Clarissa Mao was introduced in The Expanse season 3 and only appeared briefly in a video call from prison in season 4, so a reminder of her origins is not only warranted; it also serves to explain what inspired Amos to choose Peaches. Fans probably remember that Clarissa’s father, Jules-Pierre Mao, was the first to try and exploit the protomolecule, and her sister Julie was tragically contaminated with the goo, passing it along to the unfortunate Belters on Eros. That scandal brought down the Mao family, ruining their fortunes and their name among the UNN elite. Clarissa was desperate to prove herself to her powerful father, having always lived in Julie’s shadow, and with no more social functions to plan on behalf of her father’s company, she became obsessed with revenge against James Holden, the man responsible for her family’s downfall. Clarissa used the last of her money to modify her glands to allow for brief bursts of strength and speed and to establish a new identity: Melba Koh, a technician on the UNN’s first fleet to the Ring. She went on to sabotage one of the ships, trying to frame Holden and ruin his reputation, but it’s her alias that’s key here. There happens to be a French dessert not often served these days called “peach melba,” a preparation of sliced peaches over vanilla ice cream with raspberry sauce, and Amos used this obscure culinary reference to rename his former enemy, whose personal pain he likely identified with.
