Netflix’s apocalyptic Japanese show,Alice in Borderland, has impressed during its two seasons, and with theannouncement of a third season, speculation about where the series could potentially go abounds. Based onHaro Aso’s manga of the same name, the adapted show has already covered the breadth of the manga, leaving Season 3 wide open to creative interpretation. Thoughthere are spin-off mangas that the show could pull inspiration from, there is one particular route that seems most logical and exciting.
Alice in BorderlandSeason 2 endswith the enigmatic scene of the Joker card. During the two seasons, our main characters are trapped in Borderland, barely surviving the rigorous games all to collect each of the cards we would find in a deck. Season 1 focused on numbered cards, while the second season heightened the stakes and magnitude of the games with face cards.The Joker was seemingly forgotten until that last frame, and it should absolutely be further explored in the show’s upcoming season.
‘Alice in Borderland’ Is Based on Haro Aso’s Manga
The first two seasons ofAlice in Borderlandfollow andexpand on Aso’s manga series, bringing the twistedAlice in Wonderland-inspired world to life. While Aso has officially completed his original series, he did create two more spin-off mangas that return to the gruesome yet awe-inspiring Borderland. The first spin-off manga was released periodically between 2015 and 2018 calledAlice on Border Road. It follows an entirely new set of characters who find themselves in Borderland, except this time in Kyoto. Since theoriginal cast membershave already been confirmed for the show’s third season, it is unlikely that it will adapt this spin-off manga. However, there is a chancethey can draw inspiration from the unique games here, or that new characters from these stories could be introducedand interwoven into the new season.
But really, it is Aso’s 2020 to 2021 spin-off manga that is more likely to be adapted,Alice in Borderland: Retry, if the showrunners decide to go down the adaptation route. Retry sees Arisu (portrayed byKento Yamazakiin the Netflix show) return to Borderland after another near-death experience, where he is forced to compete in the grotesque games once again.As a sequel to the original series, this manga is probably the more favorable source material for a third season, especially since the show ends in a place that we believe is reality. However, there is a moment in the original manga that is still ripe for adaptation, though it will still demand a more original and creative take.
Who Is the Joker in the ‘Alice in Borderland’ Manga?
In the Netflix show, we are only given a tantalizing hint of the Joker card in the closing frames, but in the original manga, we learn slightly more about whom the Joker is. In a scene that didn’t make it to the show,Arisu actually comes face to face with the physical form of the Joker. After completing all the games and making his choice to return to reality rather than stay in Borderland as a citizen, Arisu meets the Joker in a dark, mysterious place. It seems that the Joker isBorderland’s all-powerful figure, especially as he makes jokes about being God or the Devil.
However,Arisu’s interpretation of the Joker is that he is a mediator or guide for souls traveling between Borderland and real life. This is reminiscent of Charon in Greek mythology, a ferryman who helps souls cross the River Acheron into the underworld. It’s a perspective that makes sense, since Arisu only meets him before returning to reality. However, their roles diverge as the Joker seems to be a figure that reignsthe limbo-like Borderlands, and as such, his card and character seem to be the most intriguing route for the Netflix series to go down.
‘Alice in Borderland’ Season 3: Everything We Know So Far
Arisu and Usagi may be about to face their biggest challenge yet.
Netflix’s ‘Alice in Borderland’ Season 3 Should Explore the Joker Card
Season 3 is alreadyset up to explore the Joker card, considering the closing scenes of the second season, making this direction the most logistically sensible one. But it is also the most gripping prospect, as anexploration into the Joker card could offer us a more manic and high-stakes season than ever before. In pop culture, the Joker has earned connotations of illusions and trickery, and as the wild card that no one thought to collect, it promises us a perfectly twisty and mind-bending story. Mind you, there are also usually two Joker cards in a standard deck, so it also sets up another potential twist to introduce another player to the board.
WithSeason 2 ending in a hospitalthat is supposedly based in real life, the addition of the Joker card already alluded to either the games possibly not being over or maybe they aren’t in reality yet. TheJoker’s illusory nature could also lead to games that test the fabric of the player’s reality, where they could potentially lose their grip on it, playing into the veryAlice in Wonderlandidea of sanity. Everything about the Joker card simply spells out: don’t believe what you see. It offers us a hallucinogenic head trip that aligns withAlice in Borderland’s initial intrigue of finding out what the Borderland truly is. Following the Joker’s hypnotic and puzzling path would also play to the series' strengths, as thepsychological and emotional gamesin the first two seasons tend to beAlice in Borderland’s most compelling ones.
Alice in Borderland
Alice in Borderlandis available to stream now on Netflix in the U.S.
