Gosh, I know this show is a binge watch but I still needed a few moments before going on to the next episode to first process what happened in Squid Game season 3 episode 2. It was quite eventful in the most heartbreaking and complicated way possible.
Jun-hee (Player 222) has her baby. To protect them both, Geum-ja (Player 149) kills her son Yong-sik (Player 007) with her hair pin. Plus, Hyun-ju (Player 120) lost her life when she came back for Jun-hee and Geum-ja. And our main character, Gi-hun aka player 456, he killed Dae-ho (Player 388). I mean, I still have no words.
Though we're here for what comes next, and this one is definitely another jam-packed episode that broke my heart a little more. Here's a recap of Squid Game season 3 episode 3, "It's Not Your Fault" on Netflix. SPOILERS BELOW.
Goodbye Geum-ja
This episode is aptly named as there's decisions many of the players have now made that they didn't think they ever would. The biggest of course is Geum-ja and the fact she killed her son to protect Jun-hee and the baby. Jun-hee blames herself and apologizes to Geum-ja. But she doesn't blame her and tells her to only think of her baby from now on.
There's 25 players left after hide and seek, and in a twist the VIPs got to participate as they were disguised as pink guards. Ugh. Geum-ja begs everyone to just stop here, obviously the poor thing has reached her breaking point. She tells them she's lived long enough, but the mom and baby should have a chance to get out. She even goes as far as offering her share of the wins. Geum-ja is completely breaking my heart here. Though it's still not enough for the rest of the greedy players who want to continue on. And unfortunately, they do. More on that in a moment.
Resigned to their fate, or as it seems, Geum-ja comes to Player 456 and tells him about how her son always blamed himself for everything. One day when she yelled at him about it, he overdosed and left a suicide note. She thought at that point she'd do anything to keep her son but in the end, she's the one who killed him. This snaps Gi-hun out of his own despair a bit from the shock of this confession.
She goes on to beg him to protect Jun-hee and the baby because it's not that little girl's fault she was born into all of this. Geum-ja still believes he is there to save them all. Um, I don't know about that girl. But she has faith in Player 456. Plus, it had to do with what came next because she has done more than enough to protect Jun-hee.
Devastatingly, Geum-ja hangs herself and that's how they all find her in the morning. I am just speechless. This show. I knew most of these characters, if not all, were going to die. I just didn't expect this. Ugh. She is the truest of heroes, and didn't deserve to have all of this happen to her. Ironically, she was basically telling Jun-hee and Gi-hun not to blame themselves, but she blamed herself for her son's death. RIP beloved Geum-ja.
The worst game possible for Jun-hee: Jump Rope
The horrible tragedy snaps Gi-hun out of it once and for all, and he tries his best to fulfill Geum-ja's dying wish. He's going to help Jun-hee and her baby get through this. Jun-hee blams herself once again for Geum-ja and Yong-sik's death's, but Player 456 tells her that it's not her fault. They've all made certain choices in here, and now she has to protect her baby no matter what. He's also going to help her do that.
We're on to the fifth game my friends, and it's literally the worst one for Jun-hee to face. Jump rope. If you remember not only is she recovering from just giving birth, but she twisted her ankle bad. And yikes. It looks even worse now. Red Light, Green Light's doll Young-hee is back holding the rope from one end, while her boyfriend Chul-su holds the other as teased in the season 2 post-credits scene. The players have 20 minutes to get across.
In another crazy twist, the baby becomes a player and has to get across as well or she will be eliminated. This is because one of the VIPs bet on Jun-hee. But since she clearly can't jump and to satisfy him, it's suggested to add the baby into the mix. OH. MY. GOD. These people literally have no heart. They have a front row seat to it all as well.
Nam-gyu (Player 124) is losing his mind because he lost Thanos' cross with the pills to get him through the games. It turns out Min-su (Player 125) has it and goes to try to speak with him. Of course Nam-gyu is the jerk he is, which angers Min-su. I mean, rightfully. Not going to lie, but he deserves what happens next. Min-su taunts him with the necklace and throws it onto the bridge of the jump rope game.
The bridge definitely gives off the Glass Stepping Stones games from season 1. Nam-gyu being as desperate as he is, ends up being the first one on the bridge. He actually makes it and gets to the necklace, but Min-su had one more trick up his sleeve. He held onto the pill and the necklace is empty. Shocked and distracted by this, away Nam-gyu goes. And, eliminated.
Player 456 crosses the bridge with a baby in tow
Player 456 is not wasting any more time. Jun-hee asks him to take the baby because of her bad leg, knowing she'll be safer and have a much better chance with Gi-hun. He promises he'll get the baby accross then come back for her. I have a really bad feeling about this though, you guys. That ankle is really, really bad.
Again, look. We know Player 456 is going to survive this. Though it definitely doesn't make watching him with a baby strapped to him any less nerve-wracking. Like literally I don't think I was breathing through that whole scene until he got safely across. And that gap in the middle for an extra challenge? Not only was his life on the line, but the little baby's as well. Talk about no pressure. Phew.
After he makes it across and with the clock running out, the other players are encouraged to hop on. The next one to get through is Player 096, though he pulls a stunt. As the next player was about to win, he pushes him off. Again, unfortunately another easy way to eliminate the competition. These games truly do something horrible to people all for survival. It's crazy.
Mr. Choi connects some of the dots in Squid Game season 3 episode 3
Elsewhere in Squid Game season 3 episode 3, Mr. Choi continues to try and figure out just who Captain Park really is. He breaks into his home and finds a picture of him fishing with the Recruiter. We see a glimpse of this and of course Mr. Choi wouldn't have recognized him, but there's also a photo of Park with the Front Man too.
This immediately raises Mr. Choi's suspicions even further. Before that crazy dog gets its teeth into him, he also finds a bunch of money stashed away and a pink guard uniform indicating exactly who Captain Park really is. Plus, Detective Hwang Jun-ho finds the island where his brother, the Front Man, shot him. But it's not the same one where the games are played this year. Though he knows this likely means that it's not far.
As for the storyline with No-eul and Gyeong-seok (Player 246), she gets him to disguise himself as one of the pink guards. She comes back for the Masked Officer and threatens him. She tells him she wants a boat for them to escape because with the VIPs here, he probably doesn't want any trouble. And it turns out to be true. You go girl! Though the officer does end up finding out that the pink guard in disguise is actually Player 246.
Squid Game season 3 is now streaming on Netflix. Check out a list of all the season's recaps, here.
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