The Most Complex Character in Science Fiction | Amos Burton from The Expanse 

Brilliant analysis of Amos.

Amos is my favorite character... Holden is the unattainable Paladin archetype that everyone says they want to be, from a socially acceptable view and not actually willing to practice the resolve and piety to achieve. To me, Amos runs some parallels to the Tin Man in The Wizard of Oz. Amos denies he has a heart and a moral compass. He does indeed have both but has had to deny and suppress both to survive and maintain some mental balance. Amos attaches himself to those, yes loyal to him but more importantly to those he subconsciously knows to have rightness and strong convictions. Believing at a conscious level, it's better to have those persons with principles and righteousness to ‘guide’ him. He performs the necessary and unsavory tasks that will result in a just result. In some sense, I believe Amos takes solace in his flawed nature be at least used for honorable causes. Thinking he is unworthy of remediation. I think the undertones of his character are indeed moral, however, he will not trust in them or doesn't want to face them as he may have to question many of his actions.

You are wrong about chewie he is a war veteran from the clone wars who was enslaved by the empire .the reason he follows around han is because he owed han a life debt because he freed him from slavery and overtime became very good friends if not brother to han who he knew if he did not keep an eye on would get into trouble. Also he is very technically savvy to starship mechanics and advanced tech in general every one assumes he a big dumb animal because he is big and hairy and his race can not speak basic.wookies maaped some of the earliest hyperspace lanes

@@timbradwell3205 and he also can speak Galactic Basic)

No, but it’s close

@@toolegittoquit_001 Well, each to their own.

He is the deepest character by a wide margin.

@@thecocktailian2091 I mean, even if you think he is deeper than Avasarala, you can't claim there's a wide margin.

@@androkguz you are correct. Amos is deep; so is Chrisjen

Holden is a wise man

Heh well he has a funny way of showing it. That poor machine...

Holden is a romantic in the classical sense. He tends to see things in black and white, which is similar to Amos, but unlike Amos he has a moral compass. I think Amos is almost entirely transactional, living in the moment. He cares about others, but very selectively. While Holden agonizes over a decision and its consequences, Amos cuts to the conclusion and acts swiftly, yet he knows he could be wrong, which is why he follows Naomi's lead before he switches to Holden. He knows he is prone to act without reflection so he relies on others he trusts to think things through to a degree he does not. Great friend but a terrible enemy.

22:19

@@MTerrance Johnson: "We want the same thing you know. Were on the same team." Holden: "That's the thing with all you Earth, Mars, the Belt, the OPA. It's all bullshit. There shouldn't be any teams." Johnson: "That's a beautiful dream son. And I hope I'm around to see it come true. But in this world that we live in, in order to survive, you have to pick a side." You could argue He sees in black and white with this comment, but I say exactly the opposite. Its those other teams seeing black and white. It us against them. Its always us against them. Holden is naive idealist and thats not what seeing black and white is. Where, I could say He sees in black and white is that, He might not want to realize that Its just isnt that easy for teams to not exist and that as Johnson says, sometimes You have to pick a side.

100% agree, he is an incredible actor and he was so perfectly casted for that character. Amos is a really nuanced person, not many people get to the point of finding this out about him but those who do can call themselves lucky becasue they probably gained a friend with extreme loyalty. If you are more interested in the character ( or the show in general ) and Wes they have a podcast called "Ty and that guy". His Co-host is Ty Franck, one of the writer of the show and the co-writer of the books ( James S. A. Corey is not a real person, its two dudes ). They go through every single episode of the show and talk about writing and acting in detail ( often with a guest, usually someone from the episode ) and a lot of behind the scenes stuff. They are movie nerds so they talk a lot about other stuff as well, I find it really entertaining and it shed light on what a cool dude Wes really is and what a great job he did with that character. Highly recommend it.

Wes should have been offered many ggod roles after that.

Watching interviews with the actor and you see how invested he was in the character as well as the process and friendships involved in the whole Expanse experience. I so hope they do a Movie trilogy of the last three books with the original cast.

@@cypherryand I'd also take a show revival for another 3+ seasons!!

