Squid Game Season 3 Ending Explained: Unraveling Gi-hun’s Final Choice and a Shocking Twist

Dive into our Squid Game Season 3 Ending Explained piece as Netflix’s gripping finale, released June 27, 2025, leaves fans stunned by Seong Gi-hun’s ultimate sacrifice and a bold cameo that redefines the series’ future.

Hwang Dong-hyuk’s dystopian saga wraps with heart-wrenching decisions, a controversial baby twist, and a glimpse of global games, sparking heated debates across X and critics’ reviews.

This breakdown decodes the ending’s key moments, verified reactions, and what lies ahead, ensuring you understand every layer of this polarizing conclusion.

What Happens in the Squid Game Season 3 Finale?

Season 3 follows Gi-hun (Lee Jung-jae) after Season 2’s failed rebellion, culminating in the brutal Sky Squid Game on three towering pillars. Players must push one competitor off each pillar, leaving Gi-hun, Myung-gi (Yim Si-wan), and Jun-hee’s newborn (Player 222) as finalists. After Jun-hee’s (Jo Yu-ri) death, Gi-hun vows to protect her baby.

Myung-gi, the infant’s father, turns vicious, attacking both in a knife fight to win the 4.56 billion won. Gi-hun prevails, but with only him and the baby left, the rules demand one death.

Facing the Front Man (Lee Byung-hun), Gi-hun declares, “We are not horses. We are humans,” and steps off, sacrificing himself. The baby wins, and the Korean games end as the island self-destructs.

Why Does Gi-hun Choose to Sacrifice Himself?

Hwang Dong-hyuk crafted Gi-hun’s death to symbolize hope for future generations. “The baby is our future,” he told Tudum, noting Gi-hun’s act rejects the Front Man’s belief in humanity’s selfishness.

This moral stand sways In-ho, who ensures the baby’s safety, delivering her to Jun-ho (Wi Ha-jun) with the prize money. X reactions vary: @felsa_skz praises Gi-hun’s choice as “heroic,” believing it dismantled the Korean games, while @transjunhee argues it’s “pointless” against global capitalism.

Critics like Variety call the sacrifice “profound,” though Slate questions its impact given the games’ persistence elsewhere.

Who Survives the Squid Game Season 3 Finale?

The Squid Game Season 3's ending clarifies the survivors. Player 222, Jun-hee’s baby, wins and is entrusted to Jun-ho with the prize money. Jun-ho escapes the island’s destruction, unable to stop the games.

No-eul (Park Gyu-young), a pink guard, flees to find her daughter, and Gyeong-seok (Lee Jin-wook) reunites with his recovered child after No-eul’s rescue. Key players like Hyun-ju (Park Sung-hoon), Geum-ja (Kang Ae-sim), and Myung-gi die in games like Jump Rope and Hide-and-Seek.

The VIPs and most guards escape, highlighting the system’s durability. A touching nod sees Sae-byeok’s brother reunite with their mother, honoring Gi-hun’s Season 1 promise (The Hollywood Reporter).

What Is the Significance of Cate Blanchett’s Cameo?

A jaw-dropping moment in the Squid Game Season 3's ending is Cate Blanchett’s cameo as a ddakji-playing recruiter in Los Angeles, signaling the games’ global spread.

Hwang chose Blanchett for her “magnetic presence,” aiming to “shock” viewers with a female recruiter (Forbes). While some link this to a David Fincher-led U.S. spinoff, no confirmation exists (ScreenRant).

X users are divided: @lemona1ide sees it as proof of the games’ unstoppable nature, but @SukunaOnFN calls it a “forced Hollywood plug.” Critics like Collider view it as a chilling reminder of capitalism’s reach, amplifying the finale’s stakes.

Do the Games End in Squid Game Season 3?

Hwang confirms the Korean games cease with the island’s destruction, orchestrated by the Front Man to evade Jun-ho’s pursuit (People). However, the ending reveals the global games persist, underscored by Blanchett’s cameo and the VIPs’ escape.

Tom’s Guide sees Gi-hun’s sacrifice as a moral victory, urging reflection, while Slate deems it futile against systemic greed. On X, @Maria vents frustration that Gi-hun’s death didn’t halt the global cycle, while @Reddit’s r/squidgame debates whether the ending critiques or glorifies capitalism’s resilience. The ambiguity fuels discussion.

How Have Fans and Critics Responded to the Ending?

The Squid Game Season 3 Ending Explained reflects a 78% Rotten Tomatoes score, with critics praising Lee Jung-jae’s “gut-wrenching” performance (IGN) but critiquing the baby twist’s “implausibility” (The Guardian). Variety lauds the “cinematic” finale, while NPR finds it “predictable.”

X reactions range from @Maki_K’s “mind-blown” awe to @realTuckFrumper’s curiosity about the “Hollywood twist.” Some fans, like @transjunhee, hail the baby’s symbolic victory, but others, like @Reddit, call the ending “underwhelming” compared to Season 1’s 94% score.

The sacrifice and cameo dominate debates, with @felsa_skz defending its emotional weight.

What’s Next for the Squid Game Universe?

Hwang declares Season 3 concludes Gi-hun’s arc, but the ending teases future projects. Blanchett’s cameo hints at a U.S. spinoff, possibly under Fincher, though unconfirmed (Den of Geek).

Hwang is open to exploring side stories, like the guards’ lives, with new characters (The Verge). Netflix’s Squid Game: The Challenge and global expansions signal the franchise’s growth, but critics like OTTplay warn against diluting its impact.

X users like @IGN speculate on prequels, while fans debate if new stories can match Season 1’s brilliance.

Highlights of Squid Game Season 3 Ending  

• Winner: Player 222, Jun-hee’s baby, wins 4.56 billion.

• Gi-hun’s Fate: Sacrifices himself to save the baby, defying the system.

• Survivors: Baby 222, Jun-ho, No-eul, Gyeong-seok, Front Man.

• Cameo: Cate Blanchett as a U.S. recruiter, hinting at global games.

• Korean Games: End with island’s destruction; global games persist.

• Themes: Sacrifice, hope, and capitalism’s grip.

• Release: June 27, 2025, 6 episodes, TV-MA.

Some Closing Thoughts:

The Squid Game Season 3 Ending Explained unveils a finale that’s as divisive as it is unforgettable, with Gi-hun’s sacrifice and Blanchett’s cameo sparking endless debate.

While the Korean games end, the global fight continues, challenging viewers to ponder hope versus despair. Stream Season 3 on Netflix, share your thoughts on X, and brace for the franchise’s next move.

Was Gi-hun’s choice a triumph or a tragedy? The answers lie in the games’ haunting legacy.