Squid Game is back for Season 2, and it’s even bloodier than before. With the return of Gi-hun, the final winner of Season 1, many are wondering what types of games will he play this time. Will he manage to repeat everything and save everyone? Or will he face completely new terrain and have to start from square one again? Here’s a simple breakdown of each game played in Squid Game Season 2 and what could come next in the next deadly season.
Episode 3: 001 – Red Light, Green Light
For the first game, we are introduced to a familiar face–Young-hee, the killer robot doll from Season 1. The classic game ‘Red Light, Green Light’ returns, but this time, Gi-hun has an advantage. His prior experience allows him to warn the other players, helping them stay alive for longer (even though many still didn’t listen). Still, this game remains a terrifying test of both patience and nerve.
Episode 4-5: Six Legs/One More Game – Pentathlon
The first new game is the six-legged pentathlon. In this twisted team game, players are divided into groups of five, each with their legs tied together. On the track, there are five mini-games they must overcome in five minutes. These mini-games include:
- Ddakji: the traditional Korean game played with folded paper squares
- Flying Stone: knock over one stone with another
- Gong-gi: a fast-paced Korean game with five small stones
- Spinning Top: wrap the string on the spinning top and let go (better hope it spins)
- Jegi: a game where players must kick a Korean shuttlecock five times
The race against time is nerve-wracking, but this game also highlights the unexpected sense of community among the players in this second season. Teams begin to support one another, offering encouragement and cheers for each team. It’s a surprising moment of camaraderie in a game designed to tear people apart.
Episode 5-6: One More Game/ O X – Mingle
Players step onto a rotating platform and are spun around until a number is called out. Players quickly form a group that matches the number and enter a surrounding room, close the door, and wait. If you don’t have the right number of people or no room, you’re eliminated. However, the shifting dynamics of the game begin to test the strength of certain alliances, demonstrating how quickly trust can turn into betrayal when survival is on the line.
Episode 7: Friend or Foe – The Special Game
The finale of the season introduces a particularly sinister twist to the games. Similar to last season, players attack each other during a darkened period where flashing lights in the sleeping area signal a deadly confrontation. The chaos originally began in a breakout battle in the men’s bathroom, eventually spreading to greater attacks between O and X players (those for and against the game). However, Gi-hun and his allies manage to seize guns from the pink guards and escape to confront the Front Man. Whether or not Gi-hun will be successful in his endeavours, though, will be revealed in the next season.
What’s Next? Theories for Season 3:
Season 1 ended after six games. Season 2 only managed to get through 3 (and the special game finale). It’s hard not to wonder what is next in store for the remaining players in the next season given that we only made it halfway through the games this year. Here are some intriguing possibilities for the next games:
Jack and Jill
Given the reveal of a second boy doll (complementary to our favourite red light, green light figure), many people quickly jumped to the famous nursery rhyme/game–Jack and Jill. Players are tasked to make their way up the hill in pairs with buckets of water and avoid being eliminated. The specific rules may not be determined yet, but this theory does play into the possible introduction of Cheol-su (boy doll).
Dong, Dong, Dondaemun (London Bridge)
Among those who reject the first theory of Jack and Jill, many are starting to turn towards this second theory of Dong, Dong, Dongdaemun with the two dolls. Music will play as the dolls hold their arms up (as a bridge) and players will run through the track. Once the music ends, the dolls’ arms will fall, entraping any players caught in the bridge and will thereby be eliminated.
Human Chess
As we know from Season 1, each game played was displayed on the sleeping room’s walls. This time, many observed a large chessboard with crosses on it. This became the theory that one of the next games would be human chess. Human chess itself is quite self-explanatory–humans are the chess pieces. However, knowing Squid Game, this would probably mean any player that’s been taken by another will be eliminated, and this game will keep on going until one side is victorious.
Monkey Bars
Similar to the last game, Monkey Bars was another game taken from the drawings on the wall. Small people can be seen dangling from small triangle designs which would represent the monkey bars. Much like ‘Tug of War’ from Season 1, this game could end up being the last test of physical strength that will eliminate many players.
With Squid Game pushing the boundaries of what we expected, Season 3 is sure to deliver even more gruesome games. Whether or not we will see our theories in action, Squid Game continues to captivate audiences with its unpredictable gameplay and dark exploration of human nature.
Sources:
https://www.sportskeeda.com/us/k-pop/jack-jill-monkey-bars-fans-predict-squid-game-3-challenges