The Challenge 40 episode 16 recap: The challengers survive a death-defying plunge but one says goodbye

The Challenge season 40 episode 16 was released on December 11, 2024, at 8 pm ET/PT on MTV and Paramount+. The episode saw the contestants as they fought for survival to win the $1 million grand prize. In the previous episode, the remaining 11 contestants had navigated the historic Cu Chi Tunnels in the Tight Quarters challenge.

Later, Jenny and Aviv faced off in The Iron Triangle, resulting in Aviv being eliminated. Meanwhile, in the latest episode, the challengers faced the "Fire Plunge" challenge, which involved the contestants jumping off a 300-foot cliff and swimming through 500 meters to the shore.

The winners were later rewarded with prize money courtesy of Burger King. As the episode concluded, Cory was eliminated when he went up against Derek, reducing the total number of contestants to 9.

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What happened in The Challenge 40 episode 16?

Jenny won the previous week's arena challenge and identified Cory, Derek, and Jordan as the targets for this week. The 10 remaining participants mentioned their desire to secure a spot in the show's finale.

When they arrived at the next Daily Challenge, the host TJ Lavin told the contestants that they would be participating in the Fire Plunge challenge. The challenge involved individual players riding in a convertible, solving a puzzle, and then taking a high-flying leap off a 300-foot cliff, followed by a 500-meter swim to the finish line.

The penalty for losing last week's daily challenge led to Bananas incurring a 30-second time disadvantage. Jordan was selected to go first in the challenge through a draw. While he was a professional race car driver, the skill wasn't useful to him as the car in the challenge was driven remotely off the cliff.

Rachel was the first woman to take on the new challenge and was aware that avoiding elimination this week would likely secure her spot in the final. According to TJ, she put up a "savage" time on the clock which would be troublesome for others to beat. Cara Maria though struggled significantly with the swimming portion of the challenge, leaving Rachel to believe that "she’s joking”.

Cory encountered difficulties with the puzzle, which rapidly erased his initial advantage over Bananas, who managed to avoid the last-place position. Derek finished last for the men, which meant he would be put up against another challenger in the elimination round. Jordan and Tori emerged as the winners of the day's challenge and Jordan decided to pit Cory against Derek.

Later, at the Challengers' residence, the contestants enjoyed a meal courtesy of Burger King. The fast-food chain also gave the day's winners, Jordan and Tori, $5,000 each.

During the meal, Cory and Derek expressed mutual respect for one another but made it clear that they were determined to win the season. Derek also shared emotional stories about his sister, who had passed away in 2021.

The elimination challenge, titled "Closing Time," required contestants to collect heavy cinder blocks and construct an image using them. The added complexity of the challenge was that the contestants had to complete the design on both the front and back. This challenge demanded a combination of physical and mental strength, potentially leveling the playing field for Derek.

Cory opted to gather all the blocks before building the puzzle, while Derek constructed the puzzle as he collected the blocks. The two approaches yielded distinct outcomes, with Derek emerging victorious. Notably, his win coincided with his sister's birthday, making the triumph emotionally resonant.

Cory, on the other hand, felt devastated by his loss and eventual elimination. As the winner of the elimination challenge, Derek identified Cara Maria, Jenny, and Rachel as his targets. Subsequently, TJ announced that the contestants would be embarking on a journey, and upon their return, the environment would be “a lot less green.”

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The Challenge 40 airs new episodes on Wednesdays at 8 pm ET/PT on MTV and Paramount+.