Spoiler Alert: This article contains spoilers for Squid Game season 3.

Summary

Fans divided on Squid Game season 3 finale, with a 50% Rotten Tomatoes score.
Ending changed by creator to illustrate leaving a better world for the future generation.
The intense, grim conclusion of Squid Game leaves fans contemplating the heartbreaking finale.

Now that Gi'hun's (Lee Jung-jae) story has come to an end and fans are digesting the Squid Game season 3 finale, not everyone agrees with the way it wrapped up. The Netflix series premiered in September 2021 and from the first episode, viewers anticipated an emotional, dark, and impressive series with no easy answers. Creator Hwang Dong-hyuk crafted a terrifying and devastating world with clear villains, like the Front Man (Lee Byung-hun), and plenty of kind-hearted characters to root for. The show's success and popularity makes it tough to say goodbye and fans wonder if there could be a fourth season or some spinoffs.

Since it seemed unlikely that Squid Game season 3 would end on a happy and high note, it's no wonder that fans have conflicting thoughts about it. While the show has a low Rotten Tomatoes Audience Score, some viewers think the ending worked, and others aren't so sure.

Gi-Hun takes his photo in Squid Game Season 1.

Squid Game Fan Theory Suggests ‘Gut-Wrenching’ Ending For Gi-Hun That If Done Right Will Be A ‘Great Twist’

Squid Game fans have a new theory, which could be divisive but effective in ending the hit Netflix series.

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By Catherine Armecin Martin

Squid Game Season 3 Has A 50% Rotten Tomatoes Audience Score And Fans Can't Agree On The Ending

Although Squid Game is currently the number one show on Netflix, according to Flix Patrol, season 3 has a low Rotten Tomatoes Audience Score of only 50%. Several viewers were disappointed with the final season, and most of all, fans are divided on the series finale.

When glancing at the reviews on Rotten Tomatoes, many had high hopes for the final six episodes. One fan wrote:

"The third season leaves much to be desired, and that's where my disappointment. The ending was too rushed, and the consequences are empty, pointless plot twists that lead nowhere."

Another fan wrote:

"By far the worst season finale ever!"

Even those who enjoyed Squid Game season 3 think that the conclusion was lackluster. One fan wrote, "It needed a better ending, but overall it was great." However, while many think the show should have ended differently, others were fine with the way that it wrapped up. One fan praised the series because it "tied up all the loose ends." Another called it "a well deserved ending."

It's easy to understand why fans are so split on the series finale. At the end of Squid Game, Player 222, Jun-hee’s (Jo Yuri)'s baby, is crowned the winner. Gi-hun is left with the decision to save himself or the baby, and he decides to die so the baby can live. Before Squid Game season 3 was released, fans talked about what endings they didn't want to see, and some said they didn't want Gi-hun to die. Others thought the Front Man should die.

While many wanted Gi-hun to live, creator Hwang Dong-hyuk told Netflix.tudum.com that the ending sums up the theme of Squid Game. He said, "The baby represents the future generation" and he thinks people should "leave a better world" for youth. No matter how people feel about the finale, it's definitely powerful, which was the intention. There's no question that the ending would have been heartbreaking no matter what Gi-hun decided.

Squid Game Creator Hwang Dong-hyuk Changed The Ending

In-ho at the end of Season 3 - Squid Game

In an interview with Variety, Hwang Dong-hyuk explained that he had another ending planned, but then he thought about something else. He explained:

“In the finale, Gi-hun makes a choice, and originally, when I was just thinking about where the story was going to take me, it was actually the exact opposite choice.”

Although it's tough to watch Gi-hun die, it would have been worse if something happened to the baby. Although there is no question that Squid Game is a grim series and life feels hopeless for the main characters in every scene, there is a little bit of hope at the end when the Front-Man gives the baby money. Still, Gi-hun's death is one of the most upsetting, and there's no doubt that fans will be thinking about the Squid Game ending for a long time.

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