It's Getting Cold in Here

Plot
The episode opens up with Team Waka in first class. It feels emptier with only ten members of the team left in the game.

Vani (CONF): Yeah seeing all those eliminated faces at the last challenge really made me light a fire under my ass

Vani is sitting with Mary, Ani and Matt in one of the sets of four chairs. The four discuss potential strategies moving forward.

In the other set of four chairs, Paige tells Rourke, Phillippa and Garrett that she is shocked that Yuri got eliminated in the previous episode, thinking he was going to make it a lot further in the game. Rourke says he’s sad to see him go, but on the plus side he was a huge threat physically and socially. Paige, Phillippa and Garrett start to question whether or not people would consider them a “threat” as the scene transitions to Duncan and Frances at the mini-bar.

The two of them sit and drink, with Frances having returned to strategizing after seeing the past few eliminations ended in total blindsides.

Duncan (CONF): Ok just being around her strategizing kind of stresses me out, I feel like she plays such a paranoid game

In economy class, Helina looks upset about her decision to turn on Yuri, and Archer just seems shocked, especially when Gianna confesses that she and Sofia flipped as well.

Archer (CONF): I mean I guess it’s only fair because of the Myra thing, but still

Gianna (CONF): Ok me, Archer, Helina, Sofia and Ranjitha have to stick together this is literally getting ridiculous

She also discusses with Sofia about potentially shifting their target to Sam, given he is an experienced player and they may have an easier time convincing people to vote him out for that instead of Wilson or Townes. The four agree that they need to start trusting each other, as this distrust has allowed a small alliance of four to take out nearly seven alliance members, while costing them only one - Kirk.

*flashback to Townes using his idol to vote out Morgan, and Fiona looking shocked before walking the Dock of Shame*

Kelsey and Alex are eating in the mess hall, with Kelsey stating she has finally come to terms with the elimination of her friends and is ready to compete. Alex tells her it’s smarter to side with Helina, because Wilson, Townes and Sam are better at challenges and hence will be harder to get rid of past the merge. Not to mention the potential of Chi Psi's banding together. Kelsey thinks about it, as the scene shows Ranjitha, Beyla and Miller laughing as they eat, Grant lounging as he talks with Townes and Eli, and Colby, Annie and Kirsten chowing down.

Zach groans when he looks out the economy class window, and tells a nearby Izzy, Lauren, Wilson and Sam to look, and there’s an intense blizzard outside.

Lauren (CONF): The cold? Again?

Once the plan lands, the scene transitions to everyone in fluffy winter coats of their team’s color surrounding Chris, who is holding a cup of hot chocolate as two interns carry huge heaters on their back to keep him warm.

Izzy (CONF): I can barely take Chris as a contestant, but working for him? There's just no way

Also standing there is Catherine from season one, intensely shivering as her coat is extremely light. She complains that Chris told her they were going somewhere tropical, prompting Chris to laugh. Sam and Alex run over to say hi and hug her, and she asks where Myra is and the two sadly tell her about her elimination in New York City. He congratulates them for making it through the previous elimination, and welcomes them to the Yukon. Wilson complains that the last three destinations now have been in North America, but Chris tells him to shut it. Their challenge will start with ice-flow jumping across the river like in season one. However, the second part of the challenge has changed and been upped in intensity, as usual. After the ice-flow jumping the contestants will have to go down into the ice caves to collect as many tokens of their team’s color as they can – most of which will be encased in the ice. The walls and ceilings are entirely ice, with even patches of the floor being ice among the snow. He tells them they will have forty-five minutes before the exposure to the freezing temperature combined with the altitude change will prove fatal.

Rourke (CONF): Wait I’m sorry did he just say fatal?

He tells them that at any time they have the option to radio in and give up, and there’s a rescue team waiting for them.

*scene flashes to Chef and a dozen interns shivering in the cave, with Chef cursing and saying he doesn’t get paid enough*

If anyone gives up, they are out of the challenge. For every person that drops out, the team loses a token. At the end of the forty-five minutes, everyone will be forcibly evacuated to the plane where the results will be assessed.

Sofia (CONF): So you’re telling me we have to go into hypothermic conditions and maybe die...for a TV show?

Sam (CONF): I'm really starting to question Chris's sanity

He tosses backpacks to all the contestants that include climbing material, pick-axes, hard helmets with headlamps and radios. He tells them the winning team of the ice flow jump will get an additional token, as he smirks at the shivering group of contestants. He tells the teams good luck, and blows the starting horn. Catherine wishes them luck as they approach the ice flows, remembering this from her season.

