Manifest Extraterrestrial

Disclaimer: Manifest Extraterrestrial is not meant to promote hate, discrimination, or violence. The fictional aliens are portrayed as almost ubiquitously malicious. In real life, not all members of any given racial or ethnic group are like this. The belief that people of certain races or ethnicities are more likely to act immorally than others can and has led to racist murders, massacres, and genocides. Under no circumstances should the attitudes in this work of fiction be applied in real-life.

## Manifest Extraterrestrial

### **Genre**

* Military science-fiction
* War

### **Rating(s)**

* United Kingdom: 12 (Most episodes), PG (Some episodes)
* United States: TV-14 V (Censored version)

## Release Order

**Manifest Extraterrestrial** is a military science fiction show. It is based around politics (both modern and from past times) and had the events created in *XCOM 2: War of the Chosen*.

## Synopsis

An extraterrestrial race, the Gorebics, arrive across the Earth aboard spacecraft. The Gorebics are initially welcomed with open arms and were generally treated well by the general populous (despite their suspicious behavior). The Gorebics use a falsified religious celebration across the streets of widely populated cities to secretly abduct many citizens. After incarcerating the civilians on their spaceships, the Gorebics transferred the citizens' knowledge and brainpower to their own minds to keep their commander alive. Soon after the mass-abduction, a small squad of armed mercenaries from across the globe is assembled in the eastern United States, although all nationalities are recruited. The Extraterrestrial Defense Unit, as it is called, is dedicated to defending many countries from Gorebic attacks. Will the Earthling gunners be enough to stop the Gorebics? Will the EDU be able to convince the government that they aren't a terrorist organization? Or will the alien overlords wipe out the human race in pursuit of knowledge?

### Background

Manifest Extraterrestrial is set in 2035, 10 years after the Gorebics arrived on Earth and declared peace. The Extraterrestrial Defense Unit was briefly formed around this time but was considered a terrorist group shortly after innocent Gorebics were targeted. Most of the EDU members regretted their actions and became Gorebic supporters, which was used as a political weapon in many pro-Gorebic arguments. However, former EDU colonel Zachary Harvard was still anti-Gorebic and went undercover to reform the EDU. The Spokesperson did much to improve public opinion of the Gorebics by making their peace declaration common knowledge and claiming that the EDU attacked violently and discriminatively.

Commander Lacroix, the former commander of the Extraterrestrial Defense Unit, was secretly abducted and turned to a "Higher Cyborg" after getting cybernetic and cranial implants. Commander Lacroix was rescued by Zachary Harvard while a team of EDU rookies destroyed a monument of peace. Soon after this, the EDU launched an attack on a Gorebic caravan and stole the energy core that was once used to power the Manifest Destiny, a Gorebic supply ship that has been converted to the EDU's mobile base. On the Manifest Destiny, Commander Lacroix has the support of former pro-Gorebic scientist Doctor Shotacon and Chief Engineer Xiuying Yen.

