In Episode 9 of The Challenge 40: Battle of the Eras, titled 'An Era of One,' the season's team-based tasks ended as challengers faced off in individual battles.
Aired on Wednesday, October 16, 2024, the latest episode saw the elimination of two veterans, Devin Walker and Kaycee Clark, who were members of the dominant 'Vacation Alliance.'
Their exit marked a significant turning point in the episode, introducing a new phase in the game, with each contestant for themselves.
The Challenge 40: Elimination showdown
The episode's elimination challenge, 'Cable Connection Showdown,' featured an intense face-off as the teams disbanded and the remaining contestants fought for their places in the game.
Devin Walker and Kaycee Clark, both members of the 'Vacation Alliance,' were put to the test. Kaycee went up against her close friend Tori Deal, while Devin faced off against Kyland Young.
In a challenge that required untangling and connecting cables to light up logos from all 40 seasons of The Challenge, Kyland dominated Devin in their head-to-head battle.
It was a huge blow to the 'Vacation Alliance,' with Devin's elimination severely impacting his allies, including Michele Fitzgerald and Tori. In the women's round, Tori narrowly defeated Kaycee in a competitive contest, securing her place in the game and sending Kaycee home. "That was a big hit," remarked Rachel Robinson, who had orchestrated the showdown.
The Challenge 40: Episode highlights
The episode's daily challenge, 'Bottoms Out,' featured a combination of brains and brawn as players answered math equations to earn handholds and footholds in a shipping container.
Rachel, who was left all alone in her team, surprised everyone by winning the challenge, marking the first victory for Era 1. She held on for an impressive 14 minutes, outlasting the other contestants to secure her place at the top of the power rankings for the week.
With the game now shifting to individual play, Rachel had the sole power to decide who would face elimination. Despite her alliance with Kyland and Kaycee being shaky at best, she saw an opportunity to spice things up.
Rachel ultimately sent Devin and Tori into elimination against Kyland and Kaycee, leading to the intense battles that followed.
The episode also focused on the growing cracks within the alliances. The 'Vacation Alliance,' consisting of Tori, Devin, Josh Martinez, and Kaycee, faced a major setback.
Devin had been targeting Johnny "Bananas" Devenanzio after a conflict over Devin's budding relationship with Michele Fitzgerald, creating tension.
Bananas, meanwhile, was plotting his moves, hoping to pit various eras against each other. "This is war," Devin declared earlier in the episode, but his elimination left his alliance in a precarious position.
The Challenge 40: Contestants left and upcoming targets
With The Challenge 40's team format gone, contestants are now fighting for themselves, though alliances still play a critical role. The remaining challengers include contestants from multiple eras:
- Era 1: Rachel Robinson
- Era 2: Johnny "Bananas" Devenanzio, Cara Maria Sorbello, Derek Chavez, Laurel Stucky, Nehemiah Clark, Ryan Kehoe, Aviv Melmed
- Era 3: Cory Wharton, Jordan Wiseley, Nia Moore, Tori Deal
- Era 4: Jenny West, Josh Martinez, Kyland Young, Michele Fitzgerald, Olivia Kaiser, Theo Campbell
At the end of the episode, the elimination winners, Kyland and Tori, were tasked with selecting targets for the next round. Tori named Derek Chavez, Bananas, and Ryan Kehoe as her targets, while Kyland aimed at Rachel Robinson, Aviv Melmed, and Jenny West.
The shift to individual play marks a significant evolution in the game, as alliances are tested and former teammates may soon find themselves pitted against one another.
New episodes of The Challenge 40 air every Wednesday on MTV.