Squid Game season 2 ended on a massive cliffhanger, which means season 3 - the final installment - will start off with a bang. As it was apparently announced, season 3 won't come until later in June of this year; this seems like too long of a wait, but it's enough to rewatch all the episodes that've come out so far and pay attention to a lot more details the second (or whatever-eth) time around.
Season 2 continues right after the first, with Gi-hun aka Player 456 (Lee Jung-jae) at the airport. Two years pass, and Gi-hun seems to be ready to put an end to the deadly Squid Game tournament by signing up for it again. Season 2 was another interesting character study, but it also brought up a lot more questions, adding to the still unanswered pile from before. Some of the season's biggest plot twists changed the trajectory of the show, while others opened new possibilities; they were indeed a mix of expected and completely unexpected moments.
Squid Game
- Release Date
- 2021 - 2024
- Network
- Netflix
- Showrunner
- Hwang Dong-hyuk
Cast
-
Lee Jung-jaeSeong Gi-hun / 'No. 456' -
Lee Byung-hunFront Man
WHERE TO WATCH
- Writers
- Hwang Dong-hyuk
- Seasons
- 3
- Main Genre
- Mystery
10 Thanos's Death May Change the Game for Some Players
Thanos aka Player 230 was a fan favorite villain throughout season 2. His presence was eye-catching because of his bright purple hair, nails painted to symbolize Thanos' infinity stones, and his weirdly cheerful demeanor in a setting where, well, people are killed. Whether that was the drugs (that he had a stash of and freely consumed) talking, his personality, or a combination of both, Thanos was at least an intriguing player.
Player 333, the crypto scamming YouTuber, killed Thanos with a snuck-in fork during a confrontation between players who wanted to leave the game and those who wished to continue. Since Thanos was among the biggest and most prominent antagonists of Squid Game season 2, his death triggers various outcomes - will his crew disband, or will the lack of his presence bring out the villain in his faithful companion Player 124? He is currently the most underrated player, and his fate could go either way; one thing is certain - if Thanos had survived, viewers wouldn't have seen Player 124's deadly side.
9 Gi-hun's Private Stash Is Heavily Equipped
As expected, Gi-hun's return to the Squid Game tournament wasn't just a consequence of losing his mind or seeking pure vengeance; in the two years that have passed between the first and second season, he seems to have prepared well. As the first two episodes of season 2 show, Gi-hun buys an abandoned love motel and keeps the neon sign switched off to turn away unwanted guests (as one girl in episode 1 says, "no lights means the rooms are full").
When Gi-hun, the comeback detective Jun-ho (Wi Ha-jun), and their mercenary helper Woo-seok hire an army of former Marines to take on the challenge of finding the tournament island, Gi-hun shows them his arsenal, the stash of cash he received as the grand prize in season 1, and a fake wall behind which is a make-shift target practice. The area is used frequently, meaning Gi-hun's been preparing for a confrontation for a long time. This was proven in one of the later episodes, when he talks other players into taking over the game leaders' offices.
8 Player 120 Is a Highly-Skilled Special Forces Soldier
Player 120 aka Hyun-ju is the first (and only) trans character in the series, and she's portrayed as untrusting, someone who isn't willing to open up to people in such a deadly place. This is more than understandable, since Hyun-ju has more than likely experienced terrible treatment on the outside; her expectations don't change in a dog-eat-dog type of competition, where people are more than likely to be even more ruthless.
However, Hyun-ju does find friends in a dark place, as it seems that facing death brings people closer together somehow. Hyun-ju slowly shows her true colors, and she's caring and incredibly smart. The biggest plot twist about her character - and one that can truly be a game-changer in season 3 - is the fact she's not just an ex-soldier, but a former Special Forces member, an excellent team leader, and highly skilled with all sorts of weapons. Hyun-ju's talents from her past life have come in handy at the end of season 2, but will they be integral for the rest of season 3? She could be integral to Gi-hun's takeover plan.
7 Player 388 (Dae-ho) Isn't Really a Marine?
Dae-ho aka Player 388 bonds with Jung-bae aka Player 390 after they both establish they have served in the Marines. Player 388 even shows off his Marine tattoo, which is a symbol of his service, and holds Jung-bae in high regard. However, Dae-ho mentions on several occasions that he grew up with four older sisters, and that he's good at one of the games in the tournament, which is dubbed a "girl's game." Dae-ho also says his father insisted on him joining the Marines to be more like the man of the house.
When the situation in the tournament escalates and Gi-hun's plan to ambush the pink-jumpsuit soldiers and grab their weapons succeeds, Dae-ho doesn't seem to know how to hold a gun nor shoot it. Since weapons training is essential for the Marines, Dae-ho, not knowing this, changes things. He's one of the season's biggest unanswered questions, and his lack of courage shown in a crisis might change the trajectory of several players' lives, not just his.
6 The Front Man Executes Player 390 aka Jung-bae
Jung-bae aka Player 390 is established as Gi-hun's old friend when the tournament starts, so the two naturally stick together throughout. When Gi-hun gives the command, Jung-bae shows off his weapon-wielding skills and the two go together in an attempt to reach the higher-ups in their offices. With many soldiers coming out to confront them, Gi-hun and Jung-bae stick together until their last bits of ammo run out, and The Front Man comes out to face them (though he is wearing his signature black mask and silver-gray outfit).
