President Bragg’s Anti-Mars Stance Is Made Worse By ‘For All Mankind’s Bonus Material

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The new trailer for For All Mankind Season 5 shows how political conflict between Earth and Mars is escalating in 2012. Some of the trailer’s biggest reveals, however, will only fully resonate with longtime fans who know the show’s deeper lore. The upcoming spin-off, Star City, is expected to expand this complex universe even further, but For All Mankind has already been surprisingly vast and detailed for years.

Apple TV goes above and beyond with its support for the show For All Mankind, creating extra content that makes its alternate history feel incredibly real. Beyond short videos explaining the science behind events, they’ve produced in-universe news reports detailing how the show’s timeline differs from our own since 1969. These aren’t necessary to enjoy the show, but they add a lot of depth – and one recent example even ties into the trailer for Season 5.

Apple TV’s Additional ‘For All Mankind’ Material Makes Season 5’s Mars Storyline Even More Worrying

The latest trailer for For All Mankind Season 5 shows James “Jim” Bragg, portrayed by Randy Oglesby, as the President of the United States. Previously, he served as Vice-President under Ellen Wilson. Now, he’s determined to shift the country’s focus back to Earth, rather than prioritizing the Mars colony. Considering Bragg has always been skeptical of space exploration, his new position in 2012 is causing concern for those living on Mars. However, the series has already hinted at an even more significant threat to the Red Planet.

Apple TV+’s series, connected to the show For All Mankind, reveals that in this alternate timeline, William Brigg won the 2004 presidential election, defeating Al Gore. This means by 2012, Brigg might be finishing his second term and trying to establish a lasting presidential legacy. According to the Season 6 trailer, his main goal is to “Put Earth back in charge,” suggesting he’ll stop sending resources to Mars.

I remember the 2004 election vividly! While you might hear about President Bragg in stories, that’s just fiction. The truth is, George W. Bush actually won that election and served a full second term as president. And, interestingly, Al Gore didn’t even run for office that year.

It’s also possible that President Bragg’s recent speech was intended to help him get re-elected. He won the election against Gore in 2004, but it’s unclear if he won the subsequent election. If Bragg is actually running in 2012, and not finishing his second term, that could be very damaging to the Mars program. Another four years with a President openly opposed to the program, at such a crucial time for the Red Planet, would be a significant setback.

‘For All Mankind’s Past Storylines Suggest Mars Will Triumph in Season 5


Apple TV

At its heart, the Apple TV+ show For All Mankind explores humanity’s drive to reach for the stars, and the costs – both personal and societal – that come with it. Despite numerous setbacks, space exploration continues to move forward. The show has always focused on the long-term expansion of humanity away from Earth, and the latest trailer suggests this will continue with a search for life on planets beyond Mars. Stopping this progress would essentially bring the entire story to a halt, as the show’s success depends on continued space exploration.

Even though characters like Bragg are used to suggest challenges ahead, it still seems highly unlikely that Mars will fail in its fight against Earth. I expect there will be times when it looks hopeless for the people on Mars, but I’d be shocked if they ultimately lost. While some characters may die in the struggle for Martian independence, the show’s overall direction suggests humanity will continue to expand further away from Earth as the story goes on, and that idea feels much more plausible.

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2026-02-28 00:33