3 Body Problem: Who Are the Aliens?

A San-Ti warrior in key art for Netflix's 3 Body Problem

Netflix’s new sci-fi series 3 Body Problem is brimming with mysteries for viewers to mull over – including the true nature of its extra-terrestrial invaders. So, who are 3 Body Problem‘s aliens and what do they really look like?

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The Aliens in Netflix’s 3 Body Problem, Explained

3 Body Problem‘s aliens are a highly advanced race known as the San-Ti (or Trisolarans in Liu Cixin’s original Three-Body Problem novels). They hail from a planet with three suns – and that’s a problem. Due to the unpredictability of its suns’ orbits (the three-body problem referred to in the title of the book and show), the San-Ti’s homeworld is periodically ravaged by wildly erratic, extreme climate change. The San-Ti have labeled these devastating occurrences “Chaotic Eras.”

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Whenever a Chaotic Era kicks off, most of the San-Ti hibernate using their evolved ability to dehydrate themselves. It’s then up to the handful of San-Ti who remain active to survive as best they can, until the start of the next “Stable Era.” Once that arrives, they dunk their hibernating brethren in water, reviving them. It’s a solid enough survival system, however, it has its limits. Without getting too deep into potential spoilers for 3 Body Problem Season 2, eventually, the San-Ti’s trio of suns will create a scenario so devastating that not even hibernation will save them from it. That’s why they’ve set their sights on good ol’ single-sun Earth.

What’s the San-Ti’s Invasion Plan In 3 Body Problem?

Fortunately for Earth’s current residents, the San-Ti invasion is still a while off. Like in Liu’s books, 3 Body Problem‘s aliens won’t arrive on Earth for at least 400 years. That said, they’re not exactly twiddling their thumbs while they wait for their long space voyage to be over. As seen in 3 Body Problem Season 1, the San-Ti are already laying the groundwork for their conquest of Earth from afar. They do this via sophons: teeny tiny multidimensional supercomputers capable of everything from spying and sabotage to wide-scale mental manipulation (think: global hallucinations).

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The San-Ti have also used the sophons to convert a bunch of humans to their side. These folks go unnamed in the show, but Liu calls them the Earth-Trisolaris Organization (ETO) in his books. The ETO are willingly helping the San-Ti soften up Earth’s defenses. They’re also behind the VR game that plays a key role in 3 Body Problem Season 1, which is effectively an elaborate recruitment tool. If all this makes it sound like humanity is doomed, fear not: we have the edge over the San-Ti in at least one area. Unlike the semi-telepathic San-Ti, we can lie – and this capacity for deception has our would-be exterminators worried.

What Do the Aliens in 3 Body Problem Look Like?

Nobody knows, except for Liu – and he’s not telling. His Three-Body Problem books don’t offer a detailed description of their alien characters. Similarly, 3 Body Problem Season 1 only shows us the San-Ti within the context of the VR game, where they adopt human form. When questioned about this, one of the San-Ti makes it clear that they look “nothing” like humans. They only present as such in the game to avoid freaking out human players unprepared for their true appearance. Will 3 Body Problem Season 2 give us a proper look at its aliens? It’s possible, but far from guaranteed.

All eight episodes of 3 Body Problem Season 1 are currently streaming on Netflix.


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Leon Miller
Leon is a freelance contributor at The Escapist, covering movies, TV, video games, and comics. Active in the industry since 2016, Leon's previous by-lines include articles for Polygon, Popverse, Screen Rant, CBR, Dexerto, Cultured Vultures, PanelxPanel, Taste of Cinema, and more.