The surprising reveal at the end of the third episode of the ongoing season of Squid Game changed up the equation in a massive way, acting as a reminder that the game is always controlling the contestants, not the other way around. In-ho, the Front Man, who himself was the winner of the 2015 edition of the game, turned the tables simply by joining the game as the number one participant in order to ensure Gi-hun doesn’t get to exercise the advantage of being the former champion. However, contrary to the assumption of an intense rivalry brewing between the two, the fourth episode sees the duo allying—and In-ho’s motivations to do so seem sinister. Additionally, Guard 011 or No-eul’s past is brought to light, and her actions in the game arena cause dissatisfaction for a certain section of the game’s authorities.
Spoilers Ahead
In-ho befriends Gi-hun
Gi-hun is bummed out after the vote concluded in favor of the continuation of the game, and the one who cast the deciding vote, In-ho, decides to approach him and pretend to seek help through the rest of the five hurdles. Gi-hun can’t help expressing his disappointment over the fact that In-ho has put the fate of all the contestants in grave peril with his one act, but In-ho defends his stance by saying anyone else in his place would have chosen to vote in the favor of the game—to not draw the ire of the group driven by greed. In-ho further reveals his tragic past, how he was fired from his job while receiving financial help from his client for his pregnant wife’s medical expenses, maintaining that he will do whatever is necessary to ensure the safety of his wife and child. Now even though the previous episode had hinted there might be some truth to In-ho’s statements after all, he knows Gi-hun’s empathetic nature very well, and revealing his past to him might be In-ho’s way to emotionally weaken him.
Additionally, In-ho quickly becomes a popular face among the contestants, as he defends the cryptocurrency fraudster YouTuber Myung-gi from the attacks of Thanos and Nam-gyu. The crypto guy appears to be more pathetic than initially assumed, as one of the contestants, Jun-hee, who is pregnant with his child, is revealed to have been swindled by him in the scam as well. After learning about her pregnancy, Myung-gi seems shocked at the fact that she didn’t decide to abort the child, and Jun-hee appears determined to bear the burden of parentage alone. During lunch, Jang Geum-ja, the elderly contestant who is the mother of another participant, Yong-sik, shows kindness to Jun-hee and offers her food as additional sustenance for her child. Gi-hun’s friend, Jung-bae, who is an ex-marine, befriends a young marine cadet, Dae-ho.
Why Were The Games Changed?
Assuming the second game is going to be Dalgona, the tricky honeycomb shape cutter game where players have to carve out four distinct patterns, Gi-hun shares his knowledge about the game and advises players to select the triangle shape as the easier option. However, it was already quite clear that In-ho would not let Gi-hun interfere with the natural progression of the game, and it was further made obvious when the Dalgona game was replaced by a totally different five-member team game. The players who trusted Gi-hun’s words appear furious as they feel he has misguided them, but In-ho pretends to still have his faith in Gi-hun.
The new game appears to be a combination of a modified version of a three-legged race (in this case, six-legged due to five members) and five different minigames designated for each of the team members. Inability to successfully complete the minigames and the race in time results in disqualification, i.e., being shot to death. Gi-hun’s team consists of In-ho, Jung-bae, Dae-ho, and another marine, but when Jun-hee approaches the team with the plea to be included, the marine is replaced with her. Mother-son duo Geum-ja and Yong-sik face rejection from all the groups, and they pair up with Hyun-ju, a transgender woman, a shaman, and another girl—all of whom faced rejection from the others as well.
Will No-eul Get In Trouble for Insubordination?
The fourth episode offers a glimpse at No-eul’s past through a conversation between her and one of the managing officers of the game. No-eul had been killing participants remorselessly, not because she needed money for the treatment of the kid, as initially assumed, but due to a debt she owed to the unnamed managing officer in the arena. The officer had rescued No-eul in a critical condition when she crossed the border from North Korea and had promised to find her newborn son. In exchange, No-eul promised to follow the officer’s orders without question and killed the disqualified participants. The officer had convinced her that she was doing a favor for the hapless, desperate people who participated in the game, freeing them from their miserable existence by killing them. However, No-eul drew a line when it came to the desecration of the departed. After learning there is a secretive organ trafficking ring going on within the game arena, No-eul made sure to not leave a single injured participant whose organs could be harvested. She killed all the fatally injured contestants, much to the dismay of the officer who was involved in the organ harvesting ring. As he summoned No-eul to question her about her actions to actively prevent the organ harvesting, she remained undeterred and refused to follow his command. During the second phase of the game of ‘Six Legged Pentathlon,’ the disqualified contestants were killed, and even the injured ones who were hurriedly taken into the coffin were clinically dispatched by No-eul. Her defiant demeanor might get her into trouble with the game authorities later on.
On the other hand, Jun-ho and Woo-seok try to reach the authorities regarding Gi-hun’s abduction and the game island situation, to no avail. Without anything at their disposal to back their claims, their statement means nothing to the Seoul police department. As the second game goes on in full swing, character dynamics start getting interesting. Thanos and Nam-gyu seem to be up to no good and can cause mayhem by putting others’ lives in danger. The outcast team appears to be the dark horse in the tournament and might subvert expectations in upcoming episodes.
