King of Hearts (Netflix)

The King of Hearts (ハートのキング, Hāto no Kingu), also known as "Silent" (さいれんと, Sairento)^[1], is a game featured in Episode 7 of Alice in Borderland.

As a Hearts challenge, the game tests players' emotional resilience and psychological insight.

Overview[]

Set-Up[]

Location:
Abandoned Building
Player Limit:
Unknown
Time Limit:
Unknown

Rules[]

The exact rules of the King of Hearts game are unknown, but players are seen desperately running through a narrow labyrinth while evading something terrifying that makes beast-like sounds.

It is GAME CLEAR for the player if they escape the venue.
It is GAME OVER for the player if the beast catches them.

Details[]

The venue for the King of Hearts game is exceptionally dark, with only a few lights illuminating the tight corridors. The floor and walls are made of dirty concrete, corners of the corridor have mirrors. There is a beast roaming around in the venue, but is not shown; said beast roars like a tiger or a bear. Players are exhausted and in a state of panic, potentially stuck in a looped route as they navigate a labyrinth.

Gallery[]

Trivia[]

This game is one of the Face Card games exclusive to the Netflix adaptation.
It is one of the four games played simultaneously in a montage in Episode 7 (Season 2).
As the game is a Hearts type game of the highest difficulty, many viewers assume that the King of Hearts is tricking the players into believing there is a beast that does not actually exist.
In the original story by Lewis Carroll, the King of Hearts is portrayed as "a slightly timid husband of the loud-mouthed Queen of Hearts", which may have been reflected in the series, as Mira matches the description of the Queen of Hearts. The actual Citizen hosting the game is nowhere to be seen.

References[]

↑ The actual name of the game was never stated in the show. However, as preparation for the release of Season 3, the official TikTok account of Netflix Japan revealed the name to be さいれんと.