You're On Your Own

Plot
The episode opens up with the contestants on and around Wawanakwa. Chris let everyone stay in the luxury cabin in honor of beating out forty other contestants to make the merge phase of the game. Colby and Annie share a bed, as do Duncan and Alex, and the four laugh and talk about how nice it is to no longer have the team divisions.

Colby (CONF): *sighs* Finally, some peace

Colby wanders into the hallway to brush his teeth, and finds Rourke with Paige in the bathroom. The two immediately pull him into a hug, and tell him they’re really excited to work together now that the teams are merged.

Colby (CONF): Well that peace was depressingly short-lived *groans* I have to figure out the move that's best for me

Sofia, Mary, Helina, Vani, Ranjitha and Beyla eat breakfast in the dining room, and Grant, Garrett and Archer lift weights while Lauren climbs on the Stairmaster and Nico runs on the treadmill. The camera pans outside to Izzy and Phillippa tanning on the dock, Eli fishing and Townes, Kelsey and Miller eating their breakfast on the porch of the mess hall.

Everything seems calm, until Chris gathers the contestants for an emergency announcement.

Eli (CONF): Alright really am thrilled about this merge but does Chris really need to give another announcement about it?

Everyone meets on the dock, and Chris congratulates them again on making the merge. He tells them that he has a gift for them.

Archer (CONF): I just don’t believe this "gift" is going to be a good one

He tells them he doesn’t think the game is hard enough. Mary jokingly comments which parts – the one where they were stranded in the Amazon Rain Forest? Or maybe the psychotic boot camp? Chris tells her to hush, and says at Playa des Losers, where the eliminated contestants have been living after their tragic journey down either the Dock or Drop of Shame (or in Kirsten and Gianna's case, the Walk), there was a little competition that was simple – balancing on a little board that was resting over a wheel...

Sofia (CONF): No…this can't be going where I think it's going

...for as long as possible.

*flashback to Sibu, Patrick, Suzanne and Nick cursing and getting too tired, one-by-one falling off the little board*

With not one...

Wilson (CONF): He can't be fucking serious

But two eliminated players getting the opportunity to rejoin the contestants in the competition.

*flashback to Hank falling off and tumbling into Connor, and Sierra stepping down due to exhaustion*

Rourke (CONF): This could change everything

Chris reminds them it's the second season, so twice the fun.

Annie (CONF): If it’s Kirsten she’s just going to kill me in cold blood

The competition itself took thirty-four hours given their former adversaries' desire to claim one of the two spots to get their second shot at the big money.

*flashback to Chloe, Gianna, Connor, Sierra, Nick, Clay, Graham and Yunah on the sidelines, watching the remaining contestants on the boards*

And that led to one male and one female who will be re-entering the game as full-fledged competitors. Chris begins saying that both toughed out many challenges.

*flashback to Mahmoud cursing when he falls, and Cleo’s legs giving out*

Beyla (CONF): If it is Zach this could be very awkward

Were both strategic and physical powerhouses.

Townes (CONF): It’s gotta be Patrick?

Ranjitha (CONF): *crossing her fingers* Please be Yuri

Mary (CONF): Having Dani back would be absolutely incredible

Miller (CONF): Maybe Kirk? I could even see it being Rice, didn't he make it to Thailand?

*flashback to Dani, Matt and Zach falling off, as well as Ani on the side asleep*

The figures step off the boat and turn around, revealing the people returning to the game are…

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Clayton and Abbey.

Everyone’s mouths drop.

Nico (CONF): This dude could win

Izzy (CONF): Oh she has got to go

People are unsure how to react. Alex, Nico, Annie and Beyla all run up and hug Clayton, while Duncan, Phillippa and Colby do the same for Abbey, but both only get casual fist-bumps from Rourke, Townes and Wilson. Clayton tells everyone he’s excited to get back in the game, a sentiment that Abbey awkwardly echoes. Clayton is the first to make his way through the contestants, getting a mixture of hugs, friendly nods and handshakes.

Clayton (CONF): I’m literally a walking target right now. This could not be more awkward

Abbey hurriedly does the same, trying to minimize how uncomfortable this is. When she reaches those who voted her out, there is some awkward eye contact.

Abbey (CONF): This is so horrible

Mary (CONF): At least we have some easy votes at the next few campfire ceremonies

Chris says because of circumstances, the two are guaranteed immunity at the night’s campfire ceremony, but will still partake in the challenge for the opportunity to win a stay in the luxury cabin. Which brings him to the second reason he gathered the contestants – today’s challenge. Chris says he’s excited for the first challenge as a merged group of contestants, one that he affectionately calls "No Pain, No Game!".

