I just binged the entire 5 seasons of The Expanse and I loved every episode. I can't say which is my favorite character because I like all of them for different reasons (ok, so maybe its Drummer). But I have noticed that a lot of people seem to dislike Naomi (seasons 1-3) but even more so in the last two seasons and I just don't understand it. I haven't read the books, I'm specifically talking about the show character.

A lot of the criticism tends to be that she's annoying, whiny, makes so many mistakes, and the "why did we have to hear her cry for three episodes?" And it really pisses me off. Now you don't have to love Naomi or have her be your favorite character but the lack of understanding and empathy here boggles me a bit.

For the first three seasons Naomi seems to be a solid character, she's fully formed and has had her own life and a bit mysterious, but overall nothing to really hate. Now she lies to the Roci crew about destroying the protomolecule and then giving it to Fred Johnson. This is move I didn't like, but that's okay, we don't have to like or understand everything she does. She later apologizes for not telling any of them, but doesn't seem to think what she did was wrong. I can't say even now if what she did was wrong or right because I'm kind of torn about it too. Though Naomi is former OPA and now works with belters and Martians, it doesn't stop her from being a belter. That is a big part of her identity and she's obviously torn between all these ideals. In her mind, giving the protomolecule to Fred evened the playing field between Earth, Mars and the belters (Jim even says the same thing later).

We continue to see her struggle with her belter identity when she rejoins with Drummer in the third season, but she decides that the Roci is her family. As for when they go to Ilus, the complaint was that she was being annoying about being sick and lying about it and hiding it from everyone (and Jim). Again this was only two episodes!! And it's honestly not that difficult to understand. Plenty of people hide their sickness and pretend everything is okay. Naomi is a belter, they have that sorta toughen up mentality, not to mention she didn't want to worry Jim. The rest of the season she helps everyone up on the Roci, with her skills she knows best.

Season 5 complaints about Naomi are possibly the most confusing. Marco used her code to blow up a bunch of people, so she tries to take her son away but is caught and hidden by Marco and her friends, and searches for him but has to give up. It's not like she stopped thinking about him, even back in season 1 when she asks Fred Johnson for that favor. But with Marcos recent behavior she is more worried for her son than ever. She does not know at that point that he's in on it all too. She isn't thinking rationally but that's the point. It's her son, and she's his mother. She doesn't see past all that until it's right in front of her eyes. She knows what she's doing is risky which is why she asks Jim not to come and leaves him that message. When she realizes it's too late for her son she escapes. Sure she could have blown herself up and the ship as a sacrifice, but what's wrong with wanting to survive? Is a hero only a hero if they die in such a self-sacrificial way? Not to mention, she tries everything in her power to stop them from saving her but she does eventually jump out knowing it'll be the end and uses those hand signals to save Alex and Bobbie's life at the expense of herself.

And that whole "everything is her fault because she gave the protomolecule to Fred" is a little unfair. No one can know what the consequences of their actions in the future will hold, none of them are seers. She did what she thought was right at the time, and that's all anyone can do. People seem to have an understanding about all the confusing complexities of Amos, but can't muster up the same for Naomi. Just seems a bit coded...

I guess the TLDR of it is that Naomi isn't perfect. She makes mistakes, and she tries to do her best to save her son and her friends even at the cost of her own life, but wanting to survive and do her best to find happiness isn't wrong either. Everyone deserves to have redemption. Just stop shitting on her so much jeez.