A worldwide coordinated attack on humanity by alien invaders is underway in Apple TV+’s Invasion, upending the lives of the show’s main characters from Long Island to Kandahar. But despite being in different corners of the world, the main characters are connected through the fight for survival and personal struggles.
While it’s easy to dismiss Apple TV+’s Invasion as just another been there, done that alien invasion story – it’s not. Creators Simon Kinberg and David Weil, creator of the Prime Video-produced Solos, take viewers on an emotional journey told through the eyes of the show’s main characters. The cast of compelling characters includes the French-Iranian actress Golshifteh Farahani as Aneesha Malik, Shamier Anderson as Trevante Cole, and 16-year-old Billy Barratt as Caspar Morrow. Here’s where they rank among Invasion’s main characters on the likability list.
10 Ahmed Malik
Ahmed (Firas Nassar) is Aneesha’s husband and the father of their two children Luke and Sarah. Tensions rise between Aneesha and Ahmed when Aneesha finds out that Ahmed has been unfaithful and plans to leave his family for the other woman. Ahmed is unlikeable from the start as viewers watch the unapologetic husband profess his love for his mistress while the world falls apart.
Ahmed’s character is weak. Once the aliens invade, viewers see just how much. Most times Ahmed appears to be going through the motions while Aneesha takes charge. Not only has he failed as a husband, Ahmed isn’t much good as a fighter either. This makes him the most unlikeable of Invasion’s main cast. Though Ahmed redeems himself in Aneesha’s eyes in Episode 9, it’s too little too late for viewers.
9 Luke Malik
The oldest child of Ahmed and Aneesha, Luke (Azhy Robertson) is a typical kid. Closer to his father than his mother, Luke isn’t deterred by his father’s failure to take control but harbors resentment of Aneesha’s treatment of Ahmed – unaware of his father’s infidelity.
Though he’s in every episode, Luke’s feelings towards Aneesha don’t manifest until the last two episodes when he accuses Aneesha of leaving Ahmed behind. Struggling with his father’s absence, Luke takes it out on Aneesha. Luke may be a kid, but he’s old enough to know better, and his treatment of his mother, while she puts herself in danger to keep them safe, keeps him from ranking higher on the likability list.
8 Sarah Malik
Tara Moayedi plays Sarah, Ahmed and Aneesha’s young daughter. Sarah is a sweet and caring little girl who loves both of her parents. All Sarah wants amid the chaos is to be with her family and be safe, though at times she doesn’t understand the extremes the Malik family has to go through to stay alive.
She may be adorable, but Sarah can also be annoying. Sarah understandably doesn’t grasp the gravity of what is going on but after time on the road, she still hasn’t adjusted. Her whiny behavior is distracting for her mother and for viewers.
7 Kaito Kawaguchi
Kaito (Daisuke Tsuji) is the friend and co-worker of Mitsuki Yamato at the Japanese Space Agency JASA, Kaito puts his career on the line to help Mitsuki (Shioli Kutsuna) discover the truth behind the Hoshi-12 space shuttle’s explosion. Their friendship is competitive but relatable.
Kaito helps Mitsuki in her determination to find out what happened to the Hoshi-12, including breaking into the communications room. Despite helping Mitsuki, Kaito is skeptical that the shuttle was hit by an unknown source. It’s obvious that Kaito has deep affection for Mitsuki.
6 Montgomery Cuttermill
Monty (Paddy Holland) is a classic bully and makes the life of classmate Caspar Morrow hell. Monty is mean, brash and doesn’t hesitate to jump at the opportunity to assert his perceived superiority over his classmates.
On the surface, Monty should be lower on the likability list, but his interaction with Caspar after their school bus crashes softens the character. Caspar knows there’s more to Monty than being a bully and gets Monty to admit that despite the world ending, he isn’t eager to go home. Viewers get a chance to see the vulnerability in Monty and how his imperfect home life is a catalyst for his bullying behavior.
5 Trevante Cole
Stationed in Kandahar, Navy SEAL Trevante Cole is a leader. His squad respects him, and he gets along with everyone on his team. When Trevante’s squad comes face to face with one of the alien invaders, his resolve is tested when he finds himself stranded in the Afghan desert separated from his team.
After two years in Afghanistan, Trevante is finally home but finds himself fighting a different war. At the end of the day, Trevante’s a soldier, and fighting terrorists – whether halfway around the world or on his home turf – is what he does. It’s when Trevante is finally reunited with his wife that viewers see his vulnerable side and the uncertainty that comes with returning to civilian life.
4 Aneesha Malik
In the beginning, Aneesha appears to be the typical suburban housewife and mother, however, that changes when the aliens invade. Still reeling from finding out about Ahmed’s affair, Aneesha takes charge when her family is in danger.
Aneesha confronts Ahmed about his infidelity and chastises him for being weak when the family needs him to be in control. It’s hard for viewers not to sympathize with her as she struggles with the pain of being betrayed by Ahmed while trying to keep her family safe.
3 Mitsuki Yamato
Mitsuki is smart and strong, but the loss of her soulmate Hinata (who was aboard the Hoshi-12) sends her into an emotional spiral. Unable to accept Hinata’s death, Mitsuki makes decisions that jeopardize her career with JASA.
Mitsuki’s pain is on full display as viewers watch her try and cope. Wanting, and needing answers to the true cause of Hinata’s death. She puts her career on the line to find out the truth behind Hoshi-12’s explosion, and hopefully connect with Hinata one more time. As the show’s only openly LGBTQ character, Mitsuki portrays her and Hinata’s relationship with an integrity and depth that goes beyond the same-sex realm, and into one of just two humans who love and care for one another.
2 Jamila Huston
Jamila (India Brown) is savvy and street-smart. Tough on the outside, her friendship with Caspar reveals a different side to Jamila that resonates with viewers. Jamila stands up to Monty and stands by Caspar’s side when Monty accuses her friend of being the reason for the bus crash and death of their teacher.
A loner, Jamila bonding with Caspar is refreshing to see. Wise beyond her years, Jamila exudes maturity. Monty insinuates that Jamila has mental health issues which makes her more relatable to viewers. Especially touching is the scene where she climbs into Caspar’s hospital bed and when Jamila is reunited with her mother.
1 Caspar Morrow
Caspar has friends but finds himself on the receiving end of Monty’s bullying. Though he keeps a brave face, Caspar is dealing with trauma at home. Caspar’s abusive father threw his mom down the stairs in a rage and Caspar has been harboring guilt that this mom is in a wheelchair.
Caspar helps the students get to safety in the aftermath of the bus crash, even Monty. Caspar has an episode where he finds he’s in tune with the aliens and knows what they’re planning. After coming into contact with Trevante at a London hospital, Caspar stops the aliens attacking with his mind. His friendship with Jamila and willingness to put his own life on the line puts Caspar at number one on the likability list.
