After returning from the elimination event, the cast partied it up at the start of The Challenge: All Stars 2, Episode 5.
In an early confessional, Ayanna Mackins said if castmates think they can keep putting her in eliminations to get rid of her, “they got another thing coming.”
Melinda Collins said in a confessional that the support system in the house was “phenomenal” for her in her return.
Nehemiah Clark, Laterrian Wallace, and Teck Holmes discussed their next moves. Nehemiah called them the “Three Kings” and said they needed to preserve the “Kings Palace” at all costs.
Laterrian mentioned Steve Meinke and Melinda as their other allies in the game.
Nice Tina is here now, Melinda talks about tough loss
The next day, Casey Cooper talked to Tina Barta, saying she’s not the “mean girl” she used to be. Tina said she enjoys playing the game but has “grown a lot” since those days.
In confessional, Tina admitted that she was an angry person back in the day. A highlight reel of her Challenge moments played. She said now she’s trying to play diplomatic and fair, looking towards the future.
MJ Garrett, Jonna Mannion, and Melinda had a conversation in a room where Melinda said she was thankful tomorrow was a daily challenge. She told them it was the anniversary of her due date for a scheduled C-section for her daughter that she lost. She became emotional over it as she talked with Jonna and MJ.
Melinda said in confessional it was just a few months ago that she lost her baby girl after delivery and came home from the hospital without her. MJ and Jonna hugged Melinda in support.
Competitors play Bounce Back daily challenge
TJ Lavin welcomed everyone to their daily challenge, Bounce Back, which competitors played individually.
It involved two giant trampoline stacks hanging 20 feet above the water. Competitors bounced to the top and jumped to bring a puzzle piece down before crashing into the water below.
They could get one puzzle piece at a time. There were three pieces, so they repeated the process until they retrieved all three. Once they brought them back to shore, they solved three math equations set up onshore.
The male and female competitors to finish fastest were safe from the elimination and could choose four nominees for voting. The man and woman with the worst finish of the event would automatically get sent into the elimination.
Tyler solved his super fast. Casey struggled as she only got one piece down and couldn’t seem to get the other two down into the water despite multiple jumps. She began to cough in the water and gave up, so TJ disqualified her.
Teck was mad at himself after struggling with the math. Steve screwed up in knocking two pieces down at once. One of them floated far out in the water, costing him time to swim to get it.
Melinda liked her chances in the event, but she ended up landing badly in the water and came to shore coughing and crying. Medics ran over to check on her as TJ asked if she was OK. Eventually, she got disqualified because she couldn’t continue.
TJ laughed maniacally as Tina jumped oddly to trampolines and fell backward, but she got it done. Jasmine landed face first in the water and came up coughing but kept going and finished it.
In the end, TJ revealed Melinda was automatically placed in elimination due to her DQ. Steve had the worst time for the men, so he was also going into elimination.
The event’s winners were Darrell Taylor and Jodi Weatherton. TJ also reminded Brad and Ayanna they had Lifeshields and could save a nominated player later.
Winners select nominees and cast votes
Brad, Darrell, and Jodi strategized. Brad aligned himself with Jodi, one of the strongest players in the game.
Later, Darrell and Jodi decided on nominees. Jodi wanted to send Tina in badly. Darrell wanted Teck to go in against Steve.
They decided on Teck, Tyler, Ayanna, and Jodi. That way, Ayanna would save herself and couldn’t use the Lifeshield for Teck. They also decided they’d put up Casey in her place because she quit the daily challenge earlier.
Lifeshield holders Brad and Ayanna met with them. Ayanna told them she felt disrespected like shots were fired at her by using her for strategy.
Brad said he respected their moves and wouldn’t use his Lifeshield. Ayanna saved herself but wasn’t happy. The four nominees were: Tyler, Teck, Tina, and Casey.
Later, Ayanna was still upset about what happened and told Tina in the kitchen. Tina realized someone made it personal with her because Jodi chose nominees.
Melinda and Steve talked about who they’d want to go against. Melinda said it was out of her hands. Steve said he felt he’d do better against Teck. Nehemiah overheard that and decided Steve wasn’t good for their alliance.
The cast voted for who would go into elimination. Tina was shocked she got so many votes and was ready to explode. Teck also got voted in and said in confessional he felt disrespected because Steve wanted to go against him. Teck initially brought Steve into the alliance.
Later on, Nehemiah, Laterrian, and Melinda spoke about Steve’s disloyalty to their alliance by trying to take out Teck, who helped him.
In the kitchen, the cast was enjoying food and conversation. Tina banged pots together to make a big announcement: “Nice Tina is dead.” She put them on notice she would “blow up their spots” and said Jodi would be first when she came back.
Who went home in the Episode 5 elimination?
The elimination matchups were Steve vs. Teck and Melinda vs. Tina in SwitchBack.
It involved six lit skulls on poles in the Arena. Each player had three skulls of a particular color. The object was to race across the Arena to shut off opponents’ skulls but keep your own lit. The first person to shut all three opponents’ skulls off while keeping at least one of theirs still lit would win.
Things got physical as Teck knocked Steve to the ground early. Steve returned the favor with one of his own to knock Teck down. They kept rushing back and forth to hit buttons and switch lights off and on.
They got tired, but Steve made a critical mistake and missed pressing a button in the end. That gave Teck an advantage, and he managed to switch off Steve’s final light.
The women went next and looked ready from the start. However, when the horn sounded, Melinda was the only one running. Tina walked slowly across the Arena and then stood in the center as Melinda continued to run to press buttons.
In confessional, Tina said she realized she didn’t like what she was becoming. At the Arena, she hugged an emotional Melinda, who said she was disappointed she couldn’t show others what she was made of in her first elimination win.
TJ asked Tina what happened. She said the game is awesome, but the energy in the house is not something she’s there for, so she’d “bow out gracefully.” Steve and Tina said goodbye to their castmates. Teck and Melinda rejoined the group and now hold Lifeshields.
The Challenge: All Stars 2 episodes arrive Thursdays on Paramount Plus.
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