10 Most Incredible 3 Body Problem Moments That I Can’t Believe The Show Pulled Off

Warning: Spoilers ahead for 3 Body Problem season 1.

Netflix’s 3 Body Problem doesn’t shy away from using special effects, and while the digitally enhanced season 1 moments are nothing short of spectacular, the sci-fi thriller also makes use of its smaller moments to create similarly impressive scenes. While 3 Body Problem‘s nefarious extraterrestrial antagonists are the show’s main threat, the story wouldn’t be as layered without the human villains helping the San-Ti during the aliens’ 400-year journey to Earth. Having said that, almost all the most impressive moments of 3 Body Problem are heavily associated with the dangers of the approaching evil.

The world of 3 Body Problem is impressively fleshed out considering it’s only had an eight-episode run so far. Although Netflix made some changes to the original book by Liu Cixin, the core story has remained intact. As such, the members of the 3 Body Problem cast have some fairly unique challenges to overcome in their bid to save humanity’s future generations from alien subjugation. Netflix enhanced the narrative moments with stunning production values and coy writing techniques, making certain scenes leave a lasting impression once the show ends.

10

The San-Ti Showing The Eye In The Sky

The huge eye was a show of dominance from the Trisolorans

3 Body Problem‘s aliens are incredibly powerful, which is an unusual thing for the show’s characters to know, given that the San-Ti are still centuries away from being able to reach Earth. However, one of the biggest signs of how terrifyingly advanced they are compared to humanity comes in 3 Body Problem season 1, episode 5, “Judgment Day.” Imposing their might on the planet despite their huge distance away, the San-Ti encase Earth in some form of reflective material and then hammer home the fact that humanity is being keenly observed by projecting an enormous eye in the sky.

The event is horrifying on a cosmic scale and leaves Earth’s inhabitants feeling existential and helpless. On paper, it sounds like a scene that wouldn’t translate well to a TV show, but it’s one of 3 Body Problem‘s most iconic moments. The cold stare of the artificial eye is enough to instill fear in the bravest of the show’s characters, yet still manage to excite the aliens’ staunch followers.

9

3 Body Problem’s Rehydration Of The People In The VR Game

The process of rehydrating the VR characters is just as impressive as drying them out

3 Body Problem‘s VR game is one of the most compelling parts of the Netflix show. Within the game, the very realistic surroundings challenge its players to solve various environmental issues, with the price for failure being the inhabitants of the artificial world often meeting a grisly and unusual end. One of the most macabre (yet enthralling) moments in the VR world is watching the young girl rapidly dehydrate in the blazing heat of the sun. The process is brilliantly done and the textures of the parched skin look strangely realistic given the bizarre circumstances.

As interesting as it is to watch the rapid dehydration of a human being, the ensuing rehydration process later in the same installment (episode 2, “Red Coast”), is equally fascinating, if not more so. The underwater sequence shows the husked remains of a woman transitioning back into a living, breathing person in real-time. As with the dehydration scene, this moment is impossible to look away from.

8

The Chaos Of 3 Body Problem’s Sudden Blizzard In The VR Game

The deadly snowstorm takes Jin Cheng by surprise

The VR game’s best scenes in 3 Body Problem come during the simulated “Chaotic Eras.” Immediately after Jin’s success in rehydrating the game’s previously dried-out game characters, the shrinking sun in the sky suggests the planet is being flung from its star and being snatched by the gravity of another. The lack of heat causes an intense blizzard to break out, and the fact that many of the recently restored figures are still unclothed makes the experience look especially unpleasant.

The pandemonium caused by the rapid change in season is very well represented during this scene. Additionally, the CGI on the young girl’s face, as it shatters from the cold, is one of the best uses of the filmmaking technique throughout all of 3 Body Problem season 1. The fact this moment comes so soon after Jin’s brief victory makes the emotional impact even more notable.

7

The Netflix Show Made Auggie’s Mysterious Countdown Terrifying

No one knows what happens when 3 Body Problem’s countdown hits zero

Implied danger can often be much more effective than showing something directly, and Auggie’s countdown is a perfect example of that. 3 Body Problem doesn’t just rely on its big set pieces for its pivotal moments, and instead opts for a subtler, more psychological approach too. Auggie’s countdown is so scary because neither she nor the audience knows what will happen when it hits zero.

The reality of the situation is that the San-Ti likely can’t do very much to directly harm the people they target with their countdowns in 3 Body Problem. However, the uncertainty that comes with the ambiguity of the unconventional threat is exactly what makes it so effective. When Auggie’s countdown doesn’t start again when she reactivates the nanofiber lab in “Judgment Day”, it’s an incredible relief because the possible outcome is potentially too nightmarish to consider.

6

The VR Church Setting On Fire With Jin & Jack Inside

Jin failed the VR game level despite being right about the three suns

3 Body Problem‘s VR game isn’t easy to win, and even when a solution is found, there’s still catastrophic fallout to endure. Despite Jin delineating that the virtual planet has three suns and is thus in an unstable orbit between the three, the game confirms Jin’s discovery by bringing the world very close to one of the trio of stars. The result of said proximity results in a fiery, brutal end for the game’s young girl and her horse.