*flashback to Catherine and Alex from season one holding hands as they jump from flow to flow, with Sydney falling in and Nathan strapping in as the “sled dog” for Team Victory*

Nico and Eli work together as they jump from ice flow to ice flow, and the weight of the backpack throws Matt off balance and sends him plummeting into the freezing water. Ani and Duncan help pull him out, but upon doing so knock into Helina, sending her into the water as well. Helina is upset as the three jump away, and Kelsey and Grant come and pull her out.

A montage shows Sam catching a current on one, riding it toward the other side, Lauren gracefully sliding across one before bounding to the next, Alex jumping into Zach’s arms for one of the longer jumps, Ranjitha laughing at a soaking wet Gianna, who is intensely shivering, and finally Paige being the first to reach the other side.

Paige (CONF): Damn it I didn’t want to be the first across, now that Yuri was voted off I realize how bad it is to be a threat

Archer does a good job catching himself after nearly tipping one over, and Annie lands on one with a cute-looking baby seal. As Annie bends over to pet it, it growls and bares its teeth, prompting Annie to dive off, accidentally crashing into Kirsten and taking her down with her. Annie laughs as she shivers and climbs out, but Kirsten looks upset.

Kirsten (CONF): I just feel like my head’s not in the game right now, that challenge yesterday really made me question that decision about Dan in Death Valley

A montage shows Alex, Gianna, Garrett and Mary make that final jump to the other side, encouraging their teammates to hurry and join them. Paige is already geared up and ready to go, helping Mary get into her climbing gear.

On the sideline, Catherine asks Chris if it’s actually fatal after forty-five minutes, and he says it honestly may be thirty-five but he guesses only time will tell.

Once Izzy and Lauren cross, Team Glory is cleared to begin their exploration of the ice caves. With everyone cold and a few additionally soaked, they do not look happy as they run downward toward the unknown. But that changes with the initial view. Izzy (CONF): *holding back tears* this is so pretty *sniffs* if there were christmas lights I'd be in heaven

Immediately the team timer begins ticking as they bolt into the cave.

Phillippa and Ani hold hands as they jump across the river, at nearly the same time as Ranjitha and Gianna do, sending both Team Waka and Team Booty into the caves only five minutes after Team Glory. Both teams are also taken away by the incredible view.

Townes (CONF): Now this is what I'm talking about

A montage shows Miller and Nico laugh as they slide down the cave deeper, Mary trip over a stalagmite, and Wilson and Helina simultaneously spot the first token for Team Booty. It's buried precariously in the ice, and Sam and Sofia agree to attempt to get it out. As they carefully chip away at the ice, Wilson beckons for the rest of the team to continue searching as he nervously checks his watch. It reads 39:56 and is continuously counting down, as the scene transitions to a 34:38 on Colby's watch as he watches Zach and Eli try and boost Lauren up to retrieve a token hanging off a stalactite.

Lauren (CONF): Yeah no I'm definitely going to die today but I've lived a good life

The scene shifts to Team Waka, whose digging in the snow where there was a light-orange X. Matt and Duncan are doing the heavy work, as Mary, Rourke and Matt decide to go further down and keep exploring.

The teams slowly start to segment, figuring splitting up is the best way to find the most tokens. Alex travels deeper into the cave with Eli and Colby, reassuring the two they need to take out Zach or Izzy next to assure better team unity going into the merge.

Eli (CONF): The mega-alliance was just a really nice security blanket, and I'm still nervous without it around

Vani and Garrett discuss how lucky they are that they weren't targeted in the Christmas episode like Brian was, as it easily could have been one of them.

Garrett (CONF): At this point, there's no way I'm going home, nope, I've made it way too far

Townes talks with Wilson about repositioning their alliance and trying to incorporate Kelsey and Grant as core members, nervous about Kirk's absence.

Wilson (CONF): Helina is smart, we need to make sure we're playing this right

A montage shows Archer boost Helina into a little hole to start digging for another token, Miller nervously check his watch at 21:04 as Beyla and Annie dig in the snow in the background, Duncan shivering as he climbs out of the deep hole with Team Waka's first token, and Ranjitha collapsing onto the ground. The last scene becomes the whole screen, as Grant and Kelsey ask what is wrong. She says she can no longer withstand the temperature, and needs to be evacuated. Grant and Kelsey look at each other nervously, not wanting to risk her health but also not wanting to lose a token. Ranjitha is shivering, her lips blue and extremities unresponsive, so Kelsey decides it's for the best.

Kelsey (CONF): Honestly I'm worried about this girl's health right now

As interns rush in to retrieve Ranjitha, Kirsten catches a glimpse of them pulling Colby out, with Alex and Eli nervously by his side, but each holding a token. She complains about his inability to complete the challenge, but Alex just rolls his eyes and takes Eli to continue searching.