A line delivered perfectly. The acceptance of an invitation to fight, maybe to the end. A multi-dimensional line, breathless anticipation, as any big cat anticipates his kill with pleasure, the disguise of the quiet civility in his voice, the flash of danger, hidden but emerging, the joy of the decision to let go and fight. A line delivered perfectly.

Amos hates waiting for violence. He is a rip-the-bandaid-NOW kind of guy.

Probably my favorite line so far.

@@Kyle-sr6jm what this guy said. Remember those belter extortionating the passangers in the ship to Luna.

@@davewade30 A good line to be sure, but my favorite was Avasarala to her spy, "When you mysteriously disappear, your body will never be found..."

Connor Kent! “Thank you@ 👊

Ilim Garak: “First”

Walking Dead: If Daryl Dies.. We Riot! The Expanse: If Amos Dies...................... WE "ALL" Become........ That Guy!

Easily his best quote so far

I really am Amos

What a line. Such a brilliant and consistent character.

I was going to reply with that line and some commentary. Better to let the line speak for itself.

i think the episode even ended after that line too.

Great line.

@@HulkSmash512 It did. I just watched it. Guess I need to hold off on this video though until I've finished the season.

OMG, I"m not a cryer, but that scene came sooooo close to bringing tears to my eyes. I might have had to pause the show for a minute or two. Amos is the BEST character. I might argue that Amos is the moral center of the crew...........

@@h3llo0cto I'm always torn between Avasarala and Amos as the best characters on the show.

Yup, that moment always makes me cry.

Spot on mate, that small scene moved me the most & ever since i've being trying to find out about the actor Wes Chatham. To this day i cant imagine any other actor pastor present playing Amus as well as Chatham does.

And also, at the beginning of the next season when he gets interviewed. He refers to Prax back as his best friend when he is asked what a Prax Table is.

Wes Chatham is pretty passionate and knowledgeable about sci fi. When listening to his podcast, you can tell he did his homework for the expanse.

@@adeosinowo3197 " To this day i cant imagine any other actor pastor present playing Amos as well as Chatham does." Sure they could. How about Wally Cox? Or Andy Divine? lol

It takes some serious writing talent to make a character like Amos. They are deeply flawed, but their flaws are also part of what makes them such a useful member of the team. They are the team muscle, the badass and the fighter, yet it's implied that their willingness to kill without second thought comes from a lifetime of trauma that made them who they are. To see Amos depend on Naomi as his moral compass only to have his trust in her broken was heartbreaking, yet also helped him grow as a character when he formed his connection to the botanist, helping him with his mission to find his missing daughter, and pulling triggers that his newfound friend just couldn't. All that, and they occasionally deliver a genuine laugh.

Fuck Yes!...Well done Ben!

My all time favourite scifi character, and i feel you did him justice. looking forward to see your take on the next season. kind of insulted you called chewbacca an animal incapable of human things though, i am quite sure chewie is a good pilot and has a good vocabulary. in his language that is.

Amos is the one you want looking out for your back of you ever get into danger. He is not bad, he is willing to use violence, but that isn't everything. He seems to be trying, in his own way, to save people and punish the guilty. He cares about people who is in need. In his way he's the superhero, at least as much as Holden. He is the sort of person who would deal with a criminal politician, not just make excuses or betray his own country.

American Ben and Amos would make a great couple... Couple of best friends, I mean.

😭I belive someone was cutting onions during that scene.

And the look he gave Mei when she said "Hi." to him...

That is my favourite scene in the entire series.

if it came to it an hour later, Amos would put him down

@@otakarbeinhauer i was thinking the same thing. maybe i'm looking into it a little bit too much, but i saw it as a look conveying gravity, humility, graciousness, and little bit of fear, the fear you get when someone trusts you with their child.

heh I got to that part and stopped the video. If he can't even get Chewbacca correct how is he going to have insight on Amos?

Guys. It’s a joke. If you’ve never watched generation tech, they have a running joke that they’re pro human and anti alien. Watch any of their district 9 videos for more.

"let the wookie win" - Obi wan said this to R2, when they played that holochess. That has a parallel in one of the sequels, where Chewie beats some of the new characters multiple times. He was not the smart one in episode 4.

