Alice in Borderland Season 3 Episode 4 Recap & Review

Alice in Borderland Season 3 Episode 4 recap begins with the group realizing they may not survive the deadly train they are trapped inside. The alliance they had managed to build starts to fracture under the pressure, and time quickly becomes their enemy. Their only chance of escape lies with the parallel train running alongside them, sparking the desperate idea of leaping across while the lines run together.

The passengers take their chances, jumping one at a time, though not everyone makes it safely. Ryuji just barely clears the carriage by using the handrails to swing across. As they gather themselves, Arisu appears in another train on the opposite side of the rails. The brief reunion is cut short when both trains plunge into tunnels and diverge on separate tracks. With the end of the line drawing near, each group is forced to rush to the front of the train to try and stop it.

Arisu’s team manages to reach the front and hit the brakes, but the train still crashes violently. Although not all passengers die, many are badly injured. Arisu is among them, bleeding heavily. Thanks to Tetsu’s medical knowledge — and a shaky hand steadied by a shot of alcohol — he uses Rei’s sewing kit to patch Arisu up, saving his life.

Meanwhile, Usagi and Ryuji’s group survive as well. Through flashbacks, we learn more about Ryuji’s past, including his obsession with near-death experiences. He once worked with a student named Yano to simulate such an ordeal, but the experiment tragically ended in her death. While the incident was officially written off as a drug overdose, Ryuji carried the guilt with him, doubling down on his determination to uncover the truth about the borderlands.

READ MORE: Alice in Borderland Season 3 Episode 2 Recap

READ MORE: Alice in Borderland Season 3 Episode 3 Recap

The semi-finals of the deadly tournament begin, splitting the remaining contestants between two venues. Usagi’s group heads to Tokyo Tower for a high-stakes game of bingo. Contestants must climb across the unstable steel foundations of the tower to hit buzzers corresponding to their bingo card numbers. Completing a horizontal, vertical, or diagonal line clears the game, but the danger is real. The final buzzer — the free space in the middle of the card — sits precariously at the tower’s highest point. For Usagi, who grew up under her father’s guidance, this game feels almost destined for her. Though she fails to save a player who falls to her death, Usagi eventually pushes through her fear and hits the buzzer at the very top.

At the same time, Arisu’s group is thrown into a deadly version of Kick the Can. Here, ten cans serve as ticking bombs. Players must kick them into the air and return them to their bases within a strict time limit. Holding a can too long or dropping it means instant death, and impacts can trigger explosions. Teamwork is crucial, as the cans’ timers can only be reset by passing them between players. Rei, Nobu, and Tetsu manage to survive, while Arisu narrowly secures the penultimate can. His survival, however, comes at a heavy cost. Kazuya sacrifices himself, dramatically ripping off his shirt to reveal his tattooed back, echoing the iconic Yakuza: Like a Dragon imagery, before ensuring the explosion takes out the opposition.

While these games unfold, the Tokyo Tower match proves to be a nightmare for those afraid of heights. The unstable structure claims multiple victims, and Usagi is haunted by the horror of watching another contestant slip through her grasp. Still, she ultimately secures victory for her team, proving her resilience.

With both games complete, Ryuji sneaks away and meets Banda on a rooftop. Banda reveals his manipulative plan: he wants Arisu trapped in the borderlands forever, believing he is perfectly suited to this world. Handing Ryuji a gun, Banda instructs him to kill Usagi. By removing Arisu’s reason to return to the real world, Banda promises to grant Ryuji’s ultimate near-death wish. When pressed about being the Joker, Banda scoffs, insisting he is only a messenger.

The episode ends with the surviving players converging in Shibuya, where they prepare to face the terrifying final game.

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