"And we're back to Total Drama Shuffle Party!" Chris said as he sat within the military helicopter. "In the last episode, Wisdom deliberated on whether she should use her powers as Big Kahuna to put her Apoy Island allies in power or to make a big move against them. She ended up sticking with the boys and putting Hildegard and Rhiannon up as Sacrificial Lambs. Meanwhile, Godfrey attempted to solidify his alliance with Hildegard, and Virgil basked in how good his position in the game seemed to him. Hildegard and Rhiannon, of course, wanted to do whatever they could to keep themselves safe.
"Hildegard ended up winning Divine Intervention, and though she thought about using it to save Rhiannon, whom she perceived as a more likely target for elimination, she used it on herself instead. After confronting Godfrey about his shady gameplay, Wisdom named him as the replacement. Godfrey appealed to Hildegard to vote for Rhiannon, and Rhiannon appealed to Virgil to vote for Godfrey. Both of them didn't seem too keen on flipping on their longtime allies, so Rhiannon, for security, appealed to Wisdom to break a potential tie in her favor.
"This didn't end up working for Rhiannon, as, of all people, Hildegard voted her out after Godfrey made a deal that the paladin just couldn't refuse. This may have proven prudent, as Godfrey won the following Big Kahuna challenge. Will Godfrey stay true to his deal with Hildegard? Who will win Divine Intervention? And who will be the next contestant to bite the dust? The answers to all this and more, tonight! On Total! Drama! Sh-Sh-Sh-SHUFFLE PARTY!"
Godfrey and Virgil ate breakfast together in the Tent of Banquets.
"So, I assume the idea for this morning is to have Strawberry and Spearmint as your Sacrificial Lambs, but if the idea involves me being a Lamb, I'd appreciate a heads-up," Virgil mentioned.
"Actually, I do have somewhat of a plan brewing," Godfrey told him. "Hear me out: yesterday, I made a deal with Hildegard to ensure that she would vote to keep me."
"I was awfully confused as to why she'd just ditch Cherry Pie, not that I was complaining," Virgil nodded.
"Anyway, the deal involved keeping Hildegard safe this round," Godfrey continued. "This is where things get tricky."
"...You're not trying to get me eliminated, right?" Virgil asked unsurely.
"Oh, no, absolutely not," Godfrey assured him. "I told Hildegard that she could work with you and me to get Wisdom out this round. She was guaranteed not to win Big Kahuna since she was already Big Kahuna last round. But here's where the plan gets weird."
"How weird are we talking?" Virgil asked.
"I nominate you and Hildegard initially," Godfrey proposed.
"That seems kind of counterintuitive to getting rid of Strawberry, I have to be honest," Virgil said.
"Think about it: both of you are probably better at challenges than Wisdom is, as am I," Godfrey explained. "If the two of you are the initial Lambs, then, if any of the three of us wins Divine Intervention, we can use it to free up a spot for Wisdom."
"What difference does it make if she isn't one of the initial Lambs?" Virgil questioned. "If she is up there with, say, Spearmint, all we have to agree on is that none of us uses it if one of us wins it."
"I did think about that, and I thought of a small problem," Godfrey said. "Let's say Hildegard and Wisdom are the Sacrificial Lambs, and Hildegard wins Divine Intervention. She'd be liable to save herself with it, at which point, I'd be forced to pick you as the replacement. Then she'd cast the sole vote."
"How is that any different from if Spearmint was up against me, and Strawberry was the replacement?" Virgil questioned.
"I guess, functionally, it isn't," Godfrey admitted. "Hm, now that you mention it, if I want to keep Wisdom oblivious, it'd make the most sense to put up her and Hildegard. Wisdom and I had a bit of a fight yesterday, and you and I have known each other for longer than I've known Wisdom anyway. See, this is why I'm glad I can talk to you about this."
"And hey, if I'm not one of the initial Sacrificial Lambs, then there's a two out of four chance of Divine Intervention just not being used," Virgil smirked. "And if Strawberry does stay oblivious, if all else fails and she wins Divine Intervention, she might just vote to ditch Spearmint."
"Also good points," Godfrey smiled. "I'm going to fill Hildegard in on this later. You should probably talk to her about all this after I've done that."
"Oh, should I? I was just going to sit here and twiddle my thumbs, but I like your idea too," Virgil snarked.
"I just want to make sure this all goes off without a hitch," Godfrey said.
"I see," Virgil nodded.
Confessional:
Godfrey: Well, I'm glad Virgil was receptive to the plan. I knew he and Wisdom had a bit of a past, but even so, backstabbing her and keeping Hildegard is kind of a weird thing to propose. Mostly, I just want to ensure that both people who join me in the final three are people who would one hundred percent take me to the final two if they have the power to decide so. That way, I'd be all but guaranteed to make it to the final two.
Virgil: I'm not sure why Mystery Pop needs Spearmint to outlast Strawberry so badly, but I'm not sure I like it. I mean, either way, he and I should be the final two, and honestly, Strawberry's always going to be easier to beat, so why not get rid of Spearmint now? What difference is it going to make if he stabs her in the back after she was dumb enough to vote out her closest ally? Something's fishy, and not in a Swedish kind of way. (He begins eating a bag of red gummy fish.)
Wisdom approached Hildegard as the paladin carried firewood back to camp.
"Can we talk about something serious?" Wisdom requested.
"What doth thou mean by 'serious'?" Hildegard wondered.
"Firstly, why did you vote for Rhiannon last night?" Wisdom asked. "She would have gone home either way, right? Because if you voted for Godfrey, I'd break the tie to get rid of her, you know? So why damage your bond with her?"
"I had my reasons. I do not owe thee any further explanation," Hildegard said simply.
"Did Godfrey make a deal with you?" Wisdom pressed.
"...Again, I oweth thee nothing," Hildegard maintained.
