# The Martians — The War of the Worlds character guide

> The Martians in The War of the Worlds by H. G. Wells.

**Role:** major

**Also known as:** Martians, the armoured Martians, These Martians, The sprawling Martians

**First appearance:** 0005-ii-the-falling-star

## Who they are

Vast, cool, unsympathetic intellects from a dying Mars who cross the gulf of space to claim Earth with heat-rays, poison gas, and towering three-legged machines.

## Relationships

### [Henderson](https://www.betterreads.dev/discover/the_war_of_the_worlds_se/characters/henderson)

_rivalry_

Henderson reports on the Martians and is ultimately killed by their heat-ray, making him a victim of the invasion.

### [The Curate](https://www.betterreads.dev/discover/the_war_of_the_worlds_se/characters/the_curate)

_psychological_

The Curate becomes obsessively terrified of the Martians, viewing them as divine punishment, which drives him to madness.

### [Stent](https://www.betterreads.dev/discover/the_war_of_the_worlds_se/characters/stent)

_rivalry_

Stent, as a scientist, attempts to communicate with the Martians but is killed by them, highlighting the failure of reason against brute force.

## In the story

### [The War of the Worlds](https://www.betterreads.dev/discover/the_war_of_the_worlds_se/chapters/the-war-of-the-worlds)

The Martians emerge from the cylinder and use the Heat-Ray to kill humans, establishing their dominance and technological superiority.

### [Book I: The Coming of the Martians](https://www.betterreads.dev/discover/the_war_of_the_worlds_se/chapters/book-i-the-coming-of-the-martians)

The Martians emerge from the cylinder and use the Heat-Ray to massacre the crowd on Horsell Common.

### [The Eve of the War](https://www.betterreads.dev/discover/the_war_of_the_worlds_se/chapters/i-the-eve-of-the-war)

The Martians are introduced as vast, cool, and unsympathetic intelligences who have been observing Earth and preparing their invasion, launching projectiles toward the planet.

### [II: The Falling Star](https://www.betterreads.dev/discover/the_war_of_the_worlds_se/chapters/ii-the-falling-star)

Implied presence inside the cylinder, unscrewing the top.

### [IV: The Cylinder Opens](https://www.betterreads.dev/discover/the_war_of_the_worlds_se/chapters/iv-the-cylinder-opens)

First appearance: a greyish, tentacled creature emerges from the cylinder, described as inhuman and monstrous.

### [V: The Heat-Ray](https://www.betterreads.dev/discover/the_war_of_the_worlds_se/chapters/v-the-heat-ray)

Emerge from the cylinder, display a rotating mirror, and unleash the heat-ray that destroys the deputation and sets the common on fire.

### [VI: The Heat-Ray in the Chobham Road](https://www.betterreads.dev/discover/the_war_of_the_worlds_se/chapters/vi-the-heat-ray-in-the-chobham-road)

Deploy the heat-ray, causing mass death and destruction.

### [VII: How I Reached Home](https://www.betterreads.dev/discover/the_war_of_the_worlds_se/chapters/vii-how-i-reached-home)

Described as sluggish but terrifying; their heat-ray is recalled as a 'pitiless sword' that nearly killed the narrator.

### [Friday Night](https://www.betterreads.dev/discover/the_war_of_the_worlds_se/chapters/viii-friday-night)

Work all night on their machines, hammering and stirring, with occasional greenish-white smoke.

### [IX: The Fighting Begins](https://www.betterreads.dev/discover/the_war_of_the_worlds_se/chapters/ix-the-fighting-begins)

Remain hidden in their pit, busy with preparations, and later unleash the Heat-Ray, setting fire to the college and surrounding area.

### [X: In the Storm](https://www.betterreads.dev/discover/the_war_of_the_worlds_se/chapters/x-in-the-storm)

The third cylinder lands; Martian tripods are seen striding across the countryside, smashing trees and emitting green smoke.

