Squid Game 3 ending: 7 burning questions answered in Netflix thriller finale; future possibilities explored
Squid Game wrapped with Season 3 dropping on June 27. The Lee Byung Hun, Lee Jung Jae-led Korean thriller may not return for another season, but it hints at a spin-off, possibly an American one. Since the finale aired, Hwang Dong Hyuk's direction has drawn mixed reactions, with many fans let down by how things ended, especially some characters who felt completely pointless and Gi Hun's fate undoing everything he fought for. The tagline teased how low humanity can sink, and sure enough, survival came at a brutal cost. We got a winner, yes, but not much closure. So here we are, breaking down all the loose ends that still need answers.
Also read: Squid Game Season 3 ending explained: The truth about Gi Hun's fate, the mystery woman, and all survivors
While some viewers are still holding on to theories that Gi Hun might be alive, there's no real possibility. The core message of the show has already been delivered. The economic divide, the dehumanisation, and Gi Hun's final words, 'We are not horses. We are humans'. were aimed at those enjoying these brutal games, using people as pawns for their entertainment. He makes the ultimate sacrifice in the final round, choosing to throw himself off the tower rather than kill the newborn. But yes, it's safe to say his sacrifice will trigger another story, a fresh web of entanglements. Because nothing really ends here.
In the final moments, we see In Ho, aka the Front Man, ordering the island's self-destruction and escaping with Jun Hee's newborn. Cut to a few months later, he's spotted in LA, visiting Gi Hun's family. So yes, Front Man survived and vanished. Jun Ho failed. But what's loud and clear is this: In Ho isn't done. His next move, possibly tied to a global expansion of the Game, is already being teased.
Also read: Squid Game Season 3 review: Brutal games and bigger moral dilemmas make you pause and reflect
The Latin phrase 'hodie mihi, cras tibi' ('today it's me, tomorrow it will be you'), the words written on the dormitory walls, sugegsting, the game is far from over.
Korean writing '사람 조심 바보' ('Beware of people, idiot') teasing player 333 betrayal
'안전 제일' ('safety first') was ironically written at the final game.
Player 456's game timer reads '4:56' just before Gi Hun manages to eliminate the other player.
The 'blacklist players' binder that No-eul skips, hinting that more is yet to come.
The original mastermind, Oh Il Nam, is long gone. The Front Man, once a winner himself, now runs the show. In Ho survives Season 3, and as the story gears up for a spin-off, a new player steps in. Cate Blanchett's mystery woman is seen recruiting new players, playing Ddakji, hinting at a new organisation pulling the strings. Meanwhile, operations in South Korea have shut down.
After 2 years of digging through islands, Detective Jun Ho finally tracked down the betrayer, Captain Park, and landed on the right one, just as the game wrapped up. But before he could act, Jin Ho gave the order to blow up the island and bailed. Jun Ho and No-eul made it out, but the entire Korean operation went up in smoke, with the Front Man wiping out every trace. So, yeah, the authorities failed again. Still, with spin-offs teased, Na Eul might've already cracked open a lead that changes everything.
They appear to have evaded justice for the most part. We saw the VIPs enjoying the deaths and betting on contestants, but towards the end, it seems like they managed to escape. Unconcerned about being caught, they were seen gulping down drinks, which shows continued power and the difficulty of exposing such a powerful, clandestine organisation.
There is a big possibility, and it makes sense, given Cate Blanchett's role was a treasure in the very last part as a recruiter, suggesting the operations will now be shifted to America. Earlier, in an interview with talk show host Jimmy Fallon, actor Lee Byung Hun, who plays the Front Man, teased a possibility of a spin-off featuring his character. So either we get that, or the story shifts oversees with Lee continuing his role.
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