Clayton (CONF): Ah yes, great first challenge back

Abbey (CONF): Why did I want to get back in this game so badly?

The scene flashes to the contestants in a giant tent. They sit in three lines, as if in a lecture hall. The bottom is Clayton, Alex, Sofia, Rourke, Colby, Nico, Kelsey and Izzy. In the middle sits Archer, Wilson, Beyla, Paige, Duncan, Helina, Abbey, Annie and Eli. Finally, in the top row in the back sits Ranjitha, Phillippa, Miller, Mary, Townes, Vani, Garrett, Lauren and Grant. Chris tells them the challenge is simple – a test of their pain tolerance.

Alex (CONF): Well looks like I won’t be winning immunity this first time

Clayton, for being freshly back in the competition, will be the first to come up and spin the Wheel of Pain. Whichever pain he lands on he has to withstand for ten seconds or be eliminated from the competition. The contestants all look around nervously. Chris says there’s another option – he can pass the pain onto someone else. If they can’t last the ten seconds they’re eliminated, but if they do, then whoever passed the pain is eliminated.

Phillippa (CONF): I mean that’s still less bad then the pain right? I guess it’s pretty fucking shady

Clayton nervously gulps and lands on “Turtle Puck Shots.” Chef gets to shoot snapping turtles at him while he stands unprotected in front of a little hockey goal for ten seconds. Clayton laughs, wondering how bad that can be. Ten seconds passes and Clayton completes the challenge, but not unscathed.

Clayton (CONF): *covered in bites* Why, the HELL, would I ask how bad it could be?

Chris tells him Clayton gets to pick who has to go next. He rolls his eyes, telling him he thanks him for digging his grave a little bit deeper, but looks at the group of contestants who are all avoiding eye contact. Finally, Alex volunteers, and Clayton sighs with relief, hugging him. His challenge is putting on a pair of wooden shorts and enduring a woodpecker. After he finishes, he gets to pick who is next, and decides to pick Annie. The two snicker, but when she spins the wheel, it lands on “Barrel of Leeches”, having to sit in a barrel filled with leeches for ten seconds. She gulps, no longer laughing, when Duncan steps up to take it for her.

Colby (CONF): What?

He only stands it for 9.999 seconds. Duncan complains saying that’s ridiculous, but Chris just laughs and tells him it's not ten. Duncan’s seat is replaced with stocks, which is the “seat” for losers. Annie thanks him for doing that.

Annie (CONF): Yeah honestly not quite sure why he did that, but hey I'm not complaining

A montage shows Grant getting a nose hair plucked out, Abbey crying laughing as an army of interns tickle her, Paige getting enveloped and squeezed by a boa constrictor and Helina wearing a shirt composed of live bees. Helina, Abbey and Grant pass, but a look at the multilevel panel area shows Paige has now joined Duncan in the stocks. Helina chooses Wilson for the next challenge, which ends up being ten seconds inside a large wooden crate with Sasquatchanakwa. Wilson immediately passes it on to Clayton, as part of a plan to prevent him from winning (despite being immune).

Wilson (CONF): It’s strategy – there’s no way he wins, but on the off chance he does, I end up unscathed

After ten seconds Clayton bolts out of the crate, screaming, covered in scratches and out of breath, but he succeeds and Wilson is out of the challenge.

After this, a series of clips follows to show how other campers are eliminated: Grant failing to jump over a row of skunks sitting between rocks, Izzy not handling ten seconds of "Whip My Hair" by Willow Smith, Phillippa unwilling to have her hair cut off by Chef wielding a chainsaw, Abbey unable to eat a gross shake because there's gluten in it, Archer not able to inhale large amounts of ice cream without experiencing brain freeze and finally Ranjitha unable to withstand freezing temperatures inside a freezer for ten seconds.

Clayton is eliminated for failing to withstand chef shocking him with two electric eels.

Clayton (CONF): *dizzy* That was just like in Plymouth Rock but so much worse…*passes out*

Beyla passes when it’s a poison ivy face-mask, although she has to vigorously itch her face once it's removed.

Beyla (CONF): That wasn’t...*scratches face*...too bad…*scratches face again and groans*

A hot marshmallow wax takes out Miller.

Miller (CONF): Girls do that…willingly?

