Squid Game: The Challenge (2023) s01e10 Episode Script
One Lucky Day
1
[ominous music plays]
[data processing]
[keyboard clacking]
[Sam] Oh my gosh.
[Phill] Yeah.
[Sam] Last round.
It's crazy, man.
Wow.
Player 451 is my best friend
left in the game.
But player 287
Player 287
I just don't know what
what to expect from her,
and not knowing what to expect from her
has me uneasy.
We gotta be the final two.
[Phill] That's true. [chuckles]
Crazy, man.
Like, did you ever think?
[chuckles]
I never d let
let myself think that, no.
'Cause I felt like it was getting
too focused on things that were
I mean, I know a lot of people use mot
like, that stuff as motivation.
- But
- [Phill] Mm-hmm.
mine was survival day by day.
Yeah.
[sparse, suspenseful music plays]
[Mai] I'm just out there,
vulnerable right now.
451 and 016 are friends.
451, Phill, he
he has a good heart.
But maybe he's, you know,
pulling a cover over my eyes
and trying to, you know, fool me.
As far as 016,
uh, I don't feel that I can trust him.
You know, I just have to be on guard
because it's like
it's a pack of wolves now
trying to get a piece of meat.
[ethereal music plays]
[creepy choral music plays]
[musical swell plays and rises]
[square guard] Players 016, 287, and 451
[deep descending tone plays]
you are the finalists.
- [sweeping dramatic music plays]
- [ink packs go off]
[doll singing in Korean]
Green light, red light ♪
[players exclaim]
[Sam] I'm going to not reveal
all of my strengths.
When you do that,
you put a target on your back.
[automated voice] Player 016, pass.
[players cheer]
[woman] Yes!
- [Brad] You're the winner, man. Damn.
- I'm sorry, buddy.
[Phill] I never thought
I'd make it this far.
It brings out the worst in people.
But I didn't wanna have to do it
by putting other people under me.
It's really hard to form
these bonds with these people,
and then just watch them disappear
right in front of you.
[players groan]
But this is the chance of a lifetime.
[automated voice] The next player
to be eliminated is player 051.
[Phill] And I'm absolutely
gonna make the most of it.
[Mai] I'm Mai,
but my granddaughter call me "Meimei."
- Everybody here is a threat.
- Everybody's a threat.
[sobs] I love you, TJ.
I'm not gonna nominate myself.
- [ominous tone plays]
- [man groans]
Damn you, Chad.
No!
[sobs]
[Sam] She felt like she needed
to play her game for herself.
- And we cannot fault her for that.
- Yeah.
[Mai] I have to be strong for myself
because it's gonna be me against them.
[Sam] Did you put
the box on Roland's desk?
[Mai] I put it on Amanda.
It's not about solidarity.
It's about desire
to be in this game and to win.
[square guard] The prize fund
now stands at
[music stops]
$4,530,000.
[epic tone plays]
[sinister, pulsing music plays]
[flickering]
[epic tone plays]
[creepy ethereal music plays]
[buzzer plays on speakers]
- [Sam] Oh schnazzy.
- I hate that.
- [Mai and Phill exclaim]
- It's our outfits, it's our outfits.
[square guard] Players, congratulations
on making it through the game.
We have prepared a special dinner for you.
Oh my gosh, my heart is beating
- I know.
- so fast right now.
- Thank you.
- [Sam] Thank you.
Before you sit down for dinner,
please change into these outfits.
[musical swell plays and intensifies]
[ominous tone plays]
Unfortunately, I I mean, I am in
in a bit of a a precarious situation
because I've bounced around a lot of jobs,
and and they've been rewarding
in ways of, like, helping me grow,
um, helping me understand
what I want to do, what I want to be.
But at the same time,
they've all been very low-paying jobs.
Um, and I've been living
paycheck-to-paycheck my entire adult life.
If I suddenly become a millionaire,
I wouldn't keep most of the money.
Um, I feel like I've personally
been helped a lot
throughout my entire life,
you know, by family and friends,
and and I've never really
been able to reciprocate.
You know, I mostly just
I wanna have a nice, comfortable life,
and I want those around me
to have nice, comfortable lives,
and that's that's pretty much it.
[musical swell plays]
["Symphony 7, 2nd Movement"
by Ludwig van Beethoven plays]
[musical swell plays]
- [Sam] Oh my God.
- Oh my gosh!
[Sam gasps]
This is beautiful!
- [Phill] Oh my goodness.
- [Sam] Oh my God.
[gasps softly]
[Sam] I'm so proud of myself right now.
It's an incredible feeling to be
in the final of something so huge.
Tonight is a shared experience
of camaraderie,
but in my mind, I've come to grips
with, "I'm gonna have to see my friends go
in order to win the game."
- [buzzer plays on speakers]
- [doors clang and whir]
[tense music plays]
Oh no.
[Sam] Oh no.
[square guard] Attention, players.
We have prepared this feast
as a token of gratitude
for the sacrifice and effort
that you have made.
[Mai and Sam] Thank you.
[square guard] Please enjoy your feast.
Psych! You gotta stab each other for it.
[Mai and Phill laugh]
I mean, okay.
[Phill chuckles] No, not okay!
We agreed, no stabbing.
I didn't agree to anything.
[Mai] Zero-one-six.
