History Characters / TheExpanseTVProtogenCorporation

* HeelRealization: [[spoiler:After bonding with Mei on Io and her reminding him of his own daughters, he comes to realize just how far he's come and puts a halt to the experiments. He seems horrified to realize just what he's been doing.]]

* MyGodWhatHaveIDone: He starts questioning his plans when Eros goes rogue, [[spoiler:and seeing firsthand how his scientists are experimenting on children convinces him to abandon the project]].

* ChronicBackstabbingDisorder: Protogen just wants to develop the proto-molecule for the highest bidder and has no particular loyalty or agenda, just so long as you pay them and supply them with the necessary resources. The only reason they never offered the proto-molecule to the OPA is probably just because they couldn't afford it.
* TheConspiracy: They are the driving force orchestrating the proto-molecule conspiracy. Protogen was originally called in by Mars to study the extraterrestrial proto-molecule samples they found on Saturn's moon Phoebe - but when they realized just how powerful what they were dealing with was, they betrayed the Martian base staff to the deaths to test the terraforming virus on them, then sold out to rogue elements of Earth's government that wanted to use the proto-molecule as a weapon against Mars. Then after this turned into the Eros debacle that nearly destroyed Earth, Protogen cut their losses and switched sides ''back'' to the rogue elements of the Mars military, offering them proto-molecule hybrid super soldiers in exchange for resources. Eventually Undersecretary Errinwright make an attempt to brow-beat them back into working for his side by blowing up the ship carrying their Martian clients.

* BigBad: He's the man pulling the strings of the Protomolecule Conspiracy, and is firmly in control for Seasons 1 and 2. At the end of Season 2, he finds himself outmanoeuvred by Errinwright. He is now, at best, a BigBadDuumvirate with Errinwright. At worst, he's been DemotedToDragon.

-->''"We're torturing children. We're creating killing machines. And we're still light years away from even beginning to comprehend that."''

* VisionaryVillain: His interest in the Protomolecule does not stem from financial gain, but rather as a method of defense from a possible looming threat. He also numerous references to the Protomolecule being sacred, and scoffs at the more petty motivations of those who view it solely as a weapon to fight over.

A Protogen pediatrician on Ganymed.

* LackOfEmpathy: He doesn't seem to even understand ''why'' experimenting on children is wrong.

* BigBad: He's the man pulling the strings of the Protomolecule Conspiracy, and is firmly in control for Seasons 1 and 2. At the end of Season 2, he finds himself outmanoeuvre by Erringwright and is reluctantly forced to become a BigBadDuumvirate with Erringwright at best and DemotedToDragon at worst.

* CorruptCorporateExecutive: Whatever his goal is, it puts him in direct conflict with multiple governments and he's using his far-reaching financial tentacles to take them apart from the inside.

* VisionaryVillain: His interest in the Protomolecule doesn't seem to stem from money; he makes numerous references to it being sacred, and scoffs at the more petty motivations of those who view it solely as a weapon to fight over.

* FauxAffablyEvil: He appears to be a very amiable and charming man, but it's only surface-level. In reality he's a merciless monster who views others as tools. [[spoiler:At one point he cheerfully reassures Mei, and then the moment she's gone, his smiling expression hardens into something empty.]]

[[folder:Errinwright]]
See [[Characters/TheExpanseTVEarth Earth]]
[[/folder]]

* MegaCorp: Technically, Protogen is only a subsidiary part of a larger, system-wide conglomerate with its fingers in many pies.

* FauxAffablyEvil: He appears to be a very amiable and charming man, but it's only surface-level. In reality he's a merciless monster who views others as tools.

* TheConspiracy: The driving force orchestrating the proto-molecule conspiracy.
** Protogen was originally called in by Mars to study the extraterrestrial proto-molecule samples they found on Saturn's moon Phoebe - but when they realized just how powerful what they were dealing with was, they betrayed the Martian base staff to the deaths to test the terraforming virus on them, then sold out to rogue elements of Earth's government that wanted to use the proto-molecule as a weapon against Mars. Then after this turned into the Eros debacle that nearly destroyed Earth, Protogen cut their losses and switched sides ''back'' to the rogue elements of the Mars military, offering them proto-molecule hybrid super soldiers in exchange for resources. Eventually Undersecretary Errinwright make an attempt to brow-beat them back into working for his side by blowing up the ship carrying their Martian clients.