"So he did, didn't he?" Wisdom figured. "What could he have offered you that would be worth voting out Rhiannon? Final two?"
"Let me guess: thou art also going to offer me final two," Hildegard said.
"'Also'? So he did offer you final two?" Wisdom acknowledged.
"Er..." Hildegard trailed off.
"You know he also has a final two with Virgil, right?" Wisdom told her. "They've been friends since Kairi Island, yeah? And why wouldn't he stay true to that rather than a deal with someone he only really started talking to on this island?"
Hildegard stopped walking, dropped her firewood, and began to cry.
"...Hildegard?" Wisdom asked, concerned.
"Art thou telling me that I betrayed my best friend for naught?!" Hildegard wept. "That Godfrey intended to betray me all along?!"
"Frankly, why wouldn't you immediately assume he would betray you?" Wisdom asked.
"It made so much sense when he said it," Hildegard said as she composed herself. "He truly made it sound like accepting this deal was my best shot at making it to the final two."
"Do you still think it is?" Wisdom asked.
"...Godfrey is the Big Kahuna. I've little choice but to continue as if he was telling the truth," Hildegard said. "Apologies, sweet Wisdom. If it were Virgil in the role of Big Kahuna, I may have been able to discuss ideas with thee, but as it stands, 'twould make little sense to do so."
Wisdom nodded. "Assuming you are chosen as a Sacrificial Lamb, what if I promised that I'd save you if I won Divine Intervention?"
"Over thyself?" Hildegard questioned.
"It's an act of trust, no?" Wisdom rationalized. "I'd be giving the sole vote to you, right? And you could still vote out Virgil, right?"
"Mayhaps," Hildegard thought aloud.
"Just something to think about, you know" Wisdom smiled. "You don't necessarily have to do as Godfrey says, you know?"
Confessional:
Hildegard: Content. It seems Lady Wisdom has offered me perhaps a greater deal than Godfrey has. I believe my honorifics, or lack thereof, for the two of them should reflect how I feel about the idea. Nobody speaks on behalf of Lady Hildegard, not, in particular, a man who has spent the better part of a month feigning mental trauma! How dare I allow him to sink his hooks into my mind!
Wisdom: If Godfrey can make deals behind the back of his allies, then why can't I? If he gets to be Big Kahuna, keep a loyal ally in Virgil, and work over Hildegard, then why shouldn't I do whatever I can to keep things from going south for me? The obvious conclusion, assuming he's being honest to Hildegard, is that I'd be his target, right? Then again, can I even assume he's being honest to Hildegard? How would that benefit him?
Godfrey approached Hildegard as she put her recent harvest of firewood by the shelter.
"Hey, Hildegard!" Godfrey smiled. "I'd like to pitch my plan for today to you."
"What is it?" Hildegard asked.
"As I said yesterday, the plan is to get Wisdom out," Godfrey recapped. "I want to keep her as in-the-dark as possible, so I'm going to select you and her as the Sacrificial Lambs. If Virgil or I win Divine Intervention, we just won't use it, and Virgil will vote for Wisdom. If you win it, I guess you can do with it as you see fit."
"And if Wisdom wins it?" Hildegard questioned.
"We make sure she doesn't win it," Godfrey said. "I'd say the odds are in our favor. I know she's won challenges in the past, but I feel like a lot of those boiled down to luck and/or help from others."
"Would Wisdom being a Sacrificial Lamb not drive her to win more than if she were not?" Hildegard mentioned.
"I did consider that, but I talked it over with Virgil, and I came to the conclusion that this will probably be the better setup for the plan going in," Godfrey explained.
"Well, of course Virgil would convince thee to do so! It means he won't be a Sacrificial Lamb!" Hildegard pointed out.
"Heh. I guess that's true," Godfrey acknowledged, amused. "But I agree with him that, if I don't pick him, Wisdom would be less likely to suspect anything."
"And thou art sure that this will result in her victory being less likely than if she was not a Lamb, to begin with," Hildegard reiterated.
"Honestly, I have no idea, but I kind of want to stick to one idea, because if I go back and forth on this, I'm just going to drive myself crazy," Godfrey admitted. "But I assume you're okay with being chosen as a Sacrificial Lamb as well? Obviously, you'd be safe no matter what, but the principle of the thing..."
"I understand thy plan, believe me," Hildegard said.
"Well that's good," Godfrey smiled. "Here's to the final two!"
Hildegard smirked and nodded.
Confessional:
Hildegard: Ha! Lady Wisdom was indeed correct! Godfrey truly is attempting to play me for a fool and take Virgil to the final two with him! I will continue to pretend that I am on his side, but do know that I will do whatever I can to ensure that Lady Wisdom joins me in the final three!
Godfrey: Alright, now that the plan has been established to both of my allies, it's time to set it in motion. Although... damn, is Hildegard onto something about Wisdom not trying as hard to win Divine Intervention if she doesn't need to save herself? I'd thought about it before, but it might actually be a bigger factor than I'd thought. Hm...
The final four met up at the ceremony shrine. Each of them sat in a camp chair while Chris stood behind the lectern on the raised platform.
"Welcome to the Sacrificial Lamb ceremony!" Chris began. "Godfrey, as the Big Kahuna, you must now select two of your fellow contestants to be Sacrificial Lambs. I trust you've come to your final decision by now, so please get up behind the podium and make your calls!"
Chris stepped to the side. Godfrey took the cue and made his way up behind the lectern.
"Alright, I guess there's no point in delaying what is painfully obvious, "Godfrey said. "I select Hildegard and Wisdom as Sacrificial Lambs."
Both girls nodded in understanding and took their seats in the uncomfortable wooden chairs on the stage.
"Obviously, we're running out of options out here," Godfrey rationalized. "Hildegard, we just haven't really been able to work together as much as others have been able to work with me. No fault of yours. Wisdom, obviously you selected me as the replacement Sacrificial Lamb yesterday. Again, little fault of yours since there were so few options, but I hope you understand why I've chosen you to sit next to Hildegard. That's all I have to say. Good luck to both of you in the Divine Intervention challenge."