## Characters

### Extraterrestrial Defense Unit

* Akin Newcomer: Akin Newcomer is one of the latest members of the Extraterrestrial Defense Squad. Newcomer signed up for the squad when he was drunk and was initially mortified when he was accepted. However, Newcomer's years of marksman training have served him well, and, with enough time and experience, he could become the greatest soldier in the EDU. (Nationality: German)
* Han Mei-Toto: Han Mei-Toto is a Chinese man and one of the most efficient gunmen in the Extraterrestrial Defense Squad. Mei-Toto tends to have enraged outbursts on the battlefield, which often helps the team in unfavorable situations. However, Mei-Toto‘s behavior can change rapidly every time he goes unconscious, and he might do anything as a result. From trying to hug Gorebic soldiers to shooting at his own teammates, Han Mei-Toto isn't the easiest soldier to work with. Despite his flaws, Mei-Toto can get jobs done much quicker than other members of the squad, thanks to his aforementioned outbursts and skill with a handgun. (Nationality: Chinese)
* Riot Bello: Riot Bello is an obnoxious man and often clumsy with weapons, often causing serious property damage with his weapons. Regardless, Bello is a very effective soldier when he wishes to act like one, although he often prioritizes causing as much destruction as possible. Riot Bello is a mercenary from South Africa who used to sell drugs and human extremities on the black market. Played by Kevin Hart with a faux Australian accent. (Nationality: South African)
* Enzo Lacroix: Enzo Lacroix is the commander and founder of the Extraterrestrial Defense Squad. Lacroix is a retired general from France who has taken on many odd jobs in years past, including bounty hunting and assassination. (Nationality: French)
* Karen Vuillard: Karen Vuillard isn't a very sturdy member of the EDU (mentally or physically), but she is one of the swiftest and ablest soldiers on the team. Vuillard has extreme attachment issues and will temporarily go out of commission if anyone she cares about is injured. Thankfully (or perhaps, unfortunately), this doesn't extend to very many people, and Karen Vuillard is often on top of the game when it comes to scaling buildings. Also, the bisexual girl. (Nationality: American)
* Anne Vuillard: The sister of Karen Vuillard and a grenadier. (Nationality: American)
* Roza Sokolov: A member of the “Creepers”, a team of stealthy snipers. Played by Sarah Jessica Parker. (Nationality: American)
* Ox: A member of the “Legionnaires”, a group of Gorebic rebels. Voiced by James Sie. (Nationality: Gorebic)
* Medina: One of the “Crusaders”, a member of a telekinetic cult. (Nationality: Unknown)
* Okenna Nwossu: The squad's drone master. (Nationality: South African)
* Bevin McHale: The Irish gay trans guy. (Nationality: Irish)
* Apathy Nobler: The fairly apathetic girl. Friends with Vuillard and McHale. Despite being this low, she's actually really prominent in the show. (Nationality: German)
* Nichola Sanchez: The Latin European girl. Friends with Vuillard and McHale. (Nationality: Spanish)
* Juliana Marache: The Mexican girl. Marache has formed a serious bond with McHale, despite her speaking a different language. (Nationality: Mexican)
* Améline LaRue: The French girl. (Nationality: French)
* Jean-Claude LaRue: The French guy. (Nationality: French)
* Crystal Amogelang: The black girl with a shotgun and chainsaw sword. (Nationality: Egyptian)
* Olivia Mayunde: The black girl with the machine gun and grenade launcher. Played by Michelle Williams. (Nationality: Nigerian)
* Alfonso Pistil: The Italian guy. (Nationality: Italian)
* Marcia Polish: A sniper who tries to fill the role of the deceased Karen Vuillard. (Nationality: American)
* Suman Kapur: The Indian girl. (Nationality: Indian)
* Gregory Reyes: The gay guy. (Nationality: Brazilian)
* Sunan Chén: The trans guy. (Nationality: Japanese)
* Felicity Oxford: The trans girl. Oxford is also telekinetically adept and capable of generating forcefields. (Nationality: British)
* Robin Delacour: A French girl who is trained in the art of telekinesis. Also, the lesbian girl. (Nationality: French)
* Nguyen Nguyen: The Asian guy with telekinetic powers. (Nationality: South Korean)
* Doctor Shotacon: The lead scientist on the EDU's command ship, Manifest Destiny. Played by Carl Ng. (Nationality: Korean)
* Zachary Harvard: Commander Lacroix's assistant who was responsible for rescuing him from a Gorebic facility. Played by David Giantuli. (Nationality: American)
* Xiuying Yen: The lead engineer on the EDU's command ship. (Nationality: Chinese)
* Rurik Folke: A conservative farmer who hosts a radio show on the EDU Connected network. Played by T.J. Miller. (Nationality: American)
* Legionnaire Leader: The leader of the Legionnaires. Voiced by Mo'Nique. (Nationality: Gorebic)
* Crusader Leader: The leader of the Crusaders. Played by Oscar Nunez. (Nationality: Unknown)
* Ali: The leader of the Creepers. Played by Steve Carrell. (Nationality: Unknown)

