Three-Body Episode 3 Recap
> Three-Body Recap
Wang Miao finds his world plunged into disarray by a relentless countdown that appears only to him. His focus is momentarily broken by the arrival of his wife, Li Yao, and daughter, Doudou. Wang Miao, who usually restricts access to his camera, unexpectedly asks Li Yao to take pictures for him. When she attempts to photograph Doudou, he hastily stops her, instructing her to photograph anything else, fearing the mysterious countdown might manifest on his daughter.
After developing the film himself, Wang Miao is relieved to find no trace of the countdown. Later, however, Li Yao, concerned by his erratic behavior and pale complexion, discovers other photos with numbers imprinted on them. Wang Miao stops her from touching the prints, claiming he is investigating how the numbers appeared.
He explains the numbers were present when the film was developed and appeared in real-time, postulating a powerful, penetrating gamma ray as the source but admitting such precision is technologically impossible. Desperate, he contacts Professor Wu, who dismisses the phenomenon as scientifically impossible unless it originated from a "paranormal power." Driven by urgency, Wang Miao borrows a digital camera from his neighbor, who notes his unwell appearance.
He then enlists Li Yao and Doudou to help him take more photos, despite Li Yao's growing concern for his mental state. They playfully swap cameras, repeatedly photographing a plush toy. However, every picture Wang Miao takes, regardless of the camera, unfailingly displays the countdown. This chilling consistency leads him to the stark realization: "It's me. I'm the target."
Following this epiphany, Wang Miao immediately calls someone named Shen, asking them to investigate any anomalies in Yang Dong's activities before her suicide. While driving, Wang Miao is disoriented by a blinding flash from a passing truck. When he opens his eyes, the countdown is vividly present in his vision, forcing him to brake abruptly. Shi Qiang, who has been covertly following him, pulls up and demands to know what he saw.
Wang Miao denies seeing anything, offering a vague excuse about a headlight. Shi Qiang states he is there to protect him, but Wang Miao, still in shock and unwilling to reveal the countdown, rebuffs the offer, asserting that as a researcher with no power or money, he requires no protection. Overwhelmed, Wang Miao stops his car again and stumbles into the road. The numbers are transparent and ethereal, yet they weigh heavily on his mind.
Back home, he confides in Li Yao that he is "seeing things," even with his eyes closed. She suggests he visit her old classmate, Zhou Nan, an ophthalmologist. Wang Miao questions if his condition is beyond ophthalmology, but Li Yao assures him they will investigate systematically, starting with his eyes and then neurology. As he lies in bed, the continuing countdown prompts him to ask, "Where will we be 49 days later?" to which she responds, "Still here, no?"
The next day, Zhou Nan diagnoses him with Muscae volitantes, or floaters, a common eye condition. When Wang Miao clarifies he is seeing a precise string of numbers, Zhou Nan attributes it to exhaustion and stress, suggesting a vacation. He recounts a case of psychogenic blindness to emphasize the mind's impact on vision, but Wang Miao feels misunderstood.
Back home, Li Yao relays the doctor's assessment, but Wang Miao insists his situation is different because what the doctor claims "doesn't exist" is undeniably real to him. He tries to explain his fear with an analogy of humanity as turkeys on a farm run by a superior civilization, but Li Yao dismisses the theory. Later that night, Wang Miao calls Shen Yufei for a meeting, and she sends him an address.
Upon arriving, he notices an RX8620, a costly piece of equipment also present at his own research center. He finds Shen Yufei in her study and details his experience with the countdown. She unexpectedly asks about his nanoscience project and then instructs him to "stop your research." Stunned, Wang Miao protests that it is a crucial national project, but she simply replies, "Just try it." He refuses, declaring he will not accept being a "turkey scientist." Shen Yufei then reveals that many of the scholars who committed suicide had ties to the "Frontiers of Science," hinting that its work is "more fundamental" than he can imagine.
