This text incorporates spoilers for “Squid Sport” season 2.
“Squid Sport” season 1 was a world phenomenon and simply the most important hit Netflix has had outdoors of “Stranger Issues.” The Korean loss of life sport thriller a couple of man who accepts an invite to affix a sick contest to win cash by enjoying twisted (and lethal) variations of kids’s video games captivated audiences in all places. It was gory, surprising, and terrifying, but additionally enjoyable and reasonably poignant in its commentary about class and capitalism.
The second season acknowledges that the shock is gone, however as an alternative leans into the viewers’s prior information of the premise of the video games and weaponizes that towards them. This season is darker, meaner, and crueler, as if creator Hwang Dong-hyuk was rebelling towards the capitalist techniques that made the primary season of “Squid Sport” a world hit, but prevented him from seeing any of the rewards, by making a second season may make audiences remorse ever desirous to see extra.
Season 2 sees season 1 protagonist Seong Gi-hun (Lee Jung-jae) return to the video games in an effort to close them down. He spends each passing second making an attempt his finest to persuade gamers to vote towards persevering with the loss of life video games, and making sure they know who the actual enemy is. At each flip, nonetheless, he’s undermined and compelled to observe as extra folks die horrible deaths for completely no motive aside from the sick amusement of wealthy monsters.
One of many folks main the cost to proceed the video games despite the various deaths is participant 230, also called Thanos. Performed by Choi Seung-Hyun, also called T.O.P., Thanos is a shock to the system and a jolt of chaotic vitality that “Squid Sport” wanted to keep up its stability between absolute horror and twisted enjoyable. But, when the world wanted him most, Thanos suffered a gradual and painful demise.
Why Thanos needed to die
Thanos is likely one of the finest characters in “Squid Sport” season 2. He is an unpredictable anime character delivered to life — a man who dances alongside to the catchiest tune of the season realizing full nicely he is about to face loss of life. He is additionally the form of one who immediately begins talking English simply to appear cooler and even throws in a little bit of Spanish for good measure. T.O.P. is principally enjoying an exaggerated model of himself on the present and even straight references a few of his dances and performances. Likewise, the story about Thanos forgetting his lyrics in the course of the finale of a rap present echoes T.O.P. doing the identical factor in actual life.
Thanos initially seemed to be a form of Joker determine for “Squid Sport,” ie. a pressure of mayhem and amusement that does nothing however survive by a hair and would do something he may to mess with everybody else. That’s, till, he ultimately met a grotesque finish when he is killed within the rest room throughout a struggle amongst the gamers. As Hwang defined to The Hollywood Reporter, this second was meant to indicate how folks can lose sight of the battle towards the system and as an alternative activate each other regardless of being on the identical aspect. In his personal phrases:
“We’re developing with so some ways to divide us. We expect everybody’s our enemy. Everybody’s somebody you are towards. On the opposite aspect of that, I believe we ask much less questions on our elementary techniques which have made us behave this manner, and have created this type of surroundings. I wished to have the struggle between the folks replicate that.”
As for why Thanos needed to die, Hwang admitted he is one in every of his favourite characters, nevertheless it was the proper time to kill him off. “I’ll admit, I do suppose the loss of life was sudden,” the creator added. “It was very intense, which was the proper method at simply the proper time for him to go. The way in which he leaves the story, in case you watch till the third season, it’ll virtually really feel as if he is nonetheless there in some methods by way of how he impacts the plot.”
“Squid Sport” season 3 will premiere on Netflix in 2025.