A rapid succession of scenes shows Alex passed out after a ten second clip from an intense scary movie, Kelsey covering her eyes after ten seconds of a blinding light, Annie unable to walk across a bed of hot coals, Rourke covered in bandages after a failed encounter with angry raccoons, and Colby throwing up after being unable to keep down a gross stew Chef made.

Another one shows Sofia withstand tarantulas crawling all over her, Garrett letting Chef ram into him with a battering ram and Lauren make it through ten seconds of intense wind.

Another set of rounds pass, and eventually it’s down to just seven contestants – Nico, Beyla, Eli, Garrett, Sofia, Helina and Lauren.

*flashback to Vani unable to walk through a path of legos, Townes passing a "shock collar" challenge to Eli that he passes and Mary unable to crawl through a field of lasers*

After Helina completes a round of boxing with a kangaroo, she decides to pick Lauren for the next spin. She spins and lands on the fake small talk for ten seconds. After eight seconds, she starts gagging and gives up, eliminating her from the challenge.

Helina gets to go again, and deciding to stick to former Team Glory players, chooses Nico. The challenge is a visit to “Chef’s dentist office.” Nico chickens out, knocking the pool down to five. Chris says that Helina gets to go one more time, and if the contestant is knocked out, the other four will get immunity. If the contestant passes, Helina will be the one eliminated from the challenge. Helina looks strategically, hoping to pick whomever she thinks has the worst chance of winning, and she decides to go with Beyla. Beyla shrugs and steps forward.

Beyla (CONF): I grew up with a terrorizing little brother…bring it

The challenge is to log roll with Chef in a tank full of piranhas. If she can last all ten seconds on the log without falling in, then she wins the challenge. Chef grins and rips off his clothes to reveal a tiny speedo, causing Duncan to gag and Kelsey to pass out.

At first, Beyla has a hard time keeping up, but five seconds in she develops a strategy and begins quickly going in reverse, trying to control the momentum. Chef nervously tries to keep his footing, but is losing ground. Once it goes in her favor, she stomps down, stopping the log and sending Chef flying into the pool.

Chef (CONF): *covered in scratches* Man I don’t get paid enough for this

Helina’s chair is replaced with stocks, and that leaves four winners: Beyla, Eli, Garrett and Sofia. The four hug and jump up and down, as Chris puts four makeshift immunity necklaces around their necks. He also gives a fifth one to Clayton and a sixth to Abbey. The stocks are released and everyone stretches, nervous about the first elimination of the merge.

Everyone disperses over the dimly lit island, the sun setting, and Annie, Colby, Beyla, Alex, Nico and Miller head back to the porch of the luxury cabin to discuss potential strategy moves. After a few seconds of awkward silence interrupted by the creaky porch as they settle in, they realize they need more in their alliance or risk being found out and picked off. They joke they know Izzy has already probably defected to Rourke’s alliance, and Helina may be too strategic to keep in a close circle, but is someone they could work with. After some debate, they decide on Eli for his reliability and former status on Team Glory, Duncan for being a strong athletic player they can trust, Clayton and Abbey for being obvious targets that may be nice to keep around should they need a shield and their physical prowess, Mary, for her connections to those in the alliance and CK, and finally Sofia, for the same. They each go to fetch the players and come back. All six agree to join the alliance, with Clayton and Abbey relieved given they were afraid no one would be willing to work with them because of their return.

Eli (CONF): Now this…this could work

They discuss strategy and decide they need to target an athletic threat, because they want to increase their chances of winning immunity. Beyla says she hates to suggest this, but maybe Archer for his likability. Sofia shifts uncomfortably, given their tight alliance prior to the teams merging. She tries to divert attention away to someone like Grant, who could pose a similar threat. They continue discussing as the scene shifts to the mess hall. Paige, Rourke, Wilson, Townes, Phillippa, Izzy, Grant and Kelsey all meet. They all agree to an alliance, and Wilson wants to target Helina for her obvious strategic prowess.

Rourke (CONF): I feel good about this alliance, but where’s Colby?

Helina meets with Archer, Ranjitha, Vani, Garrett and Lauren in between the regular cabins. The six talk about how they’re nervous they can’t find anyone, but someone needs to find Alex and the rest of their crew so they can wipe out Wilson once and for all, fearing he won’t always be vulnerable and the numbers are volatile right now. The whole talk, Archer is playing with the idol in his pocket, the one he got back all the way in Bora Bora, unsure as to whether or not he should use it at the elimination ceremony that night. The six can’t convince anyone to confess they're in Alex's alliance before Chris announces over the intercom that it's time for everyone to gather at the campfire ceremony.

