Jim Holden quotes from The Expanse

Holden

Think about it: we're the only survivors of the Canterbury and the Donnager. We look like terrorists. No one's gonna believe our story - I wouldn't believe us...

Holden

They've launched the hybrids...

Jim Holden

Hey, what's the deal with you and Naomi? You two an item or something?

Amos Burton

An item?

Jim Holden

Hey, it's none of my business, but -

Amos Burton

You must think I'm pretty stupid, don't you? I mean, you're right. I can take a core apart and put it back together with my eyes closed. But ask me whether or not I should rip your helmet off and kick you off this bucket, and I couldn't give you a reason why I should or shouldn't. Except Naomi wouldn't like it.

You were a problem in the Navy. Eight years ago. Aboard the UNN Zheng Fei. You assaulted a superior officer.

Jim Holden

Not technically, he ducked my punch. I broke my hand on a bulkhead.

You were dishonorably discharged.

Jim Holden

He ordered me to fire on a Belter ship.

It was a smuggler -

Jim Holden

Who was smuggling people!

You had no way of knowing that at the time.

Jim Holden

But I was right! Earth and Mars have been stepping on the necks of the Belters out here for over 100 years and I didn't want to be the boot.

So you decided to switch sides.

Jim Holden

I stopped playing.

Can I ask you a question? Do you miss Earth?

Holden

If I did, I'd go back.

My great uncle emigrated from Earth. He missed it terribly. He used to tell me stories when I was a little boy about these... endless blue skies, free air everywhere, open water all the way to the horizon. He told me that someday we would make Mars just like that. When you spend your whole life living under a dome, even the idea of an ocean seems impossible to imagine. I could never understand your people. Why, when the universe has bestowed so much upon you, you seem to care so little for it?

Holden

Wrecking things is what Earthers do best. Martians too, by the look of your ship.

We are nothing like you. The only thing Earthers care about is government handouts. Free food, free water, free drugs so you can forget the aimless lives you lead. You're short-sighted, selfish... and it will destroy you. Earth is over, Mr. Holden. My only hope is that we can bring Mars to life before you destroy that, too.

Holden

What's up?

Alex

Hey, huh. I just hooked into a feed from Ganymede and... uh, when you sent that message to Fred Johnson, you didn't give him our names or anything, did you?

Holden

No, of course not...

Alex

Well partner, it's gonna be kinda hard for you to stay anonymous now [Stepping aside, revealing the feed from Ganymede with the sign "Remember the Cant" and a stencil of Holden on it]

Amos

[To Holden] Let me know if you want your face to look a little different...

Holden

[To Naomi] You've done this before

Naomi

Yeah, about once a week...

Holden

You're doing great.

Naomi

Transponders are designed not to be tampered with. Civilian models fuse themselves into lumps of molten graphite if they get messed with. We could be a supernova a few seconds from now...

Holden

Well, we won't have to worry about Tycho, would we?

Naomi

We need to give the ship a new name to complete the override.

Alex

Screamin' firehawk

Holden

[Derisive] Yeah, let's advertise we're a gunship...

Alex

Flyin' Alamo

Holden

No!

Naomi

Give me something, please...

Holden

Rocinante!

Alex

Huh?

Holden

It's spanish for...

Amos

...workhorse - I like it. I know a lady named Rocinante, she was good to me.

Naomi

Whatever - punch it...

Jim Holden

I'm just the messenger, I have half a platoon of pissed-off Martian marines who are just itching for some payback.

Huh. That's a corvette-class Martian frigate that typically crews thirty. I only see two of you. That tells me that you're trying hard to hide your numbers. Tactically, if there were more, as a show of force you would've brought them out. I'm guessing there are two to four people left on your ship. And I'm confident that there's no Martian Navy on board. If they were, they'd be out here speaking with me now. You walked off that ship, because you're in charge. At least you think you are. If I wanted to hurt you, I would have broadcast your transponder and your position to the entire system. Coming here was your only option. But it was also your best option. Now, you want to continue to play games, or shall we talk about how to help each other?

Holden

Listen, I hope you understand if I ask you to sit this one out. Close quarters battle can get kinda hairy.

Miller

What the hell use would I ever be on a ship? Nah, Im going down with the assault team.

Holden

Have you seen the breaching pod? Its a beer can taped to a rocket. You're not going to like the ride.

Miller

Fred's trying to land 50 pissed off Belters and seven different OPA factions on that station. I mean, somebody's gotta keep these idiots from shooting each other. Oh, I ain't sitting this one out.

Who's in charge of security at this goddamn station?

That would be me.

Interesting.

Say what you mean.

Either you're doing an incredibly shitty job or you're no longer in control of the people who work for you.

Alex Kamal

When I first saw that thing outside, for a split second I thought I was hallucinating. But after hearing what went down in that lab, now I wish I kinda had been.

Jim Holden

When the European tall-ships first arrived on the American continent, the natives couldn't see them. The sight was so completely outside of their experience, they just couldn't compute. So they didn't see.

Alex Kamal

Those natives all got wiped out in the end, didn't they? If that thing out there really is some sort of human-protocrap hybrid, then we're yesterday's model. Obsolete.

Alex

It sheared the engines clean off, the rest of the ship's intact. Holy shit, it worked! Right, setting a course for the Razorback

Naomi

We did it!

Holden

Yeah, we sure did. We have two torpedoes left, PDC rounds are under 10% - we're in a war with no bullets...

Alex

We're not the ones at war!

Holden

We are now - you think the UN's going to give us a free pass for sparing lives? We crippled one of their ships - we just declared war on earth!

Avasarala

Whatever happened to the man who risked certain death to stop Eros?

Holden

He stopped fighting battles he knew he couldn't win!

Avasarala

This isn't just about the war, we need to contain the protomolecule, make sure it doesn't fall into the wrong hands! [Holden begins to laugh] You think that's funny?

Holden

Not at all, it's just that I've heard before.

Avasarala

From whom?

Holden

Everyone, including me.

Avasarala

I met your mother, Elise. When everyone else said you were a terrorist I went to find out for myself. Lovely woman. She thought I was full of shit, too, at first. She's well, happy for you, happy you're free. She told me when you were a boy, you wanted to be a knight.

Holden

That's because I was a boy.

Avasarala

It's no accident that you're in the midst of all this chaos.

Holden

I'm nobody's saviour!

Ensign Sinopoli

I feel like I'm awaiting sentencing

Holden

There's someone I need you to meet

Ensign Sinopoli

[sighing] Why me?

Bobbie

Your friend with the gun hurt my feelings

Holden

You seem to be the most reasonable

Ensign Sinopoli

OK, so you want me to go back and tell my CO to hail a UNN Admiral in the middle of a war...

Avasarala

Yes, exactly! [pauses] Or, Holden here can space the three of you for being such intolerable idiots - honestly, I can go either way...

Holden

I'd rather do the first one. So far all you've done is wound Alex's pride, which is nothing we can't forgive if you're going to help us...

Ensign Sinopoli

[pondering] So what is this thing that you want me to show them?