Thread by @will_wagner

Since I can't watch Wynonna Earp live, I'm gonna continue my analysis of #TheExpanse with season 1, episode 4, "CQB". #SomeThingsINoticed

https://twitter.com/will_wagner/status/1029903437838856192

The dead guy Miller found after the riot in the last episode. Note confirmation from Julie's files that she matched with him on the space dating site. His profile says "I'll be your Sherpa". #TheExpanse #SomeThingsINoticed

Another reference here to how technology on Mars is outstripping Earth's in various areas, and how the impoverished Belt lags behind. #TheExpanse #SomeThingsINoticed

The dead guy's ID is labeled in English, German, and Chinese, though there's also an Arabic header at the top. Interestingly its expiration date is listed as "20:17:54:62", whatever the hell that means. Maybe a calendar that's specific to Ceres. #TheExpanse #SomeThingsINoticed

Unless you have explicitly declined for religious reasons, if you die on Ceres you can expect your body to become mushroom food.

The coroner's blood-soaked apron says "WASTE NOT WANT NOT" on it. Cute.
#TheExpanse #SomeThingsINoticed

This thing reminds me of the EarthForce ships from Bablyon 5 in some ways. It looks frickin' mean. #TheExpanse #SomeThingsINoticed

It's a nice touch that we can see the feed from the surveillance camera looking at Naomi as they're talking about her. #TheExpanse #SomeThingsINoticed

If you know me, you know I love asymmetrical spaceship designs, and these stealth ships are no exception. The weird angles and matte black finish are clearly inspired by early stealth aircraft like the F-117 Nighthawk. #TheExpanse #SomeThingsINoticed

The stealth ships launch a volley of missiles. Again we see how the missiles are passively ejected from the ships before kicking on their own drives. #TheExpanse #SomeThingsINoticed

The Donnager launches its own missiles. It seems to be throwing roughly the same number as all six attackers combined. #TheExpanse #SomeThingsINoticed

Somebody's a 90s sci-fi fan. (cf #Babylon5 S03E10 "Severed Dreams")

#TheExpanse #SomeThingsINoticed

One thing about space is that there's rarely any cover, or any way to hide what you're doing (the stealth ships being a new innovation). This battle is almost immediately detected by the UNN, though they can't tell exactly what's going on. #TheExpanse #SomeThingsINoticed

The UNN Orinoco is presumably named after the Orinoco River in Venezuela. There is also a ship named after it in Star Trek: Deep Space Nine. #TheExpanse #SomeThingsINoticed

This book that Arjun is reading to his grandson and friends is "Kidnapped" by Robert Louis Stevenson. #TheExpanse #SomeThingsINoticed

It's hard to capture in a still image, but there's a great shot here of the Donnager's missiles flying past the attackers' missiles in the opposite direction. #TheExpanse #SomeThingsINoticed

Reminiscent of the real-world Cold War: endless military exercises and technological arms races, but most soldiers don't have any real-world combat experience against their biggest enemy. #TheExpanse #SomeThingsINoticed

We learn a lot about how Martians think in this scene. Many of them have a strong, religious-like devotion to their planet's cause. #TheExpanse #SomeThingsINoticed

Leave it to Shohreh Aghdashloo to look majestic as fuck while lying outside on a dirty roof. #TheExpanse #SomeThingsINoticed

One of the books talks about how the UN has concluded that if it comes down to a knock-down drag-out total war with Mars, Earth will inevitably lose. Avasarala alludes to one of the main reasons for that conclusion here. #TheExpanse #SomeThingsINoticed

If people get desperate enough...changing the course of an asteroid so that it falls into a planet's gravity well isn't that hard. #TheExpanse #SomeThingsINoticed

Just one could kill billions on Earth and ruin the climate forever. Mars, where the atmosphere's useless anyway and almost everyone lives underground, is much less vulnerable to this.

No one's thrown any rocks yet. But if they do...Earth loses.

