The Expanse · Character
Lieutenant Givens
Also known as El Tee, Kelly, Lieutenant Kelly
- Minor
- First seen · Book 1 · Ch. 11
Lieutenant Givens is a minor character in The Expanse (Book 1).
- Gender
- male
- Age
- 30s
- First appears
- Book 1 · Ch. 11
- Books
- 2
Lieutenant Givens is a Martian Marine officer whose appearances in The Expanse are brief but emblematic of the brutal cost Martian soldiers pay when they encounter the protomolecule. In Leviathan Wakes, a marine of that name is recorded leading operations aboard the MCRN Donnager and taking part in the doomed defense during the escape, where he is fatally wounded and his body is left strapped to a crash couch. In Caliban's War, Givens is Bobbie Draper's commanding officer on Ganymede, and he is torn in two by the protomolecule hybrid monster. That slaughter becomes the catastrophe Bobbie survives and the event that sets her story in motion. Across both books he stands for Martian discipline and chain of command, and for how fragile even heavily armored soldiers are against alien horror.
Description
In his 30s with an average build, Lieutenant Givens wears heavy vac-rated MCRN marine powered armor, its left torso panel crumpled inward from violent impact, yellow hydraulic fluid and dark blood seeping from breached seals. The suit's Martian congressional insignia gleams dully under emergency lights, his helmet visor reflecting the chaos around him. He moves with a staggering determination, professional posture unbroken despite evident agony, a firing line anchor in full combat gear. Givens is seen wearing powered Martian Marine combat armor, its protective shell making him appear imposing beneath the bulk of a combat mech. The text gives no details of his face, coloring, hair, eyes, or build, so these remain hidden or unspecified. His military bearing and armored silhouette convey a controlled, professional presence.
Connections
Family & partnersFriends & mentorsRivals
Roberta Drapersubordinate
Givens is Bobbie's direct superior on Ganymede, and she relies on him for orders as tensions with UN forces rise and communications fail. His sudden, horrific death at the hands of the protomolecule creature cuts off that chain of command. The loss leaves Bobbie traumatized and alone, searching for the truth behind the attack.
Story so far
BOOK 1Leviathan Wakes
- Leads Martian Marine operations aboard the MCRN Donnager with steady professionalism under fire
- Guides the escape effort as combat escalates aboard the ship
- Suffers catastrophic injuries: his armor is crushed and his body leaks vital fluids
- Staggers on until he dies, and his corpse is strapped to a crash couch
- Is remembered as part of the marines' doomed defensive stand around the escape ship
BOOK 2Caliban's War
- Commands Bobbie Draper's Martian Marine unit during the Ganymede deployment
- Is the officer Bobbie turns to for instructions when UN Marines approach and communications are jammed
- Is torn in two by the protomolecule monster in the attack on Ganymede
- His death is part of the massacre that leaves Bobbie as the sole survivor and drives her arc
Appearances
Meet Lieutenant Givens in Bookworm
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