Many fans ask, “Does Usagi die?” because they worry about her fate in Alice in Borderland. With each new season, tension grows as players drop like flies and the games become deadlier. You want to know if she makes it through or falls victim to a cruel twist. Here is the quick truth: Usagi does not die during the final games. She faces fierce challenges but keeps fighting with both heart and skill.
This guide breaks down exactly what helps Usagi survive, including her mountaineering talent, smart choices, and yes, a little bit of plot armor. I will also cover who else plays these wild games, which rules matter most, and how life changes for everyone at the end.
So, grab a drink and settle in. I’m going to walk you through exactly how she pulls off the impossible.
Does Usagi Die in the Final Game?
Usagi survives the final game in Alice in Borderland on Netflix. She faces real threats, like the relentless King of Spades and the manipulative Queen of Hearts. In the show’s intense finale, she endures severe injuries. The King of Spades stabs her through the legs, and she nearly bleeds out while helping Arisu reach the final venue.
Despite these wounds, she enters the Queen of Hearts’ venue and plays a psychological game of croquet until the very end. Her survival leads to a return to the real world. She wakes up in a hospital, reunited with Arisu. They do not remember the games, but they feel a deep connection and begin a relationship.
While the input mentions a “2025 continuation,” it is important to clarify the source material. In the manga sequel Alice in Borderland: Retry, only Arisu returns to the Borderland while Usagi stays behind in the real world, heavily pregnant.
“I kept moving forward… Even when I thought it was over.”
Now comes the debate: Did her luck or skill matter more?
Plot Armor vs. Skill: Analyzing Usagi’s Survival
Some fans wonder if Usagi is simply lucky or just that good. Her story mixes close calls, smart moves, and a little help from fate.
The table below breaks down exactly where her skills shone versus where the scriptwriters seemingly intervened to save her.
| Survival Factor | The Moment | Verdict |
|---|---|---|
| Mountaineering | Climbing the vertical bus/scaffolding to escape the flood in the “Distance” game. | Pure Skill |
| Physical Endurance | Running from the King of Spades despite multiple stab wounds to her thighs. | Plot Armor |
| Mental Resilience | Cutting her own wrist to snap Arisu out of his hallucination during Croquet. | Pure Skill |
| Luck | Surviving the initial mass shooting by the King of Spades, where experienced soldiers died. | Plot Armor |
Instances of Plot Armor in Usagi’s Journey
Usagi faces deadly games and near-certain death yet survives again and again. Her luck often feels unreal, hinting at strong plot armor protecting her as the protagonist.
- The King of Spades Encounter: In Episode 7 of Season 2, the King of Spades stabs Usagi through both legs. In reality, this would sever major arteries or at least render her unable to walk. Yet, she manages to limp to the final venue and participate in the next game.
- The Exploding Building: During the “Checkmate” game, she survives close-range explosions and collapses that kill minor characters instantly.
- Perfect Timing: She often arrives at Arisu’s location exactly when he is about to be killed, such as during the chaotic street battles in Shibuya.
Usagi’s Skill and Tactical Decisions in the Final Game
Usagi faces her toughest test in the Queen of Hearts game. She uses courage, strategy, and endurance to survive challenges that would break most people.
- Emotional Intelligence: Usagi realizes the Queen of Hearts (Mira) is using tea time and conversation to drug them and lower their guard. She actively fights this sedation.
- Self-Sacrifice for Strategy: When Arisu is trapped in a hallucination, believing he is in a mental institution, Usagi slices her own wrist. The shock of seeing her bleed forces Arisu to wake up and return to the game.
- Adaptability: In the earlier “Checkmate” game (Queen of Spades), she uses her agility to physically tag enemies and turn them to her team, proving she is one of the most athletic players in the Borderland.
- Hunting Instincts: Her father taught her to hunt and survive in the wild. She uses these tracking skills to navigate the ruins of Tokyo without getting lost or ambushed by basic traps.
Who Participates in the Final Game?
The final game, “Croquet,” is an intimate showdown. Unlike the massive battle royales seen earlier, this game features only a few key players.
