Sydney or Bust

Plot
The episode opens up with Team Booty in first class for the first time since Hawaii. Townes, Wilson, Kirk and Sam are in one set of chairs together, and after agreeing it was a good strategic move, Kirk Alert successfully ropes Sam into the alliance.

Kirk (CONF): It honestly makes sense to garner more numbers, I don't know why Wilson and Townes have reservations about down the line. We need to worry about getting down the ilne

Grant is strumming on his guitar sitting on the golden carpet in the middle of the open space, with Yuri, Patrick and Ranjitha sitting on the ground listening. Yuri gets really into swaying along, prompting Ranjitha to push him. Patrick watches longingly.

Patrick (CONF): Ranjitha and them have the hook-up, I need to get in somehow

Archer, Sammi and Sofia are at the minibar, trying to discuss if they trust Helina after she turned on Leigh in San Marino. Sofia doesn’t, saying they should at least take a shot at Helina’s alliance and vote off one of their members before continuing to work with them. Archer sighs. He says an "eye for an eye" style of gameplay will only end in the alliance's self-destruction. Sammi seconds, given they have to make sure they have the numbers over Wilson and they may have to just let this one go in order to get further in the game.

Sammi (CONF): I've never really seen Sofia this vengeful it's honestly...frightening?

Helina, Cleo and Fiona are in the other set of chairs, confidently discussing the pros and cons of eliminating Wilson, Kirk or Townes. Helina taps a pen against a legal pad, taking notes.

Cleo (CONF): I honestly think we're in a pretty good place right now - it seems like Patrick and Yuri are willing to vote with us and having them and Sofia's group, we're set

Fiona (CONF): Leigh's elimination could really screw us...but guess we'll see

Team Friendship is low in spirits since they have the lowest number of teammates again with twelve.

Miller (CONF): We have got to get it together, this is embarrassing

Frances is trying to act like she isn't bothered she received a vote, but simultaneously is frantically trying to figure out who it was with Sibu and Gianna. She has the names of all the players on her team on a piece of paper and is running down the list of everyone on their team, trying to figure out what someone would have against her, but can’t figure it out. As she's weighing between Clayton and Ryan, Gianna nervously eyes her name on the sheet.

Gianna (CONF): Let’s hope she doesn’t figure it out because I sure as hell do not want her coming after me, I honestly still feel a little bad about the whole Yunah ordeal

Sibu and Nico are meeting about what they should do strategically, given that Clayton doesn’t know they flipped to save Gianna back in Italy. They're scared if they tell Clayton they're the reason Duma got sent home, he might gun for them. They decide to stick with him for now, thinking since they helped him vote out Yunah he wouldn't be suspicious anymore. Sibu adds that this can also be a way for them to know who he's targeting giving them a heads up if they need to protect their friends.

Sibu (CONF): Honestly if Nico and I can keep riding the middle we'll be set

Alex, Colby, Kirsten and Beyla are in the mess hall, sitting with Duncan, Paige and Ani.

Ani (CONF): I honestly just love the times we just kick back and hang out

The seven are talking and laughing, Chef's gross food untouched on their plates. Rice and Nick are also at breakfast, sitting at a separate table with Rourke, Dan and Miller. The five are discussing coming together once the teams merge, and Nick expresses concern about a large alliance on Team Glory that doesn’t include him. Rice begins to nervously sweat, as Dan, Rourke and Miller say they can help find out throughout the next few challenges. Rice nervously agrees, hoping Nick doesn't realize he's in it as well.

Dan (CONF): It's just so refreshing working with someone as honest and genuine as Rice, I wish we were on the same team

Rice (CONF): *breathing quickly* I'm going to pass out

In economy class, Karthik is humming Listen, still stuck in his head from the voice battles, and Ryan and Myra discuss concerns surrounding Yunah being eliminated.

Ryan (CONF): There’s just no way that was pulled off without an alliance

Suzanne is talking with Phillippa and Erica, confirming Abbey's suspicion that Phillippa is working with Rourke's alliance. Kathryn and Hailey are chatting, as are Eli and Zach.