Godfrey stepped down and returned to his prior seat.
"And thus, our Sacrificial Lambs have been selected!" Chris announced as he stood behind the lectern. "The Divine Intervention challenge will be held in a few hours, so stay tuned for that! Until then, you're all dismissed!"
Confessional:
Wisdom: Shocker, right? But at least Hildegard's in my corner, right? ...She is, right? I shouldn't overthink it, should I? Relying on her to stick with me is my best option right now, isn't it? Should I talk to Virgil, too? I probably should, huh?
Hildegard: It matters not whether I am chosen as a Sacrificial Lamb or not! All that matters is that I win Divine Intervention! Whoever wins Divine Intervention this round will have all the power, and I must make sure it is myself who is victorious! If Lady Shadya, Lady Jessica, young Tegan cannot win, then I shall, for their sake!
Wisdom met up with Virgil away from camp.
"What's the haps, Strawberry?" Virgil asked. "Desperate to make sure I won't vote for you if you're still in danger tonight?"
"Can you blame me?" Wisdom asked. "Would you not do the same if you were in my position?"
"You know what, that's fair," Virgil conceded. "Naw, you don't have to worry, though. Spearmint's always going to be a bigger threat than you are. No offense."
"None taken, but can you trust her?" Wisdom confronted.
"I... never claimed to," Virgil said, slightly confused.
"Are you not privy to Godfrey's deal with Hildegard?" Wisdom asked.
"I am not," Virgil lied. "Do tell."
"Did you know Godfrey has offered Hildegard a spot in the final two?" Wisdom asked.
"Well he can offer whatever he wants, but that doesn't mean he's going to go through with it," Virgil said. "He was probably just trying to get her to not vote him out last night."
"Perhaps, but is it worth the risk of letting her in the final three and having him vote her out?" Wisdom asked.
"Yeah, you'll have to excuse me if I have trouble believing Mystery Pop is going to betray one of his closest and most consistent allies for some chick he just started talking to the other day," Virgil doubted.
"So you'd vote for me if Divine Intervention isn't used?" Wisdom frowned.
"I didn't say that. I just don't think Spearmint's as dangerous as you're making her out to be," Virgil said.
Wisdom's brow furrowed. "So you're perfectly fine with Godfrey making final two deals without you because you trust him that much, huh?"
"What's wrong with that?" Virgil shrugged. "I do trust him. You don't?"
"Well, it seems I'm the only person he hasn't made a final two deal with, doesn't it?" Wisdom huffed. "Why shouldn't I be wary of that if he's offering one to Hildegard?"
"I guess that's fair, but I don't think you have anything to worry about tonight," Virgil assured her. "If any of our alliance wins Divine Intervention, then we can make sure either you or I would be the sole vote and just drop Spearmint."
"Hildegard is better at challenges than you are, you know?" Wisdom brought up.
"I guess, but that doesn't mean there's zero chance of me winning," Virgil figured. "Stranger things have happened. Either way, I don't think there's anything to worry about."
Confessional:
Virgil: Damn, Strawberry's playing hard. Like I said, I can't necessarily blame her when she's the only one Mystery Pop hasn't made a final two deal with, real or otherwise. Either way, keeping the plan to get rid of her a secret is harder than I thought it'd be. If I let one contradiction slip, then I'm as good as a two-day-old donut.
Wisdom: Ugh, why shouldn't Virgil be relaxed in the face of all this? He trusts Godfrey perfectly, and, again, why shouldn't he? Godfrey probably would take Virgil to the final two because he's loyal and not very good at challenges, huh? Of course, this makes things clear for me and Hildegard doesn't it? All we have to do is make sure one of us wins Divine Intervention, force Virgil as the new Lamb, and vote him off, huh? (She smiles.)
Godfrey and Hildegard sat in the shelter.
"Have you spoken with Virgil yet?" Godfrey asked.
"Not yet," Hildegard answered.
"He seemed to be on board with the plan, but I can't claim to speak entirely for him," Godfrey said. "I can assume he'd vote to keep you all I want, but anything can happen. It probably wouldn't hurt to talk to him."
"I know, I've simply yet to get around to it," Hildegard sighed. "This all assuming I don't win Divine Intervention."
"I, er, I guess," Godfrey half-agreed.
"Thou didn't think I would refrain from ensuring mine own safety if I were to win the Divine Intervention challenge, didst thou?" Hildegard asked. "Plan or no, 'twould be foolish to do otherwise."
"I guess the trust between you and Virgil would be even more important, then," Godfrey chuckled. "Trust for you to save him and for him to save you."
"Thou don't say," Hildegard said flatly.
"I just really want this to succeed," Godfrey said. "It's the best way for both of us to make it to the final two. I'm not entirely sure how the final three round will go, but either way, it should be easy to get rid of Virgil afterward."
"So I'm to establish trust only to break it the next day, aye?" Hildegard mentioned.
"I guess it does sound strange when you put it like that, but yeah," Godfrey confirmed. "But hey, what are you going to do when there are three people left in the game?"
"A point indeed," Hildegard nodded. "Either way, I should be guaranteed final two, aye?"
"Aye," Godfrey smiled. "I wouldn't ask you to vote against Rhiannon if I didn't fully intend to take you to the end. I know it upset you to do that, so I really appreciate you making that sacrifice."
"Thou... made some excellent points about how risky keeping her would be," Hildegard admitted.
"...Do you regret what you did?" Godfrey asked.
"What sort of question is that?!" Hildegard snapped.
