“You are bugs” and you have been warned. 

You might have spotted that message out in the world or on social media lately and if you’ve watched 3 Body Problem, you know by now, nowhere is safe from the San-Ti. Humans might be the most dominant species on Earth, but to some, we’re simply pests. What exactly does this menacing phrase mean for our future?

In 3 Body Problem, humanity faces its greatest threat — not from our own planet — but from the San-Ti, an extraterrestrial civilization making a 400-year trek through space to conquer Earth and crush its inhabitants like an insect under their shoe. Inspired by the internationally celebrated novel The Three-Body Problem and created by David Benioff, D.B. Weiss (Game of Thrones), and Alexander Woo (True Blood), the series takes us inside a mind-boggling journey where humans are no longer running the game.

To understand this threat, we must travel back to ’60s China. The narrative opens in Beijing during a struggle session, a political rally aimed to break and humiliate people accused of being “class enemies,” where the Chinese Cultural Revolution’s militant youth chant, “Root out the bugs!” These demonstrators wish to get rid of any infiltrators of the communist revolution — including scientists and academics. But this chant will manifest into something much more literal several decades later.

As we see in Episode 4, the San-Ti seem incapable of understanding metaphors. Environmentalist turned billionaire Mike Evans (Jonathan Pryce) sits in front of his radio speaking to the Lord (the voice of the San-Ti) and without much thought, refers to the intelligence operatives — who are trying to bring down his San-Ti-supporting organization — as “pests.” “These pests who are tracking us, they’re trying to hide their intentions because, well, otherwise they couldn’t get to us,” he says into the mic. Unable to interpret the metaphor, the San-Ti think Evans is talking about actual bugs. 

“Pests are destructive insects or other animals that attack crops, food, and livestock. Your enemies are human,” the voice replies. Frustrated with the breakdown in communication, Evans further explains himself. “I was using a metaphor,” he says. “I was describing them as pests because, well, that’s what they are. Annoying, inconsequential, easy to eliminate, like bugs you can squash under your shoe.”

It seems Mike has inadvertently given the San-Ti an idea when, in Episode 5, they finally reveal that they plan to do some squashing of their own. While in the VR game, the San-Ti avatar (Sea Shimooka) reveals to physicist Jin Cheng (Jess Hong) and intelligence operation leader Thomas Wade (Liam Cunningham) that the San-Ti have been hijacking human science and technology in order to dominate the species when they arrive in 400 years. “We will teach you how to fear again,” she tells them. This explains all the mysterious phenomena that have been occurring, from Auggie Salazar (Eiza González) seeing countdown numbers in her eyes to the stars blinking in  code. 

At the end of the episode, every screen in the world glitches and broadcasts a cryptic message that simply reads: “You are bugs.” The San-Ti are not coming in peace — they’re planning to exterminate humanity altogether.

To celebrate the launch of 3 Body Problem, “You are bugs” also came to life around the world. The message appeared on digital screens in heavily trafficked areas including  Times Square in New York City; Southern Cross Station in Melbourne, Australia; Zona T in Bogotá, Colombia; Westgate Oxford and Oxford Parkway in Oxford, UK; Shibuya Crossing and Shinjuku in Tokyo, Japan; Plaza de Callao in Madrid, Spain; and Metro Świętokrzyska in Warsaw, Poland. Twenty-four billboards along Sunset Boulevard in Los Angeles also boasted “You are bugs,” and a countdown clock and video presentation appeared across the Sphere in Las Vegas. Light projections on the sides of buildings in Chicago, Dallas, New York City, and San Francisco showed the menacing statement, as well as train station schedule boards in Rome and Milan. Then there were ceiling projections at Southern Cross Station in Melbourne, Australia, a light hologram in Seoul, South Korea, and even movie theater marquees that read “You are bugs,” — including at the Paris Theater in New York City.

Now that you’re aware of what this means for the human race, you must inform others to stream 3 Body Problem on Netflix now — and don’t forget to keep your eye on the sky, because it’s keeping an eye on you.

3 Body Problem Trailer