@@DopamineKata Yeah, I also stopped the video there with disdain. But decided to look at the comment and see if I'm the only one or if there is a reason for this harsh comment on Chewbacca. TwistrateMedia below mentioned it's a running joke, that sorta explains it, but they should add some onscreen comment/call-out to give new/in-frequent viewer of the channel some context/reference to such running joke.

@@DopamineKata Same...with clicking "don't recommend this channel" next. Clueless...

Awesome input. Part of my point is that Amos is able to commit violence and acts we'd consider immoral becuase he's so desensitized to violence. He's a good natured person who was nurtured in an evil environment.

@@GenerationFilms Reading Tiamat's Wrath confirms both this and the "I was born to be the last man standing" quote.

From other Cons, Amos was discussed. Another good description is that he is a sociopath. He understands that he is broken but wants to be "good". To achieve this, he identifies someone that he trusts and who he thinks has a good moral compass and does what they say (he does what Naomi says, for example) and imitates what he thinks they would do. He's basically adrift morally and finding/following a guide.

@@GenerationFilms Amos looks to others for a surrogate conscience - He's a being of violence, and he knows that he's been irreversibly damaged - He literally cannot tell right from wrong in many cases, and he knows that, too. He looks to others that have a strong moral and ethical drive, or at least those who he thinks have those things. He seems to determine this, by watching others struggle against their own self interest - whoever can make a *selfless* decision that come at personal costs in order to enrich others - he gravitates towards them, and latches on. Selfish vs Selfless are things Amos understands intimately - but he doesn't comprehend how to get from point A to point B without making things worse. Amos doesn't know WHY those decisions are moral, and ethical - he can't feel it, but he knows it when he sees it, and he shapes his own reactions based on factors exclusively external to himself, at least in most cases. In the books - we can see this when he's separated from those he's latched onto (Late, late book spoilers, so avoiding it here.) In terms of his 'fear of imprisonment' - its more a fear of the loss of self that comes from not having access to those he's been using as moral and ethical guides. He may not feel now, but he did when he was a child - and the *memory* of that fear is what torments him, drives him to a fear reaction - he hates feeling powerless, he hates becoming the person his childhood forced him to become - and he would rather die than face that loss of self, or those memories. Amos knows what he is, and he knows what he becomes in the absence of conscience - Without access to Naomi, and later Holden, he becomes a monster the likes of which he hasn't known since he was a child, and he hates *that* more than anything else. He's trapped in amoral survival mode without a conscience, and he doesn't know how to be anything more. In his mind, he's doing Good - *but only* as long as he's accomplishing what tasks Naomi and Holden tell him to - if he does that, he's safe - he can avoid doing to others, what was done to him. Amos is a cunning, calculating, intelligent monster - but he knows he is, and he wants to be better, he just can't do so alone. In the end, what Amos fears more than anything, or anyone else - is himself, and what he'll do to others without a guide. To reverse the common cliche, he doesn't fear fear... he fears the lack of it, and the harm he knows he can do without it. Amos is a contradiction - He's a good man that only knows violence. He's a selfless man that only knows greed, and he counts on those he follows to show him how to be better.

@@cheeseguy3412 I'm not Amos. I didn't grow up "that fucked up", but I spent my young adult life pretty screwed up. Don't discount his ability to learn from his mentors or even just figure shit out on his own. People, even damaged people like Amos, aren't robots. We learn and adapt

Fans call him "murder snuggles" So yeah

We can all give him a hug.

@@naynay3710 yeah he can't kill us all. Can he ?

@@frans8861 Dat's right!!!

@@frans8861 We were alive when he left the room

Is there a better way to demonstrate dominance? "I like chicken." Roma. So, that's what Amos took. Probably wasn't even that hungry.

Probably dented the can. Wouldn't want it to spoil now, would you?

Azula quote of course... But Amos ISNT a monster.

Ayyyy

In book 5 his childhood friend Erich from Baltimore finds himself in exactly the same place, his only life experience as a gang boss in Baltimore is useless to him in space. That life is over and there’s no going back. Amos is an expert out here and he isn’t. He offers to defer to Amos in all things.

