What are the Sophons in 3 Body Problem?
Everything you need to know about those pesky Sophons.
Warning: Spoilers for Netflix's 3 Body Problem ahead.
If you're feeling a little lost while watching Netflix's 3 Body Problem, you won't be the only one.
The original novels by Cixin Liu are renowned for being dense and a little difficult to get your head around, with huge ideas about the universe and complicated details that could lose some readers along the way.
While the Netflix series, which boasts a starry cast and has so far received good reviews, attempts to make these ideas a little more accessible, viewers might need a reminder about some of the big ones!
So, here's everything you need to know about the Sophons in 3 Body Problem.
What are the Sophons in 3 Body Problem?
The Sophons in 3 Body Problem are proton-sized super-computers sent to Earth by the Santi.
They're the cause of phenomena like the countdown that Auggie (Eiza González) sees and the world "winking", as well as the malfunction to Thomas Wade's (Liam Cunningham) aeroplane in the final episode.
They are also sent to Earth to disrupt technological and scientific progress until the Santi fleet arrives on the planet.
The Sophons are also how the Santi are able to surveil humanity, causing the need for the Wallfacer Project, in which a certain group of people are instructed to come up with a plan to save humanity without telling anyone their thoughts.
Who is the character Sophon in 3 Body Problem?
In the series, we also meet a character known as Sophon, played by Sea Shimooka. We first meet her as the guide in the Three Body Problem game, but it quickly becomes clear that there's more to her than that.
Sophon was actually sent to Earth to be a mouthpiece and a spy for the Santi. She relays messages (mostly very ominous ones) from the Santi to humans, and appears without warning.
Who is Sophon actress Sea Shimooka?
Sea Shimooka is an actress, writer and director.
She started her career in short films before landing a role in the TV series Arrow from 2018 to 2020. She went on to appear in MacGyver in 2020 before working on 3 Body Problem.
Recently celebrating 3 Body Problem on her social media, Shimooka described it as a "mind-bending sci-fi epic you don’t want to miss".
3 Body Problem is available to stream on Netflix now. Sign up for Netflix from £4.99 a month. Netflix is also available on Sky Glass and Virgin Media Stream.
Check out more of our Sci-Fi coverage or visit our TV Guide and Streaming Guide to find out what's on.
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Authors
Louise Griffin is the Sci-Fi & Fantasy Editor for Radio Times, covering everything from Doctor Who, Star Wars and Marvel to House of the Dragon and Good Omens. She previously worked at Metro as a Senior Entertainment Reporter and has a degree in English Literature.
