These are the big alien enemies in the science fiction series “The 3-Body Problem”: who are the San-Ti and what do they look like? Warning, spoilers.
Warning, spoilers. It is advisable to have seen the series “The 3-Body Problem” before continuing reading this article.
Number 1 on Netflix, The 3-Body Problem is enjoying a small and growing success on the platform. Awaited by science fiction fans, the new series from David Benioff and DB Weiss, the showrunners of Game of Thrones, in collaboration with screenwriter and producer Alexander Woo (True Blood) adapts a literary masterpiece .
Indeed, The 3-body problem by Liu Cixin, a former computer engineer turned writer, was awarded the Hugo Prize (American award given to the best works of science fiction and fantasy).
What is the 3-Body Problem?
After an adaptation in China, the creators of Game of Thrones wanted to transpose the universe of the 3-Body Problem internationally with a diverse cast, composed of Eiza González (Baby Driver), Benedict Wong (Doctor Strange), John Bradley, Liam Cunningham and Jonathan Pryce, all three seen in Game of Thrones, as well as Rosalind Chao (Mulan), Ben Schnetzer (Y: The Last Man) and Eve Ridley (Casualty).
We also find Jovan Adepo (Babylon), Jess Hong, Marlo Kelly (Dare Me), Alex Sharp (The Chicago Seven), Sea Shimooka (Arrow), Zine Tseng and Saamer Usmani in this fiction which takes place between China and London .
The 3-Body Problem tells how Humanity will try, via a group of scientists, to prevent an extraterrestrial invasion. This attack by an alien civilization called San-Ti is the result of the research of astrophysicist Ye Wenjie, forced to work for the army during the Chinese Cultural Revolution in the 1960s.
Who are the San-Ti?
The San-Ti are the name given to the alien civilization which plans to attack Earth and against which scientists are trying to block. They learn more about this extra-terrestrial threat thanks to Sophon (Sea Shimooka), the figure of Artificial Intelligence in the virtual reality video game, who acts as a guide and ambassador between the San-Ti and humans .
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In episode 5, which will go down in television history according to one of the stars, Wade (Liam Cunningham) and Jin (Jess Hong) wander around in the VR game and ask Sophon, who looks like a human, if the San-Ti resemble humans and the latter responds: “We are very different from you. This appearance is intended to reassure you”.
And when Wade asks the fateful question “What do you look like?”Sophon’s response is clear: “You won’t like it.”. You will have understood, the first season of The 3-Body Problem does not reveal to us the true appearance of the San-Ti.
All we know is that the San-Ti are capable of dehydrating and rehydrating themselves, so they do have a body shell. But these are the only clues given in the series about their appearance.
An idea of what the San-Ti looks like
And if you feel like reading Liu Cixin’s trilogy to find out what the San-Ti look like, you won’t have any more answers. Indeed, there is no further explanation of the extra-terrestrials in the novels (which are called Trisolarians) by the Chinese author and their appearance is left to the reader’s imagination.
But you should know that a fourth novel written by a fan named Baoshu continues the saga initiated by Liu Cixin and depicts the consequences of the conflict between Humanity and the Trisolarians.
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This fan fiction published in 2020 is not official and is not part of the canon of the original saga but it has been approved by the master Liu Cixin himself. And in this novel, entitled The Redemption of Timereaders can find a description of the Trisolarians/San-Ti there.
They are presented as small insectoid creatures, which are the size of an ant or a grain of rice. This is a plausible explanation knowing that the San-Ti/Trisolarians describe humans as insects, “vermin” to be exterminated (“bugs”, in original language). The comparison holds up.
But as this description is not official, the information in this fourth novel should not be taken at face value. And until Liu Cixin speaks up about it, we can’t know for sure what the San-Ti/Trisolarians look like.
However, the creators of the Netflix series may choose to show the appearance of extra-terrestrials in future seasons, if the American giant gives the green light.
The first season of the series The 3-Body Problem is available on Netflix.