The Expanse is perhaps one of the most fascinating science fiction TV shows in recent memory. Based on the series of books by James S. A. Corey, it takes place in the 24th century, when humanity has expanded throughout the solar system. Earth and its moon operate under the United Nations of Earth and Luna, while Mars is an independent colony. Meanwhile, the Belters, residents of the Asteroid Belt and moons of the outer planets, fight for survival in harsh conditions.

In its pilot episode, viewers of The Expanse get to know the Canterbury, a freighter hauling ice in the outer reaches of space. At the end of the first episode of Season 1, though, disaster strikes. While main character James Holden and a few others are on a shuttle responding to a distress call, mysterious enemies fire on the Canterbury, destroying the ship and killing everyone onboard. Only those on the shuttle, named the Knight, survive.

It's a classic setup for the beginning of a story: a handful of characters survive a disastrous event, throwing them together in a desperate situation. Together, they face the impossible; they forge bonds through adversity. That's the arc that The Expanse sets up for the characters aboard the Knight — but not all of them will live to see it through.

The Survivors On The Knight

Five crewmembers from the Canterbury remain alive on the Knight. Each one fits a distinct narrative role, setting up expectations for how the audience will see those characters grow. James Holden, the Cant's former acting executive officer, is our protagonist; he's decisive and passionate and believes in doing the right thing. Engineer Naomi Nagata is the brains of the operation; burly, intimidating Amos Burton is the brawn. Pilot Alex Kamal takes the helm, trying to stay calm and lighten the mood with gallows humor. Medic Shed Garvey is the quickest to panic, but he rises to the occasion to help his fellow survivors.

In the second episode of The Expanse, "The Big Empty," the five survivors are in a dire situation aboard a beat-up old shuttle with limited air. Tensions are running high, but they know that they have to work together to survive. They bicker, help each other, and then bicker some more. Most importantly though, they try to come up with solutions — except Shed, whose main contribution is his certainty that they're all going to die.

At one critical moment, the characters don space suits while air is temporarily removed from the main cabin. Amos and Holden are outside trying to make repairs; Naomi is fixing things internally. When Alex starts exhibiting strange behavior, Shed realizes that his suit's breather is malfunctioning, leaving Alex short on oxygen. As before, Shed's first reaction is to panic, until Naomi reminds him:

You're a medic, act like it!

Most of the other characters regard Shed as a coward, and they're not entirely wrong. But, when Alex's life is at stake, Shed pushes through his fear and acts. He hooks up his own air supply to Alex's, allowing them to take turns breathing. This almost ends in disaster for Shed, who passes out due to his own lack of oxygen. Holden, climbing back onto the ship as air is restored, performs CPR on the medic. In keeping with classic TV drama, Shed falls still for a moment before taking in a deep breath of air, letting the audience think for a moment that he might not make it.

True to his character, the first thing Shed does upon waking is to complain that Holden's CPR hurt his ribs. But that doesn't undercut what happened a few minutes before. Shed's cowardice, and this triumph over it, suggest the potential for growth as the story moves forward. That's why it's so dramatic when, two episodes later, The Expanse violently subverts this expectation.

How Does Shed Die?

Eventually, the Knight's signal is picked up, but not by anyone friendly. The crew goes from one bad situation to another, held prisoner onboard a Martian vessel. Things get even worse as the Martian ship finds itself under attack in the episode "CQB" (S1 E4). In the tiny room where they've been stored, Alex, Naomi, Amos, and Shed strap themselves in. Elsewhere, Holden attempts to bargain with the Martian captain.

Holden is on the bridge, but the characters in the dark room have no way of knowing what's going on. Alex, a former Martian marine, recognizes the change in lighting and knows that they're entering battle. As the torpedoes fire, Alex grows agitated, fearing for their lives. Amos insults him, but Shed tries to help calm him down, as Alex did for him before. The medic reaches into his jumpsuit, pulling out a dose of one of his favorite drugs. He tosses it to Alex, saying:

This is gonna calm you right down. Trust me, we're all going to be just fi—

As Alex misses the catch, a sudden clang cuts off Shed's words. The camera pans around, showing the horrified faces of everyone else in the room, a hole in a wall, and finally, Shed's headless body, still strapped into his seat, with a second hole in the wall behind him as his blood streams into the vacuum of space. One of the torpedoes punctured the cabin, taking Shed's head with it.

What Purpose Does Shed's Death Serve?

Killing off a character early in a story is nothing new. It's a tried-and-true way to raise the stakes, to show the audience the gravity of the situation that the characters find themselves in. If that death is too predictable, it can fail to serve that function. Shed's death, though, doesn't fall into that trap — it's a shock.

Within the first few episodes, audiences have gotten to know each of the survivors on the Knight. They all have strengths and weaknesses, and they all have the potential for character growth. Amos, for example, is brutish but loyal to a fault; he could become a stalwart, trustworthy ally. Naomi is guarded but incredibly intelligent; she may eventually let down her walls and show her true genius. Shed is a coward, but wants to avoid conflict and keep himself and the others safe; he could become the group's protector. Each character is equally three-dimensional — there's nothing to suggest that any one of them will become a sacrifice.

Shed's death was shocking because he wasn't a generic red-shirt. In any story, killing off a background character can help demonstrate how dangerous the circumstances are, but doing the same for a fleshed-out character does more. After Shed's death, audiences understand that plot armor has limited power in The Expanse. The universe is not a forgiving place. Even dynamic characters, those who could undergo a fulfilling arc in the coming story, could die at any time.

What Happens After Shed Dies?

Against all odds, Holden manages to find his shipmates, and together, they flee the doomed Martian ship in one of its shuttlecraft. Through a combination of heroics and luck, the remaining four Canterbury crewmembers manage to survive once more. They brand their new ship the Rocinante, and find themselves pulled deeper into the political intrigue that's rocking the solar system.

Shed is rarely referenced after season 1 of The Expanse. His early death was one of many casualties in the struggles that followed, from civil unrest and political turmoil to unraveling the mystery of the protomolecule. But as the remaining Canterbury crewmembers drink a toast to Shed's memory a few episodes after his demise, it's clear that his death had an impact on them. And, more likely than not, it had an impact on audiences too. Shed proved that nobody was safe in this story, keeping viewers on the edge of their seats whenever their favorite characters find themselves in peril.