‘Alice In Borderland’ Season 2, Episode 1: Recap & Ending, Explained: Did Arisu Survive The King Of Spades’ Game?

The first season of “Alice in Borderland” ended on a serious note; it didn’t bring any happy endings but a new challenge for the survivors who entered the game of life and death. Well, the finale provided us with the revelation that Mira is the antagonist of this show, and there’s no surety if she’s the only game master present in this dimension. Mira is one of the main villains responsible for a sudden shift in the world, and although Arisu, Usagi, Kuina, and Chishiya are expecting to return to their world, Mira has other plans. She congratulated them for being a part of all the upcoming games that might decide the outcome of their future. All of them returned to the Shibuya crossing, where Arisu began his first game. The projector didn’t display any rules or announcements about the game. Suddenly, Usagi heard a cryptic noise coming from a distance and concentrated on it for a while until many people arrived in their cars, claiming that the game had begun. Out of nowhere, a person was shot down with an assault rifle, and none of the players could figure out the sound or the distance from which it was coming. All they could do was escape and move around without stopping anywhere. The team decided to split up and hide behind different vehicles. A plane moved around the sky and had a huge king of spades card attached to it. Arisu determined that the shooter was the king of spades and only one person was responsible for the shootout. After they split up, Arisu and Usagi managed to find hideouts. Arisu spotted a masked figure walking toward them, and everyone concluded that the masked man was the king of spades.

They had no choice but to escape; the figure was too close to them. Luckily, from a distance, Arisu spotted Ann driving a car, and she helped them escape from the particular location. Chishiya couldn’t step inside the car since the masked man threw a grenade near the car; he immediately moved away from the car and signaled them to leave the spot. Kuina was worried about him, but Arisu assured him of his safety since Chishiya was well aware of it. Ann took them away from the shooting spot, and the group began discussing various possibilities related to Mira’s personality and existence. Moreover, the battlefield spans the whole city; the plane flew everywhere, signaling that the entire city was the playground this time. There is a possibility that Mira is working with various other game masters that are present in this world. For some reason, Mira was very enthusiastic about the killing spree that went along with the games. Despite all the pain and suffering, Mira enjoyed the bloodbath.

Spoilers Ahead


Did Arisu And His Team Escape The Masked Man? 

Ann was surprised to learn that Mira is a game master. By this time, everyone is convinced that winning these games wasn’t enough to get back to the real world. Meanwhile, Arisu and the team were followed by a group of four people whose motive was to stay alive. They didn’t notice that a masked figure had climbed into the car, preparing his next move. He killed each one of them and followed Arisu’s car. The masked man pulled onto their side and started shooting vigorously; the bullets didn’t hit anyone, and speeding up the car was the only option left. Tatta and Ann switched places to ensure a better driving experience, as Tatta’s driving could’ve killed them in an instant. Overspeeding led to an imbalance, and Ann lost complete control. They met with an accident, but luckily none of them were severely injured. Arisu and his team met more survivors, and some of them decided they wanted to die. Surviving was a challenge, and many players wanted to end this misery to ensure that death took them away from all the pain. 

Ann was separated from the whole team, while Arisu and the team found cars to keep moving around the town. This world guaranteed them a place with no bills to pay, but Tatta wanted to be home again. Even though life was challenging in the real world, there was no fear or suffering around them. Arisu found a convenience store and decided to pick up some food supplies for the team. It reminded him of his friends and the moments he spent with them. Usagi changed a lot of things for him; somehow, she projected a positive outlook into his life that Arisu lacked in his house. They reminisce about all the fun moments, which include eating yakisoba and reading all the new mangas that are released almost every week. Things took a different turn when Usagi found an article about her father’s disappearance and began questioning Arisu about his life experiences. Gradually, she opened up to him and shared every detail about her father. 


How Did Arisu And Usagi Find Closure In Each Other?

Usagi wanted to know more about Arisu’s life experiences, so she chose to share her story and talk about her experience with her father’s death. Before the world turned upside down, Usagi was living a lonely life. The media called her father a liar for claiming to have climbed Mount Everest without an oxygen tank. Several suspicions were raised, and the media began following them everywhere. In broad daylight, Usagi’s father left their home happily but never came back. Even today, her father’s whereabouts are unknown, and his body was never discovered. Usagi couldn’t understand her father’s pain, but living in this world gave her an insight into the kind of perception her father had. He hated this world, and he wanted to find a different and better place to live. Usagi felt the same way; she doesn’t want to go back to the real world because she hates living there. Without a second thought, Arisu embraced Usagi and reflected on her statements. 

The duo understood each other because Arisu had similar experiences, and even though the details aren’t clear, it is confirmed that Arisu’s mother played a very important role in his life, and losing her was one of the major challenges in his life. He couldn’t surpass that pain, and life became monotonous without his realizing that he was losing multiple opportunities in his life. Despite all this, Arisu wanted to try again and give more chances to his life and to become a better person. Arisu promised to protect Usagi and save her from every danger. Usagi apologized to him and shared her thoughts, stating that neither of them kept their word. People change, and they are often forced to forget the past. Now, things don’t make a difference; even if Usagi gets a chance to return, she will never choose to. Arisu wanted Usagi to believe in him, but she chose to avoid the conversation and step out of the convenience store.


Did Arisu Survive The King Of Spades Game? 

A whole day had passed, and there was no end to this game, so Arisu and the team began mapping out their locations to find more in-depth detail. They had to stay ahead of him, and interfering with their game might bring in more. With each passing day, the King of Spades stepped closer and closer. The King of Clubs was floating around the harbor, so Arisu and his team decided to follow it since club games are all about teamwork. According to Arisu’s interpretations, the king card might have more information. Once they reached the spot, there were five bracelets on a table, but the rules stated that the game masters needed five players for this game to commence. Suddenly, the whole team was surprised to know that Niragi was still alive as he managed to escape the fire. None of them believed Niragi; he claimed that he wanted to enjoy the game. While everyone was skeptical about their decisions, Usagi chose to wear the bracelet and enter the game. Arisu decided to follow Usagi since they might get all the answers! A gate connected to the harbor opened up, and the whole team stepped inside to get more information on the next step. 

Once they entered, other people started stepping in, and the king of clubs introduced himself as Kyuma. He introduced all the existing players that stood next to him. For some reason, Kyuma stood naked in front of everyone, stating that nudism is an upstanding practice, a social movement with hundreds of years of history. According to him, clothing is a social construct that doesn’t have to be a biological necessity. Arisu and his team were shocked by the fact that Kyuma and his team were citizens of this dimension. The episode ended on a questionable note, where Arisu and his team were left with multiple doubts since they never believed that this dimension would be inhabited by a native population as Kyuma and his team claimed to be a part of this world. Moreover, the next episode will determine the challenges that might take them a step closer to the real world.


See More: ‘Alice In Borderland’ Season 2, Episode 2: Recap & Ending, Explained: How Did Arisu Win The Game Of Osmosis?


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Raschi Acharya
Raschi Acharya
Raschi Acharya is a Mass Media graduate and she is currently working and living in Mumbai. From a very young age, Raschi was heavily interested in reading and writing. She prefers to write everything that her mind nurtures her to do as shaping up her imagination is her forte!

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