Alice in Borderland Season 3 revealed why Yuzuha Usagi (Tao Tsuchiya) decided to return to the Borderland despite already having a stable life with Arisu in the real world, and it's mostly because of her unresolved grief over her father's death. Based on Haro Aso's manga of the same name, Netflix's live-action adaptation of the Japanese thriller continues Arisu and Usagi's story after they were swept back into the dangerous world of the Borderland, a dimension between life and death. Similar to Arisu, Usagi is a competent player in the Borderlands, mainly due to her background as a skilled mountain climber, but she has one issue in the first two seasons that has yet to be thoroughly explored.
Season 3 began with the reveal that Arisu and Usagi are now married, and both of them are currently enjoying their lives. While he didn't remember much of what happened in the Borderland, Arisu's strong connection with Usagi carried over to the real world. However, one encounter with the mysterious Ryuji Matsumaya, who is obsessed with the afterlife, changed everything for the married couple, leading both of them to a return trip to the Borderland.
Why Did Usagi Go Back to Borderland In Season 3?
Ryuji Matsumaya's obsession with death and the afterlife, combined with the Banda's manipulation, forced him to persuade Usagi to return to the Borderland in Alice in Borderland Season 3, but it wasn't just that that made the protagonist come back to that dreaded place. Season 3 established that Usagi has yet to completely move forward with her father's death, with her even having constant nightmares of when he jumped over the cliff that cemented his fate.
Aside from her unresolved grief, Usagi also experienced faint flashbacks of what happened in the Borderland after she ended up in the same resort hotel where the Ten of Hearts game in Season 1 happened. Ryuji used the opportunity to calm down a vulnerable Usagi, which led her to open up about her unresolved trauma and grief over losing her father.
After Usagi called Arisu to apologize, he went all out in trying to find her, with the police showing him surveillance footage of Usagi speaking with Ryuji in the same hotel. It turned out that Usagi moved forward with the interview with Ryuji, and this was where she opened up about her unresolved grief and nightmares of her father's death.
Alice in Borderland Season 3 confirmed that Usagi wanted to go back to the Borderland "even if it hurts" because she knew she would be closer to him, even though she would be closer to the face of death. Usagi also mentioned that she would be willing to endure the pain if it meant that she would see her dad again one last time:
"When I dream, I can feel him. My father’s presence. As if he were still living and breathing. And even if he dies in my dream, even if it hurts… Even if I have to watch him die over and over… If my dad is in my dreams…Then, even if they’re nightmares… that’s where I wanna go."
However, Usagi's decision meant that she would leave Arisu and their normal life behind. Ultimately, Usagi agreed to return to the Borderland after Ryuji injected her with a drug that would put her in a comatose state. This was all part of Banda's elaborate plan to bring Usagi to the Borderland so that Arisu would follow and force him to stay there.
Arisu eventually found Usagi and Ryuji, who were both in a coma, meaning that they were now both in the games. What made things more complicated is the revelation that Usagi is pregnant, and this sent Arisu over the edge into trying to find a way to bring his wife back to the real world.
With the help of his former ally, Ann, he returned to the Borderland, but the circumstances were now different because Arisu ended up in the twisted world of the Joker tournament.
Did Usagi Ever Resolve Her Grief in Season 3?
After enduring many unexpected character deaths in Alice in Borderland Season 3, Arisu and Usagi eventually reunited in Episode 5, but the pain of the loss for her father remained. It wasn't until the finale that Usagi managed to move forward after one final emotional confrontation with her father.
Episode 6 saw Usagi on the brink of being sucked into the vortex of death, but she was ultimately saved by Ryuji after he sacrificed himself. Usagi then saw a vision of her father, leading to their final conversation.
Usagi's father reassured her that he was happy that they spent a lot of time together in the world of the living before he told her that he wanted her daughter to live and be happy:
"I want you to live, Usagi. I want you to be happy too."
The final words of Usagi's father were more than enough to push her into the world of the living, allowing her to be free of her grief.
Alice in Borderland Season 3 ended with Usagi and Arisu reunited in the real world, with them starting a family and a new chapter free from the dreaded nature of the Borderland.
Read more on why Chishiya had a greatly reduced role in Alice in Borderland Season 3.
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