Warning: SPOILERS ahead for Squid Game season 2, episodes 1-7.Squid Game season 2 is a worthy addition to Netflix’s hit series, and it surpasses season 1 in an area I didn’t think was possible. Squid Game season 1 was massively popular when it debuted back in 2021, and Gi-hun’s promise to bring down the tournament set up a thrilling premise for season 2. Overall, Squid Game season 2 delivers on its concept, continuing the show’s poignant commentary and bringing it to exciting new places. Squid Game season 2’s best episodes are on par with the heights of season 1’s, but not every installment lives up to it.
That said, there’s one area where season 2 blows season 1 out of the water, and it contributes to the new episodes’ success. For the most part, Squid Game season 2’s new characters are just as complex and compelling as those introduced in season 1. I wanted to root for Gi-hun’s new allies in the Games just as much as I wanted to see the “good guys” from season 1 walk away unscathed. However, Squid Game season 2 ups the ante when it comes to one group of characters: its villains.
Squid Game Season 2’s Villains Are Even Better Than Season 1’s
New & Old Antagonists Are More Compelling This Time Around
Like season 1, Squid Game season 2 boasts a variety of villains — from big bads, like the Front Man, to smaller antagonists, like the more ruthless players and Masked Men. Squid Game‘s sophomore season does a better job with all of them, making its villains far more compelling. New antagonists, like T.O.P.’s character, Thanos, and Nam-gyu, make up some of the most entertaining players in the Games. While players like Jang Deok-su served as minor antagonists in season 1, I found them less memorable than these two, or even tthe shaman, Seon-nyeo.
Related
Squid Game Season 2’s 10 Best New Characters, Ranked
Squid Game season 2 introduces a range of great characters, and the best ones bring both humanity and complexity to Gi-hun’s second tournament.
The Masked Men were also portrayed as something of a monolith in season 1, but Park Gyu-Young’s Squid Game season 2 character changes the narrative surrounding them. The newest outing takes the masks off, driving home the revelation that there are real people beneath the black masks and pink jumpsuits. They don’t exactly inspire empathy, but No-eul’s backstory suggests they’re just as desperate as Squid Game‘s players. This makes sense of their participation in the tournament and adds new layers to it.
Even the villains who appear in both outings of the Netflix series are actually a bit more interesting in season 2.
Finally, even the villains who appear in both outings of the Netflix series are actually a bit more interesting in season 2. Lee Byung-hun’s Front Man is allowed to shine thanks to Squid Game season 2’s Player 001 twist, and he’s easily among the biggest highlights of the season. The Salesman isn’t around for long, but Squid Game season 2 gives him a proper backstory and send-off, which I thought was befitting of his character. The increased focus on villains at every level really drives home how diabolical the Games truly are.
Season 2’s Villains Drive Home How Diabolical The Squid Games Really Are
They Cover Every Tier Of The System That Upholds The Tournament
Squid Game season 2 having better villains makes the tournament more engaging, but it also drives home how diabolical the whole thing really is. The newest episodes highlight antagonists from every tier of the Games. There are villains among the players themselves, but there are also guards and organizers manipulating them from a better vantage point. All of these people giving into their baser instincts keep the Squid Game tournament going, and that’s why it’s so hard for Gi-hun to dismantle it.
The larger villains, like the Front Man and VIPs, benefit from it, but they’re able to convince people below them in the hierarchy to back their interests as well.
I’m impressed by how well Squid Game season 2 covers every level of the Games, which are really representative of society overall. Injustice is allowed to continue because all kinds of people let it happen. The larger villains, like the Front Man and VIPs, benefit from it, but they’re able to convince people below them in the hierarchy to back their interests as well. By focusing on so many different kinds of villains, Squid Game season 2 conveys this masterfully.
I’m Even More Nervous About Squid Game Season 3 After Getting To Know The Front Man
Season 2’s Ending Shows How Terrifying He Really Is
The Front Man is obviously the standout villain of the newest episodes, and Squid Game season 2’s ending makes me even more worried about what’s to come. In-ho expertly manipulates the Games throughout the second season, and he clearly feels little remorse in doing so. The finale drives home how meticulous and impressive he is as a villain, with him tricking Gi-hun into believing that Young-il is dead and resuming his role as the Games’ leader. The Front Man even lets Gi-hun live so that he’ll suffer from the guilt of his uprising and its consequences.
Squid Game is confirmed for 2025.
The Front Man’s final season 2 scene bodes well for Squid Game season 3, properly raising the stakes and making him seem like an insurmountable challenge for Gi-hun. This is exactly how it should feel heading into the show’s final outing, and I’m at a loss for how Gi-hun will ever be able to defeat such a masterful enemy. Of course, it’s possible he won’t. Only Squid Game‘s third season can reveal what becomes of the show’s hero and the tournament overall.
In Squid Game, a mysterious invitation to join a competition is sent to people at risk who are in dire need of money. Four hundred fifty-six participants from all walks of life are locked into a secret location where they play games to win 45.6 billion won. Games are selected from traditional Korean children’s games, such as Red Light and Green Light, but the consequence of losing is death. To survive, competitors must choose their alliances carefully – but the further they go in the competition, the more likely betrayal will rear its ugly head.
- Release Date
-
September 17, 2021
- Cast
-
Wi Ha-joon
, Anupam Tripathi
, Oh Yeong-su
, Heo Sung-tae
, Park Hae-soo
, Jung Ho-yeon
, Lee Jung-jae
, Kim Joo-ryoung - Seasons
-
2
- Writers
-
Hwang Dong-hyuk
- Directors
-
Hwang Dong-hyuk
- Showrunner
-
Hwang Dong-hyuk
