Squid Game Recap: Leap of Faith

by

As pink-clad personnel start clearing bodies from the hide-and-seek chamber, a participant in red lunges at a soldier with a knife. A second soldier fires to prevent harm, and the survivor removes his mask to unveil… a Caucasian man? Oh my, the wealthy VIPs and their intriguing vernacular are now on this island, which signals more hardships for our players since the Mastermind must keep these high-rollers entertained. It seems In-ho has been devising fresh methods to do just that, such as making the game interactive and permitting them to don costumes to hunt individuals they consider vermin simply because of their poverty status.

35 individuals were removed during hide-and-seek, leaving 25 still playing (excluding the baby that Jun-hee is currently learning to nurse). The Lead Person assures the VIPs that the players will opt to carry on with the games, as the dorm brawl has likely made them uneasy about voting against the majority. However, Nam-gyu, who’s worried about losing Thanos’ necklace and is in a panic about proceeding without it, switches to X. On the other hand, Min-su, now possessing the necklace, looks directly at Nam-gyu before switching to O.

Geum-ja, having let down her hair following her son’s use of her hairpin, becomes increasingly distraught as the O votes accumulate. She halts a participant and implores him for mercy, subsequently addressing everyone with humility. As she supplicates on her knees before the group, pleading for them to halt the game and rescue Jun-hee and her infant, no one dares look at her. Her heartfelt appeals and tears serve as amusement for the VIPs, yet they fail to alter the outcome. With Gi-hun, who has been restrained to a bed once more following his suicide attempt in the previous episode, surrendering his vote, the final tally stands at 16 to 8, favoring the continuation of the game.

Jun-hee is ridden with guilt, but Geum-ja tells her all she needs to focus on is her baby from now on. After putting the new family to bed that night, Geum-ja confronts Gi-hun about his self-blame and he remains silent. She reflects on how life isn’t fair, as good people like Yong-sik torment themselves while bad ones live carefree. She remembers a time when she was angry at the way he lived and told him she wished he wasn’t her son, wanted to pretend he didn’t exist, and wanted him gone. That night, he attempted suicide, leaving a note expressing his regret for being a disappointment. When she took him to the hospital, she vowed to protect him at any cost. However, as she admits to Gi-hun, it was her who ended up taking his life with her own hands.

In a different wording: Gi-hun is persuaded to act by her. She makes no attempt to explain why, instead asking him to aid Jun-hee and her infant, asserting that he entered the game to rescue everyone. Gi-hun hesitates and claims he’s not the kind of person for such deeds. We know his own life is a struggle for him, let alone saving others. However, Geum-ja persists, emotionally insisting that the baby shouldn’t suffer due to being born in this game.

At dawn, the players stir from sleep, finding a coffin being brought into their midst. The soldiers had prevented Gi-hun from ending his life, but apparently showed no concern for an elderly woman’s suicide, as Geum-ja was found hanged the previous night. Jun-hee and her baby begin to cry, while Myung-gi weeps from afar. However, there is little time for mourning before the next game commences. Initially, Jun-hee considers leaving her newborn in the dorm, but her maternal instincts prevail. Still recovering from childbirth and nursing a wounded foot, she finds it difficult. Gi-hun advises her about the baby’s safety, and eventually, Jun-hee entrusts her daughter to him with Myung-gi looking on.

Jun-hee limps her way through the stairwell, expressing that she believed having a child would bring her joy as it would mean she’d never be lonely again. The passing of Hyun-ju and Geum-ja leaves a heavy burden on her heart, but Gi-hun comforts her, stating it wasn’t her fault. He emphasizes that each person makes their own decisions. Gi-hun reveals he was not an ideal father to his daughter, yet the time spent watching her grow was the happiest period of his life. It appears as though Gi-hun has found a new sense of direction in the game. We’re unsure if he still desires death, but it seems that he no longer lives solely for himself – he guarantees Jun-hee that he will assist her in safeguarding her baby.

In this fifth game, orchestrated by the colossal dolls Chul-soo and Young-hee, involves a jump rope challenge on a lofty, slender bridge. The high-ranking individuals are pondering whether a baby should participate alongside Jun-hee. One of these influential figures, intoxicated, wagers on Jun-hee, initially objecting to the idea. However, his peers suggest that it might benefit Jun-hee, as mothers can sometimes tap into extraordinary strength when their children are in jeopardy – a fact I’m aware is true, but seems quite demanding for a woman who should be convalescing during her postpartum period for the next two to three months.