Chris announces over the speaker system that he hopes the contestants are ready to visit their next destination - down FUNder (prompting a gagging noise from Kathryn) in Sydney, Australia. The contestants cheer, as the scene flashes to everyone standing on the side of the Sydney Harbour Bridge opposite the opera house, with Chris, Chef and a few interns standing with them. Chris is dressed in a get-up he assumes is Australian, but makes him look more like Indiana Jones, causing the contestants to snicker.

Alex (CONF): Jesus Christ Chris...

Clayton (CONF): He looks like someone who auditioned for the role of Woody in Toy Story and got rejected

Suzanne (CONF): Does this show not have a wardrobe department?

Yuri (CONF): Woah...Chris looks sick

He announces their challenge will be a race up the bridge and at the top, the teams will bungee jump, trying to pick up buoys of the other team’s colors. If someone gets a buoy, they run down the other side of the bridge and deposit that buoy in the other team’s basket. If a team gets fifteen buoys put in their basket, they are eliminated from the challenge. Last team standing wins. Immediately everyone breaks into huddles to strategize.

Karthik sneaks over to talk to Team Glory and proposes they go after Team Booty or Team Waka for having more teammates still in the game. Team Glory agrees, with Hailey saying they’ll have to be low key about it though because they don’t want the other two teaming up against them. Karthik nods and slips back over to Team Friendship to let the rest of them know that Glory agreed. Team Waka, still holding some bitterness against Helina for sabotaging them back in the X-games, decides to go after them first. Duncan says they need to be going all out, so potentially working with the other teams to make sure this goal is accomplished. Paige slyly walks over to meet with Team Glory, while a comically conspicuous Matt does so with Team Friendship.

Eli (CONF): Well that worked out oddly well

Nico (CONF): Let’s hope they stick to their promise

Duncan (CONF): So far so good

Team Booty is similarly rallying against Team Waka, still salty about being sent to elimination at the hands of Duncan in the dodgeball challenge. Townes says they're going to need some help, and sends Fiona over to Team Glory and Cleo over to Team Friendship to try and sway them toward joining them to ensure that Waka loses.

Hailey (CONF): Ok literally what is going on

Annie (CONF): Did every single team just approach us to work with them?

Townes (CONF): *in a high pitched voice* Nailed it

The contestants line up at the starting line, all assuming track-like positions. Chris blows the air horn and the contestants go bolting up the side of the bridge. Eventually, it gets steep enough that they have to climb on their hands and knees, but the teams are fighting to make it to the top.

Alex and Nico lead, dragging themselves inch by inch. Ryan, Sam, Phillippa and Myra are in the rear, all extremely exhausted.

Wilson (CONF): It worries me that Sam is so…how do I put this nicely…unathletic?

Nico is the first to the top, finding four harnesses matching the team’s colors with four interns there for safety purposes. He quickly straps into the light-purple harness as Alex runs up and grabs the gold one. Nico dives over the edge and without looking grabs a buoy. On his way up, he notices it’s Glory gold, so he does a quick scan to make sure no one is watching then quickly releases it. He springs back up to the top as Mary arrives, asking if it was hard to get one. He lies and says it was as she straps up. Right as he says that, Alex comes back up, light-blue buoy in hand and cheering about how that was a piece of cake. She gives Nico a look as Alex unharnesses and heads back down the other side of the bridge, dropping the buoy in Team Booty’s basket.

Mary (CONF): Watching Nico try to lie is like watching a fish try to juggle

More and more people start to arrive, as Mary comes back up with another light blue buoy. She runs down the other side of Sydney Harbour Bridge, depositing the light blue buoy in Team Booty’s basket. Cleo and Helina watch as Alex and Mary begin trekking back up.

Cleo (CONF): It's not promising that the first two buoys "happened" to be ours

Despite the head start, Team Booty is ready to retaliate, with Sofia diving over the side and returning with a light-orange buoy. As she runs down the side, she passes a sweaty and out-of-breath Mary and Alex. Sofia looks upset the two of them are going after her team, but they tell her it is a challenge and they are just trying to avoid the night's barfbag ceremony.

A montage follows, showing Zach flipping as he jumps over the side, Archer cheering on the way down, Gianna screaming at the top of her lungs and Suzanne grabbing a light-blue buoy from the bottom. It then shows Erica on her way back up with a gold buoy, Sibu on her way back up with a light-blue one and Beyla on her way up with a light orange one. It then shows Yuri on his way down the bridge with a light-purple buoy, Nick on the way down with a light-blue one, Rourke on the way down with a light-blue one and Nico on the way down holding a light-orange one. It finally shows Lauren climbing back up, Erica sweating as she nearly reaches the top, Townes stopping to throw up, and Annie collapsed on the ground, waiting for the energy to continue climbing.