### Gorebic

* Gorebic Soldier: The Gorebic Soldiers make up the majority of the Gorebic army, and mostly fight on land, although some also pilot vehicles.
* Gorebic Pilot: The Gorebic Pilots are the aerial unit of the Gorebic forces, and pilot/drive most of the army's vehicles.
* Gorebic Cyborg: Gorebic Cyborgs are some of the most powerful Gorebics, equipped with weapons and energies that allow them to massacre human units.
* The Higher Cyborgs: The Higher Cyborgs are a trio of advanced Gorebic Cyborgs that can be repaired to seemingly no end. There are three Higher Cyborgs: The Scout, The Sniper, and The Witch.
	+ The Scout: The Scout uses secrecy and deception to confuse her foes. The Scout prefers close-range combat with her tri-shotgun and blade and can temporarily become invisible. The Scout also uses flashbangs that reduce EDU soldiers' range of vision and can launch a power wave that can stun multiple soldiers. While she uses a myriad of tactics, the Scout favors "hit and run", where she slashes a soldier and then becomes invisible. Voiced by Catherine Zeta-Jones.
	+ The Sniper: The Sniper is a long-range professional, wielding a high-powered railgun to kill his oblivious enemies. The Sniper tries to stay far from the EDU and uses laser sight to confirm his targets. When in close range, the Sniper can summon Gorebic forces to distract the EDU while using a variety of ranged shots to kill or defeat soldiers. The Sniper's grapple gun gives him an excellent range of mobility for flanking enemies. The Sniper is the only male of the Higher Cyborgs. Voiced by Daniel DeSanto.
	+ The Witch: The Witch is a master of telekinesis who messes with the brains of her enemies and summons Gorebics to control the battlegrounds she fights on. The Witch has a diversity of skills that include stunning multiple soldiers, teleporting her allies at will, mind-controlling multiple opponents, and summoning Cortex Consumer-controlled zombies to attack the EDU. The Witch tries to distance herself from attackers, summoning zombies regularly to complicate encounters. When attacked, the Witch tries to summon an army of zombies to defend her. When unable to use telekinesis, the Witch uses a futuristic assault rifle to gun down her opponents. Voiced by Alyson Court.
* Gorebic Commander: The Gorebic Commander is the leader and, as his name implies, the commander of the Gorebics. The Commander's face is scarred from battle, and he is a rare form of Gorebic with tentacles for legs.
* Gorebic Cortex Consumers: The Gorebic Cortex Consumer (or "Gorebic Headcrabs") are used by the Gorebics invaders as special forces to kill humans and control their corpses. Gorebic Cortex Consumers are easily the smallest Gorebics and an entirely different species from the rest of them; they're only labeled "Gorebic" because they're exploited by Gorebic forces. In terms of size, Gorebic Cortex Consumers are large enough to conceal a human's head under them, but not much larger.
* The Spokesperson: The spokesperson for the Gorebics and a far-left reporter. Played by Toma Ikuta. (Nationality: Japanese)
* Ana Ribera: An internet journalist who supports the Gorebics and demonizes the EDU. (Nationality: Japanese)

Undecided actors for troopers:

* American Troops: Taylor Lautner, Daryl Sabara, Nick Cannon, George Shelley (the singer), Chingy, Jon Foster, James Franco, Scott Porter, Josh Peck, Evangeline Lilly, Emily Osment, Iza Calzado, Lindy Booth, Ashley Rickards, Jenna Ushkowitz
* UK Troop: Georgina Leonidas (initially considered for Bevin McHale but not used, I'm not trying to be racist it's just that McHale is supposed to look somewhat different plus Leonidas is also white IIRC)
* Australian Troop: Noel Fisher

## Episodes

1. Ugly Gorebics
2. Retrieved
3. Project Homunculus
4. Blackout
5. War on the Cyborgs
6. Experimental Breakdown
7. The First Crusade
8. Native Land
9. Pitiless Pioneers
10. Destiny's Downfall
11. Diseased Dirge
12. Melancholy Widowman
13. Covert 19
14. Unforeseen Consequences
15. Citadel of the Cyborg
16. The Liberty of Death
17. Burn the Witch
18. Perilous Progress
19. Exposed
20. The Homunculus Realm

## Gallery

Gorebic Soldier (image credits to https://www.heroforge.com/)Gorebic PilotLesser Gorebic CyborgGorebic Commander (scars not depicted)Gorebic Cortex Consumer (image made in Spore)Akin NewcomerThe ScoutThe SniperThe WitchRobin Delacour and OxA poster for the EDU, taken after a battle
## Parents Guide

### **Sex & Nudity**

None

* Some of the Gorebics are depicted naked but genitals can't be made out.
* Cortex Consumer zombies are technically human and are often depicted nude (their butts are visible but there's no anus or genitalia).
* One of Rurik Folke's reports involves him talking about his crush on Commander Lacroix, Folke claims that he doesn't care about the Commander's gender and would happily get married to him.
* We see shirtless men with buff, hairy bodies. Women are seen in bras and short shorts, and a few scenes show posters of women in bikinis.
* A few photoshoots involve soldiers facing their rears towards the camera, although this isn't inherently sexualized and all genders gets this treatment equally.
* It is implied that Zachary Harvard is masturbating in scenes involving the men's restroom aboard his ship (magazines featuring women are found in a stall).