#TheExpanse #SomeThingsINoticed

Holden echoes something Naomi said about him earlier, that people don't work on a ship like the Canterbury if they're happy at home. #TheExpanse #SomeThingsINoticed

More on what Martians think of Earthers. Mars has had to work and fight and bleed for a couple hundred years to achieve what Earthers just had handed to them by nature, and take for granted. They're more than a little bitter about it. #TheExpanse #SomeThingsINoticed

They've had to postpone their terraforming project and divert resources to their military so that the UN won't charge in and conquer them again. And they hate the thought that Earth could still fuck it all up for them before they can really thrive. #TheExpanse #SomeThingsINoticed

As the Donnager's PDCs fire, you can see a burst of flame come out of the back. A little thruster that fires in sync with the gun and in the opposite direction, to offset the recoil so firing the weapons doesn't cause the ship to spin. #TheExpanse #SomeThingsINoticed

One of the stealth ships takes a torpedo in the face and the Donnager crew are just giddy about it. Most of these guys haven't seen real combat and still think of this like a game. #TheExpanse #SomeThingsINoticed

The second this guy's expression changes, Captain Yao is on him asking what's gone wrong. She's acting casual, but she's watching everything like a hawk. #TheExpanse #SomeThingsINoticed

You can see LOTS of guns firing from the Donnager as the missiles come in. It's all they can do to shoot most of them down. #TheExpanse #SomeThingsINoticed

When a missile hits near the reactor, Lopez immediately activates his mag boots. With damage to the reactor, they could lose the engines at any moment, sending everyone floating. #TheExpanse #SomeThingsINoticed

Neither side wants to use missiles at close range. Playing a #TheExpanse tabletop RPG at Gen Con I got to see firsthand why — I fired a torpedo at a nearby ship and the resulting blast nearly crippled my own. #SomeThingsINoticed

The Donnager's railguns need so much power that turning them on requires disabling some non-essential systems — the lights dim and the surveillance cameras in the cells go down. #TheExpanse #SomeThingsINoticed

Looks like Holden's famous now. #TheExpanse #SomeThingsINoticed

"pensa" = think, believe (Spanish/French/etc.)

#TheExpanse #SomeThingsINoticed

Gravity assist "slingshot" maneuvers are used all the time by real-world spacecraft. This technique allows a ship to pick up a lot of speed using almost no fuel, but it requires precise timing. #TheExpanse #SomeThingsINoticed

Ships listed on the right include:

Sling-Shooter One
Vindicator
Super Nova Seven
Heavy-G
One Hit Wonder
Piper Scout

and one at the bottom I can't quite make out. Almost looks like "Finland".

#TheExpanse #SomeThingsINoticed

But this isn't Julie Mao's kind of racing — her racing ship was built for immense engine power, speed through brute force. #TheExpanse #SomeThingsINoticed

The slingshot game is super dangerous, especially since the ships they're using are probably kitbashed Belter jalopies. Now the real Bizi Bitiko is dead too.

In season 3 we'll meet a guy who's at least a little better at this.
#TheExpanse #SomeThingsINoticed

Tycho Station is a massive spinning structure with huge hangars. Several civilian ships can be seen moored here, including the freighter Guy Molinari which we'll see again in season 2. #TheExpanse #SomeThingsINoticed

"Nauvoo" is an anglicized version of a Hebrew word meaning "beautiful". The Mormon church was based in Nauvoo, Illinois for a while before being chased out west. It's a logical name for a ship embarking on another big journey. #TheExpanse #SomeThingsINoticed

Notice how again the only people who wear neckties are Mormons.

Also Fred's joystick appears to be backwards.

#TheExpanse #SomeThingsINoticed

Oh, you ain't kiddin'. #TheExpanse #SomeThingsINoticed

Although he has a legitimate business here in Tycho Engineering, it seems like kind of an "open secret" that Fred Johnson is basically the face man for the OPA. #TheExpanse #SomeThingsINoticed

The Nauvoo's sensors, designed for use on an interstellar journey, are better than anything else out there. Like Avasarala, Fred has figured out that there's a battle going on and wants to know who the Martians are fighting. #TheExpanse #SomeThingsINoticed

The railguns have retro thrusters like the PDCs (though much larger) to offset their recoil as well. #TheExpanse #SomeThingsINoticed