There is a coldness to him,
and just putting on the facade, you know,
of having to, you know,
make it a friendly conversation,
I I don't feel it's genuine.
My father died when I was 17,
which actually, um
It was hard, and it's it's still hard,
but the silver lining to it
was that it made it easier for me to
to escape
the toxic situation that I was in
and move forward with a life
that would eventually be much better.
Um, but when I did come out,
my mom wrote me
several very hateful, nasty emails,
and then when I blocked her emails
so I would stop getting them,
she wrote several
more hateful
and nasty handwritten letters.
So
I have I have not spoken
to her in a while.
Um, I have tried
to allow her back into my life,
and it, every time,
results in my disappointment
with how she has continued
[swallows]
with her narrow view of the world.
[musical swell plays]
[ominous tone plays]
Oh!
[Mai] That's a big steak!
This is the fattest piece of steak
I've ever seen in my life.
When it comes down to it,
I know that, ultimately,
all of us will choose
to protect ourselves to win.
Mmm!
Wow. This is really well cooked.
I'm gonna eat these scallops
'cause that sauce looks incredible.
[Phill] Mmm.
Phill, where you from?
I'm from Brazil.
Um, I was born in São Paulo,
and I grew up there until I was eight,
and then my family and I
moved to New Jersey,
where I spent most of my life.
Um, I studied psychology and education,
and I knew I wanted to be somewhere warm,
and so I just sort of picked Hawaii,
and was like, "Hey, you know,
seems like a solid spot."
And so I went there, and I basically
bounced around a bunch of jobs,
um, until eventually I landed
on scuba diving.
And now I've been teaching there
for about a year.
- What about you, Sam?
- [Mai] Sam?
- [Sam] Oh, man.
- What's your story?
[Sam] I was born in Idaho.
I grew up to a super religious family,
and, um,
it took me a while
to realize that I was gay.
And when I did, I knew that
I was no longer welcome.
So I moved to Texas
and met my now husband, Doug.
It's so incredible to finally feel happy
for the first time in my life
when I always thought I was happy,
but I was just fine.
How about you, Mai? What's your story?
I grew up in Vietnam.
I came over to United States
in a refugee camp when I was eight.
I'm married with two daughters,
and a granddaughter.
- And two beautiful dogs.
- [Phill] Aw.
- Aw.
- [Phill] That's very cute.
My life in a nutshell. [chuckles]
[Phill] Right on.
[ominous tone plays]
[Mai] I finished high school
at 18 years of age,
and, you know,
I lived in a very sheltered life
and very strict,
and s-so I I wanted
to break out of that shelter,
and so I joined the navy.
I wanted to be an individual,
but, you know, being naive,
going to the navy,
it's like, you know, going
to a pack of wolves
where, you know, I
you know, I was bullied.
And I got pregnant at 19
'cause I I was a virgin
up until I joined the navy,
and I didn't know anything, so
And, you know, uh,
to get pregnant at 19 was, um
was very hard because when I
I have a You know,
I had to, uh, tell my family
that I got pregnant,
and, um
And then my family just, uh
[voice breaks]cut me off.
[sobs] And I had no one
when I was pregnant.
It was very hard.
[sobs]
I I didn't know anything
about motherhood.
I didn't have anyone.
[sniffles]
[musical swell plays and rises]
[ominous tone plays]
[gloomy droning music plays]
[Phill] Thank you.
Man, we really did make it, huh?
This is crazy.
My partner is gonna expect me
to come back a millionaire now,
so it's gonna be really embarrassing
if I don't.
You mean when you don't?
No Well, hang on! [laughs]
- [Sam laughs]
- We don't know.
[Sam] I love everything about this.
It's a giant ball of stress,
but it's the experience.
[Phill] Yeah.
[automated voice] Attention, players.
We hope you're enjoying your feast,
but only two of you
will proceed to the final game.
Now, one of you must be eliminated.
[ominous tone plays]
Never a treat without a trick.
[Sam exhales heavily]
[musical swell plays and intensifies]
[automated voice] In front of you
are three buttons.
When pushed, one will turn green,
which means the player who pushes it
goes into the final
and chooses a player to join them.
One button will turn gray.
[Mai exhales]
This has no consequence
for the player who pushes it.
The third button will turn red
which means the player who pushes it
is eliminated.
[anxious musical flourish plays]
You must decide together
who will push a button first.
[ominous tone plays]
This sucks!
[Sam] So one-in-three chance
of a guaranteed moving to the final round.
There's a one-in-three chance
of getting eliminated.
[Phill] I'm happy
to avoid all three buttons.
In this moment, I'm honestly scared.
[fast-paced suspenseful music plays]
[Sam] I don't wanna press
the button first.
I don't really wanna press
the button at all.
I personally want something
that I have a little more control of,
something that's not just chance.
[Mai] I have no doubt
that if Phill or Sam pick the green button
and get a choice to pick a player
to go into the next game,
they would support each other.
I know that for a fact.
[Sam] I want desperately
to go through to the final.
It's a big choice to make.
There's a lot
in just that little press of a button.
[anxious musical swell plays]
Does anyone want to press it first?
[Phill sighs]
I will.
- Are you sure?
- Mm-hmm.
[Phill] This is a big decision, Mai.
[Mai] I know.
