Avasarala feels the repercussions of the failure of the last episode; meanwhile, the same incident has consequences for Belter politics as a whole and Drummer and Ashford personally. The people on Ilus struggle as there seems no hope of a cure. Bobbie’s newfound despair seems to have cemented her on a darker path, and Alex and Naomi find themselves racing against time to save the Barbapiccola.

A lot happens in this episode: it’s the first time since the season opener that all the plotlines have some airtime. Despite this, it does not feel rushed; in fact, during the scenes with Holden (Steven Strait) and the people trapped below Ilus, there is a palpable sense of desperation that stifles the whole place. With everyone except Holden blind, there is a deep feeling of vulnerability that is conveyed wonderfully and enhanced by the engaging acting of both Strait and Wes Chatham, who plays Amos Burton. We watch as Amos descends into a well of despair, and as Holden very touchingly tries to keep his friend safe, you can really feel the love and trust these two characters have for one another.

Avasarala (Shohreh Aghdashloo) has her own emotional moment, as she seemingly goes off-script when talking with the grieving families, openly talking about the effect the death of her own son had on her. However, doubt is thrown onto her motivation as Arjun (Michael Benyaer) accuses her of using the death of her own son for political gain.

We get a dramatic shift in the status quo on Medina Station, as an argument between Drummer (Cara Gee) and Fred Johnson (Chad L. Coleman) highlights the very different politics and ideas the two now embody. Drummer ends up leaving from her position as leader of the Medina, and in a well-written and moving speech to Ashford (David Strathairn), Drummer outlines her distancefrom the direction Belter politics seems to be going, her views becoming more aligned with the outlook of the Inners.

The disillusionment that Bobbie (Frankie Adams) feels with the promise of Mars reaches its culmination as Bobbie pushes away Thomas (Michael Xavier), the last person she had a meaningful connection with, her earlier conversation with Esai (Paul Schulze) spelling out how the ring gate has created the conditions for the death of Mars as a concept.

Just when things start to look up – the blindness has been cured and the Barb has been saved –the episode ends on a very disturbing note. We finally see Miller (Thomas Jane) again, but he is glitching in a deeply unsettling way, and his tortured screams end the episode, leaving the viewer apprehensive for the last two episodes of the series.

Verdict: Some great writing and acting, paired with some amazing visuals from space as the Roci saves the Barb, makes for a truly riveting watch. 9/10

Emily Day