What happened during the time jump between season 5's final episode and Naomi Nagata (Dominique Tipper) and Amos Burton (Wes Chatham) on one last mission. Though there are hints The Expanse will continue elsewhere (as it did following Syfy's cancellation), season 6 is - at the time of writing - the end for Alcon Entertainment's critically-acclaimed adaptation of James S.A. Corey's book series.
The Expanse season 5 concluded with Marco Inaros emerging victorious after declaring war on the inner planets of Earth and Mars, rallying the notoriously divided Belter factions to his side - and slaughtering those who didn't comply. For Marco's final gambit he launched an assault upon the Ring Gate, seizing the portal between Sol and the numerous other systems made accessible by the Protomolecule. Earth licks its wounds, and the Rocinante crew mourn Alex, who died saving Naomi from one of Marco's devilish traps, but in the background, a more powerful, extra-terrestrial threat is growing, last seen effortlessly wiping iral Sauveterre's ship from existence.
The Expanse season 6 picks up a whole 6 months later, and the premiere episode ("Strange Dogs") launches straight into the action, showing how drastically the landscape has shifted during that period. Here's every event we know happened between seasons - on Earth, on Mars, and in the Belt.
Marco Inaros Has Launched Another 200 Asteroid Attacks On Earth
In The Expanse season 5, Marco Inaros brought Earth to its knees with a trio of asteroid strikes hitting North America, South Asia, and Dakar. Despite the destruction those early assaults caused alone, Marco has continued throwing space rocks in Earth's general direction. The opening montage of "Strange Dogs" confirms multiple collisions on every continent over the past 6 months, resulting in a dire shortage of food and shelter, as well as millions of deaths. As if the direct impact wasn't problematic enough, the space radiation clinging to each and every rock is beginning to erode Earth's atmosphere, causing ecological devastation similar to a nuclear winter.
Fortunately, Earth has a partial defense against the barrage. In The Expanse season 5, Avasarala's suggestion to repurpose the sentinel anti-missile system to defend against Marco's asteroids was reluctantly implemented. 6 months later, this is now standard practice, and along with patrolling fleet ships, Earth has managed to destroy most of the 200 strikes made by the Free Navy. Of course, this still benefits Marco, as every ship protecting Earth is one ship not chasing him. According to Holden, the stealth-cloaked asteroids that caused so much trouble in The Expanse season 5 stopped "months ago," suggesting the technology Marco received as payment from Mars has dried up.
The bad news continues for Earth. As a direct result of Marco's attacks, supply ships to and from the planet have ceased, worsening the food situation. Earthers have also stopped fleeing to systems beyond the Ring Gates - no doubt because the Free Navy controls the only age.
Earth & Mars Are Still Allies In The Expanse Season 6
The relationship between Earth and Mars has been fragile throughout most of The Expanse's 6-season timeline, and after a group of Martian rebels were found responsible for arming Marco Inaros with stealth tech in exchange for Protomolecule, those old grudges threatened to resurface. The Expanse season 6 finds Earth and Mars still friends, working together against the common enemy of Marco Inaros - even though both Inner planets are a shadow of their former selves, and Earth's media are itching to point the finger of blame.
Marco Inaros' Free Navy Now Dominates The Belt
Even after making big moves against Earth and Mars, Marco Inaros' Free Navy was still establishing itself by the end of The Expanse season 5. The Belt was divided into factions - some friendly, some not - and though Marco sought to unify them under his banner, that dream was very much a work in progress. When The Expanse season 6 begins, the Belt is almost completely under the villain's control. The Free Navy now occupies Tycho Station (where Fred Johnson died), Ceres Station (Miller's old stomping ground), Ganymede (Prax's home), and every other major Belt colony. One of the few factions still standing against Marco is Golden Bough. Ironically, it was a Golden Bough leader who voted to spare Marco when Klaes Ashford wanted him executed.
Of course, with every acquisition comes more hungry mouths to feed, and while Marco takes great pride in blowing things up, he shows less interest in the finer points of leadership. As more resources are put into the Free Navy's military endeavors and the Ring Gate's Medina Station, Marco's people elsewhere are going to be hungry and thirsty before long.
Marco Inaros Killed The Expanse Season 1's Anderson Dawes
Played by Jared Harris, Anderson Dawes appeared in The Expanse season 1 as an extremist (though tame compared to Marco Inaros) member of the Belt's OPA. The leader of Ceres Station, Dawes antagonized the more moderate Fred Johnson in season 2 - when Harris made his last onscreen appearance - before the Belt's two leaders were said to have reached a mutual understanding that lasted through seasons 3 and 4. Anderson Dawes was briefly mentioned in The Expanse season 5, but Marco Inaros now confirms he killed the character ahead of season 6. Dawes was likely a casualty of the Free Navy occupying Ceres and Marco not wanting a leadership rival, but the creative decision was almost certainly instigated by Jared Harris' limited availability.
Drummer Is Still Running From Marco In The Expanse Season 6
Another Belter still holding out against Marco's domination is Cara Gee's Camina Drummer, who rebelled against the Free Navy to her Rocinante friends at the end of The Expanse season 5. Marco has been doggedly searching for her ever since, while Drummer captained the Tynan and Dewalt alongside her poly crew mates, fending off bounty hunters from all sides. Like everyone else in The Expanse season 6, Drummer's crew are desperately lacking in both supplies and smiles. Nonetheless, she seems to have become a gathering point for every Belter who doesn't wish to follow Marco Inaros.
Earth Strikes Back Against Pallas Station (Changing The Expanse's Books)
Naturally, Earth isn't taking Marco Inaros' crimes lightly, and has struck back by neutralizing Pallas Station. This off-screen event adapts a key battle from The Expanse's book series, where Michio Pa was tasked with attacking Pallas. Instead of destroying it, she blockaded the station's dock with a ship of her own, rendering Pallas useless to the Free Navy whilst sparing the Belters within. Evidently, that hasn't happened in The Expanse's TV story, with the survivors of Pallas left to bitterly curse the Earth forces who attacked them.
The Rocinante Has ed Earth As A Recon Team
Though Holden's allegiance was never in doubt, the Rocinante officially declared for Team Earth during the interim between The Expanse seasons 5 & 6. The Roci crew originally agreed to act as a reconnaissance team, scouting out asteroids heading for Earth or potential Free Navy strongholds. Instead, they've become de facto soldiers, forced into combat against Marco's ships, and are proving so effective the Free Navy has placed a bounty on the Roci's crew. Their mission has been ongoing for 187 days, meaning Holden and friends must've ed the fight almost immediately after The Expanse season 5 ended, and morale is perilously low as a result. Clarissa "Peaches" Mao remains aboard the Rocinante following her return in The Expanse season 5.