At this point,
I'm so happy sitting
with, you know, strongest player
that made it through
out of the 456 players.
So I am very happy to go first.
I respect the hell out of you, Mai.
I respect you too.
[ominous tone plays]
[Mai] I want to be first.
[suspenseful music plays]
It's a risk, but I want to be in control
of my destiny.
[dramatic musical flourish plays]
[music intensifies]
[button clicks]
[pulsing music plays]
[musical swell plays and intensifies]
[ominous tone plays]
[automated voice] Player 287,
your button is gray.
This has zero consequence.
Please return to your seat.
[ethereal music plays]
The remaining players must now decide
who will push a button next.
[dramatic musical flourish plays]
[Phill] I hate situations like this.
I hate these little tests.
And I don't wanna be a part of it,
but I know
that if I want to continue, I have to be.
You wanna go, or do you want me to go?
Do you wanna go?
[intriguing music plays]
- Not particularly, but
- [Phill laughs]
I don't think you really wanna go either.
[laughs] I don't, like, super wanna go.
Yeah.
It's a little a li-little scary.
I'm not gonna lie.
[Sam] It's terrifying. Um
Do you wanna take that 50-50 chance,
or should I?
[groans]
[Sam] My strategy has been,
up until this point,
to stay middle of the pack.
You know, you cross the finish line,
you win the game.
You don't have to be in the front,
you just have to finish.
I'm gonna keep my eyes on the prize.
Now is my time to move forward and act.
I'll go.
Are you sure?
No, I'm not sure.
[Phill laughs]
[ominous tone plays]
[Mai] If he is to pick the green button,
then I'm I'm screwed.
[swirling, droning music plays]
Good luck, Sam.
[Mai sighs heavily]
[exhales heavily]
- [button clicks]
- [epic musical flourish plays]
[pulsing music plays]
[musical swell plays and rises]
[epic tone plays]
[automated voice] Player 016, eliminated.
[sighs] Sam?
Sam, I'm sorry.
Sorry, Sam.
[whimpers]
[gentle melancholic music plays]
[Sam] To have everything
that I've worked for
just ripped away by
by by chance is just
more than I can take.
[sniffles]
[Phill breathes deeply]
[door clangs shut]
[breathes deeply]
[Phill] In this moment,
I kinda feel like a coward.
[sinister music plays]
[Mai sighs heavily]
[sniffles]
[Mai sobs]
[Mai] I feel sad
but it's, you know, it ended up to be, uh
um
[smacks lips]a good night.
Because I want Phill and I
to be the opponents in the final game.
- [sniffles] It's almost over.
- It's almost over, okay?
[Mai groans]
[both sigh heavily]
[Mai inhales sharply] Oh my gosh.
[buzzer plays on speakers]
[doors clang and whir]
[creepy choral music plays]
[square guard] Players 287 and 451
congratulations.
You have reached the final game.
- Yes! Yes, be happy.
- We did it.
- We did it. We did it! Okay.
- We did it.
[device beeps]
[square guard] The current prize fund
now stands at $4,540,000.
[Mai, softly] Our Father in heaven,
hallowed be thy name,
thy kingdom come, thy will be done,
on Earth as it is in heaven.
Give us this day our daily bread
and forgive us our trespasses
as we forgive those
who trespass against us,
and lead us not into temptation
but deliver us from evil. Amen.
[doors clang]
And whatever happens tomorrow,
may the best man win.
Absolutely.
- I want you to give your full 100%, okay?
- Okay.
- Promise?
- I'll pinky promise.
- Pinky promise.
- Okay, pinky promise.
I'm so close. I I have
to give it my all at this point,
or else I'm gonna regret it
for the rest of my life.
- Mai?
- Yes?
My fly was down the entire night.
[laughs]
[button beeps]
[whirring]
- [Phill] Oh my God.
- Oh no!
[Phill] Are y'all kidding me with this?
- Oh my gosh.
- Jeez.
Really? Just gonna have us
sleep in here with that, huh?
Oh my goodness.
[laughs]
[Phill] Wow.
You gonna go see it?
[Phill] I do kinda wanna go see it.
[Mai] Let's go see it.
Wow.
- [Mai] It's so cute.
- [Phill chuckles]
- Wow.
- [Mai] This is unbelievably
It's a lot of money, Mai.
[Mai] It's a lot of money.
Looking at it now,
it definitely hits different.
- I'm not gonna lie.
- I know, right?
That's it, Mai.
It's gonna be one of us tomorrow.
You ready to become a millionaire?
[ominous tone plays]
[moody classical music plays]
[bell chimes on speakers]
Good morning, Mai.
Good morning, Phill.
We've come so far to get to this point,
and now this is it.
And then there's two.
[Mai chuckles]
Yep.
[Phill] We don't know what the last game
is gonna be. I I'm assuming
it's gonna be some version of Squid Game,
but this might be something different.
[moody classical music continues playing]
Nervous at all, Mai?
A little bit, starting.
Me too.
[buzzer plays on speakers]
[doors clang and whir]
[tense music plays]
[square guard] Players 287
and 451,
the final game will begin momentarily.
[Phill] Are you ready?
Please follow the staff
and proceed to the game hall.
["The Blue Danube Waltz"
by Johann Strauss plays]
[ominous ethereal music plays]
[doors clang open]
Wow.
