BY DC CUEVA
■ @DC408Dxtr @ TW / IG / YT
Last week saw the last competition to take place in where this season began in the westernmost part of Continental Europe, and by the time we reach the quarter-hour mark come Tuesday we'll be in the Czech Republic, where the most famous moment in Challenge history took place in CT treating Bananas as his own backpack on Cutthroat. And with Zach and Nicole having already clinched their spots on the 3-hour plane ride northeast, this will allow us to venture into our exclusive hideaway known as the Strategy Room to analyze where we stand right now. Ahead, we'll have capsules of each of the remaining players and break down how they've fared here this close to the location change, our latest power rankings and predictions of who we think will make it to the business end of Season 31. That's all ahead.
THE FIELD
In the wake of what happened last summer and fall, one might ask if and/or how this Vendettas season can follow Dirty 30, and how the next season of Final Reckoning will stack up once the trilogy concludes by the time the holidays roll by. Well, I have been enjoying this season and share everyone else's sentiment of how MTV listened to the fans to not drag on these episodes as much as they did last year, and where now we're reaching the finals phase three months into this season rather than four months in last fall. Yes, the standard challenge/elimination format has been far & few between as it was on Dirty 30 because there's been a lot of drama in the house -- which you expect so they can have at least a RW-like aspect to it, but at least we've also had chances to reset a bit too.
As far as this game goes, ever since Devin knocked out Bananas it has no doubt become a wide-open game where now, anyone theoretically can either win or make it into the finals field. Three past champions are looking to add a second winner's check to their wall of fame, while the rest of the dozen left here are looking to notch Challenge crown #1. Save for the two rookies, all of them have made it to at least the last challenge before the final, and eight of those ten progressed into the dash for the cash. And we've not had quite a money grab at this stage of the game than perhaps last season, if not in recent memory. And don't be surprised if there are multiple players coasting in without an elimination visit.
● BRAD: As the one returning veteran of this season, going into this season we wondered how Brad would fare after an 8-year's absence from this game. One would say that his social game has suffered a bit as he grapples with life as a single man again, and him being attracted to Britni and going after Marie on that pizza night had a factor in that. Game wise, he is one of three players to win multiple eliminations this season, taking out Victor early on, and then being out Frank two weeks ago... and yes, he's been part of the Troika a few times in this game as well. He is the long remaining old-school vet remaining in this field and with four finals appearances and that Cutthroat crown experience might play in that battle to get to the final. But obviously him coming off this 11-season hiatus will determine if he's able to make that crack and title #2.
● CARA MARIA: With finals appearances in four of her last five overall seasons (Champs vs Pros is included) and seven in total, getting to the end is now expected for Cara Maria. When you put her experience into the factor, she would be a favorite considering all of these seasons she's done -- and her being able to win in two of those last three (CvP included, again). From looking over the result board, she has just one challenge win, and three times out of the last four she has escaped the Ring unscathed after a visit to the Inquisition table, and she's had to dodge any grenades being thrown at her. Other than that, it's been a fairly calm season by her standards but do keep an eye out for what she might do when she knows that another chance to go for the cash is within her grasp... that's where Cara at her best finally takes shape.
● DEVIN: For someone who's thrived in late season scenarios, Devin has lived for getting to this part of all but one of his MTV appearances, returning to this stage of the game after what went down last season. Having become well versed in all of this, he had a hand in exposing a lady who, while doing so well competitively, was definitely a poser in the politics of this game and became hero to one part of the fan community in showing who the real Natalie is. He's also become hero to most everyone else in him being able at Bananas straight in the eye and join other veterans in sending him home is no doubt the biggest day of his MTV life. Big D has won two challenges and in a couple Troikas and appears poised to again sneak into final if the chips fall where they may.
● JEMMYE: In her second season back, if you were one of those who had Jemmye be part of this final dozen in Spain, then you must be a lucky person right now. She's always acknowledged that she isn't the most physically fit for this game, but has always relied on the politics and social play to get her to the late stages, and yes she's had two challenge wins here. Perhaps, she is on the verge of taking that plane ride across the Atlantic rather than eastward... but remember, strange things have happened.
● KAILAH: After making such strong inroads during her sophomore season of Dirty 30 last year, going into this many predicted that Kailah would again be knocking on the door of a final on her following Challenge, and as expected on paper - she is at this point on the verge of her first final. What we did not expect was that it was her social gameplay that's helped her get to this last mission before the trip up north, not her athleticism that she's been touting on social media a lot the past year. She's had two challenge wins, yes, and an elimination win -- but that was the one with the laundry basket where we were focused on Marie trying to survive than Kailah impressing everyone. Other than that -- and the Dolphin alliance, it has not been a good season for her... take what happened with the bullying, too. But she can make this regular season of shortcomings moot if she can make the final, but not without going through some hiccups along the way.
● KAM: If there's a vote for Vendettas Rookie of the Year, then Kam would be a unanimous choice regardless of whether she makes the final or not. She knew that with her cast's negative reputation, she had to make her mark in a big way to make everyone shut up about her being part of the only AYTO group to go home broke. And indeed, she has done exactly that: the joining good company of winning three eliminations in one season, and as a first-timer. Yes, two of them were impressive wins in the two Mercenaries visits in her beating Tori and then outlasting Ashley, but her being able to get that third win against someone from this cast in taking down, as Andrew Kirk pointed out, the season's strongest competitor game-wise in Natalie was certainly the most impressive for Kam. Now comes the hard part of having to see if she can handle these last few weeks... we'll see if she can shut down everyone and become the Queen of this season, not just simply Queen Kam.
