That ‘Squid Game’ Season 2 Cliffhanger Ending Explained

The cliffhanger finale of Squid Game’s second season ended with a bang. The episode Friend or Foe laid the groundwork for the final conflict, which will play out in the show’s third and final season. Staying true to its reputation, the Korean thriller steadily raised the stakes throughout season 2’s seven episodes until a surprising power shift unfolded before our eyes.

Netflix’s South Korean thriller knows how to keep the audience on its toes, and it did just that until the credits rolled in season 2’s cliffhanger finale. The last time the program came to an end, audiences had to wait over three years to head back into these bloody childhood games. It sounds like the wait won’t be as long for the third season to drop. 

Until then, let’s dig into the ending of Squid Game season 2. Where will things go for Gi-hun (Lee Jung-jae), the Front Man (Lee Byung-hun) and the rest? That’s the question.

Before I continue, you should know there are spoilers ahead. If you have not finished Squid Game season 2 or don’t want to remind yourself about what just happened, tread lightly.

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The battle of the Xs and Os

As soon as they added that election component into the mix, it felt like the writing was on the wall for a civil war to break out amongst the competitors. And that’s exactly what happened. Thanks to the hilarious hyping of hip hop musician/villain of the group Thanos, a brawl between Xs and Os unfolded in the bathroom.

Squid Game has made a reputation for being a brutal series, but this scene really dialed home the visceral nature of the competition. This was some up-close-and-personal fighting, which hit new heights when the rap star himself received a fork to the throat. 

If you think this fight was unplanned, you’ve got another thing coming. Since when did they supply the competitors with eating utensils that can be used as a weapon? This was a part of the Front Man’s plan. Several players were eliminated after the brawl (meaning they died), leading to uneven numbers between the two factions — meaning the next vote could potentially end with the majority voting to go home.

The hunt for the mysterious island hits a snag

Since episode 1, Detective Hwang Jun-ho has been on a continued mission to find the island where the games take place. As you’ll remember, he got there in the first season to rescue his brother. Getting back to the island has proven to be a bigger problem than he initially expected.

That’s not to say he hasn’t succeeded in attracting a skilled group to join him on the hunt. He has. The vessel’s captain, who had joined Jun-ho on his search for the island, was impressed with their new drone equipment. Still, the setbacks continued.

In the finale, a key detail was revealed that may point to why Jun-ho has continually come up empty-handed. After the captain was discovered tinkering with the drone in question, he murdered one of Jun-ho’s crew and dumped him overboard. It looks like he’s been in cahoots all this time, in some way, with the Front Man’s bloody operation.

Gi-hun’s plan for vengeance takes shape

Gi-hun could’ve taken the money he won from the competition and traveled to a far-off tropical locale to live the good life. He didn’t. Instead, each episode of season 2 has found Player 456 on a disciplined path to save as many lives as possible and dismantle the games for good. So, instead of hopping on a plane and disappearing forever, he decided to squeeze his way back into these violent childhood games.

It was all for revenge. After the restroom battle, Gi-hun told his crew that the other side would come for their heads once the lights went out. They did exactly that. Instead of fighting back, though, he guided them all to wait under their beds until the guards came in. Even if his teammate Oh Young-il voiced some disapproval of the idea.

The attack happened in the dark, and several players were eliminated. Still, Player 456’s side waited silently. Once the doors opened and the Front Man’s henchmen came in to end the violence, they rose up, fought back and acquired enough guns to take down the whole operation.

Close, but no cigar

It was evident that Gi-hun wouldn’t completely succeed in this coup. But it was cool to watch the inmates realign themselves with the shared mission of regaining their power and escaping this hellhole once and for all. There were even a few moments when I thought they’d succeed.

The Front Man is a crafty sort of sociopath, though. Or should I say Oh Young-il? 

This entire time, Young-il had been cosplaying as one of the competitors in these games when, in fact, he was the evil one in charge. When he first entered the games and spoke with Gi-hun, Young-il emotionally revealed the reasons he’s playing the games: his sick wife was pregnant and desperately needed medical care they couldn’t afford. 

Was this a lie? Or could there have been some truth to this story, potentially revealing Young-il’s origin story before he took on the role of Front Man? Whatever the case, it was a delicious narrative tool that has certainly added further fuel to Gi-hun’s fire. 

Gi-hun didn’t learn the Front Man’s identity. Not yet. After getting close to taking out the control room, Young-il revealed over the walkie-talkie that he and his men were taken out. Soon after, Gi-Hun and his old friend Park Jung-bae were cornered by the sinister man in the black mask and his hooded henchmen. To pay for his insolence, Gi-hun watched as Jung-bae was murdered. 

That’s it. That’s the ending. There was no closure and no hint at what will come next. Except grief, rage and a bigger drive to destroy this place, no matter the cost. Will Detective Hwang Jun-ho find the island? How will Gi-hun’s time in the gauntlet change moving forward? Actually, how will everyone involved be punished? That remains to be seen, but something tells me these games are about to get much more sinister.