### **Violence & Gore**

Moderate

* The violence is no worse than the game it's based on.
* Characters use rifles, machine guns, handguns, and grenades to kill Gorebic forces, which include humanoids, insect-like creatures, behemoths, and others. Characters are injured and killed by gunfire and explosions.
* Blood is seen spraying and pooling out of aliens and humans when they are wounded or killed (Gorebic blood is yellow and zombie blood is black). Almost no gunshot wounds are depicted in the series, with the exception of a few grazes and cheek wounds.
* Characters are scarred throughout the series with visible stitches, cuts, burn wounds (similar to *Deadpool*), dried blood, and holes/slashes through the cheek. Anne is seen with veiny scars across her face after getting burned by acid. The Gorebic Cyborgs and Cortex Consumer zombies are occasionally seen with chunks of skin missing (no blood or gore is depicted, although metal/bone is).
* Autopsies are performed on dead Gorebics, although the incisions and gory detail are kept off-camera (yellow blood is seen spraying out, however). A dissection is performed on a corpse that is technically human (a zombie), although the blood is black.
* Human soldiers are ”prosthetically modified” to become more powerful, although the process is not depicted (it is implied that certain body parts are removed and replaced by cybernetics).
* The Scout commits harakiri after she is defeated in battle (no gore is seen, but orange blood sprays out).
* The violence in the show is bloody for a PG-13 rating, but most of the human kills aren't focused on, with wounds and such only being shown after the battles. Probably the most intense acts of violence are the war crimes the Gorebics commit by shooting up "subversive" communities.
* Gore was cut from the American release, including a depiction of a dead body with exposed intestines and zombies exploding into blood after being used to carry alien eggs inside of them. This imagery is present in the United Kingdom and Japanese releases, among others.

### **Profanity**

Mild

* Damn, hell, bastard, ass, bitch, piss, prick, douchebag, and words of similar magnum are used frequently. There are some cut-off and obscured uses of "f\*\*k".
* Shit, pussy, asshole, and dick (not in reference to private parts) are used rarely, and not more than once per episode. We hear censored versions of these words multiple times.
* Uncensored uses of f\*\*k are heard in the United Kingdom releases of the show, sometimes more than once per episode.

### **Alcohol/Drugs/Smoking**

Mild

* Some characters smoke cigars and cigarettes.
* Characters are depicted drinking in a bar, although not to excess.

### **Frightening/Intense Scenes**

Mild

* The Gorebics and zombies' physical appearances may frighten viewers.
* There are intense scenes throughout the show, including those with the aforementioned zombies.
* EDU members start dying halfway through the show, which is complemented by the tone getting more dire and serious.

### Certification

* Australia: M
* Japan: G
* Japan: PG12 (some episodes)
* New Zealand: R13
* New Zealand: PG (some episodes)
* Singapore: G
* United Kingdom: 12
* United Kingdom: PG (some episodes)
* United States: TV-14 V

## BBFC Rating

12 for moderate fantasy violence, strong language

### Violence

The space invasion plot places the series and its violence in an obvious fantasy context, with the fights with extraterrestrials mostly presented from a top-down view of places as soldiers shoot at humanoids, beasts, and insectoids with many forms of firepower. These range from real pistols and rifles to complex sci-fi weapons and bombs, with shots to extraterrestrials resulting in sprays of sticky green slime instead of blood, although human characters face slightly more realistic bloody injury. Such injury detail is never dwelt upon and all gory images, particularly the sight of a killed unit with his internal organs exposed in the aftermath of an extraterrestrial attack, are somewhat rare. The overall treatment of the violence accords with the requirements of the BBFC's Guidelines at '12A'/'12' which state 'Moderate violence is allowed but should not dwell on detail. There should be no emphasis on injuries or blood, but occasional gory moments may be permitted if justified by the context'.

