This post contains major spoilers for “Squid Game” season 2.
The first season of “Squid Game” ends on a rather decisive note. Gi-hun (Lee Jung-jae), who wins the titular game in a pyrrhic victory, chooses to stay behind and challenge the barbaric notion of pitting struggling, desperate folks against each other. The deaths of his friends weigh heavy on Gi-hun, paving the path for his re-entry as a contestant in “Squid Game” season 2, in which he’s prepared to undergo hell once again just for a shot at eradicating this sinister cycle. Gone is the cheerful naivete that Gi-hun exhibited in season 1: now, he’s jaded yet determined, taking a more vigilant, pragmatic approach to the games. However, is that enough for him to win the games a second time? Or will another player emerge victorious, with Gi-hun’s arc coming to a tragic end?
To answer this question quickly: no one wins the Squid Games this time, as episode 7 — the final entry in season 2 of the show — ends on a massive cliffhanger. The catalyst that plummets events toward this conclusion is the vote deciding whether players can leave and split the prize money accumulated up until each game round, provided that the X/LEAVE players win by a majority. These votes are a new addition to the games, and we see the contestants voting after every game’s conclusion, but in episode 7, a casualty-causing bathroom fight leads to dwindled players on either side. As O/STAY and X/LEAVE voters lose 3 and 2 players respectively, this prompts a re-vote the next day, with the unspoken expectation of the X/LEAVE voters winning, provided no one switches sides. However, all hell breaks loose before the night before the voting is supposed to take place.
Gi-hun warns his allies that the O/STAY players will attempt to attack and kill the X/LEAVE group after lights out in order to stay and keep playing the games. He’s right, as the guards are quietly ordered to prep for “the special game” that is about to unfold later at night. Player 001, revealed to be none other than The Front Man (Lee Byung-hun) in episode 3, also anticipates this move and works alongside Gi-hun to lead a revolt. How does this change the intended outcome of the games?
In this iteration of Squid Game, there is no winner (so far)
Gi-hun’s revolt is not joined by every contestant, but those who do participate — such as Jung-bae/Player 390 (Lee Seo-hwan) and Gyeong-seok/Player 246 (Lee Jin-uk) — end up paying a heavy price. After overpowering some guards and taking their guns, Gi-hun and his team move further into the mysterious complex where the games are held. Eventually, Gi-hun and Jung-bae are pinned down by gunfire in a hallway.
The revolution ends in utter failure, as The Front Man, now back in his customary black mask and costume, arrives with more guards. After killing Jung-bae/Player 390, The Front Man has Gi-hun captured for his attempts to disrupt the games.The screen cuts to black, and we are treated to a quick, extremely cryptic post-credits scene that might hint at a brand-new game.
The players only played three games total before the revolt — Red Light, Green Light, the Six-Legged Pentathlon, and Mingle. There were, of course, more games to play — but the revolt began before we got to them,. Which means, at the moment, no one has won the games. But there could be a winner in season 3 of “Squid Game,” which series creator Hwang Dong-hyuk wrote alongside season 2 as one continuous story. This could also explain why this season only has seven episodes and ends with a ton of unresolved questions/arcs, allowing the upcoming final season to dive straight into the immediate aftermath. It’s very likely the surviving players will keep playing the remainder of the games in season 3.
What the lack of a winner could mean in Squid Game 3
Circling back to the surviving players, it is crucial to note that Player 120 (Park Sung-hoon) is last seen hiding among the crowd, armed with a loaded weapon, as more guards arrive to quell the rebellion. Although Geum-ja/Player 149 (Kang Ae-shim) prevents her from making a reckless move against the guards, she might end up concealing the weapon or surrendering it, depending on what transpires.
Moreover, will the rest of the players, except Gi-hun, be allowed to vote the next day as originally intended, with the severely dwindled O/STAY and X/LEAVE players battling for a win? Will Gi-hun continue his quest to shut down the games, now that he is a pissed-off man with more reasons to seek revenge? Irrespective of whether he wins the game in season 3, his will to crush such a noxious cycle of corruption and injustice must prevail. Until then, we will just have to play a tense waiting game.
‘Squid Game” season 2 is now streaming on Netflix. Season 3 is due out sometime in 2025.
