In 3 Body Problem, Michael “Mike” Evans is the CEO of Evans Energy. Jonathan Pryce plays Evans, while Ben Schnetzer plays the younger version of the character.
Mike Evans is one of the guests who attended Vera Ye’s funeral. For the past 42 years, there has been next to nothing written about Evans.
Evans has rarely been seen since 1984. Clarence’s investigation reveals that Evans was in China in 1977. It was back then that Evans met Ye Wenjie, who contacted San-Ti.
Ye Wenjie connects with Evans
Ye Wenjie meets Evans when she finds his hut in the area the Red Coast Base intends to use to build a radio astronomy laboratory.
Evans is in China, trying to save a species of bird. One of the things that Ye Wenjie particularly takes note of is the book Silent Spring in Evans’ hut. Ye Wenjie quotes Silent Spring, and the two form a connection.
Ye Wenjie later writes to Evans in 1982, after establishing contact with the San-Ti, to share with him what she has done. By then, Evans had started running his father’s oil company.
Evans takes Ye Wenjie’s first step to new heights by welcoming her to Judgement Day, a vessel from which they can keep communicating with the San-Ti, help them learn about humans, and welcome them to Earth.
Evans installed a transmission center on the vessel. He believes Ye Wenjie has brought them hope. Somewhere down the line, Evans and Ye Wenjie give birth to Vera Ye.
Evans’ fate
In the present, Evans has been spending most of his life on Judgement Day, talking to San-Ti regularly.
He has come to care about them more than his daughter. It’s at Vera’s funeral that Evans first sees his daughter.
However, the San-Ti stop trusting Evans the moment he reveals that all humans lie, and so has he, but not to San-Ti, their Lord. Even though San-Ti refrain from talking to Evans any further, he continues his good work for his Lord.
Suspecting that Evans is storing his records of contact with San-Ti on Judgement Day, Wade resolves to get his hands on them by taking out Evans’ ship quietly.
Using advanced nanofiber weapons, Wade and the Royal Navy successfully take out everyone aboard Judgement Day, including Evans, who holds a storage device close to himself until his very death.
This storage device later helps Wade and his team understand San-Ti better.