The show also has use of strong language ('f\*\*k') and some mild bad language, including uses of 'bitch', 'dammit,' 'ass,' 'bastard,' 'douchebag,' 'piss,' 'shit,' 'dick,' 'asshole,' and 'pussy.'

## Tropes

* American Kirby is Edgy: Inverted; the European and Asian releases feature uncensored gore and profanity that the American release lacks these because of the TV-14 rating and the fact that it airs on cable.
* Alien Abduction: A major plot point is the Gorebics secretly abducting citizens across the world, before extracting their brain matter.
* Alien Invasion: Since Tripod Terror mechs are used, the invasion is comparable to *The War of the Worlds*, but with the humans taking and experimenting with alien tech to the point that humankind and the Gorebics are equally powerful (outside of numbers).
* Awesome Personnel Carrier: The EDU's main ship, the Manifest Destiny. The Planet Protection Headquarters truck and trailer also qualifies.
* Flying Saucer: Almost all of the large Gorebic vehicles; the one that isn't, the Tripod Mech, can still become a UFO by splitting the cockpit off of the legs.
* Foreign Bonus: With a few exceptions, every foreign character speaks their respective language in every version of the show, with the only difference being subtitles for certain characters.
* Genre Throwback: To sci-fi movies of the 50s and 60s, with some B-Movie clichés and tropes being present.
* Genre-Busting: For what's primarily a science-fiction series, it's not unlike a modern war drama, given that it's about battles in cities that are only 20 Minutes into the Future.
* Getting Crap Past the Radar: Dr. **Shotacon**. It's not just the name, it's also that his lab coat is splattered with goo (A Date with Rosie Palms).
* Home Guard: Given that "defense" is in their name, it's clear that EDU is this and not fighting the Gorebics in space.
* In Name Only: The Gorebic Cortex Consumers are clearly a different species from the others.
* Little Green Men: The Gorebics, although with less emphasis on the "little".
* The Mothership: The Gorebic Mothership is Exactly What it Says on the Tin.
* Nausea Fuel: Shotacon's Gorebic PMs are... not for the faint of heart. It‘s bad enough that half of his motions splat Alien Blood on the camera, but it's worsened by the constant sound of squishing and breaking bones. Dr. Shotacon remarking about the Grendel‘s smell makes that specific postmortem go From Bad to Worse.
* Nightmare Fuel:
	+ What it's like to be a commoner in the show's Crapsacharine World? You live under the altruistic rule of your alien heroes until a ton of well-armed madmen run wild across the Earth, so caught up in their sick conspiracy theory that they are willing to kill respected leaders, destroy clinics, assassinate anyone who backs the Gorebics as part of its ranks, and generally cause all kinds of horrors (Your Terrorists Are Our Freedom Fighters). And worst of all, they're *right*, but you don't that until it's too late, and you're being slain as part of a mysterious alien scheme.
	+ The operation to extract the chip from Commander Lacroix's brain. Shotacon confesses that difficulties might occur as a result of the surgery, but Harvard declared that he had to perform it. All the while, Lacroix is undoubtedly awake and aware enough (And I Must Scream) to see Harvard, Yen, and Shotacon talking over him as they prepare for the surgery, and then Shotacon picks up a tool to remove the chip as Lacroix has a flashback to a Gorebic-human hybrid jabbing the same thing in his mouth to impale the chip inside in the first place, Slasher Smiling as he checks his handiwork. It is relieving that it ends easily, with Harvard welcoming Lacroix back.
	+ The Gorebics' first onscreen attack on civilians. Harvard is communicating with the director of an establishment unaffiliated with the show's Vichy Earth when suddenly, the Spokesperson overtakes the television network and announces a new security initiative to "eradicate the extremists"... with Gorebic Flying Saucers flying towards the encampment in the background. Harvard hopelessly warns the retreat's director, but the Spokesperson's signal meddles with the EDU broadcast enough for the Gorebics to move in and *shoot everything in sight*. Keep in mind that, while said district supported the EDU, it was a campground for *refugees*. If you dare to live outside of the Gorebics' control, they will destroy you.
	+ The analysis of the Machine Ghost's Encephalon is surprisingly terrifying. Shotacon and Yen have revived the ghost within the Darkness Chamber, and its disturbingly-feminine Hard Light form is fiercely spasming and having a seizure within its cylindrical prison, even as Shotacon tries to convince an upset and unsure Yen that the ghost is incapable of suffering. Then, when Shotacon and Yen get valuable data out of it, the ghost *hacks the Manifest Destiny's systems,* forcing the two of them to try and shut the Encephalon down. The Machine Ghost ultimately self-destructs with a blast that smashes the Darkness Chamber's central cylinder, as if it was Driven to Suicide in an attempt to protect the Gorebic Commander's secrets. Even after the ghost is Killed off for Real, the bodiless mechanical brain left lying in the remains of the chamber is menacingly creepy.
	+ The way some of the EDU fighters die is very disturbing. Karen getting shot in the head is benign compared to the slow death through poisoning that Han Mei-Toto suffers immediately after.
		- And let's not forget the wonderful acting while characters die. Famous Last Words run the gamut of "Take Care Of The Kids" to troopers *choking as they suffocate in their own blood*.
		- For all the evil the Gorebic soldiers support, it's messed up watching them become Men on Fire.
* People Jars: Both parties are guilty of this - the Gorebics are invading for the sole purpose of doing this to humans to power their ships and keep the Commander alive, and the EDU, in turn, uses cocoon-like pods to apprehend Gorebics who are taken Prisoner of War.
