with us a little bit longer. We get to spend ample time with these characters before the end that’s approaching too soon.

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The Expanse season 6 is right around the corner. No one look at me while I weep for days on end because I thought we had more time to say goodbye to The Expanse.The sixth and final season of Amazon’s highly sci-fi drama premieres December 10. The season will have six episodes instead of 10, airing weekly.

If the trailer promises anything it’s that carrying on with the events of season five, and particularly the aftermath of Nemesis Game will be its primary focus. And Avasarala’s voice over: “We’re broken. Trying desperately to keep ourselves going by pretending we’re not,” is definitely, 100% going to haunt me until the premiere.

For the most part, I loved season five of The Expanse and I appreciated where the show took fan favorite characters on their own journeys toward growth. Thus, my one true (and really only) wish for season six is to keep them together during this final battle.

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In honor of March being women’s history month, we are going to take the time to highlight and celebrate some of our favorite ladies in TV and Film.

The Expanse does a lot of things right and on top of the list is the compelling, incomparable women who run the show. Multifaceted and extremely complex, the women on this show are beacons of strength and hope. They are versions of all of us. They are representative of so many different types of women, each in their own way pulling the reigns and calling the shots. They are imperfect. They are trying. And in every way, they are worth celebrating.

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A majority of the scenes in this latest season of The Expanse, especially when centered around Naomi were often hard to watch. It was gut wrenching. It was breathtaking. It was jarring. No one wants to see their favorite character suffer, and no one wants to be put in a position where we’re clenching something (probably a pillow) praying to God that they make it.

And that was largely the case with Naomi. I’ve read Nemesis Game, so I knew she survived, I knew everything would be okay, but somehow watching it on-screen with the heightened, indescribably gripping visual effects freaked me out a bit. Could she? Would they really do that? (We all got TV trust issues these days, don’t we?) But no, they wouldn’t. Thank God, the writers, and mainly Bobbie Draper.

When Naomi left the ship, and the tear began floating after she had finished with the Belter codes, after she muttered “thank you,” we stopped breathing. When Bobbie started talking, we resumed. The single shot close up of Naomi’s face as Bobbie spoke felt like it was something meant to comfort us as viewers. I know at least four other people who had as much of a visceral reaction to that scene as I did and who were left enamored by its execution.

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It is a truth cosmically acknowledged that James “Jim” Holden and Naomi Nagata have the best reunion scenes on The Expanse. We hate to see them separated, but we adore their unions and though this one wasn’t as explosive as we wished it could have been, in its quiet moment of solace it left us entirely satisfied and in awe.

There is a lot to appreciate about these two as a couple and as a team, and a lot of it is due to the fact that in quiet moments, they often speak the loudest. They understand each other better than any other human being ever has and will, and beyond that, they care with such fervency that it is almost unbearable at times. As scene partners, Steven Strait and Dominique Tipper have layered their respective characters and thus, their relationship with such nuances that so much of watching them is understanding that there is always much more than meets the eye.

And that is the case with them in this particular scene where for the first time, words are doing the talking just as much as their physicality—their expressions. So much of the separation this time around came with uncertainties, even for us as viewers, knowing that Naomi does not die in the books, but wondering, fearing even because we have been burned by TV before that could she? Would they do that do that her? Therefore, to imagine just how horrifying it must have been for Holden to wonder, to fear, and to wake up every morning (if he could even fall asleep), wishing she could return home.

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January 31-February 6 “Nemesis Game” | The Expanse

Another fantastic week of television graced our screens starting with a glorious episode of Miss Scarlet and the Duke. Black-ish gave us an episode full of conversations about white guilt. Zoey’s Extraordinary Playlist dealt with characters trying to move up in the workplace. WandaVision continues to outdo itself with an episode full of surprises and exceptional performances. And A Discovery of Witches showed us more of Matthew’s father, Phillippe. But it’s The Expanse’s season finale we’re still so jazzed about.

In short, the entirety of this season dealt with separations, loss, and darkness, but we knew that the finale would deliver in the best way and it did so. “Nemesis Game” brought Naomi and Amos back home, and it brought all our favorites in the same room, thus reminding viewers that where there is a community, there is success.

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January 17-23 “Hard Vacuum” | The Expanse Dominique Tipper

The Expanse continues to deliver exceptional performances in the midst of episodes that can sadly at times be too heavy this season. Here’s the thing, we love this show, but we’re not going to pretend that having the crew split up throughout the entire season doesn’t sting a bit. (And that we’re not screaming on our TV screens for some peace.) But that said, the past two weeks have been Dominique Tipper’s world and we’re all just living in it.

This is Naomi Nagata’s season, rightfully so and between last week and this, Tipper has been bringing her A-game. It was easy to ache for her. It was easy to be uncomfortable. (I had to actually look away multiple times because I could not bear it.) And by the time we get to the end of the episode, Naomi was on her way towards finding solace again. Tipper’s physicality throughout the episode, her posture, and the incredible way in which she brought to life emotions that could have easily been overdone are a superb showcase of her gifts as an actress.

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The Expanse is one of the best series on air right now, and we can’t believe how strong it continues to be four seasons in. The fifth airs on Prime Video December 16th. Be there. We admit we were late to the game since we just started watching it last year, but we’re here to convince those of you in the boat we used to be, to get on this asap. Here’s the truth, we don’t trust a lot of writers these days—the need to subvert expectations has gotten the better of some and starting anything other than a Mike Schur comedy feels like a big risk, especially with 2020 being the sh!t show of a year that it is. But after four seasons, we’re fairly confident in these writers and we’re excited to see how the final two seasons will wrap up.

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