The final guys elimination day is upon us, and it went pretty predictably as far as the elimination goes, but there were of things plenty going on throughout the episode to keep the viewers attention.
The most notable and prominent thing going on this week was the growth in the relationship between exes C.T. and Diem. It has been kind of foreshadowed throughout the season, but C.T. and Diem have been gravitating back towards each other. At the club Diem said that when she looks at C.T. there is some sort of forcefield that brings her towards him. After a little bit of dancing and drinking C.T. and Diem started making out, which surprised everyone. When they got back to the house Diem went straight C.T.'s bed and proceeded to pass out there. The next morning she claimed she didn't remember kissing C.T., but Camilla and Paula both told her that her and C.T. are a weird puzzle but they just fit together. C.T. has made it clear that he still loves Diem, but Diem, while she knows there is still something still there, is unsure.
While everyone was discussing the hookup between C.T. and Diem, the rookies Marlon and Jordan were preparing for the final guys challenge before the final. They discussed the fact that if they don't win the challenge they were probably going to be headed to the jungle, based on numbers and voting.
The challenge this week seemed like it was going to be quite a physical battle when it was described, but it was actually kind of a dud in that area. The challenge required teams to start on a ramp with 20 balls and they were to run down the ramp with a ball and then run up another ramp with the ball to put it in a net. Physical contact was allowed, but there wasn't much of it. Two teams would go at once, and the team that gets the most balls in the net would win. The guy team that wins is through to the final automatically, and the girl team gets to pick the order for the final girl challenge.
The first pair of teams to go, as picked by C.T. and Wes, were Johnny and Frank and Jordan and Marlon. Both teams seemed to do pretty well, even though Marlon ran out of gas towards the end, and Johnny nearly fainted after the horn blew. He actually threw up a couple of times which doesn't bode well for a possible final challenge. Next to go was Cooke and Cara Maria and Emily and Paula, followed by Diem and Aneesa, and Camilla and Jemmye. Cooke and Emily stole the show for their respective teams and made their partners look weak as they basically pushed them up and down the ramps. The other two girl teams looked awful in this challenge and were definitely glad that this was a guys elimination day.
The final two teams to go were Wes and C.T, and Knight and Preston. Wes and C.T, made the game look very easy and delivered all 20 balls before the three minutes ran out, a feat no other team was able to accomplish. Preston had a nice highlight though, as he knocked C.T. briefly into the mud, which took C.T. by surprise. It didn't really effect C.T, very much but it was funny nonetheless. Preston out performed Knight in this challenge big time, and that was another theme of this week.
With the win Wes and C.T. were now sent straight to the final. As for the loser, who would be sent to the final jungle, Preston and Knight got that unenviable distinction because Knight didn't perform well in this challenge at all. On the women's side Emily and Paula won again (surprise surprise!) and now get to pick the order for the final female challenge.
Back at the house it was time for the four remaining female teams to vote for Knight and Preston's opponents in the final guy jungle. The choice would be between Marlon and Jordan and Johnny and Frank. Not surprisingly three of the four votes went to the rookies, with Cara Maria and Cooke being the only pair to vote for Johnny and Frank. Jordan and Marlon, and Preston and Knight would fight it out for the third male spot in the final, as Johnny and Frank and Wes and C.T. were already locked in.
After T.J. announced that Johnny and Frank were going to the final he asked Wes and C.T. if they were okay with that and Wes' answer sparked up some drama. He said that it was fine with him having to go up against someone who throws up after just three minutes. Johnny, a major joke maker himself, didn't particularly like this joke and got into Wes' face and wouldn't stand for that. He brought up the time in Rivals one when Wes, who was partners with Kenny, couldn't make it through an elimination. Johnny has won several challenges in the past and has proven himself, C.T. and Wes on the other hand, have never won a challenge. C.T. defended Wes big time in this argument, and at one point he chimed in and said Johnny isn't what he used to be, meaning he is getting old. The argument didn't go much further, but it was interesting throughout this episode how C.T. and Wes have really come together. Earlier in the episode C.T. said he was glad to have Wes as a partner and then he defended him in this argument. Wes and C.T. seem to be connecting and have a really good shot at winning this final if they can hold it together.
After everyone settled down from the argument, Johnny and Paula started questioning Diem and how she is trusting C.T. They think that Diem is being used, and that she is naive to watch C.T's behavior throughout the season and continue to trust and be close to him. This could possibly set up for an interesting vote next week in the final girls challenge if Diem and Aneesa are one of the teams on the chopping block. Johnny may want to change his vote to get Diem and Aneesa in the jungle. C.T. and Diem talked again about how they have helped each other get to this point, and while saying he didn't care who won for the girls, C.T. told Diem that he would do anything in his power to help Diem into the final as well.
At the final male jungle it was another familiar game, this time it was breaking on through. This one you will remember is the game Zach and Trey got eliminated on earlier in the season when Zach cheated and did two levels in a row. This jungle requires teammates to start at the top and break through three different levels by alternating turns. After they get through the third level the person that went second must break through a door, and the team that does so first and rings the bell will be in the final challenge.
Preston and Marlon took the first level and got through fairly quickly and evenly, but it was at the second level that made the whole game. Jordan had no trouble snipping through the chain with the pliers, while Knight struggled big time with it and at one point tried to kick it down, but to no avail. After they got through level two Marlon stomped through the glass easily and they were at the door while Knight was still struggling with level two. Jordan had a little trouble with the door but eventually broke through and they rang the bell before Knight was even close to done with level two. Knight and Preston were eliminated, which was a long time coming, and Marlon and Jordan were headed to the final. The rookies deserved to be in the final maybe more than any other team. They were up against it from the get go, but they continued to prove they were one of the strongest teams in the competition.
As for Knight and Preston it was very ironic that Knight was not only the main reason they were in the jungle, but also that they were eliminated from the game. The reason this is ironic is because Knight bashed Preston all season long for being a weak teammate, but in the end Knight proved to be the weak link of the pair. Knight and Preston left and basically still hate each other as much as they did before, if not even more.
After the jungle there was another quick scene of the remaining cast members going out. Once again C.T. and Diem were seen flirting and she said that she has gone from not wanting anything to do with C.T. to enjoying his company. C.T. was confident that they would continue to move forward with the relationship and even joked that they would start pumping out kids soon. Johnny and Paula again had their opinion of their growing relationship, and Johnny said that he is losing respect for Diem. This to me seems like foreshadowing something next week, whether it be a crucial vote or a fight I don't know, but I would be shocked if nothing comes of Johnny's loss of respect for Diem.
The final is set on the male side, and while this weeks jungle matchup and team eliminated was predictable, you have to think the best three male teams are in the finals. They all either have the track record, or in Jordan and Marlon's case, have impressed all season long. Next week is the final girls elimination and then after that the final challenge. Emily and Paula are the clear favorites on the female side, but it will be an interesting week because, unlike the guys side, there is not a clear weak team on the female side. A strong team will be eliminated the week before the final and it will be very interesting to see which team it is, with no team really lagging behind. We will have to wait and see, and one week from today the final six teams will be completely set.
Photo credit to MTV Pressrom.