- Arisu: The primary challenger. He must play three sets of croquet against the Queen of Hearts without forfeiting.
- Usagi: She joins Arisu in the venue. Although she is injured, her presence is vital because she anchors Arisu to reality when his mind begins to break.
- Mira Kano (Queen of Hearts): The Game Master. She does not use physical weapons but uses words, drugs, and hallucinations to destroy her opponents’ will to live.
- The Spectators: Unlike other games, there are no other active players. Characters like Ann, Kuina, and Aguni are elsewhere in the city, struggling to survive their injuries from the King of Spades.
The Rules and Stakes of the Final Game
Players face off against the Queen of Hearts in a game of Croquet. Each game brings danger, fear, and hard choices. The rules are deceptively simple, which makes them even more dangerous.
- Rule 1: Players must complete three sets of croquet.
- Rule 2: It does not matter if you win or lose the match; you simply must not “retire” (quit).
- Rule 3: Weapons are allowed, and there are no restrictions on violence, though Mira insists on a “gentlemanly” game.
The stakes could not be higher. If they quit, they die. If they kill Mira before the game ends, the game remains uncleared, and they die when their visas expire.
Grief weighs heavily on Usagi’s heart, pushing her to fight even harder. Protecting loved ones drives each move on the field. Winning means more than a trophy. It is about returning home alive.
Key Moments: Usagi’s Challenges in the Final Game
After learning the stakes and rules, Usagi’s journey becomes a true test of survival and grit. Each moment in the final game pushes her to her limits and shows what she is made of.
- The Tea Time Trap: Between sets, Mira invites them for tea. Usagi senses the danger in the drink and the conversation, but struggles to keep Arisu focused as the drug takes effect.
- The Hallucination: Arisu falls into a deep delusion where he believes the Borderland is a lie, and he is a patient in a hospital. Usagi cannot reach him with words alone.
- The Act of Love: Realizing she is losing him, Usagi inflicts a deep wound on herself. She screams for him to look at her, using her pain to pierce through his delusion. This moment proves her skill is not just physical, but deeply emotional.
- The Final Wicket: Once Arisu wakes up, they finish the game. The croquet match ends not with a grand explosion, but with a quiet completion of the task, proving that persistence beats power.
- The Meteorite Reveal: Upon winning, they are offered a choice to stay or leave. Usagi chooses to decline permanent residency, leading to her waking up in the real world.
Does Arisu Save Usagi?
Usagi faces tough moments and close calls in the final game, but Arisu steps up for her every time. He supports Usagi both emotionally and with smart choices that help keep her alive. It is a two-way street. While Arisu physically carries her when her legs fail, she saves his mind when he breaks.
Their bond grows stronger right inside the Borderland, where danger lurks at every turn. Arisu’s protective influence helps Usagi survive and return to the real world by his side.
Their teamwork means everything during these high-stakes games. In fact, Arisu’s presence brings hope whenever things look grim for Usagi.
The story does not end in sadness. Instead, it shows their relationship deepening even after returning home. They reunite near the vending machines in the hospital, feeling a spark of recognition that hints at their future marriage.
Who Dies During the Final Game?
The final round in Alice in Borderland is full of high stakes and dark surprises. Characters face deadly games, heavy consequences, and sudden tragedy. While Usagi survives, the path to the end is paved with loss.
- Mira Kano (Queen of Hearts): She dies after the game is cleared. Mira accepts her defeat with a strange sense of satisfaction, having enjoyed the “game” to the fullest.
- The King of Spades: He is killed shortly before the final game begins. Aguni and the team manage to defeat him in a brutal alleyway brawl, though it leaves them all near death.
- Tatta: A heartbreaking loss from earlier in the season. Tatta dies from blood loss after breaking off his own hand to help the team win the King of Clubs game.
Curious about the rumors regarding other characters? Head into the next part to see the truth about Banda.
