And the Winner of Netflix’s Inaugural Squid Game: The Challenge Is…

Warning: This post contains spoilers from the Netflix finale Squid Game: The Challenge.

Through 10 nail-biting episodes, Squid Game: The Challenge whittled down 456 players to one winner: Mai!

The eliminations leading up to Mai’s victory were nothing short of grueling, with each episode brimming with competitive spirit as players fiercely schemed, betrayed and fought for their chance to take home the $4.56 million prize money that changes life.

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During the game, players crossed the finish line in Red Light, Green Light, licked their way through difficult Dalgon cookie shapes, jumped over a glass bridge with doors, and participated in various other childish games similar to the more deadly viral Netflix reality show predecessor, Squid game.

However, only three players would make it to the finals — and only one would take home the prize.

Squid Game: The Challenge prize of $4.56 million.

Courtesy of Netflix

PLAYER 016: ALONE

Despite Sam’s tall height, he deliberately kept quiet to get to the end.

“I grew up as a little gay boy in a very religious family,” he said in the confessional. “I’m pretty confident in my ability to keep my cards close to my chest.”

After avoiding almost certain elimination in Dalgona and Warships, the close alliances he built saved him during the tests and games that followed. Thanks to his “civil decency” strategy, the 37-year-old Florida artist managed to stay away from the backstabbing tactics of other players, which also put him in a minor conflict with the other finalist, player 287 Mai.

“I was trying to play this game in a way that I would be proud of [also in line with] how I would behave in the outside world,” Mai said in episode 9. “As long as we watch our hearts and our humanity, because we all have that good core.”

With the prize money, Sam planned to buy a large art studio for his work, help his husband with his film projects, help rescue animals and invest wisely.

Squid Game: The Challenge’s player 451 Phill, player 287 Mai and player 016 Sam.

Pete Dadds/Netflix

PLAYER 287: MAI

Mai has never been a stranger to difficult challenges. Before her journey on the show, she came to the United States as a refugee from Vietnam when she was just 8 years old. Since then, her strict upbringing has helped her “stay strong” through single parenthood, a 20-year career in the Navy and now in Squid game universe.

During the show, Mai made both friends and enemies. It was during the Dorm Loyalty Test that she saw herself “break the chain” arranged by the other players by choosing to save her friend Player 286 Chad. The pair grew close and eventually formed a group with other players, calling themselves “The Snack Pack” and calling Mai “Mai Tai”.

Mai later encountered another controversial moment when she clashed with 278 player Ashley over what Mai called the latter’s “selfish” behavior during a tense game of Glass Bridge. When she tried and failed to eliminate Ashley in a later dice game, Mai only managed to isolate herself from some of the remaining players in episode 9.

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However, she returned to “self-preservation” mode in the Circle of Trust game by eliminating her ally in player 418 Roland instead of one of her rivals. “I have to do what I have to do to survive,” she said.

The 55-year-old immigration judge planned to use the prize money to buy a house to retire in and donate to causes she cares about.

Squid Game: The Challenge prize of $4.56 million.

Pete Dadds/Netflix

PLAYER 451: PHILL

Phill said he never had big plans to enter the final. In fact, the self-proclaimed “go-with-the-flow guy” said he never planned any of the challenges until he stepped into the dorm room.

“I basically have no strategy for this,” he said. “I’m kind of going in blind. I really just have no idea how this is going to go.”

Despite his initial lack of preparation, the Hawaii-based diving instructor was able to survive the challenges, successfully carving the Dalgona star, winning the Battle of the Marbles and correctly guessing who placed a gift box on his desk twice during the Circle of Trust.

Like his other finalists, the Brazilian native built a stronghold of key alliances — but also betrayed others, including his friend Player 355 Hallie during Circle of Trust.

Surprisingly, Phill declared his intention to give most of the prize money.

“If I suddenly became a millionaire, I wouldn’t keep most of the money,” he said. “My family and friends have helped me a lot throughout my life and I have never been able to reciprocate.”

FINAL FEAST

Like the end of script inspiration, episode 10 didn’t take long to get down to business.

After a hearty meal, the final three players were instructed to participate in a game of chance, in which they pressed a button that could change or change their fate in the game.

“Never a treat without a trick,” declared Phill.

Mai decided to shoot, declaring, “I want to be in control of my destiny.”

The button she chose to press was of “zero consequence”, leaving Phil and Sam with a 50/50 chance of being guaranteed a place in the final and the option of choosing their contestant – or instant elimination.

Sam decided to take advantage of his luck – which unfortunately ran out. “Having everything I’ve worked for stolen from me just by accident is more than I can bear,” he said through tears.

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Squid Game: The Challenge.

Courtesy of Netflix

WINNER

After reciting the Lord’s Prayer and one last night of sleep within touching distance of the historic $4.56 million prize, Mai and Phill learned that their final game would be an all-time classic: Rock, Paper, Scissors.

“I am so happy because this is my childhood game,” said Mai in the confessional. She added of her strategy: “Playing against a grown man, they tend to gravitate towards the rock and the scissors because it symbolizes the power within them. The rock is solid and strong, and the scissors have the power to cut and are also strong.”

In round 1 she chose paper and beat Phil’s stone. She picked the key from the glass case, hoping it would open the safe that symbolized victory.

No such luck.

The game went round after round, with Phill admitting that he was “throwing at random” as Mai watched his decisions closely and adjusted accordingly. As the number of keys dwindled, she hoped that her reliance on strategy would eventually bring her the ultimate victory. “I think I can win,” she confirmed.

Phill still held out hope, saying: “This could be the biggest moment of my life. This could change everything. I think of all my friends, all the sacrifices they’ve made. I think of the people back home and how badly I want to help them . I think of all the people I’ve ever wanted to help in my life.”

In the end, Mai found the key to the safe – and to her dreams.

“I don’t know whether to cry or to be happy. I don’t know what to do,” she told Phil in a moment.

In a confessional interview, she said: “Today just confirms that anything is possible. Even when [you] feeling down and scared, you have to pull yourself together, be a strong person and focus. Whatever you fear, fight it with everything you have and you can achieve anything. And I proved that tonight. I’m a winner.”

Squid game. YOUNGKYU PARK/Netflix Everything You Need to Know About ‘Squid Game’ Season 2

Netflix first announced the reality show in June 2022, then announced the second season order for the “biggest reality competition series ever” before the first season finale.

And the sequence at the end of the finale — which followed joyous shots of several of this season’s fan-favorite players enjoying their lives (yes, lives!) after the competition — teased a new season coming with signature black boxes with pink bows and another round of sinister pickup trucks in the middle of the night.

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1st season Squid Game: The Challenge can be streamed in its entirety on Netflix. Season 2 hiring is now open at SquidGameCasting.com.

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Source: HIS Education