The Three-Body Problem

The Three-Body Problem

by Liu Cixin

Mike Evans Character Analysis

Born to a wealthy oil baron, Mike Evans’s passion for the environment sprouted in opposition to his family’s values. After witnessing the consequences of an oil spill on marine birds, Evans pioneered the theory of “pan-species communism” (in which the idea of universal human rights is extended to all forms of life on Earth). Later in life, Evans joined forces with Ye Wenjie, using his father’s money to create the ETO. But while Ye hopes humanity can be helped by alien intelligence, Evans has lost all faith in people and therefore wants the Trisolarans to destroy humanity entirely. He therefore becomes the leader of the Adventist faction of the ETO, which is headquartered on his ship Judgment Day.

Mike Evans Quotes in The Three-Body Problem

The The Three-Body Problem quotes below are all either spoken by Mike Evans or refer to Mike Evans . For each quote, you can also see the other characters and themes related to it (each theme is indicated by its own dot and icon, like this one:
Technology, Progress, and Destruction Theme Icon
).

Chapter 27 Quotes

Now is truly the age of mass extinctions! So, my child, what you're seeing is nothing. This is only an insignificant episode in a much faster process. We can have no seabirds, but we can't be without oil. Can you imagine life without oil? Your last birthday, I gave you that lovely Ferrari and promised you that you could drive it after you turn 15. But without oil, it would be a pile of junk metal and you would never drive it. Right now, if you want to visit your grandfather, you can get there on my personal jet and cross the ocean in a dozen hours or so. But without oil, you'd have to tumble in a sailboat for more than a month…These are the rules of the game of civilization: the first priority is to guarantee the existence of the human race and their comfortable life. Everything else is secondary.

Related Characters: Mike Evans (speaker), Ye Wenjie
Page Number and Citation: 307
Explanation and Analysis:

Chapter 29 Quotes

The ETO had once tried to develop membership among the common people, but these efforts all failed. The ETO concluded that the common people did not seem to have the comprehensive and deep understanding of the highly educated about the dark side of humanity. More importantly, because their thoughts were not as deeply influenced by modern science and philosophy, they still felt an overwhelming, instinctual identification with their own species. To betray the human race as a whole was unimaginable for them. But intellectual elites were different: Most of them had already begun to consider issues from our perspective outside the human race. Human civilization had finally given birth to a strong force of alienation.

Related Characters: Ye Wenjie , Mike Evans
Page Number and Citation: 317
Explanation and Analysis:
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Mike Evans Character Timeline in The Three-Body Problem

The timeline below shows where the character Mike Evans appears in The Three-Body Problem. The colored dots and icons indicate which themes are associated with that appearance.
Chapter 21. Rebels of Earth
Scientific Discovery and Political Division Theme Icon
History and Legacy Theme Icon
Ye explains that the Adventist faction was started by a man named Mike Evans; she does not agree with Adventist theory. Worse still, the Adventists have created a Second... (full context)
Chapter 27. Evans
Technology, Progress, and Destruction Theme Icon
History and Legacy Theme Icon
...the man was a white American; he introduced himself not as Bethune but as Mike Evans, and he explained that he was trying to save lives. When Ye asked which people... (full context)
Scientific Discovery and Political Division Theme Icon
History and Legacy Theme Icon
In this village, Evans’s particular goal was to save a dying breed of swallow. Though the bird was about... (full context)
Technology, Progress, and Destruction Theme Icon
Trauma and Cyclical Harm Theme Icon
History and Legacy Theme Icon
Evans told Ye the story of his life: his father had made his money as an... (full context)
Scientific Discovery and Political Division Theme Icon
Trauma and Cyclical Harm Theme Icon
History and Legacy Theme Icon
For Evans, this moment shaped his worldview—but rather than accepting his father’s philosophy, he devoted his life... (full context)
Technology, Progress, and Destruction Theme Icon
Trauma and Cyclical Harm Theme Icon
Years went by, and Ye and Evans did not speak. Finally, though, Evans reached out, and they agreed to meet on the... (full context)
Technology, Progress, and Destruction Theme Icon
Scientific Discovery and Political Division Theme Icon
Trauma and Cyclical Harm Theme Icon
In the years that had gone by, Evans’s father had died and left Evans all of his money. But money did not soothe... (full context)
Scientific Discovery and Political Division Theme Icon
Trauma and Cyclical Harm Theme Icon
History and Legacy Theme Icon
...humanity’s only hope to save itself comes from an outside force. She then confessed to Evans her contact with the Trisolarans. When she finished, Evans promised to devote his resources to... (full context)
Chapter 28. The Second Red Coast Base
Scientific Discovery and Political Division Theme Icon
Theory vs. Lived Experience Theme Icon
More years passed, and Ye and Evans did not speak. Eventually, though, Ye was brought to the Second Red Coast Base, a... (full context)
History and Legacy Theme Icon
Evans explained to her that he had gotten back in contact with the Trisolarans, and that... (full context)
Chapter 29. The Earth-Trisolaris Movement
Scientific Discovery and Political Division Theme Icon
Trauma and Cyclical Harm Theme Icon
...wealth inequality, environmental destruction, and war, among other things) that they wanted humanity destroyed; as Evans put it, “We don’t know what extraterrestrial civilization is like, but we know humanity.” The... (full context)
Chapter 30. Two Protons
Scientific Discovery and Political Division Theme Icon
Ye also explains that she cannot destroy Evans’s ship because it would mean losing the Trisolaran messages inside of it. This would be... (full context)
Chapter 31. Operation Guzheng
Trauma and Cyclical Harm Theme Icon
...her love of her father. Ye says nothing in reply. The interrogator then explains that Evans has been killed, and that the world’s military forces have successfully intercepted the Trisolaran messages.... (full context)
Chapter 32. Trisolaris: The Listener
Trauma and Cyclical Harm Theme Icon
Theory vs. Lived Experience Theme Icon
Ye, imagining the Trisolarans as humanoid, begins to read their message to Evans. The message explains that across Trisolaris there were hundreds of listening posts, each manned by... (full context)