His interactions with Peaches don't line up with being a realist. In that case, I think he was following the path shown to him by his adopted mother when she took him under her wing. Now he is taking Peaches under his wing, because of how lost and broken she was, and is trying to act out the part of protector. Still, as she pointed out after he killed the guy in the cabin, his choices and actions aren't one a normal person would make which was why he was so desperate to get back to Holden and Naomi. I still see him as a sociopath and that makes him more interesting to watch. As a result, he has countless possible actions and interactions going forward since he is essential capable of doing anything (acts of extreme sacrifice and kindness or cold unflinching cruelty).

@Everything Soup Thankfully that is undoubtedly true

I mostly agree with that except that there are levels to psychopathy, lols.

Well said. He didn't trust himself and didn't want the responsibility of morality. When he told Holden that Holden always tries to do the right thing it becomes clear. He want to outsource morality knowing he, Amos, is doing the right thing bc it's to help Holden. So when Holden enters a gray area (eg disabling the torpedo abt to kill Inaro) it's very disruptive to Amos.

Haha for sure.

The last part of the quote speaks volumes as to who Amos is: "...Except Naomi wouldn't like it". Proves everything Ben said about his loyalty to those who treat him as a human instead of as a monster

@@MikemfPanik Later Holden gets added to that list. Would Naomi or Holden like it or not. They become his moral cumpas.

He would kick you out of airlock for calling it a latte macchiato

And when he says "No anchovies", there better not be anchovies within five city blocks of that pizza.

I know right, just wait until the folks who haven't read the books see how he and Peaches get along, talk about another layer!

How about Tiamat’s Wrath? Just wow!

the book is always better....

and i haven't read it i just believe you

Oh yeah, last book was absolutely incredible... I just found out I have no words lol

farscape also gave all of its characters a reason not to be there and yet they stayed. it makes their bond feel more important. Unlikely friends has got to be one of the best plot devices ever

Amos likes to take care / protect someone that deserves it in his own way. You are right - moderator not so much.

Actors who play tough guy characters like that never get enough credit. Wes can really act! Dude has a bright future.

@@GenerationFilms Wes needs to demonstrate his acting range. The person seems to have a good sense of humor, so maybe a RomCom would be a good next career move. He could carry a picture.

He also tends to react in a simple and direct way, which can result in a correct or wrong action.

I think hes more like han than chewie

He has a need for simplicity to rationalize actions in his past and the cruelty he has suffered. He follows because he needs to have someone to trust and follow.

I never found reading the books that amos 'wanted' to change in anyway, He simply accepted who he was, and who everyone else was. If anything it seems he lacks empathy, and fails to understand why people act one way but think another. For him the world is black and white, where as for Holden its several shades of grey. Amos is by far the most Honest of all the character in the series, he rarely lies or misleads anyone, he simply acts in what he thinks is the right thing to do, and doesnt care what others feel about it.

@@notmyrealname7738 I think Amos was altered as a child to be fearless and devoid of empathy. He knows this and inquired whether his condition could be reversed. He was told that his psychological modification cannot be reversed.

*pumps

@@gnomeandgarden6157 Some people (especially non-English speakers) don't know what "pumps" are.

My favorite Amos quote!

The fact that they used the term pumps added whole level of sophistication to the scene.

Which actually makes sense in context if he grew up in a brothel. I could see a young boy wondering what made those shoes so special...

Holden Is my fav character because he Is supposed to be the Star. But he doesnt want to AND doesnt know how to deal with that. I was so suprise about all characters in the show. Miller was something else for sure

I don’t blame him! She’s got that charisma and queen attitude. Damn respectable!

or to act it.

Sounds like a US marine,... no greater friend, no worse enemy.

"I am that guy".

​@@lloydkeith3061the afghans, the Syrians, the Iraqis, etc disagree.

That scene with him and Anna was a last minute cut from my script. Definitely a revealing moment!

Hal Nordmann great scene and he is definitely that guy

IDK. He seems kinda like a trigger happy whack-job.

Like Zaphod!

