Summary
Netflix just shared the first look of the anticipatedAlice in BorderlandSeason 3. The promo comes with a major hook about the upcoming season.
Alice in Borderlandis a Japanese science fiction thriller onNetflixbased on Haro Aso’s manga of the same title. It follows Arisu (Kento Yamazaki) and his friends’ journey as they find themselves trapped in a mysterious abandoned version of Tokyo. They have to compete in deadly games to survive. The first season ended with the reveal of the Face Card games.Alice in BorderlandSeason 2ended with a tease of the Joker card. The streaming giant dropped the first look of Season 3 and fans immediately noticed a familiar figure.
Netflix shared a photo ofAlice in BorderlandSeason 3on X, formerly Twitter. It features three characters on top of what seems to be an abandoned building. All of them have their backs on the camera. A huge Joker card is also visible in the promotional material. “You’re not ready for the final game,” the caption read. “ALICE IN BORDERLAND SEASON 3 COMING 2025.” Several fans were excited after seeing the post and many immediately pointed out the presence of the Joker card. The Joker card was introduced inAlice in BorderlandSeason 2’s finale after the last game. When the players defeated the Face Card game masters, they were asked to stay in Borderland or return to the real world. Everyone except Banda (Hyatt Isomura) and Yaba (Katsuya Maiguma) decided to leave. When the screen faded to a table full of playing cards, the camera zoomed and all cards were blown away except for the Joker card.
Netflix’s introduction of Joker differs from how the character was used in the original material, perScreenRant. In the manga, the Joker is a “shadowy figure” who serves as a ferryman of the souls. He accompanies those who want to return to the real world, confirming that Borderland is a limbo-like state between life and death. In the live-action, Arisu woke up without any help from the Joker. Arisu and the other players were in the hospital. Apparently, Arisu suffered a cardiac heart arrest after a meteorite hit Tokyo. The incident led to hundreds of deaths and sent several injured people to the hospital, including Arisu. It is still unclear how Netflix would utilize the Joker in the series, but ScreenRant suggests that “it could be the mastermind behind the Borderland that the show never revealed.”
In the traditionalplaying card decks, the Joker is a wildcard — it is unpredictable, and this makes it a suitable character forAlice in Borderland, where things are in a state of limbo. Its role is ambiguous and it’s possible that he has more influence than previously shown. In the manga, Arisu meets a mysterious Joker-like figure after winning games, which could mean the mysterious character has a more significant role. The Joker’s appearance in Netflix’s promotional materials suggests that there’s more story to tell. Season 3 could reveal the Joker’s role, unveil new games or take the audience into the more profound mysteries in Borderland. That’s something fans should wait and see as the next season will be dropped in the coming months.
Alice in BorderlandSeason 3 will be released on Netflix in September 2025.