* Playing Against Type: Rather than playing a teen or young adult with his signature voice, T.J. Miller was cast as Rurik Folke, a Southerner who is well into his 30s.
* Puppeteer Parasite: The Gorebic Cortex Consumers.
* Same Content, Different Rating: The show was notably rated 12 (with some episodes getting a PG rating) in the UK despite the fact that the show is ubiquitously rated TV-14 in the states. Gore in some scenes, such as a depiction of guts in the first episode, corpses exploding after getting filled with alien eggs, as well as uses of f\*ck, were all cut from the American release, making this technically an example of different content, same (and sometimes lower) rating.
* Shout-Out:
	+ The Cortex Consumers clearly take cues from *Futurama*'s brain slugs, which are pictured in the Puppeteer Parasite trope page.
		- The fact that the Cortex Consumers literally zombify their hosts is a reference to the Headcrabs from *Half-Life*.
	+ Practically everything in the show, especially the EDU, is this to the *X-COM* game series. The EDU is an Expy of *XCOM 2*'s titular group, an enthusiastic guerilla force in colored battlesuits that hunt down alien spaceships and reverse-engineer extraterrestrial technology to even the odds.
	+ The EDU fighter planes are clearly modeled after the Vic Viper from Gradius.
	+ The standard-issue EDU helmet is effectively a clear-visored version of the Spartan helmet.
* Space Marines: The EDU officers, despite not traveling to space, have this vibe. The designs certainly help, what with their *Halo*-inspired helmets.
* Squick:
	+ The way Shotacon removes the chip implanted in Commander Lacroix is worthy of puking a face. Shotacon uses an unusual spiked utensil, sticks it in Lacroix's mouth, activates it, and yanks it out. Almost as painful to watch as it would feel. The scene also has a flashback to a Gorebic-human hybrid using the same tool to bulldoze the chip in his brain through the mouth, all while having a Slasher Smile. **At least** as painful to watch as it would feel.
	+ The Grendel; in their true form they're 10-foot tall creatures that look like they're melting, and according to Dr. Shotacon during a dissection, they decay immediately after death and smell like shit (Nausea Fuel).
	+ The Trophy Room. While the robotic wrecks and the Tripod Mechs are undeniably awesome, others are just Nightmare Fuel. Standouts are the Acid Trooper suit being propped up with the glass-riddled pilot carcass inside, the head and shoulders of Gorebics bolted to a wall, and the heads of Gorebic-human hybrids mounted on plinths. Even the Gorebic Cyborgs get added to the trophy collection after getting killed. With the upper half of their torso getting crucified to the wall like a repulsive centerpiece.
* Stealth Sequel: According to the Triggerzine, Comedenti: The Condemned is a prequel to Manifest Extraterrestrial: infesting Earth with a horrific virus was apparently Plan A from outer space.
* Tear Jerker:
	+ The dying cries of unfortunate EDU soldiers are likely to tug at your heartstrings, as their screaming is both genuine and often includes Famous Last Words. One standout is Nichola Sanchez begging "Take... care of... my..." (Take Care Of The Kids)
		- The show's handling of death is heartbreaking in general. Many soldiers are Fire-Forged Friends who are never the same after losing their buddy in the tide of battle. Notably, Juliana Marache loses her shit after watching Bevin McHale get blown up, aimlessly blasting at Gorebics in rage and disbelief... before dying with her friend.
	+ As awesome as some of the episode titles are, some are appropriately sad. "Diseased Dirge" is the episode where Han Mei-Toto is killed by Gorebic venom, and "Melancholy Widowman", where a dying civilian begs for Anne Vuillard to Take Care of the Kids.
	+ For the first half of the show, the Manifest Destiny's bar is a high-spirited place where the soldiers have fun with Team Dad Harvard. After Diseased Dirge (the first time where EDU soldiers die), it is converted to a memorial that the soldiers stare at dejectedly. The worst part is Anne crying while looking at her little sister's photo.
	+ Seriously injured troopers totter out on the deck of the Manifest Destiny, before dropping to their hands and knees. They have made it far on pure conviction and will... and now they need an operation.
	+ One of the outstations is named Mankind Falls; while it's named after a nearby waterfall, it symbolizes the hopelessness the noncombatants feel as they get killed by the Gorebics.
	+ Imagine being a commoner in the Gorebic-occupied cities. You have been lied to and told that the masked soldiers have honorable plans and are trying to benefit humankind by building hospitals, while the evil incendiaries known as the EDU are out destroying buildings and killing peacekeepers (as well as citizens, as Akin inadvertently kills one with a grenade and others die in burning structures). Life is great until you learn that the infirmaries are used to kill and process humans, and the Gorebics troopers are hardly human. The worst part is the thought of having family and friends who died in the clinics. Add to the fact that you have been thinking of the EDU as the bad guys, and once the telecast at the climax of the show exposes the truth about the Gorebics' actions and the true reason for the dispensaries, and your whole world and most things you believed in and hoped for crash down around you. The reveal that the EDU isn't a corrupt subversive organization hardly makes this realization any less shocking.
	+ For all her rudeness, the Witch is appalled that her siblings died the way they did.
		- Witch: My siblings and I had our disagreements, sure, but I wouldn't have expected either of them to die like this...
	+ All of the Gorebic Cyborgs reveal that they hated the Gorebic Commander, and they genuinely hope you go *kick his ass* as they die.

