Abhiroop Das
Based on the eponymous manga series by Haro Aso, Netflix’s ‘Alice in Borderland‘ follows Ryohei Arisu, a gamer who gets embroiled in an inexplicable mystery along with several other strangers. This science fiction thriller pits a wide assortment of characters against each other through a series of games taking place in a parallel reality. The only way to break free of this space is to win every game and surpass every hurdle, even when the cost is too high. At the end of season 2, all survivors are given a chance to either return to the normal world or become permanent residents of the Borderland. Banda, a serial killer, is one of the characters who makes the latter choice, and in season 3, his decision pays off. As Arisu is jolted out of his peaceful life and thrust back into the game, he has to face his old foes in a definitive showdown, with the entire world at stake. SPOILERS AHEAD.
Banda is Killed by The Watchman For Failing to Live up to His Potential
Banda emerges as a major antagonist over the course of the third season, manipulating the space known as the Borderland to create a series of deadly games. While his exact intentions remain in the dark, the serial killer’s conversations with Oki Yaba hint at sadistic pleasure being a core motivator. However, Banda’s focus eventually shifts to Arisu, and he uses everything he can to break the protagonist’s spirits. Nearly at the cusp of victory, Banda is shot and zapped by none other than the Watchman, and this move ends his role in the season finale. With the serial killer out of the picture, the Watchman reveals that he has been the true force behind everything that has unfolded thus far, and Banda was merely a means to the end. Ultimately, his failure to live up to the role of the instigator forces the supernatural entity to take over, and with this, Arisu gets one step closer to figuring out the truth.
Although Banda initially performs his duty by recruiting increasingly promising players into the game, his fixation with Arisu is the singular mistake that eventually leads to his downfall. The decision to break the protagonist’s spirit ends up narrowing his line of sight, and with his judgment getting too cloudy, Banda fails to see the greater picture. This, in turn, leads to Ryuji breaking free of the fate that is in store for him, that is, killing Usagi and then taking his own life. Instead, the assistant professor saves her life and then voluntarily submits to the vortex. As such, Banda’s promise to give Ryuji a glimpse into the afterlife is proven to be a lie, which further decreases his reliability as an agent of causality. While he is deemed unworthy of the position, Arisu gets the majority of the Watchman’s attention, ironically fitting the bill better. The contrast between Banda and the protagonist takes center stage here, as a person devoid of all empathy ultimately loses to a person driven by it.
Banda’s Journey Between Different Realms Ultimately Costs Him His Life
While Banda desperately tries to defeat Arisu in the game world, he makes a similar effort in the real world as well. At the same time, the Joker card gives its user the ability to slip in and out of the two realms. Banda abuses it by using it to suffocate the protagonist’s physical form. This breach of reality is likely one of the contributors to his ultimate death, which is only made more ironic given that he still ends up failing. His attempts to choke Arisu, which sync up with the character drowning within the Borderland, are thwarted by Ann, a former player herself. Shocked at the fact that he can be seen by her, Banda has no time to react as he is pushed away. This subsequently gives Arisu the push he needs, as he successfully gets out of the water, and later watches Banda seemingly meet his end. Additionally, the sequence also brings into question the true extent of the connection between the real and the supernatural, and Banda’s fate becomes a stepping stone in bridging that.
Notably, Banda’s body is not shown after he gets shot, and while his death is the most likely scenario, the mysteries of the Borderland allow for the possibility of him still retaining relevance within the narrative. As the serial killer likely drifts away in the torrents, eventually being swallowed by the vortex, it can be claimed that he joins Ryuji and the other players in the world of death, which is defined by eternal nothingness. However, with no way of confirming the truth in the Watchman’s words, the truth remains largely uncertain. As such, there is potential for Banda to return in some shape and create havoc once again, this time with an ever-deepening vendetta against Arisu. At the same time, the stage has also been set for Oki Yaba to take over as the main game master going forward, and as such, a level of sadism surpassing even that of Banda’s can be expected.
Read More: Why is Ryuji in a Wheelchair in Alice in Borderland? Does Kento Kaku Use a Wheelchair In Real Life?
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