Alice In Borderland Season 3’s Perfect Story Would Ruin Season 2’s Ending

The perfect storyline for Alice in Borderland season 3 would ruin season 2’s finale, which shows how tricky it will be for the Netflix series to continue past the original manga. Alice in Borderland season 2’s ending answered a lot of questions and wrapped up all of the show’s storylines, strongly suggesting it would be the end of the series. Surprisingly, Alice in Borderland season 3 was confirmed by Netflix, and it is now unclear in which direction the show will go following Arisu’s return to the real world.

Alice in Borderland revealed that the Borderland was some sort of after-life the characters inhabited after going through a near-death experience that lasted only one second in the real world. The Netflix live-action manga adaptation remained faithful to Haro Aso’s story, including in the finale. Just like what happens in the manga, neither Arisu nor his friends recall what happened during that one minute, which is something season 3 might have to undo if it wants to bring all the characters together once more.

Alice In Borderland’s Characters Need To Regain Their Memories In Season 3

Arisu and the other players need to find each other again

All Alice in Borderland characters who survived the events of the show and returned to the real world have lost their memories and do not remember what happened in the Borderland. Not only did this make it more difficult to comprehend what exactly the Borderland is, but it also brought a sense of finality to the series. With most of the main characters back in the real world and with no memories of their previous experiences, it seemed like there was little to no room for Alice in Borderland to continue past season 2.

However, now that Alice in Borderland season 3 is happening, it will be virtually impossible to continue the story if the characters do not regain their memories. If Arisu, Usagi, and the others never remember what happened during their shared near-death experience, it would be as if Alice in Borderland’s first two seasons never happened. The Netflix series cannot throw away all the character arcs and relationships that were built in seasons 1 and 2, meaning Alice in Borderland’s protagonists will have to regain their memories at some point in season 3.

Naturally, Alice in Borderland season 3 should not reverse season 2’s ending right away. It will be interesting to see how the lives of Arisu and Usagi turned out to be, and whether they became a couple despite not remembering all the things they went through together. The same applies to the show’s other main characters, all of whom got a second chance and are now quite different from before the accident. The first few episodes of Alice in Borderland season 3 could even explore how the survivors feel like they are forgetting something important.

Alice In Borderland’s Characters Regaining Their Memories Would Undo Season 2’s Finale

Season 2’s finale didn’t leave much room for a sequel

Having Arisu and the others regain their memories of the Borderland is arguably essential for season 3 to work, yet it is undeniable that this would undo part of season 2’s ending. Alice in Borderland season 2’s finale brought the series full circle, explaining where the characters were this whole time, and why their lives were connected. Similar to what happens in the manga, Netflix’s Alice in Borderland saw most of the surviving characters wake up in the real work after declining to stay in the Borderland.

The decision of whether or not to stay in the Borderland was a symbolical, almost spiritual illustration of each character’s battle to make it through their wounds and survive at the hospital. Alice in Borderland didn’t get into detail as to how that near-death experience worked, which is why it made sense for the characters not to remember where they were during the 60 seconds they spent dead. However, if season 3 restores their memories, much of what Alice in Borderland season 2’s finale built will lose its meaning. The characters will know exactly what they experienced during their critical minutes at the hospital.

Alice In Borderland Season 3 Only Works If Season 2’s Finale Is Retconned

Alice in Borderland no longer has the manga to cover

Regardless of whether the Alice in Borderland characters will regain their memories soon, Alice in Borderland 3 will only make sense if at least some aspects of season 2’s finale are retconned. It is important to note Alice in Borderland season 2, episode 8 matched the end of the manga, meaning there is nothing else for the Netflix series to pull from the source material. The only exception is Alice in Borderland: Retry, a two-volume manga that follows Arisu a few years after the events of the main story and does not feature the other characters.

Assuming the Netflix show will not cover the events of Retry, it is safe to say Alice in Borderland season 3 will be an original story. Alice in Borderland has been a relatively faithful live-action manga adaptation so far, yet the series will now have to find its own identity to continue past the source material. The biggest way Alice in Borderland season 2’s ending differs from the manga is the Joker card cliffhanger in the episode’s final shot, which does not happen in the source material and could be season 3’s main storyline.

Alice In Borderland Season 3 Has A Difficult Task After Season 2’s Perfect Ending

What will Alice in Borderland season 3 be about?

From whether to restore the characters’ memories to how to continue past the manga’s ending, Alice in Borderland season 3 has a lot of challenges ahead of it. While it is exciting to return to the world of Netflix’s Alice in Borderland and revisit characters like Arisu and Usagi, it remains to be seen how the new season will compare to the first two. There are successful examples of adaptations that continued beyond their source material, but there are also examples of movies and TV shows that failed at doing so.

One promising aspect of Alice in Borderland’s next season, though, is that it will be very unpredictable. With no manga to consult, not even those well-versed in the Alice in Borderland lore will be able to predict what the show is going to do next. For example, the Joker in the Alice in Borderland manga is a minor character, whereas the Netflix adaptation is positioning the Joker card as the show’s next major story. Hopefully, Alice in Borderland season 3 will live up to the first two while also surprising viewers.

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