Squid Game’s Biggest Twist: Gi-hun’s Not the Hero Anymore
Few shows have captured the raw, unsettling pulse of survival and desperation quite like Squid Game.
What began as a brutal, dystopian critique of economic disparity in Season 1 has spiraled into an even more complex psychological study of power, morality, and the price of redemption in Season 2.
With Squid Game Season 3 already confirmed, the latest chapter leaves its characters teetering on the precipice of transformation—or destruction.
At the heart of the show’s narrative is Seong Gi-hun, once the hapless everyman, now a man consumed by an impossible mission.
But what Squid Game Season 2 does so effectively is unravel the simplistic notion of heroism.
The line between protagonist and antagonist has never been thinner, leaving us with one pressing question: Has Gi-hun truly changed for the better, or has he become the very thing he set out to destroy?
Seong Gi-hun’s Transformation: Hero or Tyrant in the Making?
When we first met Gi-hun (Lee Jung-jae) in Season 1, he was the classic underdog—drowning in debt, a struggling father, but inherently decent.
The games broke him, but they also remade him. When Season 2 opens, he is no longer simply a survivor; he is a man on a mission, determined to dismantle the system that robbed him of his humanity.
But is he really dismantling it—or becoming part of it?
Season 2 introduces a crucial ideological struggle between Gi-hun and the enigmatic Front Man (Lee Byung-hun), who serves as both the orchestrator and a mirror of what Gi-hun could become. Their interactions form the show’s emotional backbone.
Front Man, once a winner of the games himself, embodies a cynical worldview: that survival is only for those willing to embrace the brutality of the system.
Throughout the season, Gi-hun grapples with his ideals, but the moment of truth comes when he orchestrates a rebellion within the game.
This turning point is divisive—was this a strategic move, or a desperate gamble that cost more lives than it saved?
As Reddit discussions suggest, many fans felt his actions were out of character, arguing that sacrificing his own allies contradicted his core mission.
Yet others saw it as the logical outcome of his evolution—he had simply lost faith in humanity’s ability to save itself.
The series leaves us with a devastating image: Gi-hun, kneeling beside his best friend Jung-bae’s lifeless body, undone by his own choices.
His final expression isn’t one of victory, but of realisation—he has crossed a line, and there may be no going back.
The Front Man: The True Protagonist of Squid Game?
If Gi-hun is the show’s battered soul, then Front Man is its ghost—a man who already walked the same path and fell into the abyss.
Season 2 grants us deeper insight into his backstory, revealing his past as Hwang In-ho, a once-respected police officer whose life collapsed under the weight of desperation.
His wife’s terminal illness pushed him into the games, and though he emerged as a winner, the money did nothing to save him.
Instead, it made him a prisoner to the very system he once despised.
Front Man’s role in Season 2 is particularly fascinating because of his calculated manipulation of Gi-hun.
Unlike Il-nam’s omniscient puppeteering in Season 1, Front Man engages Gi-hun directly, challenging him at every turn, nudging him toward the choices that might ultimately prove his undoing.
Some of the most overlooked details in Season 2 suggest that his endgame may not be survival, but the creation of his successor. Is that successor Gi-hun?
The show makes it painfully clear that their fates are intertwined. The question is not whether Gi-hun will become the next Front Man—it’s whether he will realise it before it’s too late.
Fan Reactions: A Divisive Ending and What It Means for Season 3
The Squid Game Season 2 finale has sparked heated debate online, with many fans calling it unsatisfying and unrealistic.
Complaints ranged from the rushed execution of Gi-hun’s rebellion to the sheer number of loose ends left dangling.
- Some fans argued that Gi-hun’s shift in ideology happened too fast, making his decision to sacrifice allies feel forced.
- Others defended the ending, saying that it perfectly illustrated his slow descent into the very system he was fighting.
- The death of Jung-bae was particularly gut-wrenching, as it symbolised the final shred of humanity Gi-hun had left.
But the final scene provides the biggest clue for what comes next. A new game is being set up, and its most intriguing addition?
A young boy named Choi Su. His inclusion suggests that the games are evolving, possibly incorporating younger players—a terrifying notion that could push Season 3 into even darker territory.
Predictions for Squid Game Season 3: What Comes Next?
With Squid Game Season 3 confirmed, speculation is already rampant about where the story will go next.
If we follow the patterns set by the first two seasons, we can predict several key developments:
- Gi-hun Will Face a Moral Reckoning
Season 2 ends with him standing at a crossroads—if he continues down this path, he may become indistinguishable from the Front Man. But will Season 3 allow him redemption, or will he fully embrace his role in the system? - The Front Man’s True Endgame Will Be Revealed
Is he grooming Gi-hun as his replacement, or does he see something in him that might finally break the cycle? His cryptic actions in Season 2 suggest he still harbors doubts about the system he enforces. - A New Game, A New Set of Rules
The teaser hints at a dramatic shift in the structure of the games. The inclusion of Choi Su suggests that the organization is evolving, perhaps introducing players who were raised within the system itself. - The Repercussions of the Rebellion Will Echo
Though Gi-hun failed to overthrow the system, his actions have likely shaken the foundation of the organisation. Season 3 may explore whether this rebellion inspires further cracks in the system, or if it only strengthens its grip.
The Gamble of Humanity
Squid Game has never been about winning—it’s about what people are willing to sacrifice to survive.
Season 2 shattered the illusion that Gi-hun was a hero, instead presenting him as just another desperate player, making desperate choices.
Whether that makes him a villain or a tragic figure remains to be seen.
If Season 3 follows this trajectory, Squid Game might just pull off one of the boldest character transformations in television history.
Because if Gi-hun has learned anything from his time in the games, it’s that the house always wins.
And in the end, maybe the game was never about money. Maybe it was about proving that no one—no matter how righteous—can resist the pull of power.
You might also like:
- The Handmaid’s Tale Season 6 – The Final Chapter That Will Define the Series
- Fallout Season 2: Release Date, Cast, Plot Theories, and Why Fans Can’t Stop Talking
- Why Would Gi-hun Return? The Psychological Quandary of Squid Game Season 2
- The Cost of Truth: Do Silo and Paradise’s Protagonists Really Save Their Worlds?
