Poetic Television Review: Critical Mass (The Expanse, S1X09, 2016)

In the dark expanse of space and time,
A haunting tale unfolds, a tragic rhyme.
The void is cruel, unforgiving and cold,
Where human hearts are broken, and hopes grow old.

Aboard the Anubis, a stealthy vessel of doom,
A mysterious protomolecule brings forth a gruesome tomb.
Julie Mao's fate is sealed, her death a tragic blow,
A consequence of power and greed that will not let go.

In flashbacks, we see the events that led to her demise,
A complex web of intrigue, where truth and lies compromise.
Miller's theory unravels the mystery of the past,
As Dresden's sinister plans foreshadow a catastrophic blast.

On Eros Station, chaos reigns supreme,
As innocent lives are lost in a horrific scheme.
The shelter operations hide a dark design,
Exposing humans to an alien threat, an experiment so unkind.

Amidst this chaos, characters struggle to survive,
Their humanity tested by the void's dark thrive.
Chrisjen Avasarala digs deep into DeGraaf's past,
Uncovering secrets that implicate Earth-based interests at last.

Florence Faivre shines as Julie Mao in her final stand,
Her performance nuanced, evoking empathy from every hand.
Her character's vulnerability laid bare in scenes so bold,
Yet never exploited or gratuitous, but rather heart-wrenchingly told.

Critical Mass leaves us with more questions than answers still,
A cliffhanger ending that may frustrate or fulfill.
Yet this episode stands out as pivotal in The Expanse series' scope,
Balancing character development with narrative threads that cope.

It echoes real-world fears and anxieties so true,
Lockdowns, vaccinations forced upon us anew.
Unsettling parallels to our world today reveal themselves clear,
Reminding us how fiction can mirror reality in ways both eerie and sincere.

The Expanse serves as commentary on humanity's darkest night,
Where power corrupts and fear takes flight.
Critical Mass invites reflection on our own frailty so grand,
In the face of existential threats that test our human hand.

(Note: The review in its original form can be read here.)

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