Netflix’s Squid Game can be described as many things, and brutal is absolutely one of them. The show consistently forces viewers to watch characters that they’ve grown to love be murdered in cold blood. So many characters lose their lives far sooner than they need to and it’s crushing.
However, that doesn’t mean that there still aren’t great arcs that characters go through with satisfying conclusions, even if they come sooner than expected. Several characters either grow or have great endings that really do serve their personalities very well.
Abdul Ali
![The Most Satisfying Squid Game Character Arcs, Ranked](https://static1.srcdn.com/wordpress/wp-content/uploads/2021/09/Squid-Game-Tripathi-Anupam-as-Abdul-Ali.jpg)
Abdul Ali is done so, so dirty by Sang-woo, and while it’s the nature of the game, it’s a sad way to see such a genuine person go out. He’s led to believe that there’s a way for both himself and Sang-woo to make it out of the marble game, and he naively goes along with the plan.
Ali foolishly lets Sang-woo handle his marbles, too. Sang-woo took advantage of Ali’s trusting nature, sacrificing him in order to take his own game further. Ali went out too soon, so his arc was never fully completed.
Hwang In-ho
![Hwang In-ho reveals his true identity in Squid Game](https://static1.srcdn.com/wordpress/wp-content/uploads/2021/10/Hwang-In-ho-aka-The-Frontman-in-Squid-Game.jpg)
In-ho has an interesting arc, though it mostly plays out off-screen. Audiences learn that he is the brother of the police officer, Jun-ho, that is searching for him.
After winning his iteration of the game, he went on to have a massive role as a part of the staff for future games, running the entire show. Viewers quickly learn that the game comes above his own family when he makes the shocking choice to shoot his brother to protect the game.
Hwang Jun-ho
![Hwang Jun-Ho looking at a business card in Squid Game](https://static1.srcdn.com/wordpress/wp-content/uploads/2021/09/Squid-Game-Wi-Ha-joon-----------as-Hwang-Jun-ho.jpg)
Jun-ho might have a sad ending in his arc, but there are some silver linings for him. For one, he is able to complete his goal and figure out what happened to his brother, even if it doesn’t exactly work out in the way that he had hoped. The second point, though, is much more important.
Jun-ho’s reception was poor, but there’s a chance that he relayed some evidence of the game to his fellow workers at the police station. Even a glimmer of evidence against them could help to take the games down. If he actually succeeded, however, remains to be seen.
Kang Sae-byeok
![Kang Sae-byeok looks on with a helpless expression in Squid Game.](https://static1.srcdn.com/wordpress/wp-content/uploads/2021/09/Squid-Game-Jung-Ho-yeon-----------as-Kang-Sae-byeok.jpg)
Sae-byeok’s story is an incredibly sad one. She was defrauded and is competing in the game to help bring her surviving family from North Korea to South Korea and get her brother out of the orphanage he is living in. While she does manage to achieve her goals, it isn’t through her winning.
Sadly, she is taken out right before the final round of the game, meaning all of her hard work was for nothing. It was devastating to watch her go, even if her goals were achieved with the help of Gi-hun.
Oh Il-nam
![Oh Il-nam in a bed looking sick in Squid Game](https://static1.srcdn.com/wordpress/wp-content/uploads/2021/09/Squid-Game-Oh-Il-nam.jpg)
Il-nam’s arc is a bit of an odd one. This man is evil, being the creator behind the games, and he participates simply for the fun of it because he knows that he’s near death.
He’s never in any danger, while everyone else is fighting for their lives. He never has to face any consequences for his actions due to being massively wealthy. While it is disappointing that he gets away with it, that, in the end, is what the show is all about, so it’s a fitting arc.
Ji-yeong
![Ji-yeong looking at Sae-byeok in Squid Game.](https://static1.srcdn.com/wordpress/wp-content/uploads/2021/10/Ji-yeong-and-Sae-byeok-in-Squid-Game.jpg)
Ji-yeong is an absolute treasure. While viewers really didn’t get to see all that much of her, they did get to see how kind of a person that she is during the marble episode.
She quickly becomes friends with Sae-byeok and learns about her life, and then, when the time comes, allows her to win the game over herself. Ji-yeong knows that Sae-byeok has more to live for and more to come back to, than herself. Ji-yeong truly deserved better than she got.
Jang Deok-su
![Jang Deok-su looks on in disgust as three men stand behind him in Squid Game.](https://static1.srcdn.com/wordpress/wp-content/uploads/2021/09/Squid-Game-Heo-Sung-tae-as-Jang-Deok-su.jpg)
Deok-su is an incredibly evil man. He is willing to play dirty to get the win, sacrificing anyone who doesn’t fit his needs. He does this not just in his day-to-day life, but also during the actual game. However, unlike Il-nam, Deok-su absolutely gets what he deserves.
After discarding Mi-nyeo once she’s no longer useful to him (granted, she’s absolutely using him, too), she gets the opportunity to take him out in the game with her own hands, and it’s a beautiful moment to watch. That makes it a truly fitting end for him.
Han Mi-nyeo
![Han Mi-nyeo reluctantly raises her hand in her green track suit in Squid Game.](https://static1.srcdn.com/wordpress/wp-content/uploads/2021/09/Squid-Game-Kim-Joo-ryung-----------as-Han-Mi-nyeo.jpg)
While Mi-nyeo’s ending was already discussed (which is exactly how she wanted to go out), it should be mentioned how fantastic of a character she is. She is absolutely wild and will tell any lie and work with anyone in order to further herself in the game.
She does this both with Deok-su and with Gi-hun. However, ending off with the chance to get revenge against Deok-su for betraying her is exactly what she deserves and came full circle for her.
Cho Sang-woo
![Cho Sang Woo looking intently to the distance in Squid Game](https://static1.srcdn.com/wordpress/wp-content/uploads/2021/09/Squid-Game-Cho-Sang-Woo.jpg)
Sang-woo is ready to play, as he is likely one of the worst off in the entire game in terms of debt. He willingly backstabs virtually everyone that he is close to in the game. As long as someone else is eliminated, he’s satisfied.
As such, his arc ending with him sacrificing himself to ensure that Gi-hun gets to walk away with the prize money gives him a chance to repent for his decisions in the game. Sang-woo was never likable but forcing the game to end with Gi-hun winning in the end was an admirable choice.
Seong Gi-hun
![Seong Gi-Hun looking confused in Squid Game](https://static1.srcdn.com/wordpress/wp-content/uploads/2021/10/Squid-Game-Seong-Gi-Hun.jpg)
Gi-hun, the eventual winner of the game, has a pretty fair arc when it gets down to it. He has to fight against people that he forms bonds with, but never truly gives up his humanity. However, by the time the game is over, he’s so stricken with guilt that he can’t even spend the money he won.
Nevertheless, he manages to pull himself together in the end, pay back the people that helped him get to the finish line, and then, sets off on a final mission to take down who is behind the game. Gi-hun’s arc is far from over, he has a lot left to do, hopefully in a season 2.