Deadly stakes "Squid Game" they've always been attuned to their emotional weight, and the Season 2 finale delivers one of the most poignant moments yet.

In a recent interview, “Squid Game” creator Hwang Dong-hyuk opened up about crafting this pivotal scene, the emotional weight it carries, and why it was the right time to deliver such a devastating blow to both the characters and the audience.

Warning: Major spoilers ahead for the Season 2 finale of "Squid Game," streaming now on Netflix.

The second season of "The Squid Game" ends its intense seventh and final episode with a devastating blow: Gi-hun (Lee Jung-jae) witnesses the brutal execution of his closest ally, Jung-bae (Lee Seo-hwan). The fatal blow is delivered by The Front Man (Lee Byung-hun) after Gi-hun causes a mutiny among the remaining players.

While Jung-bae's death is already a shocking and poignant moment, it carries even more weight for viewers. Unlike Gi-hun, the audience is painfully aware of the Frontman's true identity: In-ho, a former squid game champion who has since become the enigmatic mastermind behind the deadly competition.

Throughout the game, In-ho masquerades as Player 001 under the alias Young-il, insinuating himself into Gi-hun and Jung-bae's inner circle. By building trust and feigning loyalty to their cause and uprising, he skillfully manipulates their relationship.

But in a chilling twist, In-ho sheds his mask, reassumes the role of leading man, and delivers the fatal shot to Jung-bae—an act of brutal punishment aimed squarely at Gi-hun.

"Squid Game" Season 2 it ends in a stunning turn of events as The Front Man (In-ho, disguised as Young-il—though Gi-hun remains oblivious) mercilessly kills Jung-bae in front of Gi-hun. Held by pink guards, Gi-hun is forced to watch in horror as his friend bleeds out, his screams echoing in despair.

"When I first wrote the story of seasons 2 and 3, it was one long story," said "Squid Game" creator Hwang Dong-hyuk Diversity. "And I originally planned to write this story in a range of eight to nine episodes, but when I finished the story, it was over 10 episodes, which I thought was too long to fit into one season."

"And so I wanted to have an adequate point where I could finish as a second season and then go on to a third. And when you look at Gi-hun's story, all his attempts to stop the game: first he takes these mercenaries and tries to set up a tracking device, which fails; a second attempt to try to get people to vote so they can leave the game also fails; and then the third and final attempt to rally the people and incite rebellion also fails.”

Hwang Dong-hyuk went on to explain how all his failures "lead to this severe, severe crisis of losing his best friend, Jung-bae, at the hands of The Front Man."

"And when you think about Gi-hun's journey, I thought it was an appropriate moment to stop and give him some closure along that story arc," he continued. “And then from that moment, in the third season, when he was weighed down by a great sense of guilt and failure – how will Gi-hun continue his mission? It's a story that will continue to unfold.”

As of early November, Season 1 of "The Squid Game" has amassed an impressive 330 million viewers and over 2.8 billion hours of viewing since its premiere on September 17, 2021.

"You watch the show and you can't help but wonder — how would I react if I was put in one of these situations," said Josh Simon, Netflix's vice president of consumer products and live experiences. “The games in the show and the unscripted show are based on simple, well-known games that people play growing up, so the rules aren't super complicated. It's more about the pressure of that environment.”

The streamer also reported a 60 percent increase in viewership for the first season after releasing the first teaser for the second season on October 31. The first season previously won six Emmy Awards, including Outstanding Lead Actor in a Drama Series for Lee Jung-jae.