The Fate of Banda
There is a common misconception that Banda dies. The input text suggests he meets his end, but this is not correct according to the source material and the show’s finale. Banda Sunato, the serial killer introduced in the Jack of Hearts game (Solitary Confinement), actually survives.
Unlike Usagi and Arisu, Banda enjoys the lawless nature of the Borderland. Alongside his partner, Yaba, he chooses to accept permanent residency. This means he does not return to the real world. Instead, he stays behind to become a citizen and likely a Game Master for the next cycle of players.
He effectively “dies” in the real world (likely never waking from his coma), but he is very much alive and dangerous within the Borderland.
The Role of the Joker in the Final Game
The Joker brings chaos to the final game. This player uses tricks, lies, and sharp strategy. In the show, the Joker is not a physical player you can fight. He is represented by a card found in the hospital gardens at the very end of Season 2.
Many interpret the Joker as the Ferryman, the entity that transports souls between the Borderland (Purgatory) and the living world. He represents the uncertainty of life itself. His presence implies that while the games are over, life is the wildest game of all.
My own heart raced seeing that card. It suggests that the danger might not be entirely over, or perhaps it signifies that Arisu has finally cleared the stage of “childhood” and must now face the chaos of adulthood.
Returning Characters in Alice in Borderland Season 3
Netflix has officially confirmed Alice in Borderland Season 3. Fans watch closely to see who shows up again. While the manga story technically ends with their return, the show is expanding the universe. Here is who we expect to see:
- Arisu: As the main hero, his return is guaranteed. The new season may explore his life after the disaster or drag him back in.
- Usagi: Tao Tsuchiya is the heart of the show. Her chemistry with Arisu is the core of the series, making her return highly probable.
- Chishiya: A fan favorite. Chishiya survived and woke up in the hospital. His sharp mind is too valuable to leave out of a new season.
- Kuina: Known for her martial arts and quick thinking, she also survived the meteor disaster.
- Aguni: Despite severe injuries, he was seen alive in the hospital. His redemption arc may continue.
- Niragi: Surprisingly, even this chaotic antagonist survived. His role could shake up the plot if he returns.
- Banda and Yaba: Since they stayed in the Borderland as citizens, they are the most likely candidates to appear as new Game Masters or villains.
Next up are the questions around whether the Borderland adventure is truly over or just getting started again.
Is the Borderland Adventure Truly Over?
Usagi steps out of Borderland alive, her hands scarred but strong. She beats deadly games run by the King of Spades and Queen of Hearts using sharp skill and a deep will to live.
Arisu stands with her on the other side. Their bond is forged in threat and loss. In the Alice in Borderland: Retry manga, the adventure isn’t quite over. A few years later, a freak accident sends Arisu back to the Borderland for one final game.
However, Usagi does not go with him in that story. She remains in the real world, about to give birth. Arisu fights desperately to return to her. Marriage to Arisu brings hope after so much pain. The story hints at fresh adventures; Usagi carries both wounds and love.
Survival moves beyond just luck or plot armor now. It shapes every day she faces.
Will There Be a Season 4?
Currently, all eyes are on Season 3. No announcement has come out about Season 4. Fans keep their eyes peeled for any news, but the production studio stays silent as a stone. People talk and guess in online forums, hoping for another episode or even just a hint from Netflix.
Some think new episodes will arrive after seeing so many cliffhangers. Others wait for official word before getting excited. The series could return if enough fans show support, yet right now there is no sign of renewal or broadcast plans beyond the upcoming third season.
Many spent nights clicking refresh on social media, searching for hints that never showed up. Until an official statement lands, speculation fills the gap left by facts.
Final Word
Usagi survives thanks to quick thinking, strong skills, and a little plot armor sprinkled in for dramatic tension. Her ability to face danger head-on makes her story both gripping and relatable.
She shows us that courage and heart often work hand in hand. While the games are hard, her journey proves that sometimes grit matters as much as luck.
For those eager to learn more about survival stories or character growth, many fan forums and official guides can add extra depth. Every journey shapes us somehow. As Usagi proves, never underestimate your own strength when facing life’s toughest trials.
