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Based on a series of books by James S.A. Corey,The Expanseis a science fiction epic set in a galaxy of factions and division. Earth is ruled by the United Nations, Mars has a Congressional Republic, and those inhabiting the space and asteroids inbetween, are known as Belters.
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At the start of the series, a faction known asthe OPA (Outer Planets Alliance) has formed, intent on unifying the Belters. The OPA is part political body, and part terrorist organization, depending on which faction or division of it you look at. It’s a very important part of the series, in every iteration.
What Is The OPA?
There is no government body overseeing the Belters and the Belt. The space, the moons, the asteroids, and the stations between Earth and Mars are instead controlled by large corporations and organizations. The OPA wants to change that.
The OPA is not a single entity or organization.Although some aligned with the OPA want it to be such a thing.There are in fact many factions and groups identifying themselves as the OPAwithin The Expanse series. Each with their own agenda’s, ideologies, and means of operation. Often, at the expense of one another.
In general,the OPA is an extra-governmental body that represents the people of the Belt, the moons, and the space between Earth and Mars.At the start of The Expanse series, they are an unofficial group, rising into existence, and feared by many outside its ranks.
What unifies these OPA factions is their views on the treatment of Belters.It is the belief of many within the OPA that the people of the Belt are being abused, chagrined, ignored, and/or looked down upon by the people of Earth and Mars. They feel misrepresented, disrespected, and akin to second class citizens without rights. Naturally, the OPA wants to change that. They just don’t always agree on how.
To make matters worse for them,the OPA sees themselves as pawns, almost slaves to the people of Earth and Mars. It’s primarily the people of the Belt who mine the asteroids, and work the hard, demanding jobs in space. And yet, they don’t get the acknowledgment, or compensation they believe they deserve.
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At the start of The Expanse, many of the OPA factions are derided by the people of Earth and Mars. And even some within the Belt itself. This is because some of the factions operate more radically than others; protesting, rioting, fighting back against the non-Belter authorities, and even conducting bombings, and hit-and-run attacks on non-Belter vessels.
They’re seen as terrorists, and criminals. Which jeopardizes the non-terrorist focused factions of the OPA and any legitimacy they wish to garner as a potential political group.
Does The OPA Have An Army?
What gives the OPA a slight edge in a potential conflict with Earth and Mars istheir control of certain stations and industries. Tycho Station, for example, is a leading ship manufacturing site. And the OPA firmly controls it. That meansthe OPA also has access to some of the best ships and vessels available.Although when it comes to combat with the likes of Earth and Mars, they cannot match the advanced tech and weaponry of those planets.
Towards the back end of The Expanse TV Series, The OPA begins to show strains with its supply lines. Not having a unified force, and suffering attacks against certain locations means that they struggle when it comes to face-to-face combat. Many vessels of the Free Navy - that was established as a somewhat official OPA military in later seasons of The Expanse - were in fact retrofitted civilian and work vessels.
Who Is Fred Johnson?
In the early books and seasons of The Expanse,Fred Johnson is one of the people attempting to unify the OPA into a single, political entity.He wants the OPA to be a legitimate provisional government. With himself as the Chief Administrator.
A former United Nations Marine Corps. Colonel,Fred Johnson is seen as a hero to some, and a villain by others. He became famous for destroying a dozen pirate frigates and bases, helping to keep the system safe.
What complicated matters is thathe led an attack on Anderson Station, which led to the death of 173 armed insurgents, and thousands of innocent civilians.He became known as The Butcher of Anderson Station, and in the process lost a lot of favor with the Belters.
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Disgusted and ashamed with his actions,he resigned from the Marine Corps. And apologized for his actions. He withdrew from the public eye for several years, at which point be begun to frequent bars, and he developed a liking for alcohol.
One day, he met Anderson Dawes who recruited him into the OPA. He then showed up during a Belter revolt on Pallas colony, where he successfully negotiated a peace between the insurgents and the ruling Coalition. This redeemed Fred Johnson in the eyes of some Belters.
Johnson then went on to become the spokesperson for the Belters, and the OPA, and then became the de facto leader of the OPA.
Who Is Anderson Dawes?
Anderson Dawes is the OPA liaison at Ceres station. His vision for the OPA is for it to become a legitimate political party akin to Earth and Mars. While Anderson is a charismatic leader and is often seen as the politician of the OPA, he often sees the more fanatical OPA attacks as justified.
Anderson is proud of his past, his upbringing, and his place of birth. He uses past traumas surrounding his family to fuel his motivations, andhe always puts the collective above the individual. As Belters often do.
Anderson is however a two-faced individual. He presents himself as a paternal, populist political figure to the public, winning them over with a smile, promises of fortune and prosperity, and plenty of charisma.
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Behind these moments though,Anderson is much more utilitarian and isn’t afraid to bend the rules or break the law. There are instances where he threatens, hurts, and even kills people to get what he wants. Or more specifically, to protect the Belt. At the same time, he isn’t afraid to lie or make promises he has no intention of keeping.
What is unclear about Anderson is how much glory he personally wants from any of this.He champions the Belt and its people, he represents them, he is in a leadership role, and he has no problem doing what he feels must be done. But nobody is sure what he gets from it. This results in many people in The Expanse series having different views and opinions on Anderson Dawes, but all agreeing that he wants what’s best for the Belt.
At the start of The Expanse: A Telltale Series, OPA member Camina Drummer has just left Anderson Dawes, having fallen out with him on an ideological level. She felt he and his ways were becoming far more fanatical, and aggressive than what he initially presented. While she still believes in the OPA, what it stands for, and what its goal is, she’s in a moment of flux, trying to figure out what her next move is, and where she belongs.