In this scenario, the players have the freedom to choose their sequence for moving over, but they’re given only 20 minutes to reach the other side. Gi-hun notices Jun-hee’s swollen ankle and suggests he could assist her in crossing, advising her to leave her baby on this side due to its condition. However, a pink soldier informs them that the baby will be considered as one of the players. Eventually, Jun-hee requests Gi-hun to take care of her child instead.

In a chilling turn of events, Nam-gyu, who was desperately dependent on his medication, was provoked into crossing first by Min-su. Min-su dangled a cross necklace before him, tossed it onto the bridge, and taunted him to retrieve it. Believing it contained the drugs he craved, Nam-gyu bravely went for it. However, upon opening the necklace, he found it empty. In an unexpected act of revenge, Min-su had removed the last pill from it. This revelation left everyone stunned as Nam-gyu was tragically pulled off by a mechanical rope and met his demise.

Gi-hun and Jun-hee’s baby are about to cross the bridge next. As he walks across, he encounters a gap in the middle which almost causes him to lose his footing a few times, but he manages to stay steady for the most part. The other players cheer when he reaches the other side and lifts Jun-hee’s baby up, promising to return for her. However, he has to wait as more players join him on the bridge. Player 96 is the next one to cross, but instead of following, he pushes the next person back, claiming it’s part of the game. When Gi-hun questions his actions, Player 96 just smiles and says he’s playing the game.

In our military narrative, No-eul successfully carries an injured Gyeong-soek upstairs, disguised as Soldier 16. She places the deceased doctor in Gyeong-seok’s soldier uniform, creating an illusion that Soldier 16 initiated a firefight among soldiers. However, a thorough examination of the operating room eventually uncovers the truth due to the chip within the genuine 16’s corpse. The officer then begins arranging for 16’s transfer, but No-eul sneaks into the vents and forces him at gunpoint to aid in their escape with Gyeong-seok. She requests to be deployed on perimeter patrol outside, using the imminent arrival of VIPs as leverage. He gives her a boat key along with her next meal as assignment.

In the meantime, Jun-ho’s investigation is now showing promising results. Captain Park urges Jun-ho not to venture to an island that Jun-ho believes is where he was wounded by In-ho. This suggests that the Squid Game island might be close, and they plan to commence their search at daybreak. Woo-seok has previously informed Jun-ho that the locals don’t recognize Captain Park, leading him to break into the captain’s residence in search of information. There, he discovers a photograph of the Recruiter. The captain’s dog escapes its enclosure and attacks Woo-seok, who responds by firing a shot. His accomplice, keeping watch, wakes up momentarily before dozing off again. Upon leaving, Woo-seok finds additional evidence stowed under the doghouse: sacks of money and soldier outfits in a pink hue. However, before he can depart, the police show up and demand that he raise his hands.

Can anyone prevent the Squid Game from continuing until its conclusion this year? The contestants are becoming increasingly hostile, and they outnumber the guards. It appears that the game’s outcome might hinge on external factors such as Jun-ho reaching the island, No-eul and Gyeong-seok finding a means of escape, or Woo-seok managing to persuade the authorities to intervene. At present, these possibilities seem doubtful, but since we’re still in the middle of the series, it might be premature to lose hope.

Parting Shots

It’s hard for me to accept that Hyun-ju was killed during Pride Month. Her absence is deeply felt in this episode. I have a feeling she could have managed to cross over with Jun-hee carrying her and the baby.

Regardless if they’re quoting DC, Marvel, or Yogi Berra, I can never guess what the VIPs will say next. Their dialogue sometimes feels strange to me, yet it leaves me questioning if it’s deliberate, perhaps a way to portray their detachment and distinctness from ordinary people.

In this gathering, there’s a woman among the high-profile individuals. Despite her financial status allowing her to overlook those less fortunate in this setting, she hasn’t been immune to misogynistic comments and sexual undertones from her fellow VIPs. It seems that women, regardless of their role in this game, have often faced strange interactions with men – from No-eul as a soldier to Se-mi and Jun-hee, both players. Quite disheartening!

Read More

2025-06-27 17:58