This took longer to write than I first expected, but I hope the penultimate chapter here was worth waiting for. Let's reply to more reviews before anything else.
OmniIBIBUltraInstinctGodzilla: Leshawna and Trent weren't prepared for Jo to use a new technique, and neither was Max. That cost the lattermost dearly and he indeed would've been better off controlling his anger.
Guest: Glad you like my fic here and the idea of Chris going to jail! Keep reading to see what follows. While it unfortunately is too late now to change a story that already got completed nearly four years ago, the truth is I later began to regret not being gentler on both Duncan and Ezekiel there, especially once my stance on the delinquent began to soften more and more starting at some point during 2020 (still can't say the dislike for either is entirely gone or that I have any more appreciation for the homeschooled boy compared to those earlier days but do wish I also gave him better treatment). If back in 2018 I had thought of the suggestions you made and not been so impulsive during that year or 2019, then rest assured I would've used them and hopefully given a better final product. The fact that they hadn't crossed my mind before finishing it off is entirely my own fault and I take full responsibility for this. Same applies for me going too extreme during that period. I've mellowed out over the years, and even when no character was intended to come off as perfect there, I did overall try to fix some common complaints from canon (and I still enjoy other choices I made not involving those two). Sorry for my shortcomings in that, and it had already dawned on me long before you posted your comments that there were better ways to handle things. For what it's worth, I would've rather seen the juvie boy reach the finals in season 1 instead of season 2 when (at least in my opinion) he was at his most likable during TDI and already had a good game going. It was justifiable to survive the bottom 2 with Leshawna and later Justin, but that accidental self-vote at the last minute to take out Lindsay during TDA was an ass-pull that never sat well with me for how forced and abrupt the deviation from her plan was without any prior hints it could happen. As for Mr. Homeschool, if it wasn't for him kidnapping and trying to kill McLean with that big cauldron of toxic waste during season 5 (which felt over-the-top no matter how rotten the now-fired showrunner is), then the sleazy Alejandro would instead be the male I hold in lowest regard of the 52 contestants across seasons 1-6 (I personally think Mr. Burromuerto is the second worst of the guys among that group). That episode certainly didn't help Zeke's in-universe standing with Chris or any fellow castmates. However, Scarlett's infamous attempt to murder five fellow competitors definitely makes her more evil than any of the other contestants you've mentioned. I loathe that psychopath and she fully deserves to be in jail.
FlyingTomato: See my above response to Guest in regards to my past work. I'd like to think that this story here helps show I've since improved as a writer. Either way, nice to see you think both Leshawna and Trent are worthy of going to the finals. My mind had already been made up as to who would get eliminated before reading your comment, but I will say you're quite welcome for fixing up the guitarist. That was always a big goal of mine when deciding he'd be a contestant here. After regaining his sanity by the end of TDA following that unwelcome paranoid phase earlier in the season, I felt the canon writers missed an opportunity to have him show recovered skills in subsequent installments (and not having their most musical contestant compete in TDWT when that had lots of songs is quite ironic).
Rockin' D-99: Somebody's quite glad to see Max out of the game! Your joyful reaction to his departure isn't at all surprising. That guy does feel some satisfaction in giving karma to Jo before leaving, and yes, he has violent capabilities that emerge when pushed too far. No spoilers will be given for who makes the finals. However, I will say it'll only involve two players after somebody gets eliminated in this chapter.
On with the final 3!
The day began with clear skies and a bright sun. Upon being woken up by its light, a groggy Chef muttered to himself "I guess there's no point in delaying the inevitable, even when more sleep would've been quite nice." before going off to prepare some breakfast.
10 minutes later, they could all be seen eating hot bowls of porridge. A certain jockette sneered at Leshawna and Trent, having no preference yet on which to target next. She regardless felt extra determined to win today and muttered to herself "Those fools won't know what hit them."
Having overheard that remark, the cook advised "I wouldn't underestimate your opponents, who probably have grown more suspicious of you after last night."
(Begin Confessional: Jo)
"If either remaining Leopard has any brains, then of course they'll be suspicious! I fully expected that and now just need to figure out which of them I'd rather face in the finale. Glad to finally be rid of Max regardless and secure my spot as top-ranking Coyote."
