After Alice in Borderland season 2’s ending, it is hard not to see how season 3’s story is a huge risk for the Netflix Japanese series in more ways than one. Directed by Shinsuke Sato, who has helmed several other renowned manga/anime live-action adaptations, like Gantz, Kingdom, and Inuyashiki, Alice in Borderland has had a strong two-season run, where it has loosely walked through almost all the main original arcs from its source material. Since season 2’s ending somewhat aligns with the main manga’s final arc, most viewers were not expecting it to go beyond season 2.
However, despite hitting a few conclusive notes in the last few episodes, Alice in Borderland season 2 defied all expectations by paving the way for another installment. It left viewers with an intriguing Joker twist that established that Arisu and his crew’s journey is far from over, and they will have to encounter one final challenge before they can leave the Borderland behind for good. While the show’s return with another installment has always been fascinating, it is a little concerning that Alice in Borderland season 3 could potentially make or break the entire series.
Arisu Seems To Be Back In The Borderland In Alice In Borderland Season 3
Many Visuals From Season 3’s Trailer Hint At His Return
Since Alice in Borderland has exhausted all source material content, one cannot guess how season 3 will unfold. Even the cast and crew involved with the series have not revealed much about its story details. However, the show’s teaser seems to hint that Arisu has not fully escaped the Borderland. In its opening moments, the teaser features a sequence in which a voice seemingly asks Arisu whether he “would come back to that beautiful world?” While this could mean a lot of things, it seems to give away that Arisu will get the opportunity to return to the Borderland.
A few blink-or-miss moments from the teaser also seemingly show Arisu playing another set of ᴅᴇᴀᴅly games with his friends, which is another major indicator of his return to the alternate reality. Even in Alice in Borderland season 2’s ending moments, the Joker card suddenly emerges in the world Arisu and his friends find themselves in after they survive the games. The card seems to hint that their return to the real world is merely an illusion, manufactured to ensure they stay within the confines of the Borderland.
Alice In Borderland Season 3 Risks Making Season 2’s Ending Pointless
Season 2’s Ending Felt Conclusive And Well-Rounded
When Arisu encounters the Queen of Hearts in Alice in Borderland season 2’s final arc, the show features a series of possibilities that could explain how all the characters ended up in the alternate dystopian Tokyo. From alien invasions to simulations, the show explores it all while subtly poking fun at all the tried-and-tested tropes of the sci-fi genre. After presenting these possibilities, season 2’s ending finally reveals the truth by showing how all the characters who ended up in the Borderland were in a liminal state between life and death after getting fatally wounded during a meteorite strike.
If Alice in Borderland season 3 marks Arisu’s return to the тιтular alternate world, season 2’s ending would seem like another red herring forcefully introduced to misguide viewers and stretch the series’ runtime.
This ending was in sync with the original manga’s closing story beats and also seemed like the perfect way to conclude the live-action series. With this closing explanation of the characters’ journey through the Borderland, the Netflix Japanese show also managed to create a unique idenтιтy for itself in the sci-fi fantasy genre by bringing something refreshing. If Alice in Borderland season 3 marks Arisu’s return to the тιтular alternate world, season 2’s ending would seem like another red herring forcefully introduced to misguide viewers and stretch the series’ runtime.
The whole explanation surrounding the meteorites and how every character’s fate in the games reflected their state in the real world would also seem pointless. It may be a little too soon to draw any conclusions about whether the show’s season 3 return will be a natural continuation or a forced extension of the overarching story. However, after Alice in Borderland season 2’s neatly wrapped coda, season 3’s return seems a little risky.
How Alice In Borderland Season 3 Can Work (Without Ruining Season 2’s Ending)
Alice In Borderland Season 3 Must Bring Something New To The Table
Instead of being a mere reimagination of everything that has happened in the series so far, Alice in Borderland should explore new narrative avenues and prove that it has a solid reason to exist. Similar to the follow-up installments of other acclaimed sci-fi shows like Russian Doll and The OA on Netflix, the Japanese series’ season 3 should strive to expand the existing lore instead of riffing on ideas that have already been explored.
Alice in Borderland season 3 is scheduled to be released sometime in September 2025 on Netflix.
From a thematic standpoint, Arisu learns the true value of his life after his adventures — and misadventures — in the Borderland, allowing him to live a more fulfilling life in the real world after he finally returns. Although he has no memories of his time in the Borderland, season 2’s ending establishes that something inside him has significantly shifted. If Alice in Borderland season 3 takes him back to the Borderland, it must clearly highlight the lessons he must learn during his final journey before he escapes the dystopian alternate world for good.
