Warning: SPOILERS ahead for Squid Game season 2, episode 3.Squid Gameseason 2 brilliantly reverses one Gi-hun scene from the Netflix show’s first outing, and doing so drives home the impact the tournament has had on the character.Squid Gameseason 1’s endingleaves Gi-hun traumatized and committed to getting revenge after his first time in the Squid Game competition. The newest episodes bring Lee Jung-jae’s character back to the deadly tournament, and many aspects of his experience inSquid Gameseason 2 mirror things from season 1. However, there’s one great reversal thrown into episode 3.

While the first two chapters of season 2 see Gi-hun and Hwang Jun-ho planning to take down the Games, the third installment fully throws Gi-hun back into them. “001” marks the return ofSquid Game’s most famous game— Red Light Green Light — and the voting process (but with a new twist). It also sees the players taking photos before the Games begin, and Gi-hun’s is a far cry from his season 1 headshot. In fact,the Netflix show intentionally reverses his iconic season 1 picture to highlight his character’s evolution.

Gi-hun smiling in Squid Game season 1

Squid Game Season 2, Episode 3 Reverses Gi-hun’s Iconic Smile Scene

He’s No Longer Posing With A Big, Goofy Grin For The Photo

One of the most recognizable images fromSquid Gameseason 1 is Gi-hun having his photo taken before the tournament begins. As Gi-hun has no idea what’s to come, he smiles happily at the camera. It’s a big, goofy grin that conveys how excited he is for a second chance at life, freed from his gambling debts.This is one of Gi-hun’s most iconic moments fromSquid Game’s first season, and season 2 puts a new spin on it.

this brilliantSquid Gameseason 2 moment really shows how much Gi-hun has changed since the beginning of the series.

Imagery-from-from-Squid-Game,–Alice-in-Borderland,-and-Snowpiercer

WithGi-hun competing in the Squid Game tournament again,he’s forced to go through the introduction process and take another photo in “001.“This time, he glowers angrily at the camera rather than smiling. His stare is meant for the people who organize the Games, conveying how much contempt he has for them. And this brilliantSquid Gameseason 2 moment really shows how much Gi-hun has changed since the beginning of the series.

This Reversal Shows How Much The Squid Games Have Changed Gi-hun

He’s A Much Angrier Person After All That’s Happened

Gi-hun’s new picture for the Squid Game tournament highlights how his character has changed, showing that he’s a much angrier and less hopeful person than he used to be. This rage is justified, as Gi-hun has spent thethree years beforeSquid Gameseason 2dwelling on the cruelty and injustice of the tournament. Watching his friends die and being treated as though he’s worthless has clearly left a mark on Gi-hun, even if he still manages to see the good in people.

10 Best Shows Like Squid Game

Squid Game will air the final season in 2025, but ahead of the final outing, there are several great alternatives to keep fans of the show satisfied.

Squid Gameseason3 will likely see Gi-hun changing again, but without another competition, the series must find clever new ways to convey that. Season 2’s scene reversal does an impressive job of saying a lot without saying anything, bringing the story full circle in the process. Hopefully, the creators will feature more clever callbacks in the final outing.

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Squid Game

Cast

Squid Game is a South Korean series released in 2021 that follows numerous financially struggling participants who are invited to partake in children’s games with deadly outcomes. As they compete, they vie for a substantial cash prize, all while navigating lethal challenges orchestrated by mysterious figures.