* Tripod Terror: The Tripod Mech. It is not unlike the ones from the 2005 *War of the Worlds* movie, being a tentacled prison on legs.
* Uncanny Valley:
	+ The Spokesperson‘s extremities are too long and emaciated to look human. However, this was Invoked since he's Not Quite Human.
	+ The faces of human-Gorebic hybrid soldiers can look abnormal from some angles, even with their helmets covering the horrifying modifications to their faces. Again, this was Invoked.
	+ During the Tentacled Gorebic autopsy, Shotacon notes that the creature's Non-Mammal Mammaries disturb him.
	+ Despite the Gorebics' trying to avert this, the Daemon's neutral expression and toothless mouth look creepy. This is worsened by the sheer dissonance of Daemons looking like gorgeous statues and still playing Aliens are Bastards completely straight.

* What Do You Mean, It's Not Political: The series could be interpreted as either anti-immigration (rewritten to avoid this) or anti-colonization. It's worth noting that the show intentionally used to take from both the European refugee crisis **and** the colonization of America with the intent of "keeping things apolitical," despite this being a decidedly terrible compromise in hindsight, and no political or social message was intended.
	+ The series was formerly conceived as an allegory to the European refugee crisis, with Gorebics being assisted by Amnesty International and the "Coexist" logo being displaced in Gorebic cities, three of the major characters having suits that are the colors of the German flag (and in one scene, they're in the same order), ”Gorebic” sounding like “Arabic” and the species being green (a color typically associated with Islam), a far-right redneck being the comic relief, the first confirmed Gorebic abduction being in Paris (along with the French being the greatest ethnic group in the EDU's ranks), among various other such details.
	+ On the other hand, the series could be seen as favoring the left-wing, with there being multiple women and minority groups in the EDU, as well as two transgender men and one woman. This is also helped by The Spokesperson looking and speaking like a preacher and the Gorebics using a crucifix-like logo, as well as the fact that they colonize Earth and turn it into a fascist police state.

