"So much more" — The Challenge 40 star Aviv opens up about the bond of Bananas' Angels

The Challenge alum Johnny Bananas invited Aviv Melmed to join him on his podcast, The Ringer Reality TV, on December 5, 2024. Aviv's departure from The Challenge 40 was a pivotal moment in episode 15. During the podcast, Bananas and Aviv reminisced about their time on the show, specifically their iconic alliance.

Bananas praised their partnership, deeming it one of the greatest in the show's history. Aviv agreed, crediting their success to the organic and genuine partnership they shared. According to her, a significant strength of their bond was that they never felt the need to explicitly discuss their loyalty or strategize about their relationships.

Aviv noted that their bond went beyond a typical alliance, but they refrained from labeling themselves until Rachel referred to them as "the angels." The rest of the house adopted this nickname, which inadvertently solidified their reputation as a cohesive unit and created a sense of unity among the other contestants.

"It was so genuine, and in a place where everyone is like... 'You're my number one, you're my number one.' We never needed to have any of those discussions. And to me, I think that's what made us so strong. And I even hate to use the word 'alliance,' because it was so much more than that to us," stated Aviv.

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Bananas felt Bananas' Angels "decapitated" the competition on The Challenge 40

For the unversed, the latest episode of The Challenge 40 saw Aviv eliminated after competing against the other 10 contestants near the iconic Cu Chi Tunnels. Bananas shared his initial impression of Aviv, viewing her as a teammate and a hard worker, given her background in the Israeli Air Force. He joked about her height, calling her a good investment early on.

Aviv appreciated Bananas' kind words and acknowledged that trust issues can arise when working with people who have a complicated history. She noted that Bananas and Laurel had a closer relationship, which could have created tension if she had aligned with Cara and Laurel instead. Aviv also pointed out that it's challenging to trust someone with whom you've had past issues.

Bananas agreed with Aviv's assessment and reflected on how his alliance with Rachel and Aviv formed early on. However, it wasn't until Rachel made a crucial game-changing move that their partnership was solidified.

"And it wasn't until when Rachel had that monumental decision, which was the, I mean, biggest game-changing move of the season. It was just like a combo, like a boxing combo," stated Bananas.

Bananas described how Rachel's decision to target Kyland and Kaycee instead of them was a turning point in the game. This move cemented their alliance and put them in a position where they had to work together to succeed. He further joked that their alliance was like a powerful sword that decapitated their opponents.

Continuing the conversation with Aviv Melmed, Johnny Bananas expressed his belief that the opposing alliance's strength and unity were a direct result of the dismantling of their own alliance. Bananas acknowledged that Aviv was the first casualty of their alliance's downfall.

Aviv accepted her fate, recognizing that the odds of all alliance members making it through the game were extremely low. She appreciated that her elimination was not a result of internal conflict or betrayal but rather a strategic move. Additionally, The Challenge 40 contestant felt fortunate that their alliance did not have to turn on each other.

"Listen, someone had to go. I mean, the chances were so slim that all of us were gonna make it, and we knew that," said Aviv.

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Catch the next episode of The Challenge season 40 on December 11, 2024, at 8 pm ET/PT on MTV and Paramount+.