Did Player 398 break the rules? Squid Game: The Challenge finale divides viewers

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Trinity Savon Parriman, known as Player 398, was a finalist on Squid Game: The Challenge Season 2, and a surprising choice he made on the Netflix show has sparked a lot of debate among viewers.

Like the other players on the Squid Game reality show, Trinity has experienced a lot of ups and downs. During a recent challenge called ‘Mingle,’ he was kept from helping a friend, which upset him so much that he cried.

After winning Marbles, he eliminated Player 181, Manel. Then, during Slides and Ladders, Trinity unexpectedly avoided playing the game and advanced directly to the Circle of Trust.

He overcame numerous challenges to reach the final five contestants. That’s why his choice in Squid Game: The Challenge Season 2, Episode 9 was so unexpected. Be warned – spoilers follow!

Did Player 398 break the rules?

Okay, so at the very end, my character, Player 398 – everyone calls me Trinity in the game – well, I had to make the ultimate sacrifice. I basically figured out the solution and told everyone else what to do to win. The crazy thing is, I didn’t cheat or exploit anything! I played it all by the book, honestly.

The test takes place during a dinner party with all the finalists: Trinity, Dajah (Player 302), Steven (Player 183), Agnes (Player 17), and Perla (Player 72). They find out that one of them will be eliminated, leaving only four players to compete in the final challenge.

The game uses five coins – four gold and one black. The first player hides the black coin along with one of the gold coins in their hands, then offers both closed fists to the next player, who chooses one, taking the coin hidden within.

If you end up with the black coin, you take another gold coin and offer the black coin to the next person. This keeps going until everyone has had a turn guessing. Whoever is stuck with the black coin when the game ends is out.

The order in which people take their turn is decided randomly – each seat has a numbered napkin. This means the first person has a significant advantage over someone going later, like fifth.

But none of that is important, because Trinity – who’s next in line – reveals to the first player, Steven, that he actually wants the black coin. At first, everyone assumes he’s kidding, but they quickly understand he’s serious.

Everyone tried to convince him otherwise, but Trinity became emotional as he explained why he was making the decision. “I’m doing this because I truly appreciate all of your stories,” he said, “and I’d be happier seeing one of you win instead of myself.”

I’m not doing this for attention, and I’ve talked about it a lot. It’s just really hard for me to keep sending people home, especially because I’ve gotten close to each of you. It’s truly upsetting, and I can’t continue.

After the first round, Trinity shows the players which coin is which, allowing them to correctly identify it and eliminate him from the game.

Although it’s unusual, what happened doesn’t break any rules. From the start, Squid Game: The Challenge has permitted players to withdraw from the game, and there’s no rule stopping contestants from sharing information to assist others, even if it means putting themselves at a disadvantage.

Why Trinity’s choice is dividing Squid Game: The Challenge fans

The decision sparked mixed reactions from viewers. Some felt he should have let another player participate sooner, while others applauded his unselfish play.

One Reddit user expressed disappointment with Trinity’s choice, stating they didn’t find it honorable to reach the final five and then claim others were more worthy.

If he didn’t want to compete, he shouldn’t have joined a show built around eliminating contestants. He was just as capable as anyone else, but he threw it all away for no good reason. It’s incredibly frustrating to see someone give up like that.

Someone else strongly agreed, saying it was incredible that over 400 people competed for a top-five spot, only for this player to give up without much effort. They felt it was a waste of a place and questioned why he even signed up if he wasn’t serious about competing.

Someone else chimed in, saying they were tired of debating who needed the money more. They pointed out it’s a game show – the person who wins the games should get the prize. If it were about hardship, Netflix could simply ask for stories and award the money to the most deserving case based on that.

Someone pointed out the criticism Player 183 received because of his poker experience and past winnings. They argued, “It doesn’t matter what your life was like before – this is Squid Game, not a life story competition.”

If you’re upset with someone for having money and seemingly benefiting from the popularity of Squid Game, you should also be critical of the show itself. After all, Squid Game’s premise revolves around exploiting the struggles of impoverished people for entertainment.

Some viewers thought the show should have handled the situation differently. One person suggested the contestant should have been immediately disqualified, saying, “Just get him out of here and continue the game.”

Someone suggested it would be good if contracts included a fine for players who quit or refuse to participate in a game, but acknowledged that this likely wouldn’t work because only the winning player receives payment.

One person even suggested Trinity might have tricked the other players. They theorized that Trinity, after being second to choose, could have continued to honestly claim the black coin was with players three and four.

So, should you deliberately mislead the fifth player about where the black coin is – for example, telling Player 17 – as a way to avoid being eliminated?

“I briefly thought he was going to go for it,” someone commented, and another agreed, “It would have been more exciting to watch.”

While some disagreed with Trinity’s choice, many people supported it. One person commented, “I really admire his decision. It’s rare to see such selflessness these days, and it was a moving way to share his story.”

Trinity’s TikTok account has been flooded with supportive comments. One person wrote, “You’re truly inspiring, and your strong faith in God is incredible.” Another commenter praised his willingness to make such a significant sacrifice.

“You’re so kind,” one person said. Another chimed in, “Trinity, you’re incredibly selfless. I rushed over here after seeing what you did.”

People are now voting for him to be on Season 3 of the show. For those who don’t know, Netflix is currently looking for contestants for the third season. You can apply to be on the show yourself, and you can also vote to bring back a contestant who was eliminated in Season 2.

Voting for Trinity is no longer possible, as the finalists have already been chosen. You can still cast your vote here.

Want to learn more about the winner of Squid Game: The Challenge Season 2? We’ve also got a ranking of all the challenges from the show, details on whether the show is real or staged, and a list of other new shows coming to Netflix this month.

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2025-11-19 07:50