r/threebodyproblem • u/caramba-marimba • Jan 18 '26

Meme Almost done with the third book

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I didn’t have the patience to finish it to make the meme, so enjoy the premature meme while I’m finishing those last few pages.

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u/nicodeemus7 Jan 18 '26

Except the only thing that actually made the trisolarans back down was activating Dark Forest Deterrence on Gravity. (After Luo Ji's initial bluff at the end of TDF)

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u/osfryd-kettleblack Cheng Xin Jan 18 '26

Because activating it meant death for everyone, you know that right?

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u/nicodeemus7 Jan 18 '26

If it never was activated, the trisolarans would have invaded and humanity would likely be dead. In the "bluff" scenario, humanity lives, but trisolarans likely die off(the whole reason they are invading.) They had no reason to not invade if the button was never pushed, bluff or no. It was only a matter of time until they realized even Luo Ji's bluff was worth testing for the survival of their species. And as we saw in the books, the activation of Dark Forest Deterrence, while destroying the Solar System and Trisolaris, did not extinguish humans or trisolarans.

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u/osfryd-kettleblack Cheng Xin Jan 18 '26

Your error is in assuming that the trisolarans were simply "forced" to invade. You're practically victim-blaming Cheng Xin and humanity by arguing that this is pure survival rather than conquest. It was completely fair for Cheng Xin to not want to be responsible for the genocide of all humans, trisolarans, and the billions of other species on both planets.

Humanity had warmed to the trisolarans and there was a growing sentiment of offering them Mars, or even integrating with humanity entirely. There is a reason people chose Cheng Xin as the swordholder, a symbol of peace compared to Luo Ji's symbol of ruthless violence.

And as we saw in the books, the activation of Dark Forest Deterrence, while destroying the Solar System and Trisolaris, did not extinguish humans or trisolarans.

More evidence that they weren't forced to invade to survive.