Oh my gosh. [exhales heavily]
- That is so
- [Phill] That's pretty cool.
[Mai] That is so cool.
[automated voice] Attention,
players 287 and 451.
Welcome to the final game.
You have both defeated 454 players.
One of you will win $4.56 million.
The game that will decide that is
Rock, Paper, Scissors.
You're joking. [laughs]
[Mai] I am so happy
because this is my childhood game.
[Phill chuckles]
[automated voice] Please stand
in the two small circles in front of you,
facing each other.
[spare percussive music plays]
You will now play Rock, Paper, Scissors.
[dramatic music plays]
Here are the rules.
Rock beats scissors.
Scissors beats paper.
Paper beats rock.
The winner of each round
will select one key
and attempt to open the safe.
If the key does not open the safe,
you will play again.
If the key opens the safe
you win Squid Game.
[both exhales steadily]
[Phill] There's no way to plan for this,
and it truly is a game of chance.
So I I know
as long as I can maintain a level head
and just remember to breathe,
it's gonna be okay.
Good luck, Mai.
- Thank you.
- We got this.
[automated voice] And with that,
let the game begin.
[anxious ethereal music plays]
Place your hand behind your back.
[Mai] Playing with an adult male,
they tend to draw
towards rock and scissors
because it symbolizes to them
the power within them.
Rock, it's solid, and it's strong.
And scissors have the power to cut,
and it's also strong.
[breathes deeply]
[drums play three beats]
[automated voice]
Your shapes are now locked in.
Reveal.
[ominous tone plays]
Player 287, you win the round.
Please now select a key.
- [Phill] Good job.
- [Mai sighs]
[gloomy, ominous music plays]
[rattling]
[musical swell plays]
[sighs]
[Phill] Mai is full of fire.
She's fierce, she's competent,
she's strong, she's smart.
She's easy to underestimate.
[drums play]
But I feel lucky.
I feel like,
"Okay, you know, this is my chance."
[musical swell plays]
[epic tone plays]
[sighs]
[suspenseful music plays]
[softly] Good luck, Phill.
[musical swell plays and intensifies]
[Phill, softly] Damn.
[drums play three beats]
Nice.
[drums play]
[ominous tone plays]
[Mai's breath trembles]
[musical swell plays and intensifies]
[percussive arrangement
of creepy choral music plays]
- [musical swell plays]
- [key rattles]
[Phill] I'm kind of just throwing it
at random.
I mean, I'm looking at what Mai's throwing
and I guess slightly adapting to that,
but for the most part,
I'm just hoping for the best.
[Mai] I'm keeping track of his signs
and trying to think
what would be his next strategy.
[Phill] The losses compound over time.
[laughs] You're killing me, Mai.
With every one,
it it gets a little bit more anxious.
Nice.
[Mai] Just amazed that I keep beating him,
and he's just probably wondering
what is my trick.
How do I do that?
It's all about strategizing, right?
I think I I'm gonna win.
[softly] Good job.
[spacey music plays]
[Phill] Seeing less and less keys
in that box,
I know that there's
a greater and greater chance
that the next person that grabs one
is gonna be able to open the safe.
This could be
the biggest moment of my life.
This could change everything.
[musical arrangement turns epic]
I'm thinking of all of my friends,
all those sacrifices they made.
I'm thinking of people back home
and how badly I want to help them.
I'm thinking of all the people
that I've ever wanted to help in my life.
[musical swell plays and intensifies]
[key rattles]
[ominous tone plays]
[drums play three beats]
[dramatic musical flourish plays]
[intriguing music plays]
[sighs heavily]
[ominous tone plays]
[key rattles]
[musical swell plays and intensifies]
[ethereal music plays]
[exhales heavily]
[automated voice] Player 287
[sighs]
you have won $4.56 million.
[sobs]
Congratulations, Mai.
[triumphant music plays]
You did it.
[Mai sobs]
[Phill] Congratulations.
[Mai sobs and laughs]
You earned this, Mai.
[Mai sighs heavily]
Today just validate that
anything is possible.
[flickers]
[Mai] Even when you feel down
and and afraid,
you have to pick yourself up,
be a strong person, and focus.
I don't know whether to cry or to cheer.
I don't know what to do.
Whatever your fear is,
fight it with everything that you've got,
and you can accomplish anything.
[voice breaks] And it's proven tonight.
[gasps]
I am the winner.
Whoo!
[ominous tone plays]
Let there be you ♪
Let there be me ♪
Let there be oysters ♪
[people laugh]
Get out of my way. [chuckles]
[chuckles] Don't talk trash to me.
I'm on your team.
[all laugh]
♪be wind ♪
An occasional rain ♪
Let's go! Oh, you think you good?
Chili con carne ♪
[kids cheering]
Sparkling champagne ♪
- I love you.
- I love you too.
A lark and a dove ♪
Come on, come here.
But first of all, please ♪
Good morning. Good morning, my baby.
[people laugh]
[all exclaim]
Yeah, I like that!
["Let There Be Love"
by Nat King Cole continues playing]
Let there be cuckoos ♪
A lark and a dove ♪
But first of all, please ♪
Let there be love ♪
Mmm, love ♪
[beeping]
[anxious musical swell
plays and intensifies]
[creepy choral music plays]
[ominous closing theme music plays]
[square guard] Are you ready
to play Squid Game?