"I've had to vote out a couple of my friends in this game," Godfrey told her. "It sucked, but each and every time, it was what I decided was best for my game. Hiram was mentally unstable. Roxie grew to hate me after she came to believe I was Ginger's robot. Ginger, of course, was the easier member of the Purple Pair to defeat, and getting rid of her made sure that I was able to make it to the next island at all. I guess what I'm trying to say is that I understand where your head is right now, and if you want to talk about it, I'm open to listening."
"I shall refrain, but I appreciate the offer," Hildegard told him.
Confessional:
Hildegard: The more I speak with Godfrey, the less sincere he sounds. And now he speaks of how he relates to me?! 'Tis clear to me that he is very used to being in full control, likely because he works so much with computers or somesuch. Feh! Lady Hildegard is controlled by no one but herself! How does everyone not understand this yet?!
Godfrey: I do still have regrets about some of the things I've had to do in this game. I don't have a lot of friends in real life since I spend so much of my time programming and engineering, so having to betray anybody sucks immensely. I... still think about Roxie a lot. (He sighs.) The prize money is going to make it all worth it.
Hildegard and Virgil were the only ones eating in the Tent of Banquets.
"So... art thou still destroying thy teeth with sugar-laden symbols of gluttony and hedonism?" Hildegard began.
"I mean, I can stop eating them in front of you if you want," Virgil offered.
"Gramercy," Hildegard nodded. "Anyway, Godfrey says he wishes for us to establish more trust with one another going forward."
"That would be ideal," Virgil nodded. "And hey, you reaching out is a pretty good first step. I already trust you a little more."
"No kidding?" Hildegard commented.
"I mean, I have trouble trusting anyone who speaks ill of sweets, but that's more of a personal thing," Virgil chuckled.
"'Tis not that I dislike desserts!" Hildegard told him. "I simply believe that unnecessary excess indulgence is unhealthy, among other things!"
"Other things?" Virgil asked.
"Think no more of it," Hildegard dismissed. "I'm told that thy relationship with Wisdom has been strained in the past."
"Yeah, tricking my closest ally into splitting his vote so he could be eliminated first isn't a good way to get into my good graces," Virgil frowned.
"My then-closest ally was eliminated from this game second," Hildegard nodded. "'Tis truly unfortunate. Mercifully, we were able to eliminate her aggressor two days later."
"Lucky. It took until right before we merged to get rid of Dean, and then a few more days after that to get rid of Gretchen," Virgil said. "You're the last person left from your original team, right?"
"Verily. Fitting indeed, as I was the one to name the Knights of Goodness," Hildegard confirmed.
"I was the one to name my team, too, so that works out," Virgil smirked. "I mean, Strawberry is still here, but ideally not for long."
"Why dost thou refer to her as such if thou feels such disdain for her?" Hildegard asked.
"Force of habit, at this point," Virgil said. "I'd been calling her that since before she screwed my early alliance over."
"And thy nickname for me is Spearmint, aye?" Hildegard asked.
"Yep. I'm proud of that one," Virgil grinned.
"I will concede that it is clever," Hildegard admitted. "Didst thou come up with nicknames for everyone?"
"For most people," Virgil answered. "A bunch of the people who went home before the merge don't have any. Like what's-her-face who got voted out on The Best Team. Got nothing for her. And, hell, Elmer had so little going for him that to this day I can't think of anything to call him."
"Elmer. Truly, someone I have not missed," Hildegard commented.
"I thought you were his ally," Virgil mentioned.
"Thou were not there," Hildegard laughed. "Allow me to make clear the details for thee."
Confessional:
Hildegard: Though I doth not plan to stay true to this deal with Godfrey, t'would benefit me, in the long run, to make good with Virgil anyway. If he or Godfrey win Divine Intervention, then my fate would be entirely in Virgil's hands. Better safe than sorry.
Virgil: I'm still not entirely sure why Mystery Pop insists on keeping Spearmint around when Strawberry's probably going to be easier to beat in the long run, anyway. I guess Strawberry's got his number now, for one reason or another. I can't help but wonder if it might benefit me more, then, if I'm in the final three with both of them. I doubt they'd bring each other to final two, you dig?
The final four met up with Chris at a spot that had a large circle drawn on the ground with a rope. Next to Chris were four leaf blowers.
"Alright, kiddos. It's time for that all-important Divine Intervention challenge!" Chris announced.
"Is the challenge to clean up your lawn?" Virgil remarked as he pointed his eyes at the leaf blowers.
"Don't think I won't make you," Chris droned. "Actually, this challenge is a challenge of endurance and resilience, and maybe even a bit of strategy. As you can all clearly see, each of you will be getting a leaf blower. You'll all be stationed equidistantly within this circle of rope. Your job is to harness the power of the wind itself to force your opponents out of the circle. By which I mean to force them outside of the circle with the leaf blower. Quite apropos to the island of wind's perseverance, no? If you step outside of the circle, of course, you'll be out of the challenge, but you'll also be out of the challenge if your leaf blower runs out of battery, so you can't just have the thing running constantly and expect to win that way." Chris sighed and looked at Wisdom knowingly. "Any questions?"
"Why bother including a rule wherein running out of battery means an automatic loss if someone whose leaf blower is out of battery wouldn't be able to blow their opponent or opponents out of the circle either way?" Wisdom asked.
"Oh, that's... Well, we can't count out the possibility that their opponent could step out of the circle on accident," Chris answered.
"How can we know if one's battery has depleted, or if someone is just withholding their power for later?" Wisdom asked.
"The light on the battery pack will go out once the battery's been all used up," Chris explained.
"This is a lot of explanation for such a straightforward challenge," Hildegard stated.
"Hey, she had legitimate questions this time," Chris maintained. "Anything else?"
Wisdom shook her head.
"Alright, let's get this challenge going!" Chris decided with a clap of his hands.
Confessional:
Hildegard: A paladin such as myself has never used such a high-tech weapon before, but I will have to use the tools I am provided if I am to slay the beast and be the hero!