### EDU Soldiers

* The Eeyore: Karen Vuillard is rarely satisfied and even after killing Gorebics simply grumbles one-liners like "big deal."
* Multinational Team: To a greater extent than the EDU started as. It is also worth noting that since the Gorebics destroyed the world's borders, EDU troopers putting the flags of their past countries on their armor is another show of resistance.
* Non-Uniform Uniform: Unlike the earlier EDU, where militants had similar sets of armor, this time around each unit wears pieces of body, arm, and leg armor in unique combinations; the one uniting element is a flag on the back and an EDU badge. Rebel villagers take this further with some of their troops fighting shirtless or in hot pants.
* Psycho for Hire: Han Mei-Toto allegedly snapped after the Gorebics' intrusion and began poaching the Gorebics for entertainment. The EDU needs any warrior they can get.
* Ragtag Bunch of Misfits: With their varying backgrounds, different dispositions, and distinguishable armor, it is clear that getting a team of EDU troops to act as a group is as impressive as joining dispersed insurgency cells into an international movement.

## Does the Dog Die

* Are there Bugs? Droiks Ressuctors are creepily insect-like.
* Are there Snakes? The Mocassin Gorebics resemble anthropomorphic serpents.
* Does Someone use Drugs? Officer Zachary Harvard claims he did drugs before the events of the series.
* Does Someone Abuse Alcohol? Officer Zachary Harvard is said to have abused alcohol in the past.
* Is There Shaving/Cutting? Characters get slashed by sci-fi blades, and we sometimes see the wounds.
* Is Someone Tortured? Several people are tortured by getting experimented on while they're alive.
* Is Someone Burned Alive? EDU members and Gorebics burn after walking on flaming surfaces and getting hit by flammable charges and grenades. Many soldiers end up with burn scars as a result of this.
* Does Someone Have a Seizure? The Machine Ghost has a seizure after getting extracted from its Metal Encephalon.
* Is Someone Kidnapped? Ox is abducted by the Scout in the first episode.
* Does a Parent Die? Nichola Sanchez and many of the civilians are parents and they talk about their children as they die.
* Is Someone Possessed? Soldiers get possessed by Gorebics throughout the show, and vice versa.
* Is There a Mental Institution Scene? In the final episode, it is revealed that the Gorebics have an asylum dedicated to observing human behavior.
* Are Needles/Syringes Used? A horrifically spiky needle is used to extract a brain chip in the first episode.
* Are There Anxiety Attacks? Troopers have anxiety attacks throughout the show, they realistically scream and try to escape.
* Does Someone Die by Suicide? The Scout impales herself after getting defeated in one of the last episodes. The Machine Ghost self-destructs as information is extracted from it.
* Does Someone Self-Harm? The Scout pierces her gut open after getting defeated.
* Is There Shakey Cam? Yes.
* Does the Black Guy Die First? No.
* Is There Antisemitism? No, but the only confirmed Jewish character has a beard and wears a fedora.
* Is Someone Misgendered? The transgender characters are accidentally misgendered in a few scenes, but this is usually accompanied by an apology (not that it's any excuse).
* Does an LGBT Person Die? Karen and Bevin die, the former is lesbian, and the latter is both trans and gay.
* Does a Car Crash? Vehicles explode after getting shot and burned.
* Is There Gun Violence? Guns are used in every action scene, some shoot laser blasts but a lot of them are realistic.
* Does Someone Fall to Their Death? Gorebics fall to their death when the ground under them is destroyed by gunfire or explosions. A few human troops are also hurt in similar scenarios but don't die.
* Is There Blood/Gore? There's blood whenever people get shot and a few instances of alien gore.
* Are There “Man in a Dress” Jokes? There’s a femboy character but he’s portrayed surprisingly tastefully, especially compared to Francis from Rhett Druidus.
* Is There Copoganda? The few police in the show are portrayed as heroic but they obey the laws of their area (however, the very existence of a foreign police force is against Gorebic laws so they’re technically committing an illegal act). The EDU commit unlawful acts over the course of the show, however, like using fire and poison gas in populated areas, unintentionally killing citizens, and even destroying hospitals (granted, there’s shady activity there but they’re still medical institutions).