(End Confessional)
(Begin Confessional: Leshawna)
"Getting this far wasn't easy, but it overall has been worthwhile. No matter what follows, I'm proud of having my best season yet!"
(End Confessional)
(Begin Confessional: Trent)
"Had anyone told me at the beginning of this season that I'd be the last remaining male in the contest, I might not have taken them seriously. Nevertheless, it's an honor for me. You should all know by now which of my female semi-finalists I'd rather have stick around longer."
(End Confessional)
Once the meal was finished, everyone gathered outdoors to await instructions. Hatchet informed them "Today will be a test of your knowledge with an assortment of trivia. It will be like the game show Jeopardy! where multiple categories can be chosen. However, there will only be one round, and we're going off a total of points instead of a cash value for questions. You also won't be penalized for any wrong answers. Whichever player gets the highest score will win the challenge and choose who to take the finals. I'll warn you now that some inquiries will be more difficult than others."
"Bring it on!" the musician confidently replied, eager to win.
Before taking them to the challenge area, Chef stated "Very well, and for this challenge, a guest will share the inquiries."
Upon arriving, they saw a friendly blonde woman with surfboard and light blue sweatshirt. This was Bridgette Gabor, a contestant from three of the previous seasons. She happily greeted two of the semi-finalists with "Hey, it's nice to see familiar faces today!"
"I can say the same." Leshawna gratefully replied. "Hopefully today is when a certain defeat is dealt."
"Before anything else, how much of this season's events do you know about?" Trent inquired.
"Enough to realize that you both want the same outcome for today." Ms. Gabor answered before dropping the surfboard and giving Jo a disapproving look.
"Well, look who decided to finally join land instead of water." taunted the jockette. "What took you so long to be normal?"
Not liking that remark, Bridgette angrily retorted "I'm not as out-of-touch as you think. What took you so long to show signs of having a heart before the teams dissolved, especially when that delay never did you any favors with other competitors?"
Unprepared for this, Jo paused for a moment to think. She shrugged her shoulders and hesitantly admitted "The truth is that playing soft wouldn't have helped me get as far as I have."
"Was that all worth it, especially when Brick probably has learned by now all of what you did and I'm sure wouldn't like the underhandedness?" inquired the guest of the day. "Don't think you can fool him."
"Since he could still be grateful for my efforts to keep him around, I'll say yes." answered the jockette.
Chef interjected with "Regardless of his reaction, let's now get on with the challenge."
(Begin Confessional: Bridgette)
"While I haven't watched the aftermaths yet or the episode where Max went out, I do know he's the latest player whose elimination Jo orchestrated. The guy tells me she totally blindsided him with a scheme to provoke his anger, and I'd like for this to be her last day competing. In the meantime, my paycheck from today will probably be used to fund a surfing school and hire staff. I would gladly teach anybody who's willing to learn it."
(End Confessional)
Once everyone had been settled in place, Leshawna remarked "Let the smartest one win."
Jo smugly followed up with "In that case, it looks like my victory is ensured."
The cook cleared his throat to get their attention. He subsequently informed the contestants "Here are today's categories: movies, TV, women in dance, men named John, music, and sports. Depending on which question is chosen, you'll earn at least 1 point per correct response, and up to 5 for getting them right. No second guesses for anything you answer incorrectly on. If 30 seconds pass without any responses at all to a question, even with something wrong, then nobody will be able to score points for it. Bridgette here will read each question to you after choosing them and give the answers. We'll start with the winner from yesterday, meaning Trent gets to pick first."
Upon hearing his name, the guitarist quickly declared "I'll start with music for 1."
"What girl group was Beyoncé part of before starting her solo career?" inquired the surfing enthusiast.
Trent pressed his buzzer before replying "Very easy; Destiny's Child!"
This got an affirmation of "Correct! Go ahead and pick again."
His response was "Same category for 2 this time."
"Before dying in 1981, who served as lead vocalist for The Wailers?" asked Bridgette.
"The late Bob Marley!" answered the musician after buzzing in.