Wisdom: Will being relatively lightweight be my undoing in this challenge? Hm, then again, has it ever in the past? But then, would it matter more in this challenge in particular? I guess there's only one way to find out, hm?
Each contestant wielded a leaf blower and stood equidistantly from each other within the rope circle.
"On your marks... get set..." Chris signaled the start of the challenge by blowing an air horn.
The contestants were all hesitant to make the first move, and all of them slowly inched forward.
"Oh, out upon it!" Hildegard decided. She aimed her leaf blower at Godfrey and began to blow.
The machine proved much more powerful than the average leaf blower, catching both the paladin and the roboticist off guard for a second. Hildegard bent her knees to remain steady, while Godfrey was forced to take several steps backward before he was able to do the same.
"Well, let the games begin," Godfrey decided. He aimed his leaf blower at Wisdom and began to blow.
"Ah?!" Wisdom gasped as she struggled to regain her footing.
Virgil glanced at Wisdom and turned his leaf blower against her as well.
"You too?!" Wisdom cried as she couldn't stop herself from walking backward.
"Ganging up on a small girl?! Despicable!" Hildegard scolded.
"She's our age. Leave her height out of it," Godfrey remarked.
Hildegard blew her leaf blower at Godfrey once again. Wisdom did the same. With two leaf blowers each pointed at both Wisdom and Godfrey, distance increased between the two of them until neither of them really affected the other. Virgil and Hildegard kept aim at their respective targets, and with Wisdom already having been blown back as much as she had, it wasn't difficult for her to accidentally step back out of the rope ring.
"Wisdom is out of the challenge!" Chris announced.
"Out on it!" Hildegard yelled indignantly.
"Since when does she care about Strawberry?" Virgil asked Godfrey.
"Since the final four, I bet," Godfrey muttered back.
"Victory shall be Lady Hildegard's!" Hildegard declared.
Hildegard turned her leaf blower against Virgil and walked towards him. Even though both of them were blowing at each other, and Godfrey was still blowing at Hildegard, Virgil had no choice but to back up as she approached him.
"Whoa now. Don't do that," Virgil said as nonchalantly as he could while struggling to keep his feet planted.
Confessional:
Wisdom: First out, hm? I guess there isn't much point in anyone pretending anything anymore, is there? Especially now that I'm all but guaranteed to be up for elimination tonight, huh?
Hildegard and Virgil continued pointing their leaf blowers at one another, while Godfrey continued to point his a Hildegard. Hildegard struggled to stay standing with strong winds blowing at her from two different directions, but she managed to keep her footing as she inched towards Virgil.
"Virgil, dude, just step away from the rope," Godfrey urged.
"Easier said than done, my man," Virgil grunted. "The second I break focus, I'm probably stepping backward and out of the ring, anyway."
"Listen to Godfrey. He has only thy best intentions in mind," Hildegard chuckled.
"That's funny. You're funny, Spearmint," Virgil said flatly.
Godfrey stepped closer to Hildegard, but she was not deterred to step away as Virgil was to her.
"Don't tell me... her armor matters," Godfrey grunted.
"Har! Why dost thou think I came so equipped?! To protect me from all who mean to harm me or my game!" Hildegard bragged.
Godfrey aimed his leaf blower upward at Hildegard's head, blowing her helmet right off.
"Out, fiend!" Hildegard scolded. She subconsciously twisted her body to face Godfrey better, taking the gust of her leaf blower away from Virgil.
"Oh, thank goodness," Virgil said with a sigh of relief.
"What are you thanking? You're out, dude," Chris chuckled.
Virgil looked down at his feet to see that he had indeed stepped over the rope.
"Well shoot, darn, and even drat," Virgil groaned.
"It's Godfrey versus Hildegard!" Chris announced. "Who will take Divine Intervention?!"
"I will!" both contestants insisted in unison.
They both gritted their teeth as they aimed their leaf blowers at one another, struggling to keep their own balance all the while.
Confessional:
Virgil: Well, as far as stakes go, this is about the stakiest challenge I've seen in a minute. Either Mystery Pop wins and the plan goes smoothly, or Spearmint wins, saves herself, gives herself the sole vote, and forces me onto the chopping block. I haven't been this scared for my life since I found out they stopped making Yogos. I still miss those things.
Hildegard managed to back Godfrey closer to the center of the ring, and get herself further away from the edge, in turn.
"Do you think one of them is going to wear their battery pack out?" Wisdom wondered.
"I don't know. Spearmint seems to be more capable of making the ground she wants to make, here," Virgil said.
Godfrey stepped to the side of Hildegard's airstream with his leaf blower still running, forcing her to take a few steps back before she was able to re-adjust herself.
"Oh! Is this the game thou wisheth to play?!" Hildegard challenged. "I hope that thou know that thy tactic is easily learned!"
Hildegard stepped to the side of Godfrey's airstream with her leaf blower still running, forcing him to take a few steps back before he was able to re-adjust himself. The two continued to walk in circles with their leaf blowers active.
"So, what, are we going until one of us runs out of battery?" Godfrey asked.
"Har! What dost thou take me for?!" Hildegard scoffed.
Hildegard walked towards Godfrey in spite of his efforts to circle around her, forcing the roboticist to walk back once again.
"If thou trusteth me, then thou hast no reason to keep fighting," Hildegard said quietly enough that only Godfrey could hear her.
"I could say the same to you," Godfrey responded.
"Of course, I am the one with initiative," Hildegard reminded him as she continued to inch him towards the rope boundary.
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Godfrey stepped to the side of Hildegard's airstream right near the rope, but Hildegard was able to rectify her aim and force him out of the ring.
"And that does it!" Chris announced. "Hildegard wins Divine Intervention!"
"Hey-ho, sing hey-ho!" Hildegard cheered.
Confessional:
Hildegard: Ha ha! My safety is ensured! I dare anyone to attempt to stop me from carving a path forward towards ultimate victory! Many have tried, and all have failed!