~*ELIMINATION CEREMONY*~

Chris walks out with a plate full of a whopping twenty-four marshmallows, with Chris telling them that someone’s journey is about to come to a heartbreaking end, given the fresh entrance into this new phase of the game. At the time of elimination, people are still unsure as of what is going to go down.

Archer (CONF): Wilson is an obvious choice, but I heard talks of Helina and she is a threat…

Colby (CONF): I just have to say no to Rourke

Izzy (CONF): Look I loved being on Team Glory, but I wasn’t making it far with those people…at least this first vote isn't really a betrayal? You know I love you Helina, but...

Helina (CONF): I am not ready to go home

Chris first hands the marshmallows to those already immune.

Sofia. Eli. Garrett. Beyla. Clayton. Abbey.

The six are almost too excited to speak catching their marshmallows, especially given the craziness surrounding this elimination ceremony. Archer has his hand on the immunity idol in his pocket. Chris gives him a knowing look, before he begins calling out the names of those safe. He knows it's his last chance to play it, but he doesn't want to waste it. Archer subtly nods his head no to Chris, and Chris hands the first marshmallow to…

Rourke.

Rourke lets out a whopping cheer.

Colby. Izzy. Lauren. Ranjitha. Alex. Wilson.

The six all smiles as their name is called, catching their marshmallow and walking up to join the other immune.

Nico. Phillippa. Paige. Townes. Kelsey. Grant.

Similarly, their face flashes on the screen as their name is called, smiling and catching their marshmallow.

Annie. Vani. Duncan. Mary. Miller.

More faces flash across the screen, with Chris nearly out of breath from the name-calling. That leaves Helina, Wilson and Archer as the bottom three. Chris tells them that all three of them got votes, but the one avoiding the bottom three…

Wilson.

Archer and Helina look absolutely shocked. Archer shoots a frantic look to Sofia, but she avoids eye contact. Helina starts visibly shaking, making eye contact with Ranjitha who looks equally nervous.

The final marshmallow goes to…

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Helina.

Helina sprints up and tackles Chris before he can even throw her the marshmallow, still visibly shaken. Rourke looks confused, wondering aloud how the tides shifted as the camera pans over Archer, who is visibly upset. He tries to ask Sofia what happened, but she can’t look him in the eye. Alex, Duncan, Nico and Beyla all individually hug him, tears welling in Archer's eyes. Helina, Ranjitha, Paige and Abbey go up as well. The others stand around the fire silent, upset to see someone as kind as Archer leave the competition. Everyone walks to the edge of the dock with him, and he boards the Boat of Losers.

Archer (CONF): Man…I really blew it. With an idol in my pocket? I should have played it. This blows, I was so close and this game is a once in a lifetime opportunity...damn

Everyone waves as the boat pulls into the distance, with some holding back tears and others silently reflecting.

Chris then tells the six immune they each get to pick one person to join them in the luxury cabin for the night. Abbey and Clayton groan, asking why Chris made them participate in the challenge if they were going to get to go anyways. Chris chuckles and asks if they really need an explanation, and that he enjoyed watching them endure the pain. Sofia picks Mary, Clayton picks Alex, Abbey picks Duncan, Eli picks Nico, Garrett picks Vani and finally Beyla picks Miller. Chris congratulates the additional six on getting to stay in the luxury cabin despite sucking in the challenge.

Chris sets up a movie-night for the contestants, and shows Moana, a newly released film. The dining hall is cleared out and filled with pillows, blankets and other comfortable pieces of furniture.

Helina (CONF): Wow, I’m just now noticing how much emptier this is than it was in the beginning of the season

People are bustling with energy as the movie plays, invigorated with how close they are to the end of the game. Alex, Abbey, Miller and Annie talk over a bowl of popcorn about how shitty the day's challenge was, while Ranjitha lightly sings along to the movie next to them and Helina jokingly snuggles up with Garrett. Colby and Duncan look completely engrossed in the movie, while Izzy loudly sings along to which a nearby Ranjitha, Paige and Phillippa can't control their laughter. Clayton sits in the back, contemplating how lucky he is to have returned to the game, but still on edge given he won't be guaranteed immunity for the next elimination, and Eli and Nico leisurely enjoy the movie. Kelsey half-watches the movie while she stands off to the side chatting with Grant next to the drink machine, and Wilson, Mary, Beyla, Sofia, Townes and Rourke also share a bowl of popcorn, whispering about the movie. A loud "I am Moana" rings, as the scene fades to black.