"You got another one right, and I wouldn't object to a third." the blonde confirmed with a smile.
"Give me the category's third question." requested the only remaining male contestant.
She followed up with "What Irish singer's real name is Paul Hewson?"
He buzzed in once more with a quick response of "That would be Bono!"
"Yes, and someone's on a roll!" the surfer verified.
"Music for 4 this time, please." added her friend.
"At the 1996 Grammys, who won Best Country Album for The Woman in Me?" inquired Bridgette.
With full confidence, Trent replied with "Shania Twain, of course!"
Ms. Gabor followed up with "Another one right, and I'm guessing you'd like to finish the category."
The musician didn't hesitate to affirm "I most definitely would."
Its final question was "Which of Shakira's songs was the best-selling track of 2006 within Europe?"
Trent paused for a moment, not feeling as certain this time, but only one thing came to mind. He hesitantly surmised "Would that be 'Hips Don't Lie' by any chance?"
"Yes, that's the one!" the day's guest answered.
Taking a sigh of relief, the guitarist followed up with "I'll next take 'men named John' for 1."
Bridgette could next be heard asking "Who portrayed James Evans Sr. on the show Good Times?"
Jo rang in immediately afterwards with "John Amos!"
As much as Ms. Gabor hated to say this aloud, the truth couldn't be withheld. She sighed without bothering to hide any disappointment when confirming "That's correct, and you get your first point."
"Give me sports for 1." requested the jockette.
"What hockey team won their 13th Stanley Cup in 1967?"
Jo quickly hit her buzzer and answered with "So easy; it's the Toronto Maple Leafs!"
"Yup, another point for you." affirmed Bridgette with sadness.
That got a response of "Maybe you could show me some more enthusiasm with the category's second question. It wouldn't hurt."
"Don't count on that happening." Chef added from the sidelines.
"Who defeated the Sultan during WrestleMania 13, and originally used 'Rocky Maivia' as a ring name?" inquired the day's guest.
"A guy named Dwayne Johnson, aka The Rock!" Jo responded.
The one with a passion for surfing followed up with "Your streak continues. Um, congrats for knowing things?", unable to give any sincere compliment on the matter, and the others easily noticed it.
(Begin Confessional: Bridgette)
"I won't sugarcoat this: I was really hoping she'd get everything wrong! Can you blame me after all the crap that's happened over the season?"
(End Confessional)
"Let's keep the same topic, going for 3 this time." requested the jockette.
Bridgette's next words were "Very well: which baseball team won the 2004 World Series, ending their 86-year 'curse' of not winning those after trading Babe Ruth?"
"The Boston Red Sox!" blurted out the lady jock.
"It doesn't look like these will get past you. That's another score you earned." relented Ms. Gabor, who was starting to worry about how the scores would end up.
Jo followed up with "Don't change the category now: give me the 4-pointer!"
Bridgette questioned "What netball player joined the Vitality Roses in 2002 before making her February 2003 international debut?"
"This would be Jade Clarke!" an enthusiastic jockette answered.
"It doesn't look like there's any stopping you; another one correct, and I'm sure you'd like to complete the category before doing anything else." replied the guest of the day.
"Damn straight!" Jo confirmed.
"Here it is: at the 2006 Australian Open, which tennis player won the final match for the Women's Singles title?" Bridgette inquired.
"Hmm… was it Amélie Mauresmo?" surmised the jockette, who felt less certain about that compared to previous answers.
Ms. Gabor sighed sadly and conceded "I didn't think you'd come up with the right answer there, but you just did, and have unfortunately managed to sweep the whole category."
"The challenge isn't even halfway done yet, and things could change." Hatchet remarked.
"In the meantime, let's try 'men named John' for 2." said Jo.
Shrugging her shoulders, Bridgette complied and read it aloud: "Who directed the 1997 film Face/Off?"
Leshawna rang in with "John Woo?"
Now feeling more cheerful, the guest of the day affirmed "That's the right response!"
"Could I have 'women in dance' for 1 please?" requested the sassy one.
"With pleasure: which professional dancer on the series In Living Color starred as the title character from the 1997 Selena biopic?" Ms. Gabor inquired.