After the montage, Chris announces over a loudspeaker that Team Booty already has eight buoys in their basket, and is over halfway to the next elimination ceremony. He then announces that Team Waka follows with six buoys, and Team Friendship and Team Glory both only have four. This causes some of the Team Waka and Team Booty members to be suspicious.

Fiona (CONF): I feel like something isn’t right here…

Rourke runs over and talks to Helina and Ranjitha, and they talk about teaming up against Team Glory or Team Friendship. Ranjitha suggests Team Glory, cause they've won more challenges, and Rourke and Helina agree. The three go spread it across their respective teams, as Eli and Kelsey both return with light-blue buoys, causing Kirk to curse as he runs and dives over the side.

With Team Booty only five buoys away from being sent to elimination, they start to pick it up. Kirk returns with a light-purple buoy, and Hank returns with a gold one. The two start running down the bridge, passing Eli and Kelsey who are on their way back up. Vani and Cleo dive off simultaneously, both grabbing Glory gold buoys.

Zach (CONF): Fuck, I guess they caught on

Izzy yells over to Karthik to focus on eliminating Team Booty, as the two are now ganging up on the two of them, which prompts Helina to yell to Paige to tell her team to take out Glory. Alex and Miller each come up with a light-blue buoy, the two high-fiving as they head down the bridge after Vani and Cleo. That totals twelve buoys in Team Booty’s basket and Vani, Cleo, Alex and Miller start up the bridge at the same time.

Frances and Dani each come up with light-blue buoys as Sammi returns with a gold one. Then suddenly, Matt appears with a light-blue buoy. As the four run down the bridge, Matt yells he’s sorry, but this is to be certain Waka isn't sent to elimination.

Matt (CONF): Hey, Helina had no problem screwing us over in the X games, I’m just returning the favor

Archer (CONF): Ok, now it’s on

Team Booty is livid, but it is too late – Frances, Dani and Matt all deposit their buoys in the Team Booty basket as Patrick harnesses up, officially eliminating Team Booty from the challenge. He dejectedly takes off the harness. While they are distracted, Paige and Mary return, both with gold buoys in hand, headed down toward Team Glory’s basket. The members of Team Booty sadly walk down the bridge to the other side, where Chris tells them to spectate until the challenge is over. Helina and Grant shoot dirty looks at Paige and Mary as they come down, which both try to avoid.

Paige (CONF): Ugh Matt why did you do that, they were almost eliminated anyways

Colby and Gianna return, both with light-orange buoys and ready to take out Team Waka, as Garrett frantically returns with a gold one, hoping to spare them a little longer. Rice flips off as Ryan follows-suit with an eye-roll and Abbey does with a cheer. Rice accidentally grabs a light-blue one, but Ryan and Abbey get what they want and head down the bridge. They pass Paige and Mary then Colby and Gianna on their way down, with Abbey encouraging the former and Ryan encouraging the latter.

Ryan (CONF): Honestly I'm just hoping that the members of Team Waka take out Glory while we're taking them out...it's a win win for us

Rice tries again, but yet again messes up, grabbing a glory Gold buoy. Unlike Graham back in Norway, he agrees to switch out, allowing Kathryn to go next.

Dan (CONF): See? That right there. Rice is such a stand-up guy, we have to find that alliance out so we can help protect him

Rice (CONF): I am literally so screwed

Phillippa returns with another gold buoy and Myra returns with a light-orange one. Rice curses, angry at himself, but Alex and Kirsten tell him he’s fine because there's no chance of them getting sent to elimination. Kathryn, however, is upset that he could have cost them a chance at winning, similar to how she was upset at Nick for almost costing them the cliff-jumping challenge.

Kathryn (CONF): Look y'all I'm not playing for "safety" I'm playing to win

As Clayton and Duncan harness up, Dan comes over and encourages the two. They return at the same time as Kathryn, all three getting the buoy they desired. They bolt down as Brian, Lauren and Annie put on the harness as quickly as they can. As Duncan, Kathryn and Clayton begin their climb back up, they pass Brian, Lauren and Dan, who are racing to beat the clock.

