This put up incorporates spoilers for “Squid Sport” season 3, episode 5, “○△□.”
After season 2 of “Squid Sport” premiered, one of many well-liked theories to emerge on-line involved Participant 100, aka Im Jeong-dae, performed by Tune Younger-chang. The idea goes that Participant 100, a deeply annoying and cynical outdated man who retains pushing for the video games to proceed, is definitely a VIP. (The VIPs, as season 3 reminds us, are the group of horrible, wealthy American friends who prefer to wager on the video games annually.)
This could imply that Participant 100 is aware of extra concerning the video games than he is let on, and it could assist clarify his callous perspective in direction of the lack of life round him. The twist would’ve additionally fleshed out his backstory, which includes him being over eight billion received in debt; it is laborious to even owe that a lot cash within the first place except you had numerous it to start with.
The recognition of this idea has much less to do with realism and extra to do with the thematic implications of such a twist. A former VIP exhibiting up within the video games would point out that not even these seemingly-untouchable jerks are protected from monetary instability and exploitation. Thus, revealing 100 as a former member of that group can be a significant complication to the present’s present wealth commentary, which has in any other case offered the 1% as being people who find themselves appropriate to imagine they’ll do something with out penalties.
The opposite “Secret VIP” fan idea considerations the perpetually nervous Participant 125, aka Min-su, performed by Lee Da-wit. Some followers believed that he, too, can be revealed as a secret VIP and that his nervous nature would turn into merely an act. The idea rests on the commentary that Lee Da-wit’s title is much like the unseen actor who voiced the deer-masked VIP in season 1, however that looks like a typical coincidence to me. Nonetheless, now that season 3 has arrived, we all know for sure whether or not both of those theories holds water.
The penultimate episode of season 3 kills each secret VIP theories
As those that’ve already completed season 3 can attest, each Participant 100 and 125 met their grisly ends with out revealing any secret VIP standing. In the end, the pair really feel to their deaths within the closing sport, and the following sequence finale has nothing to do with them. This may’ve been disappointing to any viewers who’d constructed up a much bigger backstory for them of their heads, though I am positive most followers have been simply joyful to see Participant 100 chew the mud.
Personally, I believe it is good that “Squid Sport” did not reveal any twists involving these characters. Participant 100’s arc works higher once you settle for him as a egocentric outdated man fixated on his pursuit of cash and never some quasi-spy with a trick up his sleeve. Equally, Participant 125’s tragic arc works finest once you view him as a timid younger man who could not discover his braveness when he wanted it most. In a kinder world, 125 might’ve discovered a supportive good friend group and labored on turning into extra assertive and assured; right here, although, he is surrounded by dangerous influences and always being thrown into conditions that deliver out his worst qualities.
Most significantly, the key VIP twist would not have labored as a result of, ultimately, the thematic argument “Squid Sport” is making is so simple as it appeared again in season 1: Wealthy jerks just like the VIPs are certainly imagined to be untouchable. The concept somebody as wealthy as these guys might fall so low as to be thrown into the video games themselves is reassuring, however “Squid Sport” would not subscribe to that notion. A rich particular person might find yourself within the video games, positive, however the motive the VIPs are so callous in direction of the gamers’ struggling is as a result of they consider, appropriately it seems, that they’re going to by no means be pressured into the identical monetary scenario.
“Squid Sport” is now streaming in its entirety on Netflix.