Godfrey: I guess she wasn't wrong about how, if I trusted her, I could have just let her win, but for one, a public display of trust like that in front of Wisdom would set off a ton of red flags, and for two, I don't trust her one hundred percent. That would be foolish, especially this late into the game. I'll have to touch base with her later.
Godfrey and Hildegard both sat in the shelter.
"Congrats on your win. One step closer to final two," Godfrey complimented.
"Thou certainly fought me for it," Hildegard noted.
"Well, I had to keep up appearances in front of Wisdom. Can't really blindside her if she's onto us," Godfrey rationalized. "Which reminds me, how was your talk with Virgil?"
"Quite well, I do say," Hildegard assured him. "I do believe trust has formed between us."
"That's good," Godfrey nodded. "Did he offer to share candy with you? That's a big sign of trust with him."
"Nay, and for the best!" Hildegard shook her head. "I would not eat something with no nutritional value in a setting where my body should be in top shape!"
"Fair enough," Godfrey chuckled. "Now that I think about it, I can't recall him offering me any candy."
"Mayhaps he plans on throwing thee to the wolves at his earliest convenience," Hildegard joked.
"True. Better watch out for him," Godfrey played along.
"...Has Virgil accomplished anything of his own in this game?" Hildegard wondered aloud.
"I want to say yes, but I can't think of anything specific off the top of my head," Godfrey answered. "But if he hasn't, I guess that means he's no threat to us, huh?"
"Perhaps not. How regrettable that one can work hard only for someone like him to make it so much farther than them!" Hildegard lamented.
"I mean, he's still a cool guy," Godfrey defended. "I'm not sure I'd go so far as to say it's insulting for him to have made it this far."
"He is the very picture of hedonism," Hildegard disagreed.
"He's still my friend," Godfrey frowned. "If you're going to talk like that about him, I'd rather you not do it in front of me."
"Be not so fragile in the face of criticism towards someone who isn't thee," Hildegard dismissed.
Confessional:
Godfrey: It's starting to sound more and more like Hildegard wants Virgil gone. And once she saves herself with Divine Intervention, Virgil will be the new Sacrificial Lamb and she'll have the sole vote. I don't want to push too hard for her to vote out Wisdom, lest I make her mad and not want to take me to the final two, but I also want for my plan to actually, you know, happen.
Hildegard: I may not be holding my cards as close to my chest as I ought, but truly, what can Godfrey do to prevent me from eliminating Virgil? E'en if he doth catch on, he is powerless before the mighty Lady Hildegard!
Twilight shone over Makani Island. Hildegard and Wisdom sat in their seats on the raised platform, while Chris stood behind the lectern.
"Welcome, one and all, to the Divine Intervention ceremony!" Chris announced. "Hildegard, you have won the power of Divine Intervention, and you can use it to save one of the Sacrificial Lambs from the slaughter! In doing so, the Big Kahuna, Godfrey, will have to choose a replacement Sacrificial Lamb. It is time to make your decision."
Chris stepped away from the lectern, prompting Hildegard to step up.
"To the surprise of I'm sure nobody, I shall be saving myself!" Hildegard announced.
Hildegard dipped her fingers in the bowl of Holy Water and sprinkled herself with it.
"Wasting no time, I see," Chris commented. "Godfrey, it's your turn."
"Is that really necessary?" Godfrey questioned.
"It's your job as Big Kahuna, buddy," Chris grinned. "Unless you want to get disqualified for not following the rules..."
"Alright, geez," Godfrey grimaced as he made his way up to the lectern. "Well, I guess I have to outright say it. Virgil, you're literally the only person I can pick. Take your seat."
Virgil let out a small sigh as he made his way into the seat where Hildegard had just sat.
"All I have to say at this point is best of luck to both Sacrificial Lambs," Godfrey stated. "It's been an honor to play the game with both of you, and no matter who goes, this elimination is going to hurt."
Godfrey returned to his seat off the stage.
"Alright, that's going to be that, I guess," Chris said. "I'll see you all again tonight for the oh-so-painful elimination! Hehaha."
Confessional:
Hildegard: I do not know if Chris or the other producers anticipated such a monopoly of power to she who wins Divine Intervention in the final four, but regardless, I am proud to be the arbiter of everybody's fate tonight! This must be the point in the quest where the heroine gains the ultimate spell or the legendary sword! I did always wish to wield the almighty Gungnir.
Virgil: Well, I've got some kind of rapport with Spearmint, but I need to make sure everything is one hundred percent with her. Make deals, throw Strawberry under the bus, hell, I'll throw Mystery Pop under the bus at this point. It's not like he hasn't been making promises to eliminate me.
Virgil met up with Hildegard away from camp.
"I suppose thou wish to ensure thy safety tonight in light of thy status as a Sacrificial Lamb," Hildegard deduced.
"Actually, I was hoping to discuss the ins and outs of Brexit, but your idea works too, I guess," Virgil smirked.
"If thy strategy is to win me over by making me laugh, then thou will have to try harder," Hildegard said.
"But you do acknowledge that what I said was funny," Virgil pointed out. "Anyway, look, I know you respect honesty, so I'm just going to give it to you straight: I want to take you to the final two."
"Quite a development given our lack of a working relationship all game," Hildegard mentioned.
"I'm not lying," Virgil insisted. "I know you and Strawberry have been talking, but can you really trust her? After she's spent the entire game actively working against you and your allies?"
"As if that matters at this point," Hildegard dismissed. "There art four of us left. Three of thee have been working together since the last island. That has not stopped all three of thee from attempting to make deals with me."
"Alright, but I've got something the other two don't have. And I'm not just talking about coffee-flavored hard candy," Virgil promised.
"And what is that?" Hildegard asked.
"They're the little candies that you suck on for like ten minutes and they taste like-"
"Thou know what I meant!" Hildegard snapped.