Suddenly, an air horn is heard, with Chris announcing that Team Glory is out of the challenge, a grinning Brian standing next to Team Glory's basket. As he’s mid-sentence, Annie fires one last light-orange buoy into Team Waka’s bin, giving Team Friendship their second win. They all rush each other and cheer, with the Team Glory members joining in, excited their plan to take out Team Booty or Team Waka worked and Team Booty was going to elimination.

Alex (CONF): Maybe this can become a thing, I mean it worked with Team Boss before Liz fucked that up in the first season

Chris congratulates Team Friendship for an overwhelming win, as they only have five buoys in their basket, and scolds Team Booty for their poor performance, commenting that they've clearly made enemies. He tells them that they will be having their special elimination ceremony outside the Sydney opera house, and to be ready in one hour. The contestants all groan, given they normally have more time.

Sofia, Archer and Sammi go back to debating whether or not they trust Helina. Sofia suggests trying to vote out either Cleo or Ranjitha, for being weaker than Helina and Fiona in challenges and leveling the playing field for their alliance. Sammi and Archer are hesitantly considering as Helina walks up, asking who they should vote for. Sofia lies and tells her they were just discussing going after Kirk, since they haven’t voted for him yet and if Kirk Alert is lucky and have another idol, they think they'd be least likely to use it on him. Helina likes the idea, and proceeds to go find Patrick and Yuri and encourage them to vote with the majority, still hesitant to include them in the official alliance due to Yuri's unpredictability and not knowing where Patrick's loyalty lies.

Yuri (CONF): Honestly I don't know where I stand with anyone on my team it's very confusing because Helina and Ranjitha are both on it...

Sofia, in the meantime, approaches Townes with the prospect of eliminating one of Helina’s allies in return for sparing one of the members of Kirk Alert. He likes the idea, especially given they don't really have a choice otherwise. He says he’ll see what he can do.

With Sofia gone, Sammi and Archer weigh the pros and cons of going with her plan. Archer is nervous it's going to open a rift they'll be unable to close. He kicks a little pebble toward the opera house, deep in thought. Sammi agrees, but says they may lose Sofia's trust which would be worse. Archer shrugs.

Archer (CONF): This is not a good idea, I just feel it

Grant, a free agent, is weighing the pros and cons of the various plans, having been approached by Sammi, Townes and Cleo in regards to the different strategies.

~*ELIMINATION CEREMONY*~

Chris dramatically walks out through the front door and down the front steps to tell Team Booty the usual spiel, earning more chuckles from the contestants. He tells them to go inside the opera house and, using the temporary restroom confessional he set up, stamp the passport of the person you want eliminated.

Helina (CONF): Let’s hope this finally works *stamps Kirk’s passport*

Kirk (CONF): Honestly this is all really confusing to me *stamps Cleo’s passport*

Sammi (CONF): *holding up Cleo and Kirk’s passport* I just feel like I could be making a big mistake

Yuri (CONF): Sorry, nothing personal man it's just the game *stamps Kirk’s passport*

Cleo (CONF): Does this really need to be in a bathroom again? Anyways, sorry buddy *stamps Kirk's passport*

Townes (CONF): *crossing fingers* I hope this works *stamps Cleo's passport*

Once the contestants are done, Chris pulls out a plate with thirteen barfbags full of airline-issued peanuts, wishing them luck. He hands the first one to…

Grant.

He sighs with relief. Sweat rolls down Yuri's forehead and Sammi nervously bounces her leg up and down, switching her gaze between Sofia and Helina.

Fiona. Helina. Sofia. Patrick.

Sofia squeezes Patrick as Helina dabs on Fiona with a monstrous and celebratory "ahh".

Yuri. Wilson. Townes. Sammi.

Wilson and Townes look especially relieved, given they thought it'd be one of them going home. Both look worriedly at Kirk, knowing Sam's involvement in their alliance is still a secret hence keeping him off the chopping block. Yuri enthusiastically jumps up and down and Sammi just smiles and catches her bag.

Ranjitha. Sam. Archer.

Archer and Ranjitha hug, with Sam shrugging and jumping in despite not really knowing the two.