[ominous music plays]
[data processing]
[keyboard clacking]
[Sam] Oh my gosh.
[Phill] Yeah.
[Sam] Last round.
It's crazy, man.
Wow.
Player 451 is my best friend
left in the game.
But player 287
Player 287
I just don't know what
what to expect from her,
and not knowing what to expect from her
has me uneasy.
We gotta be the final two.
[Phill] That's true. [chuckles]
Crazy, man.
Like, did you ever think?
[chuckles]
I never d let
let myself think that, no.
'Cause I felt like it was getting
too focused on things that were
I mean, I know a lot of people use mot
like, that stuff as motivation.
- But
- [Phill] Mm-hmm.
mine was survival day by day.
Yeah.
[sparse, suspenseful music plays]
[Mai] I'm just out there,
vulnerable right now.
451 and 016 are friends.
451, Phill, he
he has a good heart.
But maybe he's, you know,
pulling a cover over my eyes
and trying to, you know, fool me.
As far as 016,
uh, I don't feel that I can trust him.
You know, I just have to be on guard
because it's like
it's a pack of wolves now
trying to get a piece of meat.
[ethereal music plays]
[creepy choral music plays]
[musical swell plays and rises]
[square guard] Players 016, 287, and 451
[deep descending tone plays]
you are the finalists.
- [sweeping dramatic music plays]
- [ink packs go off]
[doll singing in Korean]
Green light, red light ♪
[players exclaim]
[Sam] I'm going to not reveal
all of my strengths.
When you do that,
you put a target on your back.
[automated voice] Player 016, pass.
[players cheer]
[woman] Yes!
- [Brad] You're the winner, man. Damn.
- I'm sorry, buddy.
[Phill] I never thought
I'd make it this far.
It brings out the worst in people.
But I didn't wanna have to do it
by putting other people under me.
It's really hard to form
these bonds with these people,
and then just watch them disappear
right in front of you.
[players groan]
But this is the chance of a lifetime.
[automated voice] The next player
to be eliminated is player 051.
[Phill] And I'm absolutely
gonna make the most of it.
[Mai] I'm Mai,
but my granddaughter call me "Meimei."
- Everybody here is a threat.
- Everybody's a threat.
[sobs] I love you, TJ.
I'm not gonna nominate myself.
- [ominous tone plays]
- [man groans]
Damn you, Chad.
No!
[sobs]
[Sam] She felt like she needed
to play her game for herself.
- And we cannot fault her for that.
- Yeah.
[Mai] I have to be strong for myself
because it's gonna be me against them.
[Sam] Did you put
the box on Roland's desk?
[Mai] I put it on Amanda.
It's not about solidarity.
It's about desire
to be in this game and to win.
[square guard] The prize fund
now stands at
[music stops]
$4,530,000.
[epic tone plays]
[sinister, pulsing music plays]
[flickering]
[epic tone plays]
[creepy ethereal music plays]
[buzzer plays on speakers]
- [Sam] Oh schnazzy.
- I hate that.
- [Mai and Phill exclaim]
- It's our outfits, it's our outfits.
[square guard] Players, congratulations
on making it through the game.
We have prepared a special dinner for you.
Oh my gosh, my heart is beating
- I know.
- so fast right now.
- Thank you.
- [Sam] Thank you.
Before you sit down for dinner,
please change into these outfits.
[musical swell plays and intensifies]
[ominous tone plays]
Unfortunately, I I mean, I am in
in a bit of a a precarious situation
because I've bounced around a lot of jobs,
and and they've been rewarding
in ways of, like, helping me grow,
um, helping me understand
what I want to do, what I want to be.
But at the same time,
they've all been very low-paying jobs.
Um, and I've been living
paycheck-to-paycheck my entire adult life.
If I suddenly become a millionaire,
I wouldn't keep most of the money.
Um, I feel like I've personally
been helped a lot
throughout my entire life,
you know, by family and friends,
and and I've never really
been able to reciprocate.
You know, I mostly just
I wanna have a nice, comfortable life,
and I want those around me
to have nice, comfortable lives,
and that's that's pretty much it.
[musical swell plays]
["Symphony 7, 2nd Movement"
by Ludwig van Beethoven plays]
[musical swell plays]
- [Sam] Oh my God.
- Oh my gosh!
[Sam gasps]
This is beautiful!
- [Phill] Oh my goodness.
- [Sam] Oh my God.
[gasps softly]
[Sam] I'm so proud of myself right now.
It's an incredible feeling to be
in the final of something so huge.
Tonight is a shared experience
of camaraderie,
but in my mind, I've come to grips
with, "I'm gonna have to see my friends go
in order to win the game."
- [buzzer plays on speakers]
- [doors clang and whir]
[tense music plays]
Oh no.
[Sam] Oh no.
[square guard] Attention, players.
We have prepared this feast
as a token of gratitude
for the sacrifice and effort
that you have made.
[Mai and Sam] Thank you.
[square guard] Please enjoy your feast.
Psych! You gotta stab each other for it.
[Mai and Phill laugh]
I mean, okay.
[Phill chuckles] No, not okay!
We agreed, no stabbing.
I didn't agree to anything.
[Mai] Zero-one-six.