Once the church in which they’ve taken refuge is nothing but cinders, Jack and Jin find themselves staring out over a vista of lava as the San-Ti’s avatar approaches them while walking on the sea of molten rock. A convincingly devastated landscape is a difficult thing to achieve in TV shows without it looking contrived, but the Netflix sci-fi reasserts its quality once again by pulling it off.

5

The Antigravity “Human Abacus” Scene

The drama of the moment makes up for the under par CGI

Sometimes, the casting demands of a scene mean that the number of extras required becomes impossible. The Human Abacus scene in 3 Body Problem season 1, episode 3, “Destroyer of Worlds,” is one of those instances. When two other players are attempting to find the solution to the VR game’s riddle, their plan requires so many people that CGI has to be heavily called upon to create the crowd. While some of the tighter shots don’t do the graphics much justice, the overall sequence is pretty convincing.

The scene comes to life when the three suns align, resulting in the planet’s gravity becoming severely compromised. The human CGI assets being pulled up into space look fairly decent, but the attention to detail on the other things affected by the “Tri-solar syzygy” is what really makes the moment work. The way the floating fabric of the character’s garments move, along with the water from the cauldron behind Jack and Jin, ties the illusion together perfectly.

4

When The San-Ti Made The Stars Flicker In 3 Body Problem

The stars going out was a big sign of what was to come

The ending of 3 Body Problem season 1, episode 1, “Countdown,” is one of the biggest turning points in the show, in that it’s one of the first direct reveals of the power held by the San-Ti. Flickering stars don’t sound all that scary when they’re being described, as stars tend to twinkle anyway. When an entire sky full of stars blinks in and out of existence in unison, it’s scarier than it can ever be described without seeing the phenomenon.

Everything from the tense score to the characters’ reactions helps sell the moment and make it as unnerving as it is believable. As the icing on the cake, making the flickering code tie into Auggie’s countdown is a brilliant piece of writing. This may seem like a relatively simple scene when compared to some of the show’s more dramatic moments, but it sets the stage very well for what’s to come.

3

The San-Ti Somehow Being Imposing Without Ever Showing Themselves

An unknown enemy is always worse than one that can be seen

The physical absence of the San-Ti from 3 Body Problem may not be a specific “moment”, but the fact the show makes the alien threat so potent without ever showing them on screen is a huge accomplishment. Instead of revealing the Trisolarans’ true form, 3 Body Problem helps them communicate with humanity through voice-only contact and in-game human avatars. The best examples of how the San-Ti are represented in 3 Body Problem come throughout episode 4, “Our Lord,” where Mike Evans can be seen/heard speaking with the aliens.

Not giving the show’s main threat a real face is a big part of what helps 3 Body Problem‘s thriller aspects blossom. Furthermore, the levelheaded, emotionless delivery from Sea Shimooka as the voice/VR embodiment of the San-Ti gives the cleverly misguided impression of an impartial alien race. However, the fact that the Trisolarans are set on world domination in 400 years sits intentionally at odds with this apparent lack of motivation.

2

The Failure Of Jin’s Nuclear Bomb Solution

Jin’s plan came very close to working

When the San-Ti halt all scientific progression on Earth, humanity is left to retaliate with only its preexisting technology. As such, it comes as nothing more than a huge relief when Jin comes up with the ingenious solution to use the planet’s nuclear weaponry to intercept the incoming fleet. As with everything interstellar in 3 Body Problem, it’s not an immediate fix, as if the makeshift vessel is successful, it’d still take 200 years to reach its intended destination. That’s why when the generation project goes awry at the end of 3 Body Problem season 1, it’s a huge blow.

Considering almost no one from the main cast of 3 Body Problem is in direct danger from the San-Ti, the failure of the module containing Will’s brain has a huge impact on everyone involved. It’s a last-ditch effort to save the planet, and even the small malfunction that occurs has dire consequences. Auggie’s nanofibers making up the sail give her character a brief chance of redemption following the razor-thin material being used for such destructive purposes earlier in the season, so the mission’s collapse is a personal issue as well as a global one.

1

3 Body Problem’s Gruesome Nanofiber Boat Scene

Judgment Day was no match for Auggie’s nanofibers

Auggie’s nanofibers slicing effortlessly through the metal, flesh, and bone of everyone and everything on Mike Evans’ ship is by far the standout scene in 3 Body Problem. The invisible threat the fibers pose is strangely representative of the approaching San-Ti, with both being capable of mowing down anything in their respective paths. The blow-burning reveal of the nanofibers’ nightmarish properties suddenly becomes apparent as the gory mess starts to accumulate.

The upsetting nature of the violence aside, the sequence looks photo-realistic in a way that can often be difficult to achieve with CGI. It’s clear that 3 Body Problem likely dedicated a good portion of its budget and resources to make the boat and its people truly look like they’re meeting a convincing end at the hands of Auggie’s research. It may not be the most pleasant moment of 3 Body Problem, but that doesn’t mean it can’t be one of the best.