Sam (CONF): Even after two seasons, having your name called feels so damn good

That leaves Cleo and Kirk as the bottom two. Cleo looks shocked, but confident, and Kirk looks dejected. Chris hands the last marshmallow to…

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Kirk.

Cleo, Helina, Ranjitha and Fiona all gasp, as Kirk lets out a huge cheer and gleefully catches the bag as Chris throws it to him. Cleo turns to them, asking how, and Helina shrugs.

Cleo (CONF): I was just not so not ready to go this early...this sucks

Cleo hugs Fiona, Ranjitha and Helina before Chef scoops her up in a bag and runs her off into the distance – the night’s equivalent of the Drop of Shame.

Fiona, Ranjitha and Helina still looked shocked, and Archer looks away, feeling slightly bad. He eyes Sammi, who mouthes "did we make the right decision". Archer shrugs, as Chris brings in the other three teams, who have been out exploring Sydney, and a lot of them look shocked Cleo is gone. Suzanne and Izzy are especially upset, as they are close friends.

Suzanne (CONF): Cleo literally told me there was no chance she was going home tonight…what happened?

Izzy (CONF): *tearing up* I didn't even get the chance to say goodbye...I can't believe she's gone

Chris brings the remaining contestants into a ballroom in the Sydney Opera house, with huge floor to ceiling windows that look out to the bridge and the skyline. Fireworks start to go off, as Chris announces they are going to have a fancy party and interns come out with suits and dresses.

The contestants separate into respective bathrooms to dress up. A montage of the boys side shows Patrick tightening his belt, Colby throwing on a cufflink and Archer fastening a bowtie. A similar montage of the girls side shows Dani staring in the mirror as she does her make-up, Sofia zipping up the back of Sammi's dress and Ani putting on earrings.

Once the contestants are finished getting ready, Chris brings out a band of interns and the contestants begin swing dancing. Alex is laughing as Miller tries to show him how to do it, and Kirsten and Dan immediately begin with each other, making some of the other contestants speculate.

Kathryn (CONF): Kirsten seems awfully close with Dan…too bad he’s on the other team which means NOTHING could happen *camera zooms out to show Kirsten also in the bathroom* Right Kirsten? *Kirsten hesitantly nods*

Beyla and Zach are swing dancing, as are Nick and Phillippa. Yuri and Ranjitha pair up, as do Karthik and Gianna and Colby and Paige. Rourke is twirling Izzy through the air, as Garrett dips Helina in the background and Sofia laughs as Hank keeps messing up. Hailey and Eli, Townes and Fiona, Kirk and Abbey and Wilson and Ani also hit the dance floor.

Ani (CONF): This is so fun

Some however, go for the fancy appetizers. Sibu and Dani laugh as they try to see how many shrimp fit in their mouthes, as Grant, Nico, Lauren and Ryan load up their plates with chicken tenders. Ryan and Lauren laugh as they see an excessively-sweaty Yuri stumble into Townes due to his flamboyant dance moves. Grant and Nico exchange niceties, getting to know one another.

Nico (CONF): It's crazy how many people on the other teams I still don't really know

In the meantime, Annie, Patrick and Mary immediately go for the deserts. Patrick and Annie innocently flirting and Mary cheering as she hoards brownies and cookies onto her plate. Kathryn looks at the city in awe with Duncan, next to Matt, Brian and Erica gushing over the view and Sam and Myra joking about how this season is somehow the worst but yet incredible.

Once the band is finishing up, Sam points out to Myra that Clayton, Rice, Frances, Kelsey, Vani, Sammi, Suzanne and Archer had snuck outside and are skipping stones by the water. Sam and Myra slip out, prompting Alex and Miller to follow and eventually all of the contestants file outside, laughing and running to the riverside.

More fireworks are set off, causing the contestants to watch in awe as Gianna laughs when she can't figure out how to skip a stone and Grant strums on his guitar with Karthik and Dani singing along. Rice is flipping around and Alex throws a stone at Ranjitha who turns and starts chasing him around.

In the background, Chris and Chef watch through the windows. Chef asks Chris how much longer until they break, and Chris tells him that it isn’t going to be long, as they have no idea what is coming. The two laugh maniacally as the scene fades to black.