The Challenge: Rivals II Season Finale (RECAP)

Last Wednesday was the FINAL for The Challenge: Rivals II! Picking up from last week, one of the guys’ boats had capsized, which definitely would suck up time in this kayak race! I thought that it was Johnny and Frank, but it turns out it was Jordan and Marlon, but they continue to push forward to try to win. Of course, though, Johnny and Frank make it to the boat. I knew that was going to happen. In fact, I think it might have been staged just so we can see the rivalry between them and CT and Wes play out in this last challenge. Jordan and Marlon finish the game in third place, taking home $15K to split. They honestly should be proud of themselves for getting that far, because rookies rarely do! That night, the teams spend the night on the yacht, relaxing and having a good time.  Looking at the final teams, I think the best of the best were there in the end. It's going to be a really great fight to the finish!

The next morning, T.J. introduces the next day's challenge. Today they are at “Nightmare Island” (Dream Island has been converted to what is sure to be a nightmare for the teams!). T.J. lays out the course for them. They are five checkpoints throughout the island, and the teams will collect an island at each one. When you finish one checkpoint, you have to race back to the starting point to deposit your idol and move on to the next one. In the end, the first guy and girl teams to finish will retrieve a golden elephant which they have to bring back to T.J. to get their check!  

Of course, they start with a swim (yay for Cara!). As the teams reach the first checkpoint, it turns out that, for every checkpoint, someone has to open a door or passage to get to the checkpoint itself. The team that’s in the lead at the time will have to open that door, which could take more energy out of them even though they’re winning. To get to the first obstacle, the teams have to get through a bunch of bamboo sticks to reach the checkpoint. That individual challenge is a puzzle which the teams have jump a bamboo stick over another until there is only one left (it's that annoying but addicting little game at Cracker Barrel). Surprisingly, CT and Wes, as well as Cara and Cooke are the first teams to finish, leaving the others behind! Frank and Johnny struggle along with Paula and Emily, but eventually get to the next checkpoint. 

In What's Mine Is Yours, the teams have to use the Pythagorean Theorem to figure out the X and cut the correct color of rope that holds the answer.  If a team's first answer isn't correct, they have to cut all of the ropes to get their idol. CT and Wes guess correctly, and Cara and Cooke look over at theirs to figure out their answer. Though they are late in getting there, Emily gets the answer right for her and Paula, as well as Johnny and Frank, and they move on.

What's a final challenge without a Food Test?! Though CT and Wes, as well as Cara and Cooke are ahead at this point, this could be the checkpoint that makes or breaks teams! The teams have to eat all of the food given in numerical order and they have a wonderful buffet, including chilies, crickets, maggots, and pickled fish soup. It's painful and sickening to watch, because, of course, the vomiting quickly starts. However, Paula and Emily fight through it, chugging it all down, while Cara is just sick to her stomach. Emily and Paula take the lead with this challenge, and CT and Wes move on first as well. 

The fourth checkpoint, Body Issues, the teams have to move 20 body bags to the opposite side of the enclosure and follow additional instructions. Even though Paula and Emily have a lead, it's small, and Paula is starting to freak out. However when Cara and Cooke get there, that lights a fire under Paula! Cara of course, is the weak link for her and Cooke and it shows. They are out in the burning heat, and she struggles to carry the body bags. Wes himself gets tired from the heat as well, but they pull through to the end.  

Tunnel Vision is the very last checkpoint! The teams have to open the gate with a crank then dig a tunnel under a cage to retrieve their last idol. Then we see that there is a trapdoor to get through they have to crawl under and get the idol. It's truly a game of who wants it more. Wes and CT are exhausted but they finish with a significant lead over Frank and Johnny. They grab the golden elephant on the beach, and kayak back to the yacht where T.J. is waiting to give the winners their checks! CT and Wes sound their alarm announcing that they finished, which signals to Frank and Johnny that they took second, splitting $35,000. They head back to the beach to see CT and Wes rowing in their kayak to CT. It kinda sucks because I love Johnny and wanted him to get his threepeat, but CT and Wes did deserve a win after all this time. CT himself has put in a lot of work (9 Challenges and 5 Finals without a win), so he deserved to get a win at some point, so I wasn't too upset. CT and Wes get to T.J. and get their check for $125,000, winning for the boys! 

Cooke and Cara were still stuck at Body Issues and don't quit, but it's clear that they wouldn't be winning this. I respect their determination though. They came into this game as the complete underdogs, acting as the scapegoats for basically the entire Challenge, and managed to win second place with $35,000. Not bad!  Emily and Paula were able to get to the beach first to get their golden elephant, and row to the yacht for their check, winning $125,000 for the girls!

I definitely enjoyed this season of The Challenge (one of the best ones yet!). It was lots of drama, but still very fun and entertaining to watch. The Challenges were definitely interesting and difficult for the teams. Plus they all had to deal with people they didn't really like so kudos to them all for being able to deal! Can't wait to see what MTV has in store for the next season! 

Images via MTV

Images via MTV