Squid Game Season 3 Episode 4 Recap: 222

The fourth episode of ‘Squid Game‘ season 3, titled ‘222,’ introduces some startling twists into the narrative as Jun-Hee and Gi-Hun’s newfound partnership is threatened by a major event that forces the former to make a difficult choice. In the previous episode, we saw Gi-Hun take responsibility for Jun-Hee and her baby’s life, especially after Geum-Ja reminded the protagonist about his main reason for returning to the game despite winning it once before – to save people from losing their lives. This was further reinforced when Geum-Ja died a day later, succumbing to the guilt and regret of killing her son in episode 2. Thus, supporting Jun-Hee renews Gi-Hun’s sense of purpose, forcing him to step outside himself and do the right things for others in need. SPOILERS AHEAD.

Jun-Hee Makes a Tough Call in Light of Rising Tensions

The episode begins exactly where the third episode cuts off, with Player 96 acting as a barrier for those trying to make it to the other side of the bridge as part of the rope jump game. After seeing 96 throw several contestants off the bridge, Gi-Hun decides to take matters into his own hands, threatening the man to stop or risk being thrown off himself. 96 has no choice but to step down, opening the passage for others to make it across. The protagonist ushers them to safety while keeping an eye on Jun-Hee, who tries to jump on her injured leg, testing her physical limits. Unable to watch her quietly suffer, Myung-gi offers to help Jun-Hee across. However, she makes her resentment towards him clear, citing how he killed Cho Hyun-Ju heartlessly during the hide-and-seek round, thereby accusing him of prioritizing money over people’s lives. As a result, Myung-gi backs off.

As Gi-Hun desperately helps people across the bridge, he is ambushed by Player 96, who is angry that the protagonist is allowing so many people to live. After a brief scuffle, Gi-Hun throws 96 back onto the bridge, following which the rope sweeps him off and sends him to his death. With one hurdle out of the way, Gi-Hun tells the remaining players to hurry up as time is running out swiftly, and he still needs to save Jun-Hee. However, his efforts prove futile as not enough time is left at the end of the round to complete the trip back and forth. Instead, Jun-Hee urges Gi-Hun to stay where he is and look after her baby. Although Gi-Hun refuses initially, he can do nothing about it as Jun-Hee chooses to step off the cliff, sacrificing herself so that her offspring might survive in the hands of someone she trusts.

The Baby Enters the Game

In another part of the complex, No-Eul and Player 246 (Park Gyeong-Seok) are sent for outer perimeter duty, with the latter posing as a guard. They climb up through a ladder to come out into the fresh, open air of the island. Meanwhile, the winning contestants from the rope jump game head back to the common room. Watching them on their screens, the VIPs in the lobby ponder over whether to eliminate Jun-Hee’s baby now that Jun-Hee herself is dead. However, The Front Man (In-Ho) suggests entering the baby as a player, stating that it will spice things up. To that end, the baby is assigned its mother’s designation – Player 222. The news about the baby’s inclusion in the game is revealed to the participants, who are enraged that their prize pool is being split with the child. Although they wish to kill it, they are stopped by the guards from causing any further bloodshed.

At the police station, Choi Woo-Seok is questioned by the detectives about his reasons for trespassing on Captain Park’s residence. Woo-Seok tries to alert them about Park’s involvement with the game, but his words are entirely ignored. On the boat, Detective Hwang tells his mercenary crew they are close to the island where the games are held. However, they must act swiftly to save Gi-Hun before something bad happens to him. When Hwang asks Park where to search, the sea captain crosses out an entire section of the sea, stating that nothing is to be found there. Later, while outside the cabin, he receives a phone call from the cops, alerting him that Woo-Seok is onto him. He proceeds to have a cryptic conversation with Hwang before heading to his pilothouse to order the other boat’s captain to kill everyone.

Captain Park Finally Shows His True Colors

Following his exchange with Captain Park on the deck outside, Detective Hwang receives an urgent call from Woo-Seok, who tells him everything about Park’s real identity. Shortly after the call, Woo-Seok’s phone is seized from his hands by the cops, and he is taken into custody. In the meantime, Park gets his plan into motion by gunning down the entire mercenary crew in the cabin save for their leader, Kim. Already alert to the exchange of gunfire, Hwang ambushes Captain Park from the back with a spear gun, taking him out before he can eliminate everyone on the ship. As he lies dying, Park reveals that he was told to save Hwang no matter the cost when he fished him out of the waters years ago. The detective realizes that his plans to save Gi-Hun are severely damaged now that the crew on both boats have been largely annihilated.

Back at the games, the remaining contestants are treated to a lavish dinner before the start of the final game. Gi-Hun watches Jun-Hee’s baby with anxiety while the others dig in. Soon, a guard steps forward to feed the baby from a milk bottle, soothing his worries momentarily. Moments later, the players are told to vote whether to stop the game and evenly split the final prize or forge ahead. However, before the voting process begins, they are given a hint for the final game – they have to agree on three players to eliminate mutually. Enthused by the prospect of playing such a game, nearly everyone votes to keep playing except for Gi-Hun and Min-Su. As an end to the evening, the players raise a toast, wishing each other good luck for the last round.

The Front Man Proposes a Brutal Solution to Gi-Hun’s Problems

After treating Kim’s wounds, Detective Hwang begs him to help him dismantle the game and save Gi-Hun, even if the situation looks bleak without their squad. He also tells him that his brother is on the island. However, even if Kim agrees, there is no possible way to find the island with the limited manpower at their disposal. This leads Hwang to remember that Captain Park marked out a whole section of the sea as a no-go zone, stating that the island would not be located there, meaning it was likely in that specific vicinity. On the island, we see No-Eul and Park Gyeong-Seok mount a boat, ready to leave and return to the mainland. As they sail away, she receives a call from the marked officer, telling her to turn around because he knows all about Park Gyeong-Seok’s identity and where to find him once he hits the mainland.

The warning from the marked officer forces No-Eul to reconsider as she turns the ship around and heads back to the island. Once it touches the shore, she dismounts, telling Gyeong-Seok to head back home and save his daughter, Na-Yeon, who is dying from cancer. He sets off while No-Eul heads towards a vent located on a cliffside, scaling the rocks as she looks to enter the complex discreetly and with an element of surprise. In the meantime, the contestants inside start plotting against Gi-Hun and the baby, stating that they are unified in their decision to eliminate him when the final round begins. As they head to bed, an awake Gi-Hun is approached by a guard, informing him that he has been invited upstairs by the Front Man. A pensive Gi-Hun accepts the invitation.

Once in the main office, Gi-Hun is requested to sit as the Front Man meets him again. The latter reminds Gi-Hun that the other players in the game are now actively working on killing him and the baby during the final round. As such, the Front Man offers the protagonist a knife, handing him the opportunity to slit everyone’s throats. However, the killing has to be done right now because they are still heavily drunk and enjoying the comforts of a full belly, making them less vigilant to danger. When Gi-Hun expresses his reservations about the plan, the Front Man stops the charade and removes his mask. Although the reveal is startling, the protagonist cannot bring himself to kill the man. Gi-Hun walks out of the office with the knife in his hand as the Front Man asks him a familiar question – “Do you still have faith in people?”