WARNING: This article contains major spoilers for The Expanse season 5 episode 7. Read at your own risk.
The Expanse season 5 episode 8 is going to arrive next week on Amazon Prime Video, with the title "Hard Vacuum." The previous episode focused on Naomi Nagata's (Dominique Tipper) storyline, and it'll continue moving forward. She remains to be the major focus, as something big is about to happen to her.
The Expanse season 5 episode 8 may further flesh out Naomi's relationship with her son, Filip Inaros (Jasai Chase Owens). In episode 7, their relationship played out in a huge way before Marco Inaros (Keon Alexander) orchestrated his plan.
The family drama between the three eventually leads to something more chaotic. Filip is seemingly letting his guard down with Naomi, which leads to him being torn between his mother and father. At the same time, he's struggling to find his own identity.
Naomi and Marco clashed and they looked back at why the former left the family. Then, Cyn -- who met his demise later on -- was dragged into the drama. He admitted to Naomi that he part of Marcos' plans in the past -- particularly in connection with Filip.
Everything gets twisted when Marco used Naomi as bait. He allowed her to go back to her ship, but he actually wanted to use this opportunity to destroy the Roci. The situation became more complicated when Naomi found out that Filip, somehow, "inspired" the idea.
Naomi begged her son not to proceed with it, but she was shocked when Filip blamed her for what happened to their family. The episode ended with Naomi jumping out of the airlock. Then, a shocked Filip watched his mother floating away in space. This event will continue in The Expanse season 5 episode 8.
At the moment, Naomi's fate is uncertain, though she's seemingly convincing Marco and others that she took her own life. This might also be one of her ways to reunite with some members of the Roci crew. Most of them have been separated through the early run of the current installment.
Yet, it seems like a reunion won't happen in The Expanse season 5 episode 8, considering what happened. Alex Kamal (Cas Anvar), James Holden (Steven Strait), and Amos Burton (Wes Chatham) have been doing their own thing and have their own priorities.
Holden and his team, in particular, are doing whatever is necessary to take the protomolecule out. Marco has been the major villain, and nothing can stop him from making all his plans happen. Thus, the Roci crew must find a way to defeat him once and for all.
The Expanse season 5 episode 8 airs on Wednesday, Jan. 20, on Amazon Prime Video.
