The Nevers Video Reveals How They Designed Galanthi Alien Invaders

HBO’s The Nevers releases a bonus feature video explaining how they created the design for the Galanthi aliens. The Nevers was created by Joss Whedon for HBO, and the first six episodes of season one began premiering in April 2021 with the second half of season one set to premiere in 2022. Set in Victorian London, the series follows a group of individuals, mostly women, who have begun experiencing abilities unnatural to humans, how they got their powers, and what the powers mean for society. A small group of these individuals who gained abilities, known as the Touched, is led by Amalia True (Laura Donnelly), a skilled fighter who can see glimpses into the future, and Penance Adair (Claudia Black), an inventor who can see energy patterns.

The origins of the Touched’s abilities are revealed to have come from an alien species called the Galanthi, after crash landing in Victorian London from a distant future Earth. The Galanthi initially landed on Earth with the ambition of helping humanity restore the planet, however, their arrival found them being attacked and killed by humans, which eventually resulted in the last Galanthi fleeing, once they saw that Earth could not be saved. It’s in season one, episode six, “True” where audiences get a complete look at the Galanthi for the first time in the series, introducing a beautifully designed alien to television.

Warner Bros. released a bonus feature video of the design process for the Galanthi, exploring the inspiration for the creature’s design. VFX supervisor, Johnny Han, says the designers had the initial concept of a creature that would be a combination of an elephant’s wisdom, an octopus’s extraterrestrial qualities, and the aggression and assertiveness of a T-Rex. These three were combined to portray a creature that was wise and gentle while still being capable of intimidation. Physical qualities of these animals were also combined, including the tough grey skin of an elephant, the semi-translucent tentacles of an octopus, and bi-pedal stance and posture of a T-Rex to make a truly unique looking alien. Check out the video below:

The introduction of the Galanthi answers one question posed by the series but opens dozens more about the future of the Touched. The Galanthi was not the main antagonist introduced in the series; that title is split between several individuals, including Lavinia Bidlow (Olivia Williams), Dr. Edmund Hague (Denis O’Hare), and Lord Gilbert Massen (Pip Torrens). Rather, the Galanthi finds itself the subject of interest and experimentation led by Bidlow, who appears to be a supporter of the Touched, and Dr. Hague. However, even with the many threats to the Galanthi, it has Zephyr, whose soul was transported from the future by the Galanthi and placed in the body and identity of Amalia True.

Being introduced in the mid-season finale, there are many ways for the Glanthi to return in future episodes of The Nevers. The connection between True and the Galanthi is deep, and as two individuals lost in time and space, their relationship seems like a great starting place for future episodes. As the Touched become more prevalent in London, those who see them as dangerous will see the Galanthi as such too, suggesting a recurring experience of the Galanthi, which could lead to it to be aggressive or to flee again. The full extent of the Galanthi’s powers is still unknown, though it is clear the Galanthi created the Touched. As such, it is unclear what the Galanthi will do for its own self-preservation, perhaps including destroying a world it already deemed unsalvageable.

Source: Warner Brothers

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