The thrilling commencement of Episode 3 in Season 3 of "Squid Game" unveils a grim spectacle as the guards mercilessly dispatch the defeated members of the Red Team. To compensate for the guards lost during the aborted uprising, an influx of foreign staff takes their place, displaying an unsettling eagerness to eliminate the losers. A startling revelation unfolds: these new faces are actually the VIPs in disguise.
Nam-gyu, consumed by despair over misplacing Thanos' pillbox, narrowly escapes death while frantically searching for it. Meanwhile, Myung-gi breathes a sigh of relief as Geum-ja and Jun-hee arrive with the weeping infant, though Jun-hee studiously avoids his gaze.
No-eul devises a daring plan, dressing Player 246 as Staff #16, the doctor, and sneaking him out undetected. As they slip away, 246 ponders No-eul's motives for aiding him, to which she remains tight-lipped. He conceals himself in #16's quarters while she meticulously crafts an escape route.
The game's outcome is announced, with only 25 players remaining, each enriched by 1.7 billion won. Elsewhere, Woo-seok delves into Captain Park's alleged hometown, only to encounter blank faces and ignorance. Undeterred, he vows to unearth more, cautioning Jun-ho to keep a close watch on Park.
The vote commences, and the VIPs find the process far more enthralling than the actual contests. They mock the players' greed and their relentless pursuit to stay in the game. In a surprising twist, Nam-gyu casts a dissenting vote. Seeking to punish him for his withdrawal symptoms, Min-su votes in favor. Geum-ja passionately pleads with the players to halt the game for the sake of the child, but her cries fall on deaf ears. The Red Team emerges victorious by an overwhelming margin. The VIPs sneer at Geum-ja's plea, taunting her for contemplating the murder of her own son for a stranger.
The trafficking team eventually inspects the workroom, discovering the fallen guards. They scrutinize everyone except the doctor, now unrecognizable due to disfigurement and clad in 246's attire. Mistakenly believing #16 has betrayed them, tension mounts. The Officer pores over CCTV footage, uncovering a disguised 246 in #16's room and noting #11 (No-eul)'s absence. As the Officer unsuspectingly approaches, No-eul ambushes him, threatening him into aiding her and #16's escape. Baffled by her alliance with the doctor despite her opposition to organ trafficking, the Officer finds himself in a precarious dilemma.
Aboard the vessel, Captain Park prepared to retire for the evening when Jun-ho suddenly recognized the shoreline of an island. Despite Park's attempts to dissuade him, Jun-ho issued a command to draw nearer. Recalling the distinct cliff, he confidently declared it to be their destination, much to Park's consternation.
Back in the bunker, Jun-hee was wracked with guilt over Yong-sik and Hyun-ju's fatalities. Geum-ja sought to alleviate her burden, reassuring her that it wasn't her fault and urging her to concentrate on her child. She then pleaded with Gi-hun to ensure Jun-hee and her offspring's survival. As Gi-hun continued to blame himself, Geum-ja comforted him, reminding him of their shared failure but emphasizing the importance of aiding Jun-hee's child.
That fateful night, Woo-seok infiltrated Captain Park's abode while his accomplice kept watch. Amidst his search, he uncovered a photograph featuring him and the Salesman. However, before he could react, Captain Park's dog lunged, mauling Woo-seok before he managed to discharge his firearm. As he prepared to depart, Woo-seok stumbled upon cash and a Squid Game guard uniform. Tragedy struck again when the police arrived at the scene.
The subsequent morning, the Officer handed No-eul a boat key but harbored suspicions, instructing a guard to reinspect the workroom. To their horror, they discovered the doctor deceased, with Player 246 masquerading as him. A coffin was subsequently brought into the bunker, shocking everyone as they realized Geum-ja had taken her own life overnight. Jun-hee wept, while Gi-hun's eyes welled up with tears. Preparations for the next game commenced, with Gi-hun cradling the child while Jun-hee's fractured ankle worsened. Myung-gi observed them from afar with a steadfast gaze.
Among the VIPs, Jun-hee was deemed a hopeless case, with VIP 3 revealing he had inadvertently wagered on her. However, he still clung to the belief that, as a mother, she possessed an otherworldly strength to persevere. Unfortunately, the upcoming game was jump rope. Another VIP insisted that the child should participate, exploiting VIP 3's maternal instinct to shield the youngster and emerge victorious. United in their persuasion, the VIPs convinced VIP 3, who vowed to sacrifice his own child for their amusement.
Jun-hee once more blamed herself for Geum-ja's demise, but Gi-hun steadfastly assured her that it wasn't her fault.
At long last, the fifth game unfolds with an exhilarating yet treacherous challenge: the contestants must traverse a dilapidated bridge within a harrowing 20 minutes, all while engaging in a lively game of jump rope. Failure to complete the crossing in the allotted time means certain doom. Gi-hun hatches a desperate plan, suggesting they abandon the child and instead, he himself will carry Jun-hee across. Alas, the guards ruthlessly quash this notion, insisting that the child, too, is a fellow player bound by the game's rules.
Amidst growing discord and squabbling over the crossing order, Min-su provokes Nam-gyu with a test of wits, only to meet with continued harshness. Enraged, Min-su casts Thanos' empty pillbox onto the bridge, goading Nam-gyu into action. Nam-gyu, with renewed determination, dashes towards the box but discovers its hollowness. Distracted by this revelation, he's caught off guard by the swinging rope and plummets to his death.
Realizing the gravity of the situation, Gi-hun makes a bold decision: he'll escort the child across first and then return for Jun-hee. This proposal stirs dissatisfaction among the group, particularly Myung-gi. The stakes rise, hearts pounding, but Gi-hun manages to navigate the perilous path with the child, their success narrowly averting disaster. Emboldened by their feat, the remaining players follow suit, prompting Gi-hun to realize he cannot return for Jun-hee until everyone else is safely across.
With the clock ticking down to a mere 12 minutes, Jun-hee is plunged into a panic. Meanwhile, Player 96, emerging victorious as the second to cross, turns on his fellow contestants, brutally eliminating those nearing the finish line.
