Babylon's Ashes

Babylon’s Ashes argues that in times of system-wide conflict, traditional group identities like nationality and factionalism collapse, forcing individuals to forge new loyalties based on personal ethics and chosen relationships. The narrative suggests that true allegiance is actively chosen rather than being predetermined by familial or sociopolitical relationships, and it is clear that survival depends on finding a tribe that aligns with one’s core moral principles.

The dissolution of old structures is most evident in the fracturing of the Outer Planets Alliance (OPA). Once a loose coalition united against the Inner Planets, the OPA splinters into warring factions under the pressure of a costly revolution led by the narcissistic Marco Inaros. Michio Pa, once a commander in Inaros’s Free Navy, represents the emergence of a new form of loyalty. She mutinies not to seize power for herself but to uphold a humanitarian principle, creating her own faction dedicated to redistributing supplies to Belters in need rather than hoarding them for the war effort. Her break from Marco demonstrates a shift from a loyalty based on factional identity to one grounded in a personal moral code, proving that a shared symbol like the OPA is no longer enough to command allegiance when its methods become corrupt.