"So easy: that would be Jennifer Lopez!" her friend quickly replied.
"Yes, another point for you!" Bridgette enthusiastically confirmed with a smile.
Leshawna followed up with "Same topic for 2 now."
"Who was the season 3 winner of So You Think You Can Dance?" asked the visiting blonde.
Her no-nonsense pal answered with "Sabra Johnson, of course!"
It got an affirmation of "Correct, and I hope you keep the streak going!"
"Give me that category again for 3 now, and we'll find out." Leshawna confidently replied.
Bridgette followed up with "The documentary Wild Hearts in Strange Times focuses on which choreographer and dancer?"
The sassy one stated "Margie Gillis, without a doubt!"
"That's yet another right response!" the surfer verified.
"Don't change this topic now: let's take the 4-pointer, please." requested Leshawna.
"Here you are: who founded the National Ballet of Canada in 1951?" asked Bridgette.
The one who picked that question blurted out "This would be Celia Franca!"
"Uh-huh, more points for you!" affirmed the day's guest. "Instinct tells me you'd now like to wrap the category up."
That got a confirmation of "Yes, of course I would!"
"OK: was dubbed the 'Mother of Chinese ballet' within China, and taught dance classes during the 1940s?" asked the blonde.
"I could be wrong on this but, um, Dai Ailian?" Leshawna hesitantly surmised, failing to hide any nervousness when uncertain on the matter.
"Don't worry, that was the response we were looking for, and you've just nailed the whole category!" Bridgette excitedly replied.
Taking a big sigh of relief, the sassy one continued with "That's fantastic to hear! Give me 'men named John' for 3 now."
"Which Englishman did Mark David Chapman shoot to death on December 8, 1980?" asked Ms. Gabor.
Trent didn't hesitate to ring in and blurt "John Lennon!" before either of the other semi-finalists could.
"You got it, now pick another!" affirmed the surfer.
He followed up with "Hmm, I'll stay in that category, and now want the 4-pointer."
"Which co-founder of the Standard Oil served as its president and built a fortune from the business before that was dismantled in 1911?" inquired his visiting friend.
None of the contestants could think of a response right away. 15 seconds passed before Hatchet cautioned "Remember there's a 30-second limit before nobody will be able to earn points on this."
Hearing that only made them feel more pressured. Jo guessed first with "John Pierpont Morgan?"
"Incorrect, and your accuracy streak comes to an end." a grinning Bridgette replied before chuckling.
"There's nothing funny about that!" barked the jockette.
Their recently promoted host informed them "Now that a response has been given, I'll reset the time limit, but there still will be no second chances for any wrong answers."
20 seconds passed before Trent surmised "John Drake?"
"Unfortunately, that isn't the right man either." Ms. Gabor informed him with a frown.
With 2 seconds to spare after the time limit was reset again, Leshawna seemed to have an epiphany and rang in with "John Davison Rockefeller!"
"Just in time, you answered correctly!" Bridgette happily confirmed.
"Finish up the topic so it can be done with, please." requested the sassy one.
Ms. Gabor did just that by reading out: "Which 19th century real estate investor and fur-trader became America's first multi-millionaire?"
Once more, the remaining players were at a loss for words. 20 seconds passed Jo suddenly blurted out "John Jacob Astor!"
The guest of the day was noticeably disappointed when responding with "Yes, that was the right guy, and you're now tied for the lead."
"Wipe that stupid frown off your face and give me TV for 1 point!" demanded the jockette.
"What role did the twins Mary Kate Olsen and Ashley Olsen share on Full House?" asked Bridgette.
Trent was the first to press a buzzer and yelled out "Michelle Tanner!"
"Yes, now go again!" his visiting friend affirmed.
"Same topic for 2 points." he requested.
"From the 1970s series Chico and the Man, which actor starred as Chico Rodriguez?" Ms. Gabor inquired.
"Freddie Prinze Sr., perhaps?" the musician replied with a bit of anxiety.
"Another accurate response makes you and the others tied with 21 points each, so keep going!" his blonde friend replied.
That prompted a sigh of relief before he responded with "Keep the topic and give the 3-pointer please."
