Afrigather 
This story incorporates spoilers for Squid Recreation: The Problem.
The dystopian South Korean drama Squid Game is now a actuality. On November 22, Netflix debuted Squid Game: The Challenge, a weird reality competition show the place contestants can play the video games from the favored sequence. It is an uncanny expertise; members pretend their very own deaths upon elimination, and brazenly cheer for a large piggybank of money. The allegory of Hwang Dong-hyuk’s work could also be misplaced, however the spinoff nonetheless captured audiences’ consideration this vacation season. In accordance with Deadline, the premiere drew in 1.1 million households throughout its opening weekend.
Over the course of 9 emotional episodes, the taking part in subject of 456 rivals—all vying for a $4.56 million prize—shrunk to only three finalists. Because the December 6 season finale, we lastly know the the identification of the fortunate winner. Once more, people: flip again now if you have not watched Episode 10 of The Problem fairly but.
Nonetheless right here? OK, then. In The Problem‘s grand conclusion, we meet up with the ultimate three gamers within the competitors: Mai (Participant 287), Phill (451), and Sam (016). They sit down for a steak dinner, however in fact, there is a twist. They’re offered with three buttons, all with various penalties. So, with the straightforward press of a button, Sam exits the competitors.
Subsequent up? A not-so-friendly recreation of rock, paper, scissors. Emerge victorious from a spherical and also you draw from a field of keys—one in every of which opens the profitable protected. Ultimately, Mai, the 55-year-old immigration adjudicator, pulls the profitable key. The extraordinarily crafty participant, grandmother, and Navy veteran—who left a war-torn Vietnam when she was simply eight years outdated—gained the primary season of The Problem.
We do not hear too a lot from Mai from that time on. The episode’s closing moments present a montage of a number of gamers who’ve returned to the true world, together with Trey, Leann, TJ, and sure, Mai. She sticks her bank card in an ATM and sees a cool $4.56 million ready for her. Cheers to you, Mai.
Assistant Editor
Josh Rosenberg is an Assistant Editor at Esquire, holding a gentle food plan of 1 film a day. His previous work might be discovered at Spin, CBR, and on his private weblog at Roseandblog.com.