"Alright, alright," Virgil laughed. "What I have that the others have is... no challenge skill."
"That sounds like something thou dost not have," Hildegard pointed out.
"Nah, nah, hear me out," Virgil insisted. "The final round is almost always a challenge. Mystery Pop and Strawberry have both proven that they can win those. I haven't won jack shit since that sword-pulling challenge on the last island, and even then that was mostly because all the other pairs were dealing with the Gingersnap drama. Before that, it was the bear race on the first island. If you take me to the final two with you, you're going to have the easiest time winning."
"I... cannot refute that so easily," Hildegard conceded.
"And hey, I might even have sugar-free gum on hand if that isn't enough," Virgil added. "You'll never guess what flavor."
"Spearmint?" Hildegard guessed flatly.
"No, you're Spearmint. I'm Virgil," Virgil grinned cheekily.
Hildegard glared at him.
Confessional:
Virgil: Will I actually take Spearmint to the final two? I wouldn't have made it this far if I wasn't open to ideas. I'm not sure she'd be easier to beat in a challenge than Mystery Pop or Strawberry, but if I suspect that eliminated contestants might be voting for a winner like in Total Drama Action, then keeping my word to her might be more beneficial.
Hildegard: I still have trouble trusting Virgil fully, but he doth make a good point about his lack of challenge skill. I've much to think about when it comes to tonight's vote. I pray that I make the correct move.
Godfrey and Wisdom both ate dinner in the Tent of Banquets.
"So hey, whatever happens, no hard feelings, right?" Godfrey offered her.
"Why do you say that as if you know I'm leaving?" Wisdom asked awkwardly.
"I said 'whatever happens'," Godfrey twitched.
"But why would you say 'no hard feelings' if you didn't think I was leaving?" Wisdom mentioned. "If you thought I was staying, you wouldn't need to tell me that, right?"
"I guess there's no sense in beating around the bush," Godfrey said. "I've made deals with Hildegard, and I imagine you have as well. Either she sides with me and Virgil, and votes for you, or she sides with you, and votes for Virgil. Losing Virgil would put me at an immense disadvantage. If that happens, then I'm offering you a preemptive 'no hard feelings'."
"Quite candid, are we?" Wisdom stated.
"And to think we were working so well together just a few days ago," Godfrey lamented. "Confiding in one another about our emotions and all that."
"They say this game does things to you, don't they?" Wisdom agreed. "Could this be what they mean?"
"Well, I'm not sure who 'they' are, but I definitely believe it," Godfrey said. "For what it's worth, I do consider you a friend, and, even if we're working against each other in the game right now, that doesn't have to change."
"You... think of me as a friend?" Wisdom asked.
"Do you not think of me as a friend?" Godfrey frowned.
"Could it be that 'friend' is a much more meaningful word to me than it is to you?" Wisdom explained. "We get along relatively well and all that, but we aren't super-duper close, yeah?"
"I suppose that's fair enough," Godfrey conceded. "In that case, have you made any friends in this game?"
"...I've made one or two," Wisdom smiled.
"That's good," Godfrey smiled. "By your meaning of 'friend', I've made one or two as well."
"Does Ginger count?" Wisdom asked.
"Considering how much I've learned about her and from her since the test routines, I'd definitely say so," Godfrey beamed.
Confessional:
Wisdom: Is Godfrey just trying to get on my good side because he's afraid Virgil is going to go home? Should I be more wary of him? Or is he being genuine? Can you blame me for not being able to tell? He's proven himself good at manipulation in the past, no?
Night had fallen, and the final four had gathered at the shrine. Chris stood at the lectern, and Virgil and Wisdom sat in the seats behind him.
"Welcome to the elimination ceremony!" Chris announced. "In just a few minutes, Hildegard will cast her vote to eliminate either Virgil or Wisdom! Before that happens, though, I'm going to let both of the Sacrificial Lambs plead their case to those voting. Give one last speech that might change her mind. Wisdom, you can go first."
Chris stood aside, allowing Wisdom to stand behind the lectern.
"What is there to say that hasn't already been said?" Wisdom began. "She who wins Divine Intervention has all the power tonight, right? Who am I to try and convince Hildegard of anything when she's likely already reached her decision? Not that I don't think she should save me, you know? But why waste time?"
Wisdom returned to her seat.
"Er, okay," Chris said. "Virgil, your turn."
Virgil walked up to the lectern. "Like Strawberry said, we've already pleaded our cases to Her Knightliness. Of course, I urge our fair Lady Spearmint to think hard about what I offered her when she casts her vote. I think it'd be the most beneficial move for all four of us."
Wisdom rolled her eyes as Virgil sat back down.
"Damn, if I didn't know better, I'd think you guys weren't excited about one of you getting voted out," Chris chuckled. "Fair enough, I guess. Hildegard, go cast your vote."
Hildegard made her way to the confessional booth.
After the vote was cast, Chris returned behind the lectern.
"Hildegard has spoken!" Chris announced. "And she cast her vote for..."
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"Virgil, I'm sorry, but your time is up!" Chris announced.
"Shit," Virgil swore. "You ever do that thing where you try to tell yourself that the worst-case scenario is going to happen, but in the back of your mind you're like 'Naw, my luck is better than that. I'll be good'?"
"Apologies, but I felt this the safest option for mine own game," Hildegard told him.
"Can't fault you for that," Virgil sighed. "Shit, I was so close, too."
"Well, since you guys don't want to waste time, we might as well make our way to the Elevator of Losers," Chris urged.
"Damn..." Virgil sighed.
Votes:
Hildegard: Truth be told, Virgil is the one person left in this game with whom I hold no trust in taking me to the final two! 'Twas not until the blade of elimination touched his neck that he begged for his life. Morbid though it may sound, I must be the one to drive that blade home!
Chris led Virgil and the final three to the Elevator of Losers.
