The Apple TV+ series For All Mankind dropped its fourth episode of season 5 on April 16, 2026, and it is packed with major twists. Following the death of Ed Baldwin in the previous episode, the show shifts focus to the next generation on Mars. Alex Baldwin (Sean Kaufman) starts a new job at Helios and accidentally finds a locked folder that could change life on the Red Planet forever.
The episode, titled “Open Source,” shows Alex moving from grief to action. He takes an entry-level data entry position at Helios. But what he finds in the company’s computer system reveals a secret deal between Helios and the Soviet representative Kuragin. The two sides agreed to replace most human workers with machines. If this plan moves forward, 98% of Mars personnel would lose their jobs and get sent back to Earth.
Alex Uncovers Secret ‘Automation’ Folder While Working at Helios
Alex starts his new job wanting to prove himself. He does not want special treatment because he is Ed Baldwin’s grandson. But Dev Ayesa (Edi Gathegi), the founder of Helios, still gives him special access to look at the Meru project. Meru is Dev’s dream city on Mars. It is supposed to be a self-sustaining home for 1 million people.
While checking cargo systems and the space elevator, Alex finds a folder labeled “automation.” He remembers that workers protested against automation before. When he tries to open the folder, the system blocks him. He needs higher security clearance, which would normally take months to get.
But Alex’s friend Lily Dale (Ruby Cruz) pushes him to dig deeper. Lily wants to become a journalist. She smells a big story. With her encouragement, Alex takes a major risk. He uses his boss Ms. Joshi’s computer access to bypass the security locks.
What he finds inside shocks him. The files show that Helios and Kuragin signed a secret agreement. They plan to bring in automated machines to do almost all the work on Mars. The agreement would replace human workers and send them back to Earth. This breaks union rules that protected Mars workers.
The documents also explain what Kuragin has been doing at night. The secret shipments arriving on Mars contain equipment for this automation project. Back on Earth, the Soviet Union is in financial trouble. They used too much of their iridium from Mars and now face a possible recession. They need more resources, and automation helps them get it faster.
Lily May Have Betrayed Alex’s Trust for the Breaking News Story
After finding the files, Alex copies them immediately. But he does not know what to do next. He respects Dev and does not want to believe his boss is behind such a plan. Alex asks Lily to wait before sharing the documents. He wants to sleep on it and talk to Dev first.
But Lily’s news instincts take over. The episode ends with news alerts flooding across Happy Valley, the Mars colony. Alex sits reading the headlines with a look of fear on his face. He realizes the truth is now public. There is no going back.
This raises a difficult question. Did Lily betray Alex to get the exclusive story? As someone who wants to study journalism at Tulane University, this would be a huge career move for her. But it could also destroy her friendship with Alex.
Aleida Arrives on Mars as Sojourner Mission Launches to Titan
The episode also brings Aleida Rosales (Coral Peña) to Mars for the first time. She arrives to oversee the rebuild of the Sojourner spaceship. The ship will travel to Titan, one of Saturn’s moons, to look for signs of life.
Watching Aleida see the Red Planet for the first time is a special moment. She looks at the Mars landscape with awe. Her arrival also gives fans a reunion with Kelly Baldwin (Cynthy Wu). The two women share drinks at a Mars bar. Their conversation brings some lighter moments to a tense episode.
The Sojourner launches on July 19, 2012. The launch goes smoothly. But two problems remain. First, Kuragin has sent his own manned ship from Earth. They also want to reach Titan first. This sets up another space race. Second, Aleida notices a problem with some astrophysics calculations. If the numbers are wrong, the crew could die when entering Titan’s atmosphere.
A New Character Arrives on Earth With Ties to Danny Stevens
The episode also introduces a brand new character on Earth. Avery “AJ” Jarrett (Ines Asserson) is a young, tough marine. She wants to join the Off Planet Expeditionary Force (OPEF) to go to the Moon.
The big reveal comes during her interviews. Avery is actually the daughter of Danny Stevens. Danny was the troubled son of Gordo and Tracy Stevens. He caused many problems on Mars before dying there. Avery never knew her father. But his actions still affect her life. People judge her because of his mistakes.
She goes through polygraph tests and meets Danielle Poole (Krys Marshall) again. Danielle helps her through the process. After some tense moments, Avery gets accepted into the program. She will head to the Moon. This adds another family legacy to the show’s story.
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Dev Faces Hard Questions About the Automation Plan
The automation discovery puts Dev in a difficult spot. He has always pushed for big ideas and efficiency. A fully automated Mars would cut costs and remove human errors. From a business view, the plan makes sense.
But the human cost is huge. Many people moved to Mars for a fresh start. Some, like Alex, grew up there and cannot easily return to Earth. Replacing them with machines would destroy entire families and communities.
The episode does not make it clear if Dev knew about the secret agreement. He seems focused on building Meru, his perfect city. But the files were on Helios servers. Someone in the company signed the deal with Kuragin. This mystery will likely drive the next few episodes.
For All Mankind season 5 episode 4 is now streaming on Apple TV+. New episodes arrive every Friday.
Keep up with all the latest Mars mysteries and space drama by staying tuned to VvipTimes for weekly episode breakdowns.
