As with many survival games, the players in Squid Game relied on their strength and intellect to make it through each round. Each game was designed to weed out the weaker players, both in the rounds that centered on individuals and the ones requiring teamwork.
Throughout the competition, the contestants had to make decisions that meant life or death, with the added pressure of a ticking clock and looming, armed soldiers ready to eliminate all those who failed. Most of the choices the players made were self-serving, which wasn’t surprising in a game of survival. But some were selfless sacrifices, creating some much-needed heartwarming moments in the blood-filled show.
Players 069 & 070: Sticking Together/Returning To The Game
Players 069 and 070 were husband and wife so it’s no surprise they chose to stick together during the games. For example, player 069 refused to part ways with his wife when Sang-woo tried recruiting him for their team before the tug-of-war round. It was heartwarming that they were determined to get through the bloody ordeal together but later on, during the marble game, their decision to stay together worked against them.
Like the other players, numbers 069 and 070 returned to the game after receiving the second invitation. While it was understandable that the prize money lured them back in, it was rather ill-advised for both of them to come back instead of only one, especially knowing that losing meant death. They weren’t the smartest characters on Squid Game and both of them ended up dying because of their decision to return to the games together.
Deok-Su: Teaming Up With The Doctor/Betraying Mi-Nyeo
Since the doctor had inside information on the game from the guards he harvested organs with, Deok-su let him become part of his crew. Thanks to the information the doctor shared with him, they were able to cheat death—at least for a little while before the Front Man eliminated the doctor and his accomplices.
Because of the inside information the doctor provided, he cut Mi-nyeo out of his crew because he saw her as the weakest link, which she didn’t take too lightly. That decision ended up costing him his life when Mi-nyeo literally dragged him down to his death during the glass bridge game as revenge for his betrayal.
Mi-Nyeo: Eliminating Deok-Su/Teaming Up With Deok-Su
Mi-nyeo was generally an unlikeable character because of her bloodlust and the way she was quick to switch sides. The one good thing she did was to remove Deok-su from the glass bridge when he refused to move forward. Her choice to die with him was not only her moment of sweet revenge but also a sacrifice that saved the other players from dying on the bridge.
Although Deok-su ultimately paid for his treachery with his life, Mi-nyeo died along with him because her initial mistake was trusting him and joining his team. She was so consumed by the need for vengeance to the point of giving up her life to get it.
Il-Nam: Sacrificing His Marble/Creating The Game
The episode, “Gganbu,” was an emotionally taxing one, featuring the players bonding in their final moments to some of the best characters dying. Il-nam was paired up with Gi-hun, leaving the latter torn between saving himself and saving the person he was looking out for throughout the game. At the last minute, Il-nam gave Gi-hun his last marble so he could win and proceed to the next round. Since he wasn’t at risk of being eliminated anyway, it was noble of him to ensure Gi-hun’s life was spared too.
While he generally seemed like a decent man, the plot twist in the Squid Game finale revealed his true nature. He and a number of his friends created the deadly games for fun and viewed the players as objects of entertainment to bet on and against. Essentially, he was responsible for hundreds of deaths and he didn’t even regret it.
Sae-Byeok: Joining Gi-Hun’s Team/Antagonizing Deok-Su
Sae-byeok and Gi-hun started out at odds because of the little pick-pocketing incident between them when they first met. But before the riot broke out, Gi-hun invited her to join him and his friends so they’d be safer together. Sae-byeok eventually joined them before the killing started so she didn’t have to face Deok-su and his goons alone.
Sae-byeok also had history with Deok-su and from the way he attacked her in the players’ room, it was clear that they didn’t like each other. Despite that, she still antagonized him during the game of Red Light, Green Light, which just made her more of a target for him later on. With his murderous ways, being on his bad side was almost as risky as the deadliest games in Squid Game.
Ali: Saving Gi-Hun/Trusting Sang-Woo
When Ali saved Gi-hun from elimination during the game of Red Light, Green Light, he immediately became a fan favorite. The two of them were complete strangers at the time, but he didn’t hesitate to help Gi-hun, even at the risk of getting eliminated himself. That selfless act led to a good friendship and the forming of a crew that mostly looked out for each other.
Sadly, that friendship led to Ali trusting the other players too much, especially when it came to Sang-woo. Their partnership seemed like a good friendship until Sang-woo cheated Ali out of his marbles during the episode “Gganbu,” leading to his tragic death.
Sang-Woo: Sacrificing Himself/Eliminating Sae-Byeok
Of all the characters in Squid Game, Sang-woo was one of the few who inspired conflicting emotions in fans. He had noble moments, such as the time he gave all the money he had left to Ali for bus fare and when he sacrificed himself during the final game so Gi-hun wouldn’t lose the money.
Before his grand sacrifice in the finale, Sang-woo had become so desperate to survive and win that he didn’t hesitate to betray his friends and kill players who were in his way. Apart from cheating Ali during the marble game, he also finished Sae-byeok off just before the final round by stabbing her in the neck while Gi-hun was pleading for medical assistance for her.
Gi-Hun: Looking Out For Il-Nam/Abandoning His Daughter
For all his flaws and faults, Gi-hun was one of the kindest players in the game. He looked out for the other players, especially Il-nam whom he bonded with more than the rest of his teammates. Their friendship was the main reason Il-nam sacrificed his last marble so Gi-hun could win. To some extent, Gi-hun’s friendliness towards the old man helped him survive, especially during the tug of war round.
After Gi-hun discovered the truth about Il-nam, he made some changes to his appearance and life. Just before boarding a flight to see his daughter, he discovered the games were still continuing and abandoned his flight, presumably to investigate the organizers and take down the game. Apart from the fact that he was embarking on a dangerous mission involving people who didn’t hesitate to kill, he was also letting his daughter down again—even though it was for a noble cause.
