Fans of Apple TV Plus's 'Invasion' were thrown off when Episode 3 ended with Hinata (Rinko Kikuchi) quietly expressing the word "wajo." Here's what it means.
Spoiler Alert: This article contains spoilers for Invasion Episode 3.
There's something so universally beloved about aliens, or as Demi Lovato prefers to call them, "E.T.s." The mere idea that other sentient life forms exist outside of Earth's four corners (just kidding) births thoughts that expand our minds. Because of the limitless aspect alien-centered stories hold, Hollywood is oversaturated with them. Hey, we're not complaining!
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The most recent entry in the extraterrestrial sub-genre is Apple TV Plus's alien takeover drama Invasion. While the premise simply sees aliens invading Earth in colossal starfish-like spaceships (as per the trailer), the plot follows the lives of many people across the globe as said historic event unfolds. The global approach seemingly aims to connect individuals from all walks of life who are all experiencing the same unimaginable chaos.
Fans of Simon Kinberg's Invasion were thrown off when Episode 3 ended with Hinata Murai (Rinko Kikuchi) quietly expressing the word "wajo." Viewers were presented with no subtitles, no translation, nothing. So, what does wajo mean?
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Who is Hinata Murai in 'Invasion'?
While the world endures the mental and physical pains brought on by the aftermath of an alien invasion (which includes meteor showers, nosebleeds, missing people, etc.), Mitsuki Yamato (Shiori Kutsuna), who works in the communication department at the Japanese space program JASA, is also dealing with the shocking demise of her secret girlfriend. Mitsuki was secretly dating Captain Hinata Murai before she tragically died on a three-person mission to the ISS in Episode 1, titled "Last Day." Of course, this failed space mission was impacted by the alien invasion.
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As you can imagine, Mitsuki, surrounded by chaos and death, has no motivation to return to work. Not only is her true love dead, but Mitsuki feels responsible as the ground crew lost contact with the long-gone ship crew. Hinata and her crew's frantic mayday calls proved useless.
So, as many depressed people do, Mitsuki ditches her responsibilities to self-medicate with booze and a random hookup. In Episode 3, titled "Orion," an undoubtedly numb Mitsuki returns to JASA with a mission.
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She has to find out what really happened to Hinata on that godforsaken spaceship. At this point, a heartbroken Mitsuki — who's tormented by hallucinations of Hinata's presence — feels as though she has nothing to lose. With the help of her trusty sidekick (because apparently Invasion briefly morphs into a blockbuster action movie), technician Kaito Kawaguchi (Daisuke Tsuji), Mitsuki breaks into JASA's confidential records room to get her hands on footage taken during Hinata's doomed mission to the ISS.
What the desperate Mitsuki finds proves to be bone-chilling. As she watches the cursed video, it's clear that something forcefully crashed into the JASA spaceship. Right before Hinata is shown being pulled into the nothingness of space, one particular word uttered by Mitsuki's late girlfriend catches her attention: "wajo."
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What does "wajo" mean?
"Wajo" is the Japanese word for "castle." It's assumed that Hinata's haunting final word isn't meant to be taken literally, as her ship likely wasn't hit by Matsumoto Castle. It was, however, thought to be hit by something the size of a castle, like a gargantuan alien mothership. Hinata's breathy warning may not speak volumes, but it's enough to send Japan, and eventually, the world, spiraling.
Episodes of Invasion drop Fridays at 12 a.m. EST on Apple TV Plus.
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