As time begins to run out, people begin to nervously try to find their way back to the surface. Sam and Sofia are particularly lost, and when Sofia checks her watch it reads 7:03. She's about to radio for help when Sam stops her, telling her they can't cost the team two tokens, with Sofia responding she's not giving her life for this game. He's insistent and she reluctantly agrees to continue on, as the scene flashes to the members of Team Glory attempting to sprint for the exit.

Alex intensely shivers as he crosses, with him, Eli, Annie and Miller immediately being shuttled into a nearby heating van. They look out the window as Kirsten, Zach, Izzy and Lauren similarly run out, nearly convulsing due to the harsh conditions. Thankfully, they see Izzy and Zach, along with Beyla and Nico, deposit gold tokens in the Team Glory bin. Chris makes Catherine do a roll call, and she notes that all the members of Team Glory have returned. Chris gives them the bonus token for being the first full team to complete the ice flow.

Zach (CONF): *intensely shivering and blue* If we didn't win this I'm going to be pissed

A split screen shows Ani and Paige lost, alongside Sofia and Sam who are also lost. It then transitions to Vani, with 2:14 on her watch, running out of the cave and depositing a light orange token in Waka's bin. She collapses and has to be dragged to one of the various heating vans, where she is joined by Garrett, Mary and Rourke.

Chris begins nervously checking the clock, as Kelsey, Grant, Matt and Mary come stumbling out, Kelsey, Grant and Matt all depositing multiple tokens in their respective bins. Team Glory nervously watches from the heating vans as other members begin to arrive.

Archer and Helina collapse onto one another, Townes, Duncan and Wilson are doing their best attempt at "sprinting" (it looked pretty strange given their poor condition), and Phillippa and Frances can barely move.

Ani and Paige start to freak out and eventually, with 1:14 left on the clock, Paige radios for help. Chef appears with a bunch of interns, and they follow a map out of the cave. The two are nearly unresponsive when reaching the van, but Chris immediately has paramedics on the case.

Alex (CONF): This is truly the most horrifying thing I've ever seen

With that, Team Waka is also complete. Gianna comes stumbling toward the van at :45, which makes Chris extremely nervous about the whereabouts of Sam and Sofia. As the clock hits zero, there is still no sign of them, and Chris sends in the interns and Chef, who return with an unconscious Sam and Sofia. Everyone is ushered to the plane, where the heat is blasted.

The scene shifts to everyone in heavy heating blankets in the mess hall, where Chris stands with the three bins of tokens. Everyone is shivering, with Sam and Sofia revived and Ranjitha starting to gain color back in her face. Zach, Archer and Mary shoot Chris dirty looks, and Catherine looks like she feels bad for the contestants.

Catherine (CONF): That was more insane than anything I ever did on my season

He says that the winner had a whopping 12 tokens, only losing one to someone dropping out, and that team is...

Team Glory!

Team Glory goes insane, having not won the past couple challenges. Izzy, Alex, Nico, Eli and Zach group hug, as Annie and Miller squeeze a still freezing Colby and Lauren and Beyla hug and dance. Kirsten just eyes Colby, still upset he could have cost them the challenge by dropping out.

Chris says it's a tricky situation, as Sam and Sofia were technically evacuated, but because they didn't give up, Team Booty doesn't get deductions from their total. The two let out a weak cheer, with Wilson patting Sam on the back and Gianna squeezing and kissing Sofia on the cheek. They do however, have one from Ranjitha dropping. Paige and Ani also dropped, losing two from Team Waka's total. With all the nuances, the results came down to a close finish, with a total of 8 compared to 9. The losing team, with 8, is none other than...

Team Booty.

They look shocked, given they didn't take a penalty for Sam and Sofia, as Team Waka wildly celebrates in the background. Frances nearly cries with Mary as Duncan and Rourke scoop up Ani and Paige, excited they are safe.

Paige (CONF): I literally cannot imagine what it must feel like to have lost such an insane challenge

At dinner, there's a divide as to who to vote out. Wilson and Townes have pulled the trigger on trying to recruit Kelsey and Grant, but they are still unsure as they view Wilson as a threat and have already been loosely working with the other alliance. Wilson, alongside Sam and Townes, intend on targeting Ranjitha for costing them the challenge. Sam argues she could have stuck it out, as he and Sofia are clearly fine, despite shivering through his statements.

