Episode 3 of *Invasion* Season 2 opens with a tense encounter between Mitsuki and the enigmatic alien force. Having already discovered a frequency range that elicits a response from the alien entity, Mitsuki begins to walk away, only to pause and glance back, her intuition screaming that she is being watched.
Meanwhile, the analysts, who have been meticulously studying the downed alien ship for months, report the emergence of an intermittent signal emanating from the vessel. This signal pulses in predictable patterns, allowing the analysts to precisely anticipate its recurrence.
Venturing outside, Mitsuki observes something extraordinary: the ship briefly activates its cloaking mechanism, rendering it nearly invisible. This revelation strikes her immediately—could there be a correlation between the intermittent signal and the cloaking phenomenon? Mitsuki explains to the analysts her discovery: the signal's pattern aligns seamlessly with a cubic spline, suggesting it is an SOS call dispatched by the aliens. The downed ship, she theorizes, is transmitting a distress signal to its Mother Ship, signaling for a rescue operation. Predicting that the signal will recur at precisely 5:32 that evening, Mitsuki's hypothesis proves accurate.
Dr. Maya Castillo, who has been scrutinizing the scientists' assessment of the ship, cautions Mitsuki that her obsession could lead to madness, as it has for others before her. Yet Mitsuki, who remains physically and mentally unscathed by her encounters with the alien force—a feat no one else has managed—is driven by a thirst for vengeance. Plagued by guilt over Hinata's death, she sees this breakthrough as a means to redeem herself.
Taking her findings to Nikhil, Mitsuki proposes a daring plan: knowing the exact timing of the signal's emission, she believes she can infiltrate the Mother Ship's system and reverse its cloaking mechanism just as its carrier ships enter Earth's atmosphere. It's a high-stakes gamble, fraught with uncertainty. But Nikhil, ever the sociopath, is willing to take the risk. Maya warns of the potential catastrophe: the ships could crash into human settlements, killing millions. Nikhil, however, compares the situation to the Battle of Stalingrad, arguing that sacrificing a few lives could save countless others.
He relays his plan to President Benya, requesting her to consider deploying tactical nukes aimed at the sky for a half-hour window, targeting the Mother Ship when it is decloaked. Benya, fully aware of the risks, faces staunch opposition from military leaders. Yet she ultimately persuades them to proceed.
As the clock strikes 9:32, the carrier ships materialize in the sky, just as Mitsuki predicted. The nukes are launched, striking the Mother Ship and bringing it down. Remarkably, only Eastern Russia suffers human casualties, with the remaining carrier ships crashing into water bodies.
Meanwhile, Trevante remains trapped in a holding cell. Military transportation, originally scheduled to take him elsewhere, has been canceled due to the urgent call to arms. Rose, a native of the town where the military has established its base—the same one associated with Sheriff Tyson from Season 1—tries in vain to raise concerns about the missing locals. The military, however, shows little interest in launching a rescue mission, nor do they allow Rose to assist in locating the missing individuals.
Initially, her encounter with Trevante ignites a fiery response within her. This intense reaction is likely fueled by her deep-seated disdain for the way uniformed personnel have mistreated the local population. However, Trevante manages to win her over by recounting his desperate struggles against the alien invaders. He has sacrificed everything in this fight and, amidst the ruins of his life, discovered a glimmer of hope in a place he never anticipated finding solace.
Trevante implores Rose to retrieve a notebook from a locker, and she eventually heeds his plea. Within its pages, he reveals one of Casper’s drawings—a star symbol belonging to Tyson. Scattered around the star are seemingly random numbers. Yet, upon closer inspection, these numbers align precisely with the dates when 37 locals vanished without a trace. Overwhelmed by this revelation, Rose decides to release Trevante from his confinement.
Meanwhile, the Malik family is being escorted to a safehouse by Clark and his comrades from the Movement. Aneesha, wary of the dangers that lurk in their path, is reluctant to prolong their stay with the group. During their journey, Clark receives a distress call from a family trapped in a ravine. Against Aneesha’s protests, he departs with two trucks to render assistance. Leaving the Maliks and his own daughter, Ryder, behind in the car, he rushes to the scene.
As Ryder listens to the desperate cries for help, overwhelmed by the alien onslaught in the ravine, she bravely steps out to lend a hand. Aneesha, seizing the opportunity, decides to drive away, clutching the keys Clark had entrusted to her. But Luke, recalling the pain of his father’s abandonment, intervenes. Suddenly, the sight of more aliens approaching spurs him into action, and he dashes out of the car to join the fray. Aneesha, left with no other choice, follows suit, leaving Sarah alone in the vehicle.
In a stroke of fortune, the carrier ships are brought down, causing the aliens attacking the ravine to perish. When the survivors return to the car, Sarah is nowhere to be seen. Her fate teeters on the edge of uncertainty, and we are left to await the next episode to uncover what has become of her.
