TV’s Best Sci-Fi Villain Of The 21st Century

Warning: This article contains spoilers for The Expanse book series.Prime Video has exceptional crime thrillers and action dramas, but it can’t be forgotten that the streamer is also the home of a perfect TV show with the best sci-fi villain of recent years. While Apple TV currently dominates the sci-fi genre with outstanding series like Silo, Severance, and Pluribus, the Amazon streamer has several worthwhile sci-fi options.

Science fiction TV shows are beloved for a number of reasons. They feature immersive worlds that reach beyond the boundaries of normal storytelling, they invite audiences to question what will happen in humanity’s future, but most importantly, they provide some of the best villains on TV, and there’s no better example of that than The Expanse’s diabolical antagonist, Marco Inaros.

The Expanse’s Marco Inaros Is TV’s Best Sci-Fi Villain Of The 21st Century

A show as enthralling as The Expanse needed an antagonist who was worthy of the space opera saga. After all, villains are often as important to a story as the heroes because they are the reason there’s conflict and tension in a TV show. Marco Inaros has undoubtedly earned his place as one of the best sci-fi villains of the 21st century.

Portrayed by Keon Alexander, Inaros was introduced in The Expanse in season 4, episode 4. He was first seen on screen when Bobbie captured him so he could answer for his crimes. Inaros’ arrival was a big turning point for the show, as it marked the beginning of a long battle between The Expanse’s heroes and the villain.

Inaros, who was the commander of the Free Navy, had the ability to charm anyone into doing his bidding. His silver tongue not only got him out of a death sentence, but it also invited his followers to commit atrocious crimes. Like many villains, it was easy to see why Inaros turned out to be the way he is.

After all, he claimed to represent the Belters, and it could be agreed that they had genuine grievances. What elevated Inaros to the best TV sci-fi villain was his ability to weave a believable narrative, even if it wasn’t entirely true. He didn’t see himself as the bad guy but as a liberator who thought his terrible actions were justifiable.

Inaros continuously used his best tool, which was controlling the narrative, to distort people’s worldview. His psychological and political manipulation were truly the centerpiece of The Expanse‘s last three seasons. Inaros provided a lens that showed how easy it is to go to the dark side and how fragile the line between good and bad is.

If The Expanse Hadn’t Ended, It Could’ve Had An Even Better Villain

In The Expanse season 6, episode 6, “Babylon’s Ashes,” Inaros met his maker when his ship, Pella, was vaporized as he attempted to pass through the Ring Gate. However, just because Inaros died didn’t mean that the Rocinante’s crew wouldn’t have had another villain to face. The Prime Video series didn’t use the entirety of its source material.

There are nine books in The Expanse series, which means that the story does continue beyond where the TV show concluded, and it provides the next enemy Holden and his crew will be up against. In The Expanse’s season finale, viewers were introduced to Winston Duarte, the mastermind behind Laconia, the colony where Sauveterre’s Martian rebels found safety.

Book seven of The Expanse, Persepolis Rising, has a 30-year time jump, which is enough time for Duarte to become a warlord and plan his invasion of the Sol system. As the leader of the Laconian Empire, Duarte succeeds in colonizing the Sol system and taking control of the colonies. Inaros might have been a great villain in The Expanse, but Duarte’s plans of destruction were far superior.