The Expanse: 7 plot threads that signal the show isn't done yet

The Expanse might have finished in Season 6, but the story it left behind seems all but finished. Based on the beloved novels by James S.A. Corey, the show presented a gripping blend of politics, survival, and the position of humanity in the universe.

Yet, even in the last season, there were questions left unanswered and storylines left unresolved that made it feel like the saga is on pause, not finished. The Laconian Empire comes to power; the strange alien forces beyond the Ring Gates create bigger conflicts to explore.

Many characters had arcs that felt incomplete, as if their stories were still unfolding. The fan base has been debating how much more there is to be told and why the world of The Expanse still looks too alive with possibility.

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The Expanse: 7 plot threads that signal the show isn't done yet

1. The mysterious builders of the Ring Gates

The Expanse showed us the Ring Gates as marvelous alien technology, but their creators are unknown. These advanced beings were way more advanced than humans, and whatever destroyed them is also unknown. The series suggested that the same force could be a danger to humans who utilize the rings. This is one of the open-ended storylines that has us all asking: who were the Ring Builders, and what killed them? Their secrets may totally revolutionize our knowledge of the galaxy.

Season 7 might at last finally tell their story so that the Rings are no longer just a doorway for travel purposes; perhaps they are the key to the survival of humanity.

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2. Clarissa Mao’s unfinished journey

Clarissa Mao's character development involved redemption, transitioning from a villain to a respected member of the Rocinante. Season 6 concluded her storyline on a cliffhanger, however. She received a diagnosis of a life-shortening illness due to her body augmentations, leaving audiences questioning her future. The books delve deeper into her survival, revealing how she deals with death and searches for meaning.

Season 7 might provide Clarissa with a satisfying conclusion, particularly emphasizing forgiveness, sacrifice, and the price of testing the limits of human endurance. Her unfinished arc leaves the show too unfinished.

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3. The strange evolution of Cara & Xan

Cara and Xan Bisset first appeared in season 6 but were just getting started. When Cara's brother Xan passes away, weird alien beings referred to as "strange dogs" resurrect him in a new, transformed state. This hinted at something larger, correlating directly with Laconian tests with the protomolecule. In the books, the brothers are crucial in the future of humankind, but the show left their arc open-ended.

Their resurrection makes one wonder about identity, humanity, and alien intervention. Season 7 might finally reveal how these children become pivotal to the greater narrative, taking a personal family tragedy and making it a galactic-changing event.

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4. The alien entities beyond the Rings

The Ring Entities are likely The Expanse's biggest mystery. They are not the builders but rather their destroyers. The show has shown us glimpses, such as ships vanishing in bursts of red within the rings, but never told us what they actually are. In the novels, they present an existential threat to human civilization, able to destroy entire fleets without notice.

Their motives are unknown, so they are more frightening than any human foe. Season 7 may finally delve into these beings from the cosmos, transforming The Expanse into a struggle for survival against distant, mysterious forces.

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5. Winston Duarte and the rise of the Laconian Empire

Winston Duarte was presented as a great leader with a vision greater than that of the Free Navy war. In the books, he ends up being High Consul of the Laconian Empire, governing under the aid of advanced protomolecule technology that renders him virtually immortal. The series only provided us with his potential, with his complete ascension to power unseen.

Duarte's empire is a new type of threat - disciplined, technologically advanced, and eager to subjugate the entire solar system. It is a tale of obsession and ambition. Season 7 might chronicle his evolution into the saga's most lethal villain, redefining the power dynamics of human civilization.

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6. The fate of Mars after its power shift

Mars was at the center of everything in The Expanse, but its own narrative was left unresolved. Most of the Martian leaders secretly allied with Duarte, providing him with warships and tech to establish his empire. This treachery undermined Mars and tore the power balance of the solar system. But the show never ventured to see what happened next.

How does Mars regain footing after losing much of its identity and power? Does it get rebuilt, or does it recede into oblivion in the shadow of Laconia? Season 7 may answer Mars' long-term fate, revealing whether the red planet can bounce back or be a shattered dream.

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7. Humanity’s fragile peace across the system

Season 6 concluded on a tenuous note of peace, with Earth, Mars, and the Belt attempting to put the Free Navy War behind them. But anyone paying attention is aware this peace will not last. Old animosities, financial difficulties, and suspicion still exist. Added to that, human beings are threatened by the alien presence and Duarte's empire.

Season 7 might illustrate how rapidly coalitions can disintegrate once survival is the issue. The tenuous peace is only a brief respite before larger, more menacing wars redefine humanity's position among the stars.

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The Expanse ended on the TV screen, but its universe remains too vast and unfinished to be counted as truly done. Whether this will be through a new series or through a set of movies, or a true-to-the-final-book adaptation, fans hold on to hope that this epic was not the last they had seen of it.

Till then, the unanswered questions keep the thrill alive and remind us that The Expanse is never truly finished.