“Squid Game S3”: The Final Season Has A Cruel Closure To Offer

(by Apurv Nayak)

So, the much anticipated third season of the popular franchise “Squid Game” dropped by recently, and fans have never been so happy and disappointed at the same time. The viewers expected the games to end, along with the unravelling of the entire system behind it. Instead, what they get on the plate is the elimination of their beloved characters, and a confusing dead end.

The third season begins from the highly charged moment at which the previous season ended. There is tension in the atmosphere, as unprecedented conditions have risen in the games. Player 456 aka Gi-hun is deeply shaken by his friend Jung-bae’s death. Moreover, since the plan he executes along with his co-players fails terribly, he is left feeling helpless for the rest of the season. He is in despair; all hope for any miracle or even an escape from the games is now lost.

As per the voting, the next game, Hide-and-Seek, takes place, which gives the story a darker turn. The dynamic between Gi-hun and Player 388 aka Kang Dae-ho changes completely. One of the things which has received the viewers’ dissent is the abrupt shift brought about in Dae-ho’s character, something which was not required.

This game accounts for some of the most emotional moments of the season. The birth of Player 222 aka Jun-hee’s baby during the game determines the fate of those involved in helping her. The number of eliminations that take place starting from this game, to the time after it, makes one wonder if at that point the actors’ paychecks had become too much to handle for Netflix.

Scenes before the final game are no less. There is conflict, but no escape from it. Player 333 aka Lee Myung-gi gains more significance, thanks to the baby. Speaking of which, the baby brings an unusual twist to the games. This season, in fact, is filled with elements which one can never imagine to fit in the context. As a result of which, some things appear to be confusing and irrelevant, such as the baby becoming a player.

On the other hand, there is Jun-ho, who is on a relentless pursuit of the island, which goes on throughout all the seasons. The ending he gets is subjected to debate as in whether he deserves it or not. Guard 011 aka No-eul’s arc keeps one on the edge of their seat; her scenes are some of those that actually try to answer the audience’s curiosity about the island. Her efforts to help her chosen player do not go to waste.

This season is darker, more serious, and carries a depressing tone throughout. The ending is far from revealing anything. It is just a closure for the sake of it. Although the series progresses towards the end, the viewers remain dissatisfied, striving for more as all questions are left unanswered; instead, a new beginning is hinted at.

Fans would have been happier if the mystery of the games and the powers behind it had been solved, instead of getting a loose peek outside of the story.