The Marble Theory That Would Have Changed The Outcome Of Squid Game

If you haven't watched "Squid Game," you might be the only one. The drama turned into Netflix's biggest success story ever, cementing itself as Netflix's biggest-ever series launch, as reported by Variety. The show's clear sociopolitical messaging, dynamic characters, and jaw-dropping turns have made the South Korean production a worldwide hit, topping the most-watched list in a shocking 90 different countries (via Forbes).

Any show with such a complex plot and shocking twists is bound to drum up some fan theorizing, and "Squid Game" is no exception. Viewers have taken the internet to discuss everything from where the workers came from and what the symbols on their masks mean, to what happened to police officer Jun-ho. However, the final episode reveal (Oh Il-Nam [Oh Young-soo] wasn't just Player 001, but the architect behind the entire game) is what has really left fans scratching their heads and looking for answers. In particular, some fans have a theory about that fateful marble game he played with Gi-hun (Lee Jung-jae) — and it's pretty convincing. 

Epsiode 6 of "Squid Game" proved to be the most emotional of the series, as we watch in horror when the contestants learn that their game partner is actually their competition and one of them must die. We all shed a tear when Oh Il-Nam appeared to be a confused elderly man, thinking the game set was his old neighborhood. He excitedly begins wandering around to find his house and when he does, asks Gi-hun to enter the building with him. All the while, Gi-hun is getting increasingly hysterical and desperate, knowing if they don't play the game, both of them will die.

Redditor u/heatherfeathrr, however, has an interesting theory to why Il-Nam was acting that way.  As the creator of the game, Il-Nam knew how to win it, and he had another set of marbles hidden in the house — then, both he and Gi-hun would be able to survive until the next round. If that had happened, though, Il-Nam would still have to find a way to eliminate himself from gameplay before the glass hopscotch. Even if he knew what squares were tempered, there was no way to guarantee another player wouldn't push him off the bridge.

We loved "Squid Game" because of its unexpected story and attention to detail, and we're waiting to theorize more about what will happen in Season 2.