For All Mankind’s Ed Baldwin Death Ends Apple TV’s Strongest Sci-Fi Era

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Season five of For All Mankind surprised everyone by finally killing off Ed Baldwin. For five seasons, fans joked about his unbelievable ability to survive any disaster. No matter what happened, Ed always managed to pull through – until now, when he succumbed to old age.

In Season 5, Episode 3, “Home,” Ed dies on Mars after a battle with Stage 3 lung cancer. It’s a peaceful end for someone who often took risks with his life. His long-term exposure to radiation in space also contributed to his death, meaning he ultimately died doing what he loved. As he passes away, remembering his first space mission, it feels like a piece of the show, For All Mankind, is lost with him.

Ed Baldwin Gave For All Mankind the Soul It Needed

Fans often joked that Ed was unbelievably lucky. He seemed to constantly pull off incredible feats, even if it meant taking huge risks. After the US lost the moon, Ed decided he’d rather be reckless than miss out on achieving something amazing. While Ed repeatedly escaped death himself, many people close to him – including his wife Karen, best friend Gordo, and Molly Cobb – tragically didn’t survive. It felt like Ed was shielded by an unusually strong protective force.

Fans have strongly supported Ed, and with good reason. He’s a central character in the series, and many viewers have missed Danielle Poole this season. While he’s far from perfect, that’s what makes him so interesting to watch. Early on, he often acted with harmful, traditionally masculine traits and was frequently humbled by his own arrogance. However, his infectious energy and love for space also brought a lot of life to the story.

What I always admired about Ed was his ability to grow. He definitely had a strong will – some might even say he was stubborn – but he didn’t let that define him. He actually worked on himself and broke down the barriers that kept him from connecting with others. It was amazing to see him forge real friendships with people he’d been taught to distrust, and those relationships truly made him a better person. It was inspiring, honestly.

Ed Baldwin’s Death Signals an Unknown Future

Ed’s passing fundamentally changes For All Mankind. He was one of the original characters from the first season, and though it’s not believable to have centenarians as leads, he provided a comforting familiarity. Now, the show feels very different, built around characters who haven’t been part of the story for very long.

The characters aren’t boring, but they’re too similar, making it difficult to connect with them. Toby Kebbell’s Miles is a decent person who’s stepping into the leading role, but he lacks a captivating personality. Unfortunately, Kelly Baldwin suffers from the same issue – her story hasn’t changed much in three seasons.

It’s difficult to picture the dreamlike experiences characters have when close to death. Ed’s sequence was particularly moving, filled with both joy and sadness as he remembered key moments from his life – it truly captured who he was. But for the other characters, we have no idea what those moments would be like; their stories remain untold.

What flaws make it hard to fully connect with these characters? What makes each of them unique? It’s tough to say with this cast, especially now that Ed is gone. While For All Mankind might be finishing up next season, it still has time to explore things. But without Ed, the show feels like it’s entering a more frightening and unpredictable space than outer space itself.

Watch new episodes of For All Mankind every Friday on Apple TV. The show is currently being developed for a sixth and final season.

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2026-04-10 10:10