Invasion season 3 premiere ending explained: What is Trevante’s current state?

Invasion season 3 premiered on Apple TV+ on August 22, 2025, following a nearly two-year gap since its last installment. The series is created by Simon Kinberg and David Weil. Invasion season 3 portrays a global alien invasion and the human struggle to survive.

The Ones We Leave Behind, the first episode, sets the stage for a new part of the story. The episode builds up the tension and adds a mystery twist. Viewers are left wondering if the threat from aliens is really over or if it's just the start of something new.

Disclaimer: The following article contains spoilers from Invasion season 3 episode 1. Reader’s discretion is required.

New episodes of Invasion season 3 start two years after Trevante and Casper's brave actions, which destroyed the alien mothership. In the episode, everyone is having a good time after M-Day, when the mothership crashed.

It's clear that something much darker is going on beneath the surface of the show. In the beginning, Trevante is back, a shocking turn of events that makes everything different. But is he really himself? What is his current state?

Trevante's return in Invasion season 3 raises suspicions about whether he is truly safe or under alien control, as his fractured memories and unsettling visions suggest a possible link to the alien hivemind. Despite his claims of an impending invasion, the authorities dismiss his concerns, leaving his true allegiance uncertain.

---

The return of Trevante in Invasion season 3: A hero’s homecoming or something else?

A still from Invasion season 3 (Image via Apple TV+)

Two years after the events of season 2, the season starts with what looks like a peaceful world. After M-Day, people are back to their normal habits, and everyone breathes a sigh of relief. The aliens no longer seem to be a threat because the government has successfully closed down all 12 ports opening to aliens.

People honor Trevante and Casper as heroes and remember their sacrifices with gratitude. Soon, though, the peace is broken when soldiers stationed at the portal spots notice a strange movement.

It turns out that Trevante Cole is still alive, even though everyone thought he was dead after his mission on the alien mothership. His body is found in the Atlantic Ocean, close to Portal 11. This causes instant concern. It's not clear when Trevante will come back.

He has no memory of what happened on the mothership or the brave thing he did. Because his memory isn't fully formed, he can't give any specifics about how the mothership was destroyed. The officials are quick to wonder if Trevante is now a ship controlled by aliens that was sent to do another job for the aliens.

It becomes clear that Trevante's mind is in a mess as the show goes on. He has painful migraines and intense visions of the mothership, which suggests that his memories are buried deep and may have been changed by aliens.

These dreams make me think that the threat from aliens may not be as gone as everyone thinks. The government says Trevante's worries are just signs of PTSD, even though he is sure the aliens are planning a second attack. This makes things difficult between Trevante and the officials, who don't want to admit that the threat from aliens might not be over.

---

Is Trevante controlled by the aliens?

A still from Invasion season 3 (Image via Apple TV+)

The main question of the opening is whether Trevante really came back to Earth as a hero or if aliens are still controlling him. His strange visions and broken memories hint that the aliens may have a stronger grip on him than anyone knows.

Even though he tried hard to warn people of an impending alien invasion, the officials said his claims were just the result of his trauma. But the last few seconds of the show make it seem like Trevante may have a stronger link to the alien group mind than anyone thinks.

---

Casper's absence still hurts Jamila

A still from Invasion season 3 (Image via Apple TV+)

In parallel to Trevante’s return, Jamila’s story takes a poignant turn. Jamila, now living in London, has tried to move on with her life after the traumatic events of the alien invasion. However, the grief of losing her best friend, Casper, still haunts her.

When Jamila learns about Trevante’s return, she is compelled to travel to the United States to attend the public event in his honor. While the world celebrates Trevante’s survival, Jamila is consumed with questions about Casper’s final moments.

Jamila talks to Trevante at the event because she wants to know more about Casper's death and how he got on the mothership. Trevante can't give any answers at first because he is still having trouble with his memories. To his surprise, Jamila shows him Casper's EEG report, which gives Trevante a strong memory flash.

He remembers being on the mothership and facing an unknown person in the blue-lit hallways of the ship. According to his dreams, the mothership was destroyed by something inside the ship, not by people, as was first thought.

Jamila's determination and emotional journey show how traumatized she is still from the alien attack. She won't give up on her need for closure about Casper. But Trevante's memories are still not full, and he doesn't know if he is acting on his own or if aliens are controlling him.

This leaves Jamila in a precarious position—she is determined to find the truth, but can she trust Trevante, or is he a vessel for something far more dangerous?

---

A glimpse of the future

A still from Invasion season 3 (Image via Apple TV+)

Trevante witnesses a succession of intense flashes, implying that the alien menace is far from over. He recalls a vision of the mothership's interior, which included a towering structure at its heart.

But before he can do anything, he is thrown off the ship and back to Earth. He also sees a dark figure hiding inside the spaceship in his memories, but no one knows what it is. Along with the uneasy feeling of being watched, this figure points to a much bigger alien presence.

At the end of the episode, Trevante's mind is filled with sudden shocks, and his eyes flash blue, which could mean that the alien hivemind is controlling him.

This scary event makes me wonder if Trevante is really the hero everyone thinks he is, or if the aliens have hacked him. The show ends in black, leaving viewers on edge and not sure what will happen to Trevante.

---

Invasion season 3 episode 1 is now streaming on Apple TV+.