There is a coldness to him,
and just putting on the facade, you know,
of having to, you know,
make it a friendly conversation,
I I don't feel it's genuine.
My father died when I was 17,
which actually, um
It was hard, and it's it's still hard,
but the silver lining to it
was that it made it easier for me to
to escape
the toxic situation that I was in
and move forward with a life
that would eventually be much better.
Um, but when I did come out,
my mom wrote me
several very hateful, nasty emails,
and then when I blocked her emails
so I would stop getting them,
she wrote several
more hateful
and nasty handwritten letters.
So
I have I have not spoken
to her in a while.
Um, I have tried
to allow her back into my life,
and it, every time,
results in my disappointment
with how she has continued
[swallows]
with her narrow view of the world.
[musical swell plays]
[ominous tone plays]
Oh!
[Mai] That's a big steak!
This is the fattest piece of steak
I've ever seen in my life.
When it comes down to it,
I know that, ultimately,
all of us will choose
to protect ourselves to win.
Mmm!
Wow. This is really well cooked.
I'm gonna eat these scallops
'cause that sauce looks incredible.
[Phill] Mmm.
Phill, where you from?
I'm from Brazil.
Um, I was born in São Paulo,
and I grew up there until I was eight,
and then my family and I
moved to New Jersey,
where I spent most of my life.
Um, I studied psychology and education,
and I knew I wanted to be somewhere warm,
and so I just sort of picked Hawaii,
and was like, "Hey, you know,
seems like a solid spot."
And so I went there, and I basically
bounced around a bunch of jobs,
um, until eventually I landed
on scuba diving.
And now I've been teaching there
for about a year.
- What about you, Sam?
- [Mai] Sam?
- [Sam] Oh, man.
- What's your story?
[Sam] I was born in Idaho.
I grew up to a super religious family,
and, um,
it took me a while
to realize that I was gay.
And when I did, I knew that
I was no longer welcome.
So I moved to Texas
and met my now husband, Doug.
It's so incredible to finally feel happy
for the first time in my life
when I always thought I was happy,
but I was just fine.
How about you, Mai? What's your story?
I grew up in Vietnam.
I came over to United States
in a refugee camp when I was eight.
I'm married with two daughters,
and a granddaughter.
- And two beautiful dogs.
- [Phill] Aw.
- Aw.
- [Phill] That's very cute.
My life in a nutshell. [chuckles]
[Phill] Right on.
[ominous tone plays]
[Mai] I finished high school
at 18 years of age,
and, you know,
I lived in a very sheltered life
and very strict,
and s-so I I wanted
to break out of that shelter,
and so I joined the navy.
I wanted to be an individual,
but, you know, being naive,
going to the navy,
it's like, you know, going
to a pack of wolves
where, you know, I
you know, I was bullied.
And I got pregnant at 19
'cause I I was a virgin
up until I joined the navy,
and I didn't know anything, so
And, you know, uh,
to get pregnant at 19 was, um
was very hard because when I
I have a You know,
I had to, uh, tell my family
that I got pregnant,
and, um
And then my family just, uh
[voice breaks]cut me off.
[sobs] And I had no one
when I was pregnant.
It was very hard.
[sobs]
I I didn't know anything
about motherhood.
I didn't have anyone.
[sniffles]
[musical swell plays and rises]
[ominous tone plays]
[gloomy droning music plays]
[Phill] Thank you.
Man, we really did make it, huh?
This is crazy.
My partner is gonna expect me
to come back a millionaire now,
so it's gonna be really embarrassing
if I don't.
You mean when you don't?
No Well, hang on! [laughs]
- [Sam laughs]
- We don't know.
[Sam] I love everything about this.
It's a giant ball of stress,
but it's the experience.
[Phill] Yeah.
[automated voice] Attention, players.
We hope you're enjoying your feast,
but only two of you
will proceed to the final game.
Now, one of you must be eliminated.
[ominous tone plays]
Never a treat without a trick.
[Sam exhales heavily]
[musical swell plays and intensifies]
[automated voice] In front of you
are three buttons.
When pushed, one will turn green,
which means the player who pushes it
goes into the final
and chooses a player to join them.
One button will turn gray.
[Mai exhales]
This has no consequence
for the player who pushes it.
The third button will turn red
which means the player who pushes it
is eliminated.
[anxious musical flourish plays]
You must decide together
who will push a button first.
[ominous tone plays]
This sucks!
[Sam] So one-in-three chance
of a guaranteed moving to the final round.
There's a one-in-three chance
of getting eliminated.
[Phill] I'm happy
to avoid all three buttons.
In this moment, I'm honestly scared.
[fast-paced suspenseful music plays]
[Sam] I don't wanna press
the button first.
I don't really wanna press
the button at all.
I personally want something
that I have a little more control of,
something that's not just chance.
[Mai] I have no doubt
that if Phill or Sam pick the green button
and get a choice to pick a player
to go into the next game,
they would support each other.
I know that for a fact.
[Sam] I want desperately
to go through to the final.
It's a big choice to make.
There's a lot
in just that little press of a button.
[anxious musical swell plays]
Does anyone want to press it first?
[Phill sighs]
I will.
- Are you sure?
- Mm-hmm.
[Phill] This is a big decision, Mai.
[Mai] I know.
At this point,
I'm so happy sitting
with, you know, strongest player
that made it through
out of the 456 players.
