For All Mankind Season 5 Theory Reveals Joel Kinnaman's True Role When The Apple TV+ Show Returns

With For All Mankind season 5 on the way, there's speculation surrounding the role of Joel Kinnaman's Ed Baldwin in the story's continuation, but one theory explains pretty well the best way the Apple TV+ show could use him. The NASA-turned-Helios spacefaring legend has been one of the saga's most pivotal figures since For All Mankind began in 2019. Seeing Ed's tumultuous journey through the decades-long story isn't expected to end when the show returns, with Kinnaman as part of For All Mankind season 5's cast.

However, following For All Mankind season 4's ending, it's arguably a little unclear how much Ed will be able to continue to contribute to one of Apple TV+'s best shows. Thankfully, there are a few reasonable avenues to explore, but one is arguably the most likely. Although For All Mankind doesn't generally tend to dwell on the past, the show could easily make an exception for one of its most beloved and iconic characters. Either way, Admiral Baldwin may have a very different part to play in For All Mankind season 5.

Ed Baldwin Could Easily Be Dead In For All Mankind Season 5

Kinnaman's character was already in his 70s in 2003

Ed telling the Helios workers about their bonuses

For All Mankind season 4's 2003 setting places Ed Baldwin firmly in his 70s. Continuing the trend of a roughly 10-year time jump, For All Mankind season 5 will begin in 2012. Therefore, Ed would be at least 80 years old, but likely even older. So, it's far from impossible that Ed will have passed away from old age in For All Mankind season 5, after a long and fruitful career on Mars - if he wasn't punished for his role in sabotaging Ranger.

While Kinnaman's character has become one of the faces of the show, For All Mankind has never shied away from the main characters exiting the show. They don't always depart due to dying, but it has certainly happened before. The generational aspect of the story means For All Mankind is continuously required to introduce new figures to carry on the tale, which means established characters need to eventually make way. With Ed securing a future for his new homeworld at the end of season 4, it would be very poetic for his arc (and his life) to be over.

Flashbacks Make The Most Sense For Ed's For All Mankind Return

Ed's past could be revisited and built upon

Even if Ed is dead, Kinnaman's return means For All Mankind season 5 is still set on fleshing out Ed's timeline. While his passing would make present-day Ed Baldwin scenes impossible, the show could easily reveal parts of Ed's life that have yet to be seen onscreen. For instance, the transitionary years between Goldilocks being hijacked and the mining colony on its surface being established would be a fascinating thing to see. Although Ed would likely still be grounded due to his hand tremor, his experience would be very valuable during this time.

Ed's entire timeline is fair game, and flashing back far enough could allow for cameos from former co-stars who have since left the main cast.

For All Mankind could delve even further into Ed's past. Thankfully, one of the show's biggest advantages in this respect is that Kinnaman wouldn't need to be aged down. He's already been aged up more and more with makeup and prosthetics as For All Mankind has progressed. So, the further back in time the show travels, the less time he'd need to spend in the chair to look suitable for each period. Ed's entire timeline is fair game, and flashing back far enough could allow for cameos from former co-stars who have since left the main cast.

For All Mankind Can't Make A Habit Of Flashback Sequences

The Apple TV+ sci-fi show rarely does anything but look to the future

One of For All Mankind's most prevalent messages is how important it is to surge endlessly onward. Often, it's even frowned upon to take a quick glance over the shoulder. Therefore, using flashbacks too heavily as a storytelling device would go against this ethos. That being said, the show has occasionally used flashbacks. For example, For All Mankind season 4 showed what happened to Casey W. Johnson's Danny Stevens in the period between seasons 3 and 4. So, there is at least a precedent established.

There's also the matter of Ed not being given a proper exit at the end of For All Mankind season 4. Last he was seen, he was still on Mars, and he had made it clear he was never going to leave. The flash-forward to 2012 never revealed if he died or not, but if he did, an offscreen departure would feel very underwhelming for Kinnaman's character. To offset this potential writing decision, flashbacks in For All Mankind season 5 would be the best possible farewell after decades of spacefaring adventures.