"We are not horses... we are humans."
Well, that finale was good... until it wasn't! I can see what they were going for... but the finale needed more drama, not for the suspense to end early and the rest of the episode to consist of a postscript, however satisfying it is to see Gi-hun's daughter, and Jun-ho, become rich, showing that the Front Man has some ethics.
It started well, though, with the suspense of the final game. The baby's father, in threatening to kill his own child, made sure that he deserved to die, as indeed he did. It was more of a surprise to see Gi-hun die, but on reflection it makes sense. He's a terrible father too, in parallel... and for him to win twice would stretch credibility. The whole scene played out brilliantly and with maximum suspense, and was positively vertiginous at times. Heights are really not my thing...
No-eul, after being on the verge of suicide, gets a nice little hint of hope. But it's not an entirely happy ending. The bad guys get away, and THAT final scene...
This is a flawed final episode. But it has its good points, and at least the characters are well-served.
As I have seen it right now, I am personally fine with the series finale we got, though I can understand those are mixed about it: I never expected Gi-hun to actually make it out of the games alive, and sacrificing himself so that the baby would live was a satisfying end to his arc. Considering the trauma and suffering heaped upon him, not just from his experiences, but the loss of friends and people he came to know, as well as his willingness to be as ruthless just like his enemies, it was probably just as well that he died, as had he lived the guilt would probably have destroyed him.
ReplyDeleteWhile I personally feel that Jun-ho, our detective on the boat, could have gotten to the island earlier, as the island's destruction felt quite rushed, I do like how the mystery of the Front Man is kept; the detective just shouts one question at his brother, who doesn't even bother to answer it? I feel the less you know about Front Man, the better because the mystery is kept intact. I also personally like the implication that the games are bound to continue, even if in some other form. Sure, it was grim but who cares about wanting a "justice served" ending/feels that it could be possible to stop such cruelty? The baddies win and the goodies lose! It works!
Am I glad that these extra seasons of Squid Game exist? Ultimately, I'm neutral on it. I'm glad that I watched them, but I think that the legacy of Squid Game might be stronger with its first season; it was a one off that can only be pulled off once and it was impossible to repucliate it afterwards.