Amos Burton
MajorA massive pale-skinned Earther man of 120 kilos with a big burly build, thick meaty arms, beefy hands and a broad wide face that can hold a neutral expression or turn demonic under low lights. His head is shaved completely bald except for a ring of stubble around the bald spot, and he wears perpetually filthy shining coveralls while often carrying heavy slug throwers, assault rifles or ammunition belts slung over his shoulders. This gives him the complete look of a formidable, no-nonsense mechanic who moves with confident power even when sporting a temporary limp from a healed leg fracture.
Amos Burton debuts in 'Leviathan Wakes' as the unflappable, brutally efficient mechanic aboard the Rocinante, a towering Earther whose calm demeanor masks a sociopathic readiness for violence. Across the Expanse series, he evolves from a loyal ship hand into an indispensable enforcer for James Holden, grappling with his traumatic past and moral voids amid interstellar crises, protomolecule outbreaks, and civil wars. His unyielding pragmatism and hidden depths make him a fan-favorite wildcard, culminating in profound personal reckonings that test his allegiance to the crew.
Physical Description
A massive pale-skinned Earther man of 120 kilos with a big burly build, thick meaty arms, beefy hands and a broad wide face that can hold a neutral expression or turn demonic under low lights. His head is shaved completely bald except for a ring of stubble around the bald spot, and he wears perpetually filthy shining coveralls while often carrying heavy slug throwers, assault rifles or ammunition belts slung over his shoulders. This gives him the complete look of a formidable, no-nonsense mechanic who moves with confident power even when sporting a temporary limp from a healed leg fracture.
Gallery
Book 1: Leviathan Wakes
Evolution
Leviathan Wakes
A massive pale-skinned Earther man of 120 kilos with a big burly build, thick meaty arms, beefy hands and a broad wide face that can hold a neutral expression or turn demonic under low lights. His head is shaved completely bald except for a ring of stubble around the bald spot, and he wears perpetually filthy shining coveralls while often carrying heavy slug throwers, assault rifles or ammunition belts slung over his shoulders. This gives him the complete look of a formidable, no-nonsense mechanic who moves with confident power even when sporting a temporary limp from a healed leg fracture.
- Joins the Rocinante crew as assistant engineer under Naomi Nagata.
- Displays lethal efficiency in combat during the Donnager incident and subsequent boarding actions.
- Protects the crew with heavy weaponry amid the protomolecule hybrid attacks on the Anubis.
- Sustains a leg injury but recovers while maintaining ship operations under fire.
Relationships
Begins as Holden's subordinate XO and assistant engineer, evolving into a fiercely loyal protector and moral counterbalance, with Amos viewing Holden as a rare 'good boss' whose idealism he safeguards through ruthless means across the series.
Serves directly under Naomi as her trusted mechanic, calling her 'Boss' with unwavering obedience that deepens into familial loyalty amid escalating threats from Book 1 onward.
Key Events
Book Appearances
Leviathan Wakes
First appears Ch 1