It's only on the screen for a split second, but you can see a railgun round go all the way through this stealth ship and keep going. It seems to hit something explosive that tears the ship apart. #TheExpanse #SomeThingsINoticed

While the Donnager's railguns are mounted on swiveling external turrets, each stealth ship appears to be built around a single coaxial railgun, providing the gun some protection at the cost of having to point the whole ship at its target. #TheExpanse #SomeThingsINoticed

In the scans of the stealth ships you can see some small triangular structures toward the rear. These are the breaching pods they launch at the Donnager later on. #TheExpanse #SomeThingsINoticed

The Donnager's PDCs pack enough of a punch that direct fire from them takes down two more of the attackers. There are two left. #TheExpanse #SomeThingsINoticed

oops #TheExpanse #SomeThingsINoticed

This shot punched all the way through the Donnager, but didn't seem to hit anything important (sorry, Shed). Bigger ships are probably less susceptible to railgun fire since each round is less likely to hit something critical. #TheExpanse #SomeThingsINoticed

I love that Naomi uses the cover of a "emergency procedures" binder to patch the hole in her side of the room. #TheExpanse #SomeThingsINoticed

You can see Lopez's opinion of Holden start to change here. When a wounded Marine's pistol falls to the ground, Holden rushes to help the injured person rather than to grab the gun he might be able to use to escape. #TheExpanse #SomeThingsINoticed

A common theme with Naomi is quick thinking in a crisis. She suggests sedating one person to extend the air supply, and even volunteers to do it to herself, though Amos wisely objects that they're better off with her leading than with him or Alex. #TheExpanse #SomeThingsINoticed

Some more hints at Naomi's backstory again. She has some regrets that she doesn't explain. #TheExpanse #SomeThingsINoticed

Naomi doesn't answer this question, and if you've read the later books you'll know it's because it's a long and painful story that she probably doesn't have enough time — or air — to tell. #TheExpanse #SomeThingsINoticed

Amos, being Amos, is kind of oblivious to the fact that his hand is still covered in Shed's blood when he holds Naomi's hand. #TheExpanse #SomeThingsINoticed

This is the first time we see the word "taker" used to refer to someone from Earth. Earthers — at least in the Martians' eyes — are lazy and *take* from society, where Martians are hard-working and *give* to society. #TheExpanse #SomeThingsINoticed

This looks like one of those XCOM missions where your troops have to escort some dong whose only available action is "hunker down" #TheExpanse #SomeThingsINoticed

The boarders' blue helmet lights appearing out of the smoke is a neat effect. #TheExpanse #SomeThingsINoticed

One boarder gets shot through the helmet by Lopez; you can see the helmet light go out and a burst of air and glass fly out. #TheExpanse #SomeThingsINoticed

The Martians' helmets say "MMC" (Martian Marine Corps). In the books, it's MCRMC (Martian Congressional Republic Marine Corps) but that's maybe a bit unwieldy. #TheExpanse #SomeThingsINoticed

Two more of this dead guy's aliases are John Hunter (an Earther) and Jeremy Gillespie (a Martian). If you look at the show's credits you'll find a graphic designer called Jon Hunter and an assistant art director called Jeremy Gillespie. #TheExpanse #SomeThingsINoticed

Miller is projecting a bit here, assuming that Havelock is deliberately avoiding being contacted, because that's the kind of thing Miller does himself. #TheExpanse #SomeThingsINoticed

An impressive array of implants in this guy's body. I'm guessing the inner ear device helps with balance in zero-g. A spinal stabilizer might be some kind of high-tech scoliosis treatment. Pancreatic pump to treat diabetes. #TheExpanse #SomeThingsINoticed

Files on the dead data broker's leg-based storage device include PHOEBE STN, which we've heard the Martians asking about, as well as FLIGHT PLN and ANUBIS. Put in a pin in that for a couple episodes. #TheExpanse #SomeThingsINoticed

Interestingly it's the lady who runs the brothel who finds Havelock. She initially tries to take his wallet, but to her credit as soon as she realizes he's alive, she leaves it and goes for help. #TheExpanse #SomeThingsINoticed

Holden walks through some carnage on his way to find his crew. Several dead Martians who weren't wearing suits — probably surprised by the attackers as they boarded. #TheExpanse #SomeThingsINoticed