The Front Man has the opportunity to kill Gi-hun, the man responsible for the players' uprising; instead, he shoots and kills Jung-bae, tormenting Gi-hun even more. This calculated move was made to weaken Gi-hun mentally, since he'd already seen a lot of deaths in the past two years. This plot twist comes at the very end of the season, though it is a sort of expected outcome - Jung-bae already saw The Front Man kill a player in cold blood while posing as Player 001; his fate was bound to be sealed by the very man he grew to fear.
5 Player 246 Dies… Or Does He?
Gyeong-sok aka Player 246 is first shown in the outside world as a carnival painter whose daughter runs around the carnival area, wearing a knitted strawberry hat. When she collapses and is taken to the hospital, Gyeong-sok sits by her side, and it's revealed that the little girl has cancer. His motivation to enter the Squid Game tournament becomes more apparent - and noble. Still, the question remains if he would've left his child alone had he known the game literally kills.
Viewers are compelled to cheer for Player 246 as the episodes go on; the consequences of him not returning home are huge, and Gi-hun's (clumsily) planned out coup might have triggered the possibility of multiple people's return home. Player 246 gets shot by a small-statured soldier with a triangle mask, and it's not clearly shown where he was shot. Since Soldier 011 with the triangle mask seemingly knows Player 246, many viewers have a theory that she's the one who shot him and potentially saved him by making it a non-fatal wound. It would be bizarre if his story ended here, since Lee Jin-wook is a big South Korean star and probably needs more screen time; however, anything's possible in Squid Game.
4 The Circumstances of Soldier 011's Entry Into the Tournament
When viewers are first introduced to Kang No-eul, she's sleeping in her car in a parking lot, surrounded by family photos in which she and a man are posing with a small child. This indicates she's separated from her family; when she visits a broker that deals with lost people, it is revealed that No-eul is a North Korean defector and is looking for her daughter who is still in the country. She's also shown holding the Squid Game tournament invitation card, so she calls the number and joins the game after quitting her day job at the carnival where Player 246 also works.
When No-eul boards the ship traveling to the tournament island, viewers assume she's going as a contestant. Yet, No-eul enters a cabin that says 011, revealing she's one of the triangle-masked soldiers instead. No-eul used to be a soldier, and she's a skilled sniper shooter. Seeing the identity of one of the soldiers is a first in Squid Game, and it must mean something more for the outcome of season 3. She also observes Player 246 and his daughter from afar at the carnival; they probably remind her of her own family, and she could be helping him get out of the tournament safely.
3 Sea Captain Park Is Playing Both Sides
Hwang Jun-ho, the detective who encounters his brother, The Front Man, at the end of season one, survives his bullet and falls. He was apparently saved by Sea Captain Park, who didn't let Jun-ho forget it. Jun-ho takes advantage of his acquaintance to look for the tournament island, and he seemingly does so during the entire two years that have passed between the two seasons. While at first, it's understandable there are many surrounding islands and either one could be the place where Squid Game happens, the captain, not being able to remember where he picked up Jun-ho, becomes suspicious.
It may not be completely obvious to everyone watching, but sea captain Park wastes the time and resources of both Jun-ho and Gi-hun. When Jun-ho, Woo-seok, and the soldiers board his ship, the captain tampers with their drone one night and, after being discovered by the drone operator, kills him in cold blood. Captain Park was more than likely summoned by The Front Man to save Jun-ho and lead him astray for as long as necessary. The question is, what's in it for Captain Park?
2 The Recruiter Dies In a Game of Russian Roulette
One of the most intriguing parts of Squid Game is the mysterious suit-and-tie-wearing Recruiter (Gong Yoo), who recruits players in public by challenging them to a game of ddakji. The Recruiter's personality is shown in more detail in the first episode of season 2, called "Bread and Lottery." In a montage, The Recruiter is shown offering homeless people bread or scratcher tickets; 9 out of 10 people take the ticket rather than bread. A powerful scene wraps up the montage, showing The Recruiter stomping on the bread the homeless refused.
His methods are cruel, but he also seems to be sociopathic; he believes the games have a higher purpose, while Gi-hun calls him "their dog" when they finally meet face to face. When they sit for a chat, Gi-hun's attempt to reach his humanity fails. The Recruiter forces him to play Russian Roulette together, and when 5 out of 6 rounds come out blank, Gi-hun tells The Recruiter "screw the rules." Since this man seemingly chose lottery over bread in his past life, facing the final bullet may be a relief. He looks scared of what's about to happen, yet remains collected; as someone who's only followed rules for a long time, following the last one seemed like the way for him to go. In the final moments of episode 1, The Recruiter dies in a game of Russian Roulette, indicating the first instance of the tournament's imminent downfall.
1 Player 001's Identity (Again)
When saying that Player 001's identity is a major plot twist again, that refers to the first season, where Player 001, the old man, turned out to not just be alive, but the game's very creator. There were some theories he might also be Gi-hun's father, but fans will have theories as long as television exists. While this may also sound theoretical, there's no chance that The Front Man joining the tournament under the number 001 is a coincidence. It could be an homage to the first season from the creator Hwang Dong-hyuk, but it could also be a hint to Gi-hun to think harder about the player's true colors.
In any case, when the players all vote whether to continue the games or stop them, the soldiers instruct them to vote from the last player to the first, so from 456 to 001. The biggest and most gasp-inducing plot twist of the season was seeing Lee Byung-hun in that green tracksuit, the same man who was revealed to be The Front Man and Jun-ho's older brother at the end of season one. All that remains is seeing whether Gi-hun puts these clues together, and what he'd do if he eventually does.
Your comment has not been saved