"From 1989 to 1996, who hosted the Rescue 911 docudrama series?"
Jo responded with "The one and only William Shatner!"
Bridgette was noticeably upset when verifying "Yup, it's him."
"Give me the subject's 4-point question before I decide to snap all of your surfboards in half." threatened the jockette.
The day's guest scowled with resentment prior to reading aloud: "Who played Charlene Robinson on Neighbours before going into music?"
"Olivia Newton-John?" Leshawna speculated.
"Sorry, but that's wrong." Ms. Gabor apologetically stated.
Jo's answer was "Dannii Minogue?"
Bridgette responded with "Nope; you didn't get it either."
"It was Dannii's sister, namely Kylie Minogue!" Trent said quickly.
"You got it right!" his visiting friend enthusiastically verified.
"Please finish off the category." requested the guitar player.
Bridgette complied, asking "During their teenage years, which series respectively had Ryan Reynolds and Mark Hildreth playing Macro and Finger?"
Nobody was sure right away. However, Leshawna nervously made an estimate with "The Odyssey?" after 20 seconds.
The guest of the day smiled while announcing "That is correct! Now that there's only the film category left, tell me which of its questions you'd like next."
"I'll start with the 1-pointer." her sassy friend replied.
"OK: in Ferris Bueller's Day Off, who played the title character?" Ms. Gabor inquired.
Jo rang in with "That would be Matthew Broderick."
"Ugh, I wish you'd get something wrong again for a change of pace." Bridgette complained.
This got a threat of "Make another crack like that, and I'll be sure to kick your ass harder than I did Max's, but for now let's take the 2-point question."
"For her performance in what 1998 movie did Gwyneth Paltrow win an Academy Award, a Golden Globe Award, and two Screen Actors Guild Awards?" inquired the surfer.
"Sliding Doors?" Leshawna guessed.
A sad Bridgette frowned while stating "Nope, not that one."
"A Perfect Murder?" surmised Trent.
His blonde friend sighed before replying with "Another incorrect answer, I'm afraid."
"Maybe that was Shakespeare in Love?" Jo estimated.
The visitor of the day confirmed "Yes, it was indeed."
"Let's have the 3-pointer next." the sole remaining Coyote stated.
"Danny Trejo played which character from the Spy Kids movies?"
"Machete Cortez!" blurted out a certain guitar player.
Ms. Gabor enthusiastically informed him "You got it right!"
He requested "Continue onwards with the 4-point question, please."
"Who portrayed Linda Gardner in the 2006 drama The Pursuit of Happyness?" Bridgette asked.
"Thandiwe Newton?" guessed Leshawna.
"Yup, it was her!" her blonde pal affirmed. "That just leaves us with one final question for five points: what is the name of the first major motion picture to be recorded on the sea?"
Without any hesitation, the jockette rang in and called out "Jaws!"
Not bothering to hide any sadness, Ms. Gabor affirmed with a sigh "Your response is correct."
The cook subsequently informed them "With that done, Jo wins with 32 points while Leshawna had 30 and Trent had 28. Wait until dinner is finished before choosing which of the losers to kick off."
Hearing this prompted the winner of the day to stick both fists in the air triumphantly and brag "Sucks to be either of you right now!"
Both of her opponents scowled with contempt and resentment. Bridgette didn't like the boasting either and warned "Don't get too overconfident now or it'll hurt your chances of winning the finals!"
The jockette arrogantly scoffed "Pfft, me securing a spot there is by itself a pretty good indication of my future victory. I can already taste the $10 million."
"We'll see about that next challenge. Between now and dinner, you'll have plenty of time to think of who you'd rather face in the finale." Chef remarked.
(Begin Confessional: Trent)
"I could easily meet my end tonight!" the guitar player panicked while nervously darting his eyes back and forth. "At the same time, I also hate the thought of a friend getting kicked off. It'll be a bad evening either way."
(End Confessional)
(Begin Confessional: Leshawna)
"Talk about a lousy outcome! Jo wasn't supposed to win today, and I won't like her choice for elimination regardless of whether I stick around."
