One of the best things about being a show in its final season is the ability to be true to yourself without the added pressure of future installments, and this is something Squid Game uses to its full advantage. Killing off the main hero in Seong gi-hun (Lee jung-jae) was a huge risk, but it worked perfectly for the story and served a brilliant purpose, as his death unfolded in the only way his character should have. Far from being shocking for its own sake, it’s a moving message about what we value in life and what things we should consider important. Other shows would do well to follow Squid Game‘s lead since it proves that even untouchable characters can be killed off with dignity as long as they get the attention they deserve.
‘Squid Game’ Could Afford to Lose Its Main Character
Most shows don’t have the advantage of reaching an end on their own terms, especially Netflix shows, as the streamer is notorious for canceling most shows prematurely, but the stunning success of Squid Game guaranteed it would receive as many seasons as the creators wanted. The concept could grow stale very quickly, so Season 3 needed to have something truly unexpected for audiences to care. And this time, Netflix really swung for the fences in the end. Their solution, killing off the main character, might feel like it was done for shock value, but there are genuinely valid story reasons for why it transpired in the finale. Additionally, the fact that the show was renewed for two seasons, effectively one massive season split in half, meant the series could wrap up its story and characters quickly and on its own terms. The show might not be completely invulnerable to the demand for more content, but with no obligation to keep the main show going, Squid Game could focus entirely on crafting the best storyline it could imagine during its final season.
Arguably, Squid Game was never truly destined for a happy ending, and the creator has acknowledged that the concept would not fit with the story he hoped to convey as a reflection of the world we all live in. Instead, what we get is bittersweet, with emphasis on the bitter half. The death of Seong is certainly tragic, but that does not make it nihilistic or hopeless. In fact, it really serves as an inspiration for others, much more than a second victory could have done, and represents the older generation selflessly giving way to the newest.
The Sacrifice of Seon gi-hun Changes Little – And That’s Why It Works
When one watches the last episode of Squid Game and its ending, it could be tempting to conclude that the series finale was a nihilistic exercise. After all, the games still go on (and even expand), all the VIPs escape justice, and the purest player in the game is killed. However, this reading overlooks why Seong chose to reenter the games in the first place, which was not to win again but to save human lives and make a broader statement about humanity as a whole. By that metric, dying for an infant is the exact method he could have hoped for, and it reawakens the last remnants of humanity within Hwang In-ho (Lee Byung-hun) What Seong understands is that the greatest reward is not the prize money but being the best person you can be and refusing to become the same dark figure as In-ho evolved into. Earlier, the Front Man asks Player 456 if he still believes in the goodness of people, but Seong gives his answer with his last words: “Humans are…” whatever we choose to become.
In a sense, stopping the games might have been too idealistic since even if the VIPs were caught, the demands of new patrons and the desperation of future players will always continue as long as inequality exists in the world. Instead, what Seong achieves is more modest, proving the persistence of good despite everything working against him and moving In-ho to the point of providing for his own daughter. To be clear, he’s not infallible, and he needs some motivation to regain his moral composure, but once he returns in full force, Seong feels unstoppable. Player 456 might not have saved the world, but he saved those who were closer to him, and that remains just as important in the end.
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This is the most impossible decision to make.
‘Squid Game’ Reminds Us That Any Character Is Expendable
When it happens, the ultimate sacrifice of Seong gi-hun feels deeply shocking, but in retrospect, it was the only ending Squid Game could have chosen when the final round neared its closing minutes. From a narrative perspective, it would have felt redundant to have Seong win the games again since we’ve already seen the cost of his victory on his soul and how “winning” did more to ruin his life than anything. His death also fixes a rare issue that has been present in the show ever since the very first season. Seong’s victory is one of the few predictable elements in a series that has proven to be a master of plot twists in previous seasons. Having him defeat every challenge at the last second sometimes felt like plot armor and, while he never perceived it this way, even gave him a vague sense of invincibility. By taking that away, the show reminds us that he is still just as mortal as the other players and that his only superpower is his humility. Had it been done purely for nihilistic kicks and shock value, Seong could have bitten the dust much earlier, but instead, the show gave his death maximum impact and perfectly concluded his storyline.
Other shows might balk at the idea of killing the main protagonist even when it is a fitting conclusion to their story, since it goes against everything we would expect from film or TV. Yet, that taboo nature of it is what makes the death of Seong so effective in the final season. What Squid Game inherently knows is that any character can be bumped off, even your biggest star, as long as the death fits the story you want to tell and the theme you hope to convey. Seong got his own message across loud and clear, and those who loved him are all the better for his decision.
Squid Game
- Release Date
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2021 – 2025
- Network
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Netflix
- Showrunner
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Hwang Dong-hyuk
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Wi Ha-jun
Detective Hwang Jun-ho