I’m that guy

@@SWells679 Did you even watch the video? Or the show for that matter? :D

Sometimes what the world needs is a Monster

"You lost me"

Von Splatterblast great line

That line made me pause the show, I was laughing so hard.

Thank you sir!

Well, there was that Wookophobe moment... but very good besides that.

Thank you for your insight and sharing your connection to the character!

Chaotic neutral. absolutely. I hadn't thought of that. Perfect.

@@russellmarra8520 And the character arc is CN --> Chaotic Good

Most people won't get the sheepdog quote but it is fitting with a slight difference where he seems to look for the fight rather than as a reaction but his past seems to have shaped it.

Right? That was such a great moment in the series. made me want to read the books. "I AM that guy."

The show is getting to the point in the story in the books that we really learned a lot about Amos and his back-story, so we'll probably see a lot more of that in the show as well.

@@d0rp With how theyve incorporated the novellas in to the show I would guess well see a lot of stuff from "The Churn" in the next season

Amos is Chewbacca if Chewbacca could say more than "WRRRRRRRRRR"

@@Karou812 Your own fault for not speaking his language. Chewie has plenty to say.

@@Outworlder So people claim, but I haven't seen any evidence that they're not just projecting. It's a full on Lassie situation.

@@waraidako Doesn't that go for any foreign language then? "I've seen no evidence, so they can't speak". Chewie clearly speaks - and understands when spoken to. Also, Chewie is a starship mechanic and can repair droids. How do you do that without language?

@@Outworlder and a war hero of three wars.

It gets better than that, he sometimes goes by "Timmy".

@@dstarling61 Tiamat's Wrath is one of the best books of the series.

@@davenunyabusiness4893 Agreed, can't wait for book 9.

You should read the books. He is a lot more complex and his early life is just really fucked up. He is damaged but not broken and he does have a code but he knows his personal code does not always mean he will do the “right” thing like Holden’s personal code will. He will protect his tribe any way he can and anyone outside his tribe can be damned to hell. He does not harm children and has empathy for prostitutes because of his own childhood. He also cares for Peaches in a platonic way.

@@Lala-rz2ft "Don't get me wrong; I'd do her if she'd let me..."

The impact on humanity would run along similar lines to the nations / players of the Expanse.

The books do a pretty good job of exploring that, so I think it would be hard to do a video on that with out being spoiler-y for the show.

I think the one and only guy who said that in front of a wookie was ripped in half just after

Chewy is highly intelligent, capable of fixing complicated machines. He just doesn’t have vocal cords capable of speaking Basic.

Yeah this made me question the validity of everything said after.

Only the Zoomers think Chewie is an animal instead of a sapient person. They judge the character by that last pissant movie trilogy.

@@adaeptzulander2928 The Empire too. They reclassified wookies as animals so they could still use them as slaves.

Exactly the point I was gonna make. He clung to Hang because of a life debt not because he was a animal who cannot make choices.

This. I had to come way too far down for this comment. Calling Chewie "just an animal" massively underplays the character and does him a disservice.

@@CCISolitude JUSTICE FOR CHEWIE!

Only a savaged a idiot or a animal would choose to be in a life dept. Chewie to me was just a annoying cling on attached to Han.

Agree with this so much and the replies. Especially disappointed I have to scroll so far to see this issue. No way was Chewy a mindless animal. Since the OP has posted comments in this thread but ignored the comment on this subject, I'm almost sure he made that reference to start a debate. No way he's this knowledgeable about Sci-Fi and thinks Chewy is a mindless animal.

Read the books if you haven't, you are right.

I'd say he has a conscience, it's just so badly mangled by his life experiences that he can't rely on it anymore. If he had absolutely no conscience whatsoever, he'd have ended up like Cortázar instead.

@@Phoenix-214, bingo

I would love to say he is learning humanity from them but I didn't read the books so I can only be disappointed...

The way I see it, if you look at the inside of Amos' head like this is Inside Out, the spot on the console where the moral compass should be is empty and has a post-it note taped in that reads "NEVER HURT KIDS"

OK 👌

@@GenerationFilms Keep it down for a day or two pls. Im planning to binge to whole season this weekend.

@@19Crusader91 good choice

Dunno, never met the guy