"Shame to see you go, man," Godfrey tsked. "You've been a great ally and a great friend."
"You too," Virgil returned. He looked to Wisdom. "Good game, I guess. You screwed me over on round one and still managed to convince me I could trust you. I've got no one to blame for this but myself."
"You're still hung up on that?" Wisdom winced. "You think this is personal? Besides, I'm not the one who voted for you, you know?"
"Fie! 'Tis no personal matter for myself, either!" Hildegard reacted.
"It's the final four. I get it," Virgil assuaged. "Well, I imagine I'll be seeing y'all soon. Hopefully, things don't get too bitter without all my sweet talk." Virgil winked.
"Agree to disagree," Chris grinned.
Virgil stuck a lollipop into his mouth as he stepped into the Elevator of Losers. Chris lowered him down to the losers' area below.
"Alright, boys and- er, boy and girls. Are you ready for your challenge?!" Chris asked the contestants.
Confessional:
Godfrey: Well, that's embarrassing. My most trusted and consistent ally went home during my reign as Big Kahuna. And I can't imagine either of the girls is going to be too keen on letting me into the final two. ...Fuck.
Chris led the final three to an area with a totem pole in Chris's likeness as well as three pairs of two large wooden pegs surrounding it. Each pair of pegs had one larger than the other and closer to the totem pole.
"Welcome to your final Big Kahuna challenge!" Chris announced. "As this is the final three, all three of you will be eligible to participate in this one."
"Oh, thank god," Godfrey said with a sigh of relief.
"What's the challenge?" Wisdom asked.
"Alright, here it is," Chris said. "All three of you will stand on the pegs in your bare feet while keeping a hand on the totem pole. If you take your hand off the totem pole, you're out of the challenge. If you take a foot off its peg, you're out of the challenge. Whoever lasts the longest will be the Big Kahuna, and will immediately eliminate one of their fellow contestants tonight."
"Wait, tonight?!" Wisdom gasped.
"That's right. One of you will be following Virgil down that elevator before anyone gets any chance to sleep or anything. Hehaha," Chris beamed.
"This doth not waver Lady Hildegard!" Hildegard insisted.
"So the final challenge is tomorrow?" Godfrey asked.
"Well, I keep saying things like 'tonight' and 'tomorrow', but there's no guarantee that this challenge won't last all night," Chris said.
"This seems like poor planning," Hildegard commented.
"Alright, the final challenge will be tomorrow, no matter how long it takes you guys to do this," Chris clarified.
The final three all looked at each other nervously.
Confessional:
Hildegard: Is this meant to be some sort of torture for us to weather? Ha! I am a knight! I've tempered my body in the flames of adversity for years! I've taken math tests that will be harder than this!
Wisdom: All three of us are playing, huh? So Godfrey could still win, huh? Do you think he'd take me to the final two? Is it worth the risk of finding out? What choice do I have but to give this my all?!
Godfrey: Like I said, I can't imagine Hildegard or Wisdom is at all keen to take me to the final two. Maybe Wisdom, if she gets the idea that Hildegard is better at challenges than I am, but those aren't exactly odds I want to put all my chips into.
The final three all took their positions standing on the pegs, each with a hand on the totem pole.
"Those pegs are just big enough to be stood on, but not big enough to support your whole foot," Chris drove home. "Have fun! Hehaha."
"I shall," Hildegard said.
"Three players remain, and each of them wants, no, needs to win this challenge," Chris said. "Who will cement their spot in the final two, and who will lose it all just one episode before our final challenge? It's going to be a tough fight for safety on the next exciting episode of Total! Drama! Sh-Sh-Sh-SHUFFLE PARTY!"
Makani Island:
Godfrey - The Mysterious Roboticist
Hildegard - The Paladin
Rhiannon - The Porn Star
Shadya - The Multi-Talented Braggart
Virgil - The Sweet Tooth
Wisdom - The Question Asker
Eliminated Apoy Island:
Ginger - The Snarky Robot
Nestor - The Total Drama Blogger
Gretchen - The Self-Proclaimed Protagonist
Bunko - The Ditzy Caricaturist
Elmer - The Brainy Boyfriend
Steve Jenkins - The Inflated Ego
Eliminated Kairi Island:
Dean - The Eternal Loser
Roxie - The Edgy Haiku Poet
Jeremy - The Passionate Mountaineer
Liberty - The Sleepyhead
Fred - The Energetic Blind Boy
Kun - The Insecure Leader
Eliminated Whenua Island:
Louise - The Brawny Girlfriend
Hiram - The Timid Mama's Boy
Kirkland - The Cynical Klepto
Rowan - The Lesser Target
Tegan - The Scene Girl
Jim - The Expecting Father
A/N: I think I've said in the past how the endgame of these kinds of stories needs someone more down-to-earth in order to keep things from getting overbearing. Virgil was never really meant to be a majorly important character, but I knew I wanted him to get far because I knew I'd have everyone else playing hard by this point, and I figured he'd be a more chill, laidback kind of presence that could help break up the constant gameplay. I think Virgil really leaned more into the social game than the mental or physical game, since, by his own admission, he never really won challenges, and he usually stuck by Jim, Nestor, or Godfrey and whatever strategies they'd come up with.
Of course, with purely social players, it's easy to fall into the trap of them feeling disconnected from the actual ~plot~ of the story, since this is a game and a lot of what goes down depends on how the game goes. I did sprinkle in little character moments regarding his sexuality here and there, and there were his on-again-off-again rivalries with Gretchen and Wisdom, but otherwise, I'd admit, Virgil didn't really have much of an arc per se. With Virgil, my main priority was to have his personality be his entertainment value. For some, it worked, for others, it didn't. I was going to drop him in the last episode, actually, but it didn't make as much sense with how the plot was going as I would have hoped. Regardless, now Virgil is gone. What did y'all think of Virgil?