So I am very happy to go first.
I respect the hell out of you, Mai.
I respect you too.
[ominous tone plays]
[Mai] I want to be first.
[suspenseful music plays]
It's a risk, but I want to be in control
of my destiny.
[dramatic musical flourish plays]
[music intensifies]
[button clicks]
[pulsing music plays]
[musical swell plays and intensifies]
[ominous tone plays]
[automated voice] Player 287,
your button is gray.
This has zero consequence.
Please return to your seat.
[ethereal music plays]
The remaining players must now decide
who will push a button next.
[dramatic musical flourish plays]
[Phill] I hate situations like this.
I hate these little tests.
And I don't wanna be a part of it,
but I know
that if I want to continue, I have to be.
You wanna go, or do you want me to go?
Do you wanna go?
[intriguing music plays]
- Not particularly, but
- [Phill laughs]
I don't think you really wanna go either.
[laughs] I don't, like, super wanna go.
Yeah.
It's a little a li-little scary.
I'm not gonna lie.
[Sam] It's terrifying. Um
Do you wanna take that 50-50 chance,
or should I?
[groans]
[Sam] My strategy has been,
up until this point,
to stay middle of the pack.
You know, you cross the finish line,
you win the game.
You don't have to be in the front,
you just have to finish.
I'm gonna keep my eyes on the prize.
Now is my time to move forward and act.
I'll go.
Are you sure?
No, I'm not sure.
[Phill laughs]
[ominous tone plays]
[Mai] If he is to pick the green button,
then I'm I'm screwed.
[swirling, droning music plays]
Good luck, Sam.
[Mai sighs heavily]
[exhales heavily]
- [button clicks]
- [epic musical flourish plays]
[pulsing music plays]
[musical swell plays and rises]
[epic tone plays]
[automated voice] Player 016, eliminated.
[sighs] Sam?
Sam, I'm sorry.
Sorry, Sam.
[whimpers]
[gentle melancholic music plays]
[Sam] To have everything
that I've worked for
just ripped away by
by by chance is just
more than I can take.
[sniffles]
[Phill breathes deeply]
[door clangs shut]
[breathes deeply]
[Phill] In this moment,
I kinda feel like a coward.
[sinister music plays]
[Mai sighs heavily]
[sniffles]
[Mai sobs]
[Mai] I feel sad
but it's, you know, it ended up to be, uh
um
[smacks lips]a good night.
Because I want Phill and I
to be the opponents in the final game.
- [sniffles] It's almost over.
- It's almost over, okay?
[Mai groans]
[both sigh heavily]
[Mai inhales sharply] Oh my gosh.
[buzzer plays on speakers]
[doors clang and whir]
[creepy choral music plays]
[square guard] Players 287 and 451
congratulations.
You have reached the final game.
- Yes! Yes, be happy.
- We did it.
- We did it. We did it! Okay.
- We did it.
[device beeps]
[square guard] The current prize fund
now stands at $4,540,000.
[Mai, softly] Our Father in heaven,
hallowed be thy name,
thy kingdom come, thy will be done,
on Earth as it is in heaven.
Give us this day our daily bread
and forgive us our trespasses
as we forgive those
who trespass against us,
and lead us not into temptation
but deliver us from evil. Amen.
[doors clang]
And whatever happens tomorrow,
may the best man win.
Absolutely.
- I want you to give your full 100%, okay?
- Okay.
- Promise?
- I'll pinky promise.
- Pinky promise.
- Okay, pinky promise.
I'm so close. I I have
to give it my all at this point,
or else I'm gonna regret it
for the rest of my life.
- Mai?
- Yes?
My fly was down the entire night.
[laughs]
[button beeps]
[whirring]
- [Phill] Oh my God.
- Oh no!
[Phill] Are y'all kidding me with this?
- Oh my gosh.
- Jeez.
Really? Just gonna have us
sleep in here with that, huh?
Oh my goodness.
[laughs]
[Phill] Wow.
You gonna go see it?
[Phill] I do kinda wanna go see it.
[Mai] Let's go see it.
Wow.
- [Mai] It's so cute.
- [Phill chuckles]
- Wow.
- [Mai] This is unbelievably
It's a lot of money, Mai.
[Mai] It's a lot of money.
Looking at it now,
it definitely hits different.
- I'm not gonna lie.
- I know, right?
That's it, Mai.
It's gonna be one of us tomorrow.
You ready to become a millionaire?
[ominous tone plays]
[moody classical music plays]
[bell chimes on speakers]
Good morning, Mai.
Good morning, Phill.
We've come so far to get to this point,
and now this is it.
And then there's two.
[Mai chuckles]
Yep.
[Phill] We don't know what the last game
is gonna be. I I'm assuming
it's gonna be some version of Squid Game,
but this might be something different.
[moody classical music continues playing]
Nervous at all, Mai?
A little bit, starting.
Me too.
[buzzer plays on speakers]
[doors clang and whir]
[tense music plays]
[square guard] Players 287
and 451,
the final game will begin momentarily.
[Phill] Are you ready?
Please follow the staff
and proceed to the game hall.
["The Blue Danube Waltz"
by Johann Strauss plays]
[ominous ethereal music plays]
[doors clang open]
Wow.
Oh my gosh. [exhales heavily]
- That is so
- [Phill] That's pretty cool.