Sam (CONF): Smh *shivers* she should have just taken one for the team

Helina, Sofia, Gianna, Ranjitha and Archer sip hot chocolate at another table, and discuss the logistics of voting out Sam against Wilson or Townes. Sofia is extremely upset with Sam for making them stay in the caves.

Sofia (CONF): Look I'm just not giving my life for this game...if you're willing to go this far dude, what else are you willing to do to win?

But Archer is insistent that Wilson's strategic prowess is more threatening than Sam's previous experience. Gianna counters saying Sam has been on a fitness kick, and is slowly becoming a bigger and bigger challenge threat. As they debate, Chris announces over the intercom that it's time for elimination.

~*Elimination Ceremony*~

Chris arrives with a plate holding a mere nine barfbags. Catherine stands next to him, still shivering. She shoots Sam a thumbs up, before Chris tells the contestants that he's proud of some, and not-so-proud of others, eying Ranjitha. He gives them the spiel, and jokes that this is only if their hand isn't too frozen to stamp the passport, which is met with glares. He rolls his eyes and tells them to take a joke, as he ushers them into the confessional.

Ranjitha (CONF): It's honestly a little concerning how dangerous that was *stamps Sam's passport*

Townes (CONF): I'm sorry but you literally cost us the challenge *stamps Ranjitha's passport*

Sam (CONF): Sorry girl *stamps Ranjitha's passport*

Sofia (CONF): I'm just glad I'm alive enough to vote for you *stamps Sam's passport*

Chris looks over the votes in shock, as he begins to hand out barfbags.

Helina.

She cheers, catching her barfbag as she's too cold to go up and get it.

Archer. Kelsey. Grant.

The three also cheer, their reflexes too slow to catch the barfbags and they all get hit in the chest and groan.

Townes. Gianna. Sofia.

More cheering ensues, alongside more pain from the barfbags.

Wilson.

He gives Sam a reassuring hand to the shoulder, winking at Ranjitha who looks extremely nervous. With Ranjitha and Sam as the bottom two, Chris hands the last barfbag to...

...

...

...

...

...

...

...

...

...

...

...

...

...

...

...

...

...

...

...

...

Ranjitha.

Sam looks absolutely shocked. Kelsey and Grant look at each other, wondering if they made the right decision, as a barely-functioning Ranjitha is squeeze-hugged by Helina and Gianna. Sam tells his team he had a good time, and is going to miss the game.

Sam (CONF): Man it blows to be out of the game for good. I really though I was going to do better this time...but hey, I started doing better in challenges, and ultimately had an amazing time - not to mention this season was ten times harder than last season. Good luck you guys

Alex nervously watches from behind the totem pole as everyone goes in to hug Sam, including Catherine, leaving him the only veteran left in the game. Sam's hug with Wilson and Townes lingers, as it does with Kelsey who whispers an apology in his ear, before he sadly takes the Drop of Shame.

Chris announces that he's prepared another movie night to help them warm up after the day's challenge. In the messhall, the giant projector screen is set up, and the ''Scooby-Doo Movie! ''is popped in prompting some of the contestants to laugh. Catherine chats with Beyla as they fill their mugs with hot chocolate, as a nearby Gianna tries to cool hers off and Kelsey and Grant return from the kitchen with tons of little marshmallows, prompting everyone to cheer.

Ranjitha and Duncan go to look for more blankets, as Alex and Zach push some of the tables one way to make a clearing in front of the projector and Helina and Archer push tables the other way.

Ranjitha (CONF): I was almost screwed...damn I have to start playing this game better

Duncan and Ranjitha return, arms filled with blankets, and they hurl them onto the ground. Ani, with her classic fuzzy socks and a mug of hot chocolate, squeals with excitement and settles down, sitting next to Paige. Paige laughs with her, quietly telling her she misses having her in the alliance and Ani says she misses that too.

Ani (CONF): Love you girl but like you still let Rourke kick me out which is questionable

Alex snuggles up with a laughing Zach, next to Annie sitting with Helina and Ranjitha and Beyla sitting with Gianna, Matt, Frances and Archer. Frances is cracking jokes about the movie, causing all the nearby contestants to laugh. Catherine snuggles herself in the group as well near Alex and Zach, only knowing him and Beyla now that Myra and Sam are gone. As the movie begins to play, Wilson comes hopping over a table, mug in hand and crashes into Rourke, Townes wraps himself in two blankets, Vani stretches and cozies up, Izzy snuggles up with Garrett and Kirsten weasels her way into Colby's arms who's nested by Miller and Phillippa, contently sighing. The first scene in the movie with the flying monster comes to a close, and the camera zooms out of movie night, eventually zooming out and showing the jumbo jet fly through the night as the scene fades to black.