The boarders are just leaving their dead and wounded where they fall. #TheExpanse #SomeThingsINoticed

It's clear this guy's a trained killer and Holden really isn't — he immediately grabs for Holden's air hose, something Holden didn't think to protect and keep out of reach. #TheExpanse #SomeThingsINoticed

With an impressive shot, a Martian severs this guy's arm. The suit seals itself up around the stump immediately — very advanced technology. Note also how the faceplate is covered with a metal mesh to protect it from cracking. #TheExpanse #SomeThingsINoticed

The dying boarder has little of use to say but nihilist anti-platitudes. We will eventually get an explanation for this attitude in season 2. #TheExpanse #SomeThingsINoticed

When Holden shows up to rescue his friends, he brings all their vac suits in duffel bags. Here you can see Shed's now-useless bag discarded by the door. #TheExpanse #SomeThingsINoticed

Lopez finally explains why he's been asking about Phoebe (a small icy moon of Saturn). A Martian science crew was killed there to cover something up. #TheExpanse #SomeThingsINoticed

Many chunks of debris can be seen floating around the stricken Donnager. Lots of new scars visible on the hull. #TheExpanse #SomeThingsINoticed

One of the officers is weirdly eager to get on with blowing up the ship, but Captain Yao won't push the button until she's sure Lopez is safely away. Martians strive to be useful and dying pointlessly would be the worst thing they could think of. #TheExpanse #SomeThingsINoticed

Notice how the hangar has several walkway levels to support ships of different heights/lengths. #TheExpanse #SomeThingsINoticed

It seems quiet at first, but as soon as someone steps out of cover, these blue-light specials open fire. They knew someone would try to escape using the ships in the hangar and were lying in wait. #TheExpanse #SomeThingsINoticed

Here we see the first instance of what becomes almost a running gag: Amos being the one who always gets shot. #TheExpanse #SomeThingsINoticed

This is a neat trick right here. Lopez had told them to turn off their mag boots, since they only slow you down when there's gravity/thrust. But the ship's drive goes down again, sending Naomi and Holden floating away from the catwalk...

#TheExpanse #SomeThingsINoticed

Holden tethers himself to Naomi, then shoves against her to propel himself down to the catwalk. He turns on his boots to stay there, then reels her in. It's a clever use of physics. #TheExpanse #SomeThingsINoticed

Lopez's armor has a big gash in it and appears to be leaking air both front and back. #TheExpanse #SomeThingsINoticed

Seems like Lopez at this point knows that he probably won't survive the escape. #TheExpanse #SomeThingsINoticed

Unlike on the Canterbury, the high-G drug dispensers on the Tachi have several lines and seem to inject directly into the user's back. #TheExpanse #SomeThingsINoticed

There goes Alex talking to a goddamn ship again. #TheExpanse #SomeThingsINoticed

The Tachi's PDCs keep the boarders from doing much damage. You can see the retro thruster at the back just like the larger ones on the Donnager. #TheExpanse #SomeThingsINoticed

PDC fire tears the poor Knight to shreds, sending a Pur & Kleen label flying directly at the camera. Someone had fun making this shot. #TheExpanse #SomeThingsINoticed

You can hear the pride in Alex's voice as he feels like he's back in the Martian Navy again. #TheExpanse #SomeThingsINoticed

This always reminded me of Sam Neill's character in "The Hunt For Red October", whose dying words were "I would've liked to have seen Montana." #TheExpanse #SomeThingsINoticed

Unlike a lot of sci-fi with starship self-destructs, there's no countdown or opportunity to cancel. Just boom. #TheExpanse #SomeThingsINoticed

As the Tachi burns away from the blast, you can see the PDCs fold back up into the ship. #TheExpanse #SomeThingsINoticed

I'm still curious who "Great Dane" is. I'm thinking it might be the dead data broker. Hard to tell because this Ryan Stanley has no picture on IMDB and his only credit is this role. #TheExpanse #SomeThingsINoticed

That's it for this one, beratnas. I'll be back soon with episode 5, "Back To The Butcher". #TheExpanse #SomeThingsINoticed