* EvenEvilHasLovedOnes: Despite their strained relationship, he still cries and mourns upon learning that Julie, his daughter, died due to exposure to the Protogen molecule. This does not, however, deter him from pursuing his plans and he even comes to justify her death as a sacrifice he made for the pursuit of a greater goal.
* FauxAffablyEvil: He presents himself as a charming captain of industry but in reality, he's a murderous WellIntentionedExtremist.
* TheManBehindTheMan: He's revealed to be the one calling the shots behind the [[spoiler: Protogen conspiracy]].
* SmugSnake: Even as his involvement in the Protogen Conspiracy comes out into the open and the UN retaliates by systematically taking his corporate empire apart, he refuses to be cowed and tries to maintain an upper hand.

%%* NightmareFetishist

[[folder:Jules-Pierre Mao]]

->'''Played By:''' François Chau

* EvenEvilHasLovedOnes: Despite their strained relationship, he still cries and mourns upon learning that Julie, his daughter, [[spoiler: died due to exposure to the Protogen molecule]]. This does not, however, deter him from pursuing his plans.
* FauxAffablyEvil: He presents himself as a charming captain of industry but has some truly nefarious plans going on.

!!Dr. Dresden
->'''Played By:''' Daniel Kash

Protogen is the secret black-ops subsidiary of Mao-Kwikowski Industries, a major mega-corporation based on Luna that has interests all over the Solar System. Its labs secretly develop cutting-edge technologies like next-generation stealth ships which are even small enough to be equipped with rail-guns and take on Martian flagships. Protogen is behind the proto-molecule conspiracy which drives much of the plot.

* SociopathicHero: He'd argue that what he is doing (i.e. killing a lot of people) is vital for the survival of humanity. He may or may not have a point; after all, if he's wrong about what the molecule is, he borked his whole research from the start with a flawed premis (that it's an extra-system weapon sent to "terraform" the Sol system) and triggered everything to snowball without cause. If he's right... all he's basically doing is... forcefully adapting that terraforming on the rest of the universe, thereby making Mengele look like an amateur. Most other people just question the state of his human empathy and emotional reasoning; it's nil-nada-zilch, by-the-by.

* SociopathicHero: He'd argue that what he is doing (i.e. killing a lot of people) is vital for the survival of humanity. He may or may not have a point; after all, if he's wrong about what the molecule is, he borked his whole research from the start with a flawed premis (that it's an extra-system weapon sent to "terraform" the Sol system) and triggered everything to snowball without cause. Most other people just question the state of his human empathy and emotional reasoning; it's nil-nada-zilch, by-the-by.

* SoociopathicHero: He'd argue that what he is doing (i.e. killing a lot of people) is vital for the survival of humanity. He may or may not have a point; after all, if he's wrong about what the molecule is, he borked his whole research from the start with a flawed premis (that it's an extra-system weapon sent to "terraform" the Sol system) and allowed things to snowball without cause. Most other people just question the state of his human empathy; it's nil-nada-zilch, by-the-by.

* MadScientist

* NGOSuperpower: Just how big and powerful they are comes as a slowly dawning and very nasty surprise to both Earth and Mars. Not so much the Belters: they're pretty used to the idea of being crapped on by companies, regardless of origin.

* NGOSuperpower

* ScrewTheRulesIHaveMoney

->'''Played By:'''

* [[spoiler:KilledMidSentence: By Miller via BoomHeadshot, just as he'd agreed to cooperate with the heroes. Miller unloads a few extra rounds into his corpse as revenge for the death of Julie Mao.]]

* ForScience - Protogen as a whole might want the proto-molecule in order to sell technology based on it for untold fortunes, but Dresden is very much doing it just to unlock the potentially vast scientific breakthroughs it can provide.

* ChronicBackstabbingDisorder: Protogen was originally called in by Mars to study the extraterrestrial proto-molecule samples they found on Saturn's moon Phoebe - but when they realized just how powerful what they were dealing with was, they betrayed the Martian base staff to the deaths to test the terraforming virus on them, then sold out to rogue elements of Earth's government that wanted to use the proto-molecule as a weapon against Mars. Then after this turned into the Eros debacle that nearly destroyed Earth, Protogen cut their losses and switched sides ''back'' to the rogue elements of the Mars military, offering them proto-molecule hybrid super soldiers in exchange for resources. Eventually

(Under construction)

Protogen Corporation

* NGOSuperpower