(End Confessional)
(Begin Confessional: Jo)
"What a sweet victory! It was desperately needed too as I'd otherwise be a goner for sure. Anybody who thought I lost my touch with these challenges was wrong."
(End Confessional)
The cameras cut to a certain musician strumming a sad-sounding tune with his head hung low. He was mentally preparing himself to be kicked off the show. Not wanting to see a friend down in the dumps, the day's visitor tried to console him over the loss with "You did your best today and it was a close match. Getting to the final 3 is no small feat!"
After taking a sigh, his response was "I know that and appreciate your sentiment, but it still feels shitty seeing my enemy win, especially when I got last place again. It feels like a repeat of the flag collecting challenge where I got fucked over. Did you see what happened there?"
Ms. Gabor confirmed "I sure did, and it was completely unfair how you didn't get a retry. You otherwise could've potentially won and sent your target home. While Brick didn't do anything to warrant elimination, I do understand wanting to weaken forces and know you felt rotten for reluctantly sending him home. Too bad it came down to that. Dakota and Sam didn't like doing that either. If you'd like me to talk with the military boy on your behalf, then I'm quite happy to."
He declined the offer with "No thanks, I can give him an apology face-to-face."
(Begin Confessional: Bridgette)
"No matter what happens tonight, I have to say I'm proud of both Leshawna and Trent for getting further than ever before. They've been through hell and back! I'll root for whichever one of them goes to the finals. You'll see me there along with all of the other contestants from prior seasons who had guest appearances in this one."
(End Confessional)
Later that day, the sassy player was also shown lamenting Jo's victory. While getting a massage in the spa, she could be heard complaining "How could things go so wrong today? It was supposed to be when I finally send a certain bitch out."
Her masseuse remained silent, not having any opinions on the matter. Conversely, Bridgette had overheard this while walking in and was quick to add "It was impossible to guess in advance what the final scores would be. Don't beat yourself up over that too much."
"The outcome still hurts. At least you don't have to worry about getting kicked off." replied Leshawna.
"Well, you did put up a good fight regardless. I always had faith that you'd do well here." said the visitor of the day.
With a smile of gratitude, her friend's next words were "Thank you, I needed that."
Before either of them could say anything else, their cook announced through the speakerphones "Dinner is about to be served. We'll eat it outside tonight, and the meal is best eaten hot, so please get over as soon as you can."
"After hearing about the vastly improved dishes for the current season, there's no way I'm passing up a chance to get some of that for free!" Ms. Gabor remarked.
These words got a response of "Amen they are!"
The cameras cut to the three semi-finalists along with the day's guest eating some grilled haddock along with corn and mashed potatoes. Hatchet arrived with a plateful of the meal and a newly purchased bottle of wine. After sitting down to join them, he poured himself a drink and commented "Since this will be the last dinner of the season, I decided that eating outdoors would make it more special, and I bought myself a little treat here."
"Any chance of you could pour me some?" asked Bridgette "Having a glass after today's results could help calm my nerves."
His response was "Nope; the show's executives have strict rules against me serving alcohol to any contestant, regardless of whether they're still competing on the show. I also will need you and the other guests from this season to be as alert as possible for tomorrow's finale without being hungover."
Groaning with disappointment, she dejectedly replied "You should know that Canada says it's legal for 19-year-olds like me to drink."
"I already did, but no exceptions for age are made here regardless of the law." the cook insisted. "However, you're free to get drunk once the finals are over."
"Quite frankly, I wouldn't mind drowning my own sorrows." Trent remarked.
"Same with me." Leshawna added in agreement.
"As much as I understand the feeling, my answer remains the same." replied Hatchet.
Conversely, Jo stated "I'm fine staying sober when it helps keep me in better shape anyway."
The rest of their meal was eaten in silence as they had nothing else to discuss. Upon finishing, the cook brought everyone over to the target with a giant boot and asked the day's winner "Now for the night's big question: who do you wish to take with you to the finale?"
"There's an advantage and a disadvantage to each choice." replied the jockette, which made both of her opponents feel even more apprehensive. "However, after thinking things through, I've decided to face…
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Trent! He seems easier to defeat in a one-on-one event than Leshawna, so she's hitting the road."
