After several rounds of betrayal and mind games, Squid Game: The Challenge Season 2 is down to the remaining Top 5 players, and they all have a pretty good reason to vie for the grand prize of $4.56 million. Netflix's hit reality show, based on the South Korean global hit of the same name, is making waves after it assembled 456 players (all with unique life stories, occupations, and motivations) to play various tricky games inspired by the show and completely original ones that caught them off guard.
The latest batch of Squid Game: The Challenge Season 2 episodes saw its fair share of betrayal and sacrifice that continued to trim down the number of players to single digits, ultimately landing on the Top 5 remaining players. These players outlasted 451 other competitors, which includes the likes of an NFL cheerleader, a retired bomb technician, and a SoulCycle coach.
The Top 5 Players of 'Squid Game: The Challenge' Season 2
Vanessa - Player 017
Instagram: @vanessaclementz
For many, Vanessa (Player 017) is a wildcard, considering that she lost many allies along the way, particularly during the Mingle round. Despite that setback, Vanessa powered through, using her lone wolf strategy, which worked wonders for her as she became one step closer to the $4.56 million grand prize.
In the real world, Vanessa works as the only woman lobster fisher in their harbor in Canada, so she knows what it takes to move forward despite being underestimated.
While some of the remaining players admitted that they didn't know if they could trust her (with Dajah pointing out that she could be "playing both sides 'cause she has nobody" in Episode 8), Player 017 is not fazed by it.
In the same episode, Vanessa pointed out that she had gone through worse, but she still found a way to survive and be in the Top 5 of Netflix's Squid Game: The Challenge Season 2.
"I have been in many situations in my life where I feel like a lot of people just would’ve given up and quit."
Perla - Player 072
Instagram: @perlafiguereo
Perla (Player 072) had her brother, Jeffrey (Player 283), in the first few rounds, and they almost made it into the final 22 players. However, the heartbreaking game of Marbles forced the siblings to play against one another, leading to Jeffrey's exit.
In the Slides & Ladders game, Perla's partner, Zoe (Player 369), was eliminated early, which forced her to play the rest of the round alone against the other teams. However, Perla still managed to pull through and advance to the final round. Player 072's resilience allowed her to reach the Top 5 of Squid Game: The Challenge Season 2.
Perla had an intense rivalry with fellow Top 5 competitor, Player 183, during the Slides & Ladders game, and this could play a part in the final game as they go head-to-head with the rest of the field.
In Episode 7, Perla said in an interview that she joined Season 2 for her family and to overcome "the struggles [she] had growing up." Winning Squid Game: The Challenge would prove the naysayers wrong, and her secret weapon of being her most authentic self could be what pushes her to the top.
Steven - Player 183
Instagram: @steven.jones.jr
Steven (Player 183) is perhaps the biggest threat in Squid Game: The Challenge Season 2, primarily due to his manipulation tactics and tendency to outsmart everyone during the games. What makes Steven stand out from the rest of the field is the fact that he had already won millions of dollars as a poker player before.
Based on his Instagram, Steven finished second in the 2023 World Series of Poker Main Event, and he took home $6.5 million, a sum higher than Squid Game: The Challenge's grand prize of $4.56 million. While some would think that he doesn't deserve to win because he is technically already rich in the real world, Steven has good intentions if he ends up bagging the grand prize, telling TUDUM that he would love to help his other family members and donate a portion to the Boys & Girls Club in Scottsdale.
Being a threat to the other players could be a disadvantage for Player 183, but the fact that he knows how to manipulate people's emotions and is skilled at strategizing could propel him to the top.
Read more about whether Squid Game: The Challenge is real or not here.
Dajah - Player 302
Instagram: @queen_daj95
Dajah (Player 302) is known for her fierce and relentless locked-in attitude, and she never backed down in any challenge in every round of Squid Game: The Challenge Season 2. As one of the show's most dialed-in competitors, treating the game and her fellow players with the utmost respect while also embracing a strategy of not losing sight of the goal landed her a spot on the Top 5.
There is a reason why Dajah takes things seriously in Season 2, and this is mainly because of her experience in the field of law enforcement (she was a detective for four years) and specialized training. Player 302's training helped her in the Circle of Trust as she navigated who was telling the truth or not by picking up body language cues.
In Episode 8, Dajah embraces the concept of "mind games," noting that she doesn't mind making people uncomfortable to win it all. This could prove helpful in the final round, as it's every man or woman for themselves at this stage of the competition.
Trinity - Player 398
Instagram: @trintsavon
Trinity (Player 398) was off the radar in the first few rounds of Squid Game: The Challenge Season 2, but he slowly took the spotlight in the remaining rounds and reached the Top 5. His strategy of being a background character helped him become exempt from the Slides and Ladders game after no one chose him to be their partner. This proved to be an advantage because he instantly advanced to the Circle of Trust round.
His job in the real world falls under the umbrella of retail, meaning that Trinity gets to spend a lot of time with people. This helped him build alliances and strong friendships that made him realize how heartbreaking it is for other competitors to get eliminated after learning their story.
Trinity said in an interview during Episode 8 that he knows the pain of "not being financially stable," which is why he wants to win the life-changing grand prize of Season 2. If he ends up winning, Player 398 said that he is hoping "to change the world in a trajectory where it's gonna be at least a little bit better of a place where it's not as corrupt and evil."
