Theories That Will Make You Rethink The Captive's War by James S.A. Corey

5 Mind-Blowing Theories About James S.A. Corey's New Sci-Fi Epic

Spoiler warning ahead for “The Mercy of Gods”! You’ve been warned.

It’s been a long time since a sci-fi book had me spiraling down a theory rabbit hole like The Captive’s War did. Daniel Abraham and Ty Franck, the minds behind The Expanse, are back under their pen name James S.A. Corey, and The Mercy of Gods — the first in their new trilogy — is already crawling with unanswered questions, mind-bending implications, and lore so rich you can practically taste it.

I’ve spent way too many late nights thinking about what’s really going on behind the alien domination, weird tech, and enigmatic history of the planet Anjiin. So let’s dive into the wildest (and most compelling) theories I’ve come across — and maybe a few I cooked up myself at 3 a.m. while staring at the ceiling.

Theory 1: Are Humans the Long-Forgotten Enemy?

One of the biggest “wait a second…” moments in The Mercy of Gods is how the alien Carryx, who are supposedly locked in an epic, ancient war with “the great enemy,” don’t immediately recognize humans when they find them on Anjiin. That’s suspicious, right?

There are two possible reasons for this:

• Humans aren’t the great enemy… at least not anymore.
• The war has gone on so long that all direct knowledge of humans has been erased or mythologized.

If it’s the latter, that brings up some chilling implications. We might be dealing with a galaxy where time is so distorted (thanks to things like time dilation and bioengineering) that humans from the war have morphed, disappeared, or become unrecognizable. That would make Dafyd and the other survivors some of the only pure humans left — forgotten relics from a war even their enemies no longer understand.

And that kind of ancient history vibes hard. Think Mass Effect’s Protheans crossed with Dune-level timelines.

Theory 2: The Last of Us… in Space?

One blink-and-you’ll-miss-it detail is a weird underground organism — a root-like structure the Carryx seem to brush off. But what if it’s not just background scenery?

There’s a growing theory that this root system is a Chekhov’s gun moment — something unimportant at first glance, but later revealed to be the key to survival or resistance. If it turns out to be a mycelial network (like fungi on Earth), it could potentially link to or mimic the hive-mind behavior of the Swarm or even the Carryx.

Imagine the survivors of Anjiin teaming up with a planetary intelligence — like the forest fighting back in Avatar, but darker and weirder. That’s a twist I’m 100% here for.

Theory 3: A Sci-Fi Retelling of the Book of Daniel?

Okay, this one comes straight from co-author Daniel Abraham himself — The Captive’s War is a kind of sci-fi remix of the biblical Book of Daniel. If you’re not familiar, that’s the one with dreams, lions, exile, and lots of resisting tyrants.

Stripped of the divine stuff, it’s a story about:

• Standing your ground under a brutal regime
• The struggle between cultural identity and forced assimilation
• The moral corruption of power

Dafyd is already showing signs of being a reluctant prophet-type. He’s not a warrior. He’s a research assistant. But his knowledge — of ecosystems, languages, and cultures — might be what tips the balance. Instead of slaying lions, he might end up outsmarting hive minds.

Theory 4: Why Is Humanity Even on Anjiin?

One of the most burning questions: How did humans even end up on Anjiin?

There are three solid theories floating around:

1. The Ark Theory – Anjiin was seeded with humans as part of a long-term biodiversity preservation project. Like a backup drive for humanity.
2. The Exile Theory – A group of humans escaped fascism or political turmoil and fled here. There are hints of this in Livit, especially with characters connected to resistance movements.
3. The Bait Theory – Someone deliberately put humans on Anjiin as bait to lure the Carryx — as part of a much larger, terrifying plan.

If the bait theory is true, that’s just brutal. Our characters are pawns in a strategy they never agreed to. That would hit hard emotionally, especially if Dafyd or someone else discovers their ancestors were sacrificed knowingly.

Theory 5: The Captive Alliance

The title The Captive’s War sounds human-centric… until you remember that the Carryx have enslaved a lot of other alien species. We catch glimpses of them through Dafyd’s translator box — and the potential there is chef’s kiss.

What if the “war” isn’t just about humans vs. aliens… but all captives rising up together?

Imagine an interspecies alliance forged out of shared suffering, pooling unique strengths: telepathic jellyfish, acid-blooded tunnelers, and fungus hackers alongside our scrappy scientists. It’s giving Star Wars rebellion meets Guardians of the Galaxy but with actual emotional depth.

I’m absolutely here for that chaotic, unlikely coalition of species learning to fight back together.

This Is Just the Beginning

The Mercy of Gods is barely the first chapter in what’s shaping up to be an epic trilogy. And with a Prime Video adaptation on the horizon (YES PLEASE), it’s only going to get wilder from here.

Between the haunting mystery of humanity’s origin, eerie alien tech, and the constant tension of survival, this series has so much to unpack — and this article barely scratches the surface.

So yeah… if you’ve been sitting on this book, it’s time to jump in. Just don’t be surprised if it breaks your brain in the best possible way.

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