As the newly eliminated contestant frowned in defeat, her musical friend felt conflicted about the verdict. Part of him resented the patronizing rationale for being spared. At the same time, he loved the idea of becoming a finalist and winning the season. Bridgette gave Leshawna a consolation hug and assured her "This isn't your fault at all." before turning to Trent and telling him "We both are sure you can kick Jo's ass!"
The guitarist smiled a bit while responding with "I appreciate knowing there are folks who have confidence in me."
"Of course, now it's all up to you to prevent a victory that wouldn't be deserved at all." replied his sassy pal while giving him a goodbye hug.
"Time for your booting." Chef interjected. "I'll later have a meeting with you and the other eliminated contestants to discuss the finale."
Leshawna sighed dejectedly prior to stating "Very well." and obediently walking onto the giant target.
"Do you have any final words before leaving?" asked Chef.
"Just this: while I admittedly wish it was me going to the finals, I still am quite proud of getting to the top 3, and I want Trent to win tomorrow. Good luck to him!" she replied, giving a goodbye wave to the guitarist afterwards.
As soon as the wave was finished, Hatchet activated the switch to kick her away. The musician could be seen frowning with sadness over the departure of a cherished friend. Ms. Gabor worried his insecurities and/or paranoia might get in the way during the upcoming challenge. To prevent that, she gave a hug of consolation while stating "Now's not the time to get despondent. Remember to have some faith in your own self, and I'm sure it'll enhance your performance in the finals. The fact that you made the top 2 AND are the highest-ranking member of your team should be plenty to show you're a worthy competitor."
He smiled and was about to express gratitude for the confidence boost when Jo chimed in with "Both of us getting to the finale is miles above anything you could ever achieve."
The surfing enthusiast furiously snapped "Don't underestimate me, you pretentious bitch!"
Not expecting that, everyone else remained silent with their eyes wide open. 10 seconds passed before a boat arrived to pick up the day's guest. Trent broke the silence with "Thanks Bridge, I needed that."
"My pleasure, and now I have to get going. Best of luck!" replied the surfer prior to getting on her boat and departing.
Hatchet signed off the episode with "There you have it folks; the season's last elimination has been made, and we're at last down to the final two. Keep watching to see who gets first place on Total. Drama. Generation Showdown!"
Did any readers aside from FlyingTomato sense our jockette would go to the final 2? Whatever the answer might be, I have to say it's been fun writing her as the story's villain, and she still has more up her sleeve. The next chapter will show what that involves, and it'll be the conclusion. I most likely will have it up sometime in May or June 2023. Before anybody asks whether I'll feature an alternate ending for the runner-up, the answer is yes, but there still will only be one official winner and I've already made up my mind on who takes the crown. Stay tuned to find out who that is.
Reason for elimination: When Leshawna got a higher score than Trent and overall has more physical strength, Jo concluded the former was a bigger threat and took advantage of a golden opportunity to singlehandedly take her out of the game. Yes, she overall has had a longer rivalry with the musician (whose has skills in his own right), but how often do you see that guy reach the finals? Very few stories I've read feature him or his athletic rival go that far. I therefore decided early on that they'd be the finalists of mine and figured that doing so would help it stand out more. Jo getting eliminated by having either of her opponents win this challenge would've been a foregone conclusion, and I wanted to instead leave some sense of ambiguity before the last booting was made. To anybody who would've preferred seeing Leshawna in the finals, I apologize for this outcome and it was difficult for me to write out when (particularly among Gen 1) she's among my top favorite Total Drama characters, but hopefully you can take some joy in knowing she went further here than in prior seasons.
Elimination Order:
Sugar (18th place), Justin (17th place), Rodney (16th place), Anne Maria (15th place), Eva (14th place), Beardo (13th place), Dawn (12th place), Dave (11th place), Blaineley (10th place), DJ (9th place), Ella (8th place), Brick (7th place), Dakota (6th place), Sam (5th place), Max (4th place), Leshawna (3rd place)
Finalists:
Jo and Trent
Chapter posted: April 16, 2023.