[Mai] That is so cool.
[automated voice] Attention,
players 287 and 451.
Welcome to the final game.
You have both defeated 454 players.
One of you will win $4.56 million.
The game that will decide that is
Rock, Paper, Scissors.
You're joking. [laughs]
[Mai] I am so happy
because this is my childhood game.
[Phill chuckles]
[automated voice] Please stand
in the two small circles in front of you,
facing each other.
[spare percussive music plays]
You will now play Rock, Paper, Scissors.
[dramatic music plays]
Here are the rules.
Rock beats scissors.
Scissors beats paper.
Paper beats rock.
The winner of each round
will select one key
and attempt to open the safe.
If the key does not open the safe,
you will play again.
If the key opens the safe
you win Squid Game.
[both exhales steadily]
[Phill] There's no way to plan for this,
and it truly is a game of chance.
So I I know
as long as I can maintain a level head
and just remember to breathe,
it's gonna be okay.
Good luck, Mai.
- Thank you.
- We got this.
[automated voice] And with that,
let the game begin.
[anxious ethereal music plays]
Place your hand behind your back.
[Mai] Playing with an adult male,
they tend to draw
towards rock and scissors
because it symbolizes to them
the power within them.
Rock, it's solid, and it's strong.
And scissors have the power to cut,
and it's also strong.
[breathes deeply]
[drums play three beats]
[automated voice]
Your shapes are now locked in.
Reveal.
[ominous tone plays]
Player 287, you win the round.
Please now select a key.
- [Phill] Good job.
- [Mai sighs]
[gloomy, ominous music plays]
[rattling]
[musical swell plays]
[sighs]
[Phill] Mai is full of fire.
She's fierce, she's competent,
she's strong, she's smart.
She's easy to underestimate.
[drums play]
But I feel lucky.
I feel like,
"Okay, you know, this is my chance."
[musical swell plays]
[epic tone plays]
[sighs]
[suspenseful music plays]
[softly] Good luck, Phill.
[musical swell plays and intensifies]
[Phill, softly] Damn.
[drums play three beats]
Nice.
[drums play]
[ominous tone plays]
[Mai's breath trembles]
[musical swell plays and intensifies]
[percussive arrangement
of creepy choral music plays]
- [musical swell plays]
- [key rattles]
[Phill] I'm kind of just throwing it
at random.
I mean, I'm looking at what Mai's throwing
and I guess slightly adapting to that,
but for the most part,
I'm just hoping for the best.
[Mai] I'm keeping track of his signs
and trying to think
what would be his next strategy.
[Phill] The losses compound over time.
[laughs] You're killing me, Mai.
With every one,
it it gets a little bit more anxious.
Nice.
[Mai] Just amazed that I keep beating him,
and he's just probably wondering
what is my trick.
How do I do that?
It's all about strategizing, right?
I think I I'm gonna win.
[softly] Good job.
[spacey music plays]
[Phill] Seeing less and less keys
in that box,
I know that there's
a greater and greater chance
that the next person that grabs one
is gonna be able to open the safe.
This could be
the biggest moment of my life.
This could change everything.
[musical arrangement turns epic]
I'm thinking of all of my friends,
all those sacrifices they made.
I'm thinking of people back home
and how badly I want to help them.
I'm thinking of all the people
that I've ever wanted to help in my life.
[musical swell plays and intensifies]
[key rattles]
[ominous tone plays]
[drums play three beats]
[dramatic musical flourish plays]
[intriguing music plays]
[sighs heavily]
[ominous tone plays]
[key rattles]
[musical swell plays and intensifies]
[ethereal music plays]
[exhales heavily]
[automated voice] Player 287
[sighs]
you have won $4.56 million.
[sobs]
Congratulations, Mai.
[triumphant music plays]
You did it.
[Mai sobs]
[Phill] Congratulations.
[Mai sobs and laughs]
You earned this, Mai.
[Mai sighs heavily]
Today just validate that
anything is possible.
[flickers]
[Mai] Even when you feel down
and and afraid,
you have to pick yourself up,
be a strong person, and focus.
I don't know whether to cry or to cheer.
I don't know what to do.
Whatever your fear is,
fight it with everything that you've got,
and you can accomplish anything.
[voice breaks] And it's proven tonight.
[gasps]
I am the winner.
Whoo!
[ominous tone plays]
Let there be you ♪
Let there be me ♪
Let there be oysters ♪
[people laugh]
Get out of my way. [chuckles]
[chuckles] Don't talk trash to me.
I'm on your team.
[all laugh]
♪be wind ♪
An occasional rain ♪
Let's go! Oh, you think you good?
Chili con carne ♪
[kids cheering]
Sparkling champagne ♪
- I love you.
- I love you too.
A lark and a dove ♪
Come on, come here.
But first of all, please ♪
Good morning. Good morning, my baby.
[people laugh]
[all exclaim]
Yeah, I like that!
["Let There Be Love"
by Nat King Cole continues playing]
Let there be cuckoos ♪
A lark and a dove ♪
But first of all, please ♪
Let there be love ♪
Mmm, love ♪
[beeping]
[anxious musical swell
plays and intensifies]
[creepy choral music plays]
[ominous closing theme music plays]
[square guard] Are you ready
to play Squid Game?