Squid Game Finale: Who Survives, Who Perishes, and Season 3 Teaser!

WARNING: Major spoilers ahead for season two of Squid Game. Continue reading only if you’ve watched all seven episodes or don’t mind learning the ending.

The final episode of Squid Game season two might leave some fans exasperated with its use of a well-known television device: the cliffhanger.

The inaugural season of this dystopian South Korean series, Netflix’s most successful show to date, was a complete narrative detailing Seong Gi-hun, portrayed by Lee Jung-Jae, as he overcame a series of lethal challenges to claim a prize of ₩45.6 billion.

In contrast, the second season does not provide the same conclusive ending for those binge-watching the seven-episode series.

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Following the announcement that Squid Game would conclude with a third season, it was revealed that both the second and third seasons were being developed simultaneously by the show’s creator, Hwang Dong-Hyuk, effectively making them two parts of the same narrative.

Hwang conveyed to Deadline, “While scripting both seasons, I reached a pivotal moment at the conclusion of episode seven, and felt it warranted a distinct season. That’s why the first seven episodes make up Season 2, with the remaining forming Season 3.”

Hwang has hinted that Gi-Hun’s quest for revenge remains unresolved in the season two finale. He stated, “The intense conflict between [Gi-hun and Front Man’s] worlds will persist into the final season, set to premiere next year,” in a statement from July.

Nonetheless, the second season is packed with drama across its episodes, featuring numerous violent eliminations.

The season kicks off with Gi-hun, also known as Player 456, hunting down the orchestrators of the game, three years after his victory. He uses the ₩45.6 billion prize money to finance this endeavor, collaborating with a motley crew of dubious characters from a makeshift base in an abandoned motel. His initial target is The Recruiter, portrayed by Gong Yoo, a slim, well-dressed man who enticed participants into the game. This pursuit leads Gi-hun back into the Squid Game, where he encounters new allies and foes in his attempt to dismantle it.

The season climax starts with a brutal altercation in the Squid Game restroom, immediately following the murder of Thanos, a retired rapper played by Choi Seung-hyun, who is killed with a fork to the head by Myung-gi, portrayed by Yim Si-Wan, a former cryptocurrency influencer now bankrupt.

At this juncture, 95 contestants remain, divided between those desiring to continue for the prize money and those wishing to leave, as indicated by the new voting mechanism.

After a detour to the sea, where Hwang Jun-ho, played by Wi Ha-jun, a former police detective and brother to Lee Byung-hun’s The Front Man, leads the search for the Squid Game island, the action returns to the Bloody Big Brother residence, sparking a deadly shootout.

In the chaos, Gi-Hun and a select group, including The Front Man who has been covertly participating as player 001, decide to steal weapons from intervening guards.

This ensemble then ascends the stairs, engaging in an intense firefight, reminiscent of a twisted Barbie dream house designed by M.C. Escher.

Under siege, Hyun-ju, played by Park Sung-hoon, a transgender ex-special forces sergeant, helps repel the guards before seeking additional ammunition in the living quarters.

Gi-Hun and his ally Park Jung-Bae, known as Player 390 and portrayed by Lee Seo-hwan, who had briefly appeared in the first season, make their way to the control room disguised in guard masks. During a critical moment, Jung-Bae is fatally shot by The Frontman, who reveals his true identity.

“Player 456, did you enjoy playing the hero? Observe the results of your actions,” The Frontman taunts Gi-Hun as his companion dies.

The season concludes with a wounded Gi-Hun mourning beside his friend, followed by a post-credits scene that introduces a potential new character, the boyfriend of the deadly robot doll Young-Hee, hinting at his participation in season three.

Surviving characters such as Myung-gi and his pregnant ex-girlfriend Jun-hee, compulsive gambler Yong-sik, his mother Geum-ja, and Hyun-ju all set the stage for the next season.

Will Gi-Hun manage to evade The Front Man and escape, or will his efforts lead to his demise? Stay tuned for Squid Game season three.