### [XI: At the Window](https://www.betterreads.dev/discover/the_war_of_the_worlds_se/chapters/xi-at-the-window)

Three metallic giants are seen moving about the sand pits, using the Heat-Ray to destroy Woking and surrounding areas; they are described as cowled, mechanical colossi.

### [XII: What I Saw of the Destruction of Weybridge and Shepperton](https://www.betterreads.dev/discover/the_war_of_the_worlds_se/chapters/xii-what-i-saw-of-the-destruction-of-weybridge-and-shepperton)

Five armoured Martians appear, using the Heat-Ray to destroy towns and people; one is decapitated by a shell but continues its destructive path.

### [XIII: How I Fell in with the Curate](https://www.betterreads.dev/discover/the_war_of_the_worlds_se/chapters/xiii-how-i-fell-in-with-the-curate)

Retreat to Horsell Common after losing one of their own, and are seen transferring equipment from other cylinders.

### [XV: What Had Happened in Surrey](https://www.betterreads.dev/discover/the_war_of_the_worlds_se/chapters/xv-what-had-happened-in-surrey)

Deploy in a crescent formation, use black smoke canisters and Heat-Rays to destroy artillery, and advance methodically toward London.

### [XVI: The Exodus from London](https://www.betterreads.dev/discover/the_war_of_the_worlds_se/chapters/xvi-the-exodus-from-london)

Their impending arrival drives the mass panic and exodus from London.

### [XVII: The Thunder Child](https://www.betterreads.dev/discover/the_war_of_the_worlds_se/chapters/xvii-the-thunder-child)

Three Martians wade into the sea to attack refugee ships; two are destroyed by the Thunder Child, and the third is hidden by steam.

### [Book II: The Earth Under the Martians](https://www.betterreads.dev/discover/the_war_of_the_worlds_se/chapters/book-ii-the-earth-under-the-martians)

The Martians are now the dominant species, reshaping Earth to their needs.

### [Under Foot](https://www.betterreads.dev/discover/the_war_of_the_worlds_se/chapters/i-under-foot)

Deploy Black Smoke, use a fighting-machine to pursue and capture humans, and are seen collecting people into a metallic carrier.

### [II: What We Saw from the Ruined House](https://www.betterreads.dev/discover/the_war_of_the_worlds_se/chapters/ii-what-we-saw-from-the-ruined-house)

Described in detail: head-only bodies, no digestion, no sex, no sleep, telepathic, blood-feeders, and users of advanced non-wheeled machinery.

### [III: The Days of Imprisonment](https://www.betterreads.dev/discover/the_war_of_the_worlds_se/chapters/iii-the-days-of-imprisonment)

Operate handling-machines and fighting-machines, process clay into aluminium, and capture and kill a human.

### [IV: The Death of the Curate](https://www.betterreads.dev/discover/the_war_of_the_worlds_se/chapters/iv-the-death-of-the-curate)

A Martian handling-machine investigates the house after hearing the curate's shouts; its tentacle explores the cellar and nearly touches the narrator.

### [V: The Stillness](https://www.betterreads.dev/discover/the_war_of_the_worlds_se/chapters/v-the-stillness)

Absent from the pit; all machinery and signs of them have disappeared.

### [VI: The Work of Fifteen Days](https://www.betterreads.dev/discover/the_war_of_the_worlds_se/chapters/vi-the-work-of-fifteen-days)

Implied to have caused the devastation; the narrator believes they have moved on to destroy other cities.

### [Dead London](https://www.betterreads.dev/discover/the_war_of_the_worlds_se/chapters/viii-dead-london)

Found dead or dying, slain by earthly bacteria; their machines stand motionless and their cry ceases.

### [Wreckage](https://www.betterreads.dev/discover/the_war_of_the_worlds_se/chapters/ix-wreckage)

Their defeat is celebrated globally; one Martian destroyed Leatherhead, killing all inhabitants.

### [X: The Epilogue](https://www.betterreads.dev/discover/the_war_of_the_worlds_se/chapters/x-the-epilogue)

Their death is attributed to terrestrial bacteria; speculation on their possible settlement on Venus.

## Links

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