Squid Game Season 3 Ending Twist & Shocking Winner Explained By Creator

Warning: This article includes SPOILERS for Squid Game season 3!

The first Squid Game show has come to an end with Gi-hun (Lee Jung-jae)’s final appearance in the games. The series first premiered in 2021 and quickly became Netflix’s standout show, and there is a spin-off currently in development. With the US-based Squid Game on the way in the near future, the original show ended with a shocking twist.

Instead of featuring Gi-hun winning another set of games, the Sky Squid Games left Gi-hun with the choice to win the games or to give a baby the opportunity instead. Having joined to protest the brutality of the games themselves, Gi-hun protested by throwing himself to his death. Jun-hee (Jo Yu-ri)’s child became the official winner, earning 4.56 billion won.

In an interview with The Hollywood Reporter, creator Hwang Dong-hyuk expressed that the baby represented “human conscience“, which is exactly why he chose to end the story with Gi-hun’s death. While showcasing the darkest aspects of the human experience, Hwang hoped to shine a light on its better qualities as well. Check out his detailed quote below:

Since it is the finale, I thought that raising the stakes and taking a bigger risk in true Squid Game fashion was the right way to go. Through that, I wanted to expose to an even more accurate degree the rock-bottom of humanity and also shed light on even brighter hope. I believe that through the baby, Gi-hun is able to show those themes in a more detailed way.

I believe that all of us are able to live in this world the way we do due to the efforts and struggles that our previous generation went through in order to give us a better world. And the reason we need to try to right the course of the world is because we want to give a better world to our future generation. So in our story, the baby not only represents human conscience, but also the future generation for whom we need to fix the way we are.

What This Means For Squid Game’s Ending

The Games Are Not Over

Gi-hun returned to the games to find a way to end them forever, but he failed to properly rebel against the Front Man. Instead, he was forced to play out the entire game, potentially set to win in his second straight appearance. Unfortunately for Gi-hun, the baby’s presence meant that he would need to sacrifice his humanity just to win.

With constant rumors of a US-based Squid Game, it should come as no surprise that Gi-hun failed in his mission.

If he had been better prepared for his return, Gi-hun could have found a way to stop the games. His entire mission was to stop the horror, but he instead failed to save the lives of the many candidates who will inevitably be cast. Fortunately, he did manage to save one baby and potentially prove that humanity can be good.

Even if Myung-gi (Yim Si-wan) was willing to kill his own daughter, Gi-hun would never kill a baby, and his actions could change the expectations of future players. It is proof that humanity is not always terrible and that people will still strive to protect the next generation. In a strong statement to Netflix, Hwang expressed that in depth:

I believe we also have the responsibility and duty to try everything that we can in our power to leave a better world for the future generation. The baby coming out [as] the winner was in line with the meaning of Squid Game.

Unfortunately, even with Gi-Hun moving to protect the baby, other humans are not quite as humane. With constant rumors of a US-based Squid Game, it should come as no surprise that Gi-hun failed in his mission. There needs to be a follow-up, and it will inevitably continue to draw on what interested viewers in the first place: the games.

Our Take On Squid Game’s Shocking Ending

Gi-hun’s Story Finally Has Meaning

A baby, covered in blood and crying in Squid Game season 3 — Image via Netflix

The Squid Game ending may have been shocking, but it perfectly told the story that Hwang wanted to tell. This is a show that has never shied away from exploring the darkest depths of humanity, but it has also showcased its lighter side as well. After all, there was always resistance to the games.

Throughout its run, nearly half of the cast inevitably voted to leave the games to save lives. They tried time and time again to escape the brutality, only to be forced to suffer through it again. Gi-hun’s story reflects their sacrifices and proves that darkness does not always succeed, and that perfectly suits Squid Game‘s themes, controversial as it is.

Source: THR & Netflix