The Challenge 40 Episode 9 Recap: Rachel Progresses Era 1 Amidst Emerging Tensions

On October 16, at 8 PM ET/PT, MTV and Paramount+ aired episode 9 of The Challenge 40. This exciting season showcases former contestants battling it out across four different eras. Now, after eight thrilling episodes, just 20 competitors remain in pursuit of the grand prize of $1 million.

The show welcomes back host TJ Lavin, while contestants Derrick and Averey were sent home following their elimination rounds against Cory and Rachel. This week’s elimination targets were identified as Rachel from Era 1, Ryan and Laurel from Era 2, Devin and Tori from Era 3, and Kyland and Kaycee from Era 4.

As stated by MTV, the episode 9 synopsis is as follows:

“After witnessing their entire team fail in elimination, one contender must carry their era’s hopes to secure safety; fractures in alliances begin to surface as inter-era relationships sow seeds of paranoia and discomfort.”

What transpired in episode 9 of The Challenge 40?

Following her elimination round victory the prior week, Rachel plotted her strategy to dismantle the house, being the sole survivor from Era 1. Ryan stepped up as a potential target, stating he would prioritize saving Rachel if his team clinched the challenge. In a confessional, Cory expressed his preference to align with his teammates from Era 3 but admitted his trust was limited to Nehemiah from Era 2.

Tori, Devin, Josh, and Kaycee pledged loyalty to their Vacation Alliance, aspiring for either Era 3 or Era 4 to triumph, ensuring their safety. Devin and Michele exchanged thoughts on their ongoing feud with Bananas, although Michele sought to pacify her showmance to avoid attracting unwanted attention.

This week’s challenge was dubbed “Bottoms Out,”requiring players to solve a series of equations. Contestants were situated in a container, where answering correctly allowed them to remain in the game longer. The last team standing would be declared the challenge winners, securing exemption from the elimination round.

Despite Rachel scoring six footholds, she was at a disadvantage being the only member from Era 1. Era 2 amassed 17 footholds, while both Era 3 and Era 4 managed 14 each. Rachel showcased commendable skill for Era 1, while Nehemiah struggled to keep Era 2 in contention. Devin and Kaycee from Era 3 and 4 respectively battled fiercely for their team’s survival.

TJ later revealed the outcomes of the challenge; Rachel emerged victorious, holding on for over 14 minutes. Unfortunately for Era 3, they recorded the slowest time, resulting in Tori and Devin heading to elimination. Rachel was then granted the authority to select the competitor to face Tori and Devin in the elimination.

Kaycee approached Rachel in a manner that annoyed her, insinuating an unmentioned alliance. Rachel contemplated putting Laurel against Tori, a decision that would jeopardize her ally Ryan. Ultimately, Kyland and Laurel offered their allegiance to Rachel in hopes of remaining in the game, leading Rachel to choose Kyland and Kaycee for the arena matchup.

The elimination matchup, titled “Cable Connection Showdown,”required contestants to untangle cables to activate a motherboard showcasing the logos of all 40 seasons of The Challenge. The last player to finish faced elimination.

Kyland triumphed over Devin, while Tori managed to defeat Kaycee, leading to their exit from the competition this week. In the aftermath of her win, Tori planned to target Derek, Ryan, and Bananas, while Kyland set his sights on Rachel, Aviv, and Jenny.

Source