The Expanse‘s Amos Burton did not always possess this name, with a life-changing event causing him to ᴀssume it. The Expanse season 1 first introduced Amos Burton, a somewhat sociopathic spacefarer. Over the course of the bingeworthy sci-fi show, Amos is developed further, becoming one of The Expanse‘s best characters. The development Amos receives is primarily driven by his strong connection with the character of Naomi, as well as his budding friendship with other members of the Rocinante crew.

Despite this development, the true backstory of Amos’ life does not come until season 5. The Expanse‘s abrupt ending meant that the show only ran for a total of six seasons, meaning Amos’ history was not divulged until more than midway through the show’s run. This backstory highlighted Amos’ early years on Earth, explaining how he came to be a wandering mechanic in space. During these episodes of The Expanse season 5, it is revealed that Amos Burton was once called a different name, explaining his origins.

Why The Expanse’s Amos Burton Changed His Name From Timothy

Amos’ Name Change Links To An Earthly Gangster

As revealed in The Expanse season 5, Amos was once called Timothy. As a child in Baltimore, Timothy worked for a criminal called Amos Burton. Amos put Timothy through a lot of trauma from a young age, alongside a friend of Timothy’s named Erich. Eventually, Amos deemed Erich a liability and ordered Timothy to kill him.

Instead, Timothy killed Amos Burton. In reward for his loyalty, Erich – who specialized in forging idenтιтies – made Timothy the new Amos Burton. Timothy ᴀssumed his victim’s idenтιтy as a means of living a life without the burden of his crime. From then on, Timothy became Amos, a spacefaring mechanic who eventually joins the crew of the Rocinante.

What Amos Changing His Name In The Expanse Really Meant

Amos Left His World – & Life – Behind

In taking on the name Amos Burton, The Expanse outlined exactly how his life changed. Before this, Amos was a frightened boy named Timothy who had to deal with people treating him poorly. After becoming Amos Burton, though, he began to live a different life entirely. Earth was never kind to Timothy, yet Amos was respected and lived an exciting life among the stars.

This is what the name change in The Expanse signifies. In taking on the name of Amos for himself, the character started the beginning of his self-invention. Amos left behind an abusive past and even reinvented the name of an abusive person to make a better future for himself. This translates into the acts of heroism that Amos carries out in The Expanse, proving that the decision to change his name altered his life for good in ways Timothy likely never dreamed were possible.