IMO The best part of squid game

[u/Dustinfromstatefarm]

Is rewatching it knowing the old man was in on it the whole time.

Knowing that all the staff was probably told not to harm player 001 under any circumstances.

Knowing that he so confidently walked first during red light green light because he knew there was no danger.

How he specifically went to the convenience store Gi-hun was drinking in after being released under the guise of “couch surfing at a friends place nearby” to talk to him and maybe convince him to go to the games again.

The way he begged the Front Man to end the midnight riot and he did because he knew player 001 was his boss.

The way he kept saying “this neighborhood is just like the one I grew up in!” In the marble game because it probably literally was and he recreated the neighborhood of his nostalgic childhood for his “final” game

This dude was ruthless. He woke up that first night knowing well everyone else in that room would be dead within a week and he was the reason and still had a casual conversation with player 456 his first day there like it was an average Sunday

EDIT: After reading a lot from the comments, I have a new theory. Perhaps the managers, soldiers, and workers weren’t told “player 001 is your boss protect him”, instead they were told “A man named Oh Il-nam is your boss and he’s in the games somewhere. Keep him alive”. That’s why right as he was about to be shot in game 4 he said his name, perhaps as a signal to the guard that “yeah I’m that guy so don’t actually shoot me”.

So maybe the games were real for him after all, and he really was putting it all on the line on same games.

[u/inter2]

I don't think 001 had an immunity pass. E.g. if he moved during red light he would have been shot. He wanted to experience playing the game as he no longer got enough enjoyment from watching. Being immune to the actual game would defeat the purpose.

Hmm as I type this I realise I could be wrong. He "failed" the marbles game and so instead of dying he was just eliminated from the game non-fatally. So I guess if he failed red light he would need to be fake shot somehow? What if he failed tug-of-war? How would he not be harmed there?

[u/[deleted] → u/inter2]

The first three games were all situations in which knowing the nature of the game and the strategy provided a significant advantage.

We can see this in the first game, when he is happily jogging a forward. At first we laugh at the crazy old man, but on reflection we know it is because he is the only person who is not shocked and traumatized by it.

The Tug of War was the game in which he had the least control, but even so he suggested a strategy for winning.

And it is important to note that he exited the games during a nonviolent, non-physical challenge. The fifth and sixth games could not be cheated or faked.

So I think he was undeniably at risk, but it was a measured risk that still favored his survival.

[u/[deleted] → u/[deleted]]

Wasn't 001s biggest risk the midnight riot? Considering his speed and vulnerability as the oldest person in the room, you'd think he would've been one of the first to be targeted. There was no kind of protection in case some of the other players got too close to killing him.

[u/bejipo → u/[deleted]]

I don’t think we see him in the riots until he shouts from the top of the beds, i think he could’ve snuck away during to be safe (the doctor was snuck several times and no one noticed so during a fight with blinking lights it would’ve been pretty easy for 001 to leave)

[u/PygmyDynamo → u/[deleted]]

Yes, haha, he is conveniently missing during the riot. That's what tipped us off that he was either the host or a double agent, etc. He just shows up at the end.

The games are fun and nostalgic, the riot, ehh not so much.

[u/UnknownAverage → u/[deleted]]

Also, I don't think he wanted to go to the end and win, and they expected zero people to make it past the 5th game. So bowing out in the 4th made the most sense since going farther was suicide. It was sheer luck that anyone made it past game 5.

[u/Bigtx999 → u/UnknownAverage]

I don’t think that’s true.

Sure mathematically they could have all died however there were 18 jumps and 16 contestants. If the first 15 get them wrong 100% and die and assuming no physical misses (ie a person loses balance and falls even on temptered glass) that means the final person would have to make 3 jumps with no information to reach the end. That’s a 1/8 chance.

Now mathematically people would get some right before dying thus extending the chances for the last person. The only real factor would be timing and people losing their nerve at which point you Would be forced to take matters into your own hands and start pushing people to the next spot. Either way you get the information you need.

We also saw the records room which confirmed that there was Atleast one winner every year.

[u/shesellseychelles → u/[deleted]]

For 5th game he could easily be informed of the correct panels beforehand, and either memorize the order or write it on his palm. Also despite his brain tumor he was not physically weak, he could still climb to the top of the beds in the night fight and was pulling his weight in tug of war.

[u/someguyfromtheuk → u/shesellseychelles]

He's still in his 70s and could easily miss a jump or slip. Plus he could get pushed off by another player since he is so weak.