I watched all six episodes of Squid Game season 3, and it's as deadly as ever, surprisingly emotional and ties up (most) of the iconic show with a haunting red bow

Squid Game season 3 marks the much-anticipated conclusion to one of the best shows on Netflix. In season 1, Gi-hun, aka Player 456, finds himself invited to take part in a series of games for a 45.6 billion won prize pot. Unfortunately, the only way to claim said prize is to become the only player out of 456 to survive with their life.

As a rule, I really don’t watch shows like this. The idea of knowingly witnessing a lot of death is a hard choice to make, but when I heard the hype about how psychologically twisty it is throughout, I realised it was so much more and I’m really glad I listened.

Squid Game at first glance, is a torturous and sadistic nightmare. And pretty much no matter how you look at it, that's really what it is. But, if you delve deeper, it's a human experiment that breaks down every single part of a person to see how they'll react when faced with their own pretty much inescapable fate. A fate that they chose after their individual actions led them there. And then, when faced with the chance to become a hero or a villain in any given game, it's a shock or a relief to see the final path they choose.

After season 1 though, it seemed impossible that more episodes could be made given how unique the premise was. And, to be honest, I wasn’t sure if I could take another series of jaw-droppingly horrific deaths hidden under the guise of whimsical childhood games.

But, Gi-hun dramatically returned in season 2 for revenge – throwing himself back into the deadly games. So, I sat myself back down for what turned out to be, as I said in my Squid Game season 2 review, “another thrilling ride”.

Then came season 3 and having watched all six episodes, I’m going to find it really hard not to give anything away. Not only was season 3 full of more sickening twists and a whole lot of stabbing, but it was also surprisingly emotional. It turns out, in my own response to witnessing their trauma, I’d grown an attachment to the Squid Game characters through director Hwang Dong-hyuk’s incredible storytelling. So, watching the deaths in this final season was even harder.

And if there’s one thing Squid Game isn't, it's predictable. For season 3, Gi-hun is forced to continue the games following his failed escape plan, losing his close friend in the process and falling for the unknowing betrayal of Front Man, aka Player 001.

Then, there’s Guard 11 hoping to save a player she knew from outside the games. Oh, and add in that Front Man’s real-life brother is determined to hunt him down on the island. It’s a lot to pack into six episodes, but by no means did any one episode feel rushed.

I'm afraid to tell you that, by and large, the season 3 players are overwhelmingly nasty by nature. Fortunately, while there's a lot of background players that make decisions that I was seriously appalled by, the main characters they draw focus to throughout season 3 are, it seems, primarily good at heart. And there's some heartbreaking decisions that left me pausing the show and walking off for a few moments alone.

But as the games continued in their usual and predictably horrifying fashion, because ultimately that's what the show is about, I will say that there's a specific point when it all becomes a touch outlandish. If, of course, the proposition of murder games wasn't already too much for you.

Without giving too much away, an unexpected new player joins the games and their presence is pretty unbelievable (as are the VIPs' reactions to their arrival). But, without it, I fear the same emotional moments littered throughout the final season wouldn’t have been as harrowing. And in turn, I don’t think the season as a whole would’ve been as good.

There’s another outlandish moment though that I definitely could’ve done without. The final scene of the entire show leaves a door open that I really wish had been shut for good. Just as I felt there was hope for redemption for one particular character, fixing wrongs by doing the right thing finally, I’m not quite sure there is.

Ultimately, while I’m satisfied that some parts of the show were tied up in an albeit haunting red bow, I’ve got more questions that I want answered. And, knowing that this is the final season, I’m aware that I’ll never get that closure. But then, isn’t the sign of a great show one that leaves you thinking about it for years to come? And maybe I missed something… One day, when my heart is ready to take the drama, I’m sure I’ll watch it all over again.

All episodes of Squid Game are available to stream on Netflix now.