● KYLE: For him to be the lone rookie guy to make it to the end of Vendettas in Spain, that is certainly something to be proud of for Kyle. Also something he can take pride in for his first go at this is that he won three times this season, has been in the Troika multiple times, and being able to hold up with a field that had several champions and finalists to begin with, and outlasted all but a few to get to the end. As we saw in the time trial, Kyle struggled during his run and perhaps the edit from that might indicate that he will likely get left behind at the airport here. But being able to hold the British flag in their maiden voyage on American TV, things should be looking for Kyle, but don't be surprised if he sneaks on that journey east instead of back north to Tyneside.
● LEROY: In the minds of most -- and if Bill Simmons has his way in the wake of what happened St. Patrick's Day weekend, this is the scenario we would want to have: a guy who's been touted as a future of this show finally getting to be minted with his first Challenge crown. RoyLee is the only player left of this field who has not won a challenge all season long, who hasn't been in a Troika, and has flirted with elimination two times most recently. But he is one of three guys left who have prior final experience, and is also being motivated by his family who, if he does cash, will no doubt be entrusted with his help and his efforts. Those two reasons will no doubt inspire him as he goes forward here, and the last time he was in position to go to the final, he beat Bananas on en route to 2nd on Exes 2.
● NELSON: Ever since coming in as a replacement who had a short stint on his first Challenge two years ago, Nelson has become one to be reckoned with – him pushing CT to the end last spring valid proof of that. Two elimination wins to add to an impressive win-or-go-home mark, one challenge win on this season, a few Troikas, and perhaps making a second trip in three seasons to the semifinal stages - maybe the same deal for the final too. And yes, he's had to endure what we saw with Kayleigh, then with Natalie, and with what we saw last week... not to mention being motivated from getting sent home for his fight with Derrick K. last season. Save for that and his sometimes fiery demeanor taking the best of him, Nelly has certainly impressed us quite a bit the past year, and it's no surprise that he's in this position again.
● NICOLE: After going to the final last year on Invasion in her first go, we wondered how Nicole would follow that up with having to go into her sophomore Challenge. Here, not only the same thing but getting even better: she smoked the ladies in the very first challenge, has won or gained safety in all since, and she has won five of the past six challenges including the last one in Spain to make the trip to the Czech Republic. She has consistently ranked in the upper half of many's power rankings among the female field here, and it's no surprise that she has made it here again to the check-in gate to the final destination. She has already been in tip-top shape and the only difference between then and now is that she is, in all likelihood, the favorite going into the final among the women, or at best the top challenger to Cara by virtue of what we've had this season. Watch out for Nicole.
● TONY: If we had to pick a MVP of this Challenge, in all likelihood Tony would be a sure bet, a remarkable story the past year considering this would've been a one in a million probability when we went to Colombia last year. We've discussed how a trip to Redemption on Dirty 30 there ultimately woke Tony the Challenger up, and he has never looked back: six challenge wins out of the last seven and Troikas all throughout this season. Him being able to make the biggest power play all season of eventually killing off Bananas from this season and out of his life was the power move in Spain, and solidified him as a legit threat. Other than for Bananas, he has not been in much drama like we have seen him in past seasons, and being able to accomplish that already gives him a lot of confidence as he now heads once again into not only a good spot of advancing onto the Czech Republic, but the odds-on favorite for the guys. Question now is of he can follow through and go to the final.
● ZACH: Since we saw the new Thor on Champs vs. Stars, this is a totally different Zach from the one who we saw struggle in the Argentinian wilderness in the Free Agents final and more like the one who burst his way to the Battle of the Seasons crown -- and he's not been in much drama other than for the Troikas he's been in and how the guys have been running the show. He has either won a challenge or gained safety up to this point, and he is already on that plane ride to the finals site. Along with this, Zach has been on the winning side in the last four challenges in Spain and is starting to pick up the momentum that is always everyone's friend in this game and could carry him deep into the final. He has been proving that the checkered past he's had in his first five starts are behind him, and carrying that good fortune from the 2nd mini-season onto this season.
POWER RANKINGS
GUYS
1. TONY
2. ZACH
3. DEVIN
4. BRAD
5. LEROY
6. NELSON
7. KYLE
GIRLS
1. NICOLE
2. KAM
3. CARA
4. KAILAH
5. JEMMYE
And while we wait, as we always do, for before the final to make our predictions of who will win until the finalists are whittled down and TJ Lavin blows his horn to send the players away, our choices for the players to get cut out of the group tonight are Kyle and Jemmye. While it might be an expected result for Jem in many's eyes, there's no punishing feeling of getting to not go on that trip to the final destination than Kyle, though he's had a good rookie season... there should be more to come for the man from Geordie.
▪ ▪ ▪ ▪ ▪
And that's all for how we look at Week 12 of The Challenge Vendettas. Don't forget to join yours truly over on DCNOW for live tweets and commentary from Spain later tonight at @DC408DxNow and #DCChallenge. And before DCBLOG covers this week's episode on here over the coming Easter weekend, we'll venture down south for how Team MTV has been partying on Spring Break, and the latest episode of Winter Break Hunter Mountain. Enjoy tonight's episode, and talk to you here then.
- I AM DC
No comments:
Post a Comment
Got something on your mind? Let us know! But please be mindful and do not post spam or negative comments (due to that, all comments are subject to blogger approval... and we reserve the right to disable these sections if things get way out of hand).