Sarah Walker

This week’s episode begins with a series of camera comments.  Craig reveals that he is still having problems with the altitude; Nicole asks “Why is it that everybody that I pick to be the mole gets executed, and I don’t?”  Clay thanks God for many things including his health and strength; Paul promises “this brutal game will get better and better, because slowly but surely I’m working on ticking these people off.”  If Nicole turns out to be the mole, it will be interesting that the producers slipped that in there - a question that could really be a confession.

Jon waits for the Molettes to arrive at what looks to be an abandoned village.  He explains to them that a century ago when the trains ran, the derelict, roofless building behind him served as a holding place for prisoners who were chained together.  Jon informs the players that their next mission is “all about trust” and they follow him inside.  Night has fallen and it is freezing cold.  The Molettes are chained together and to steel bars behind them by their ankles.  This mission is called All For One.  Jon explains:  “The object is to free yourself from the chains that bind you.  Right now you are all chained together in such a way that only one of you at a time can reach the cell behind me.  In the cell is the key to set you free.  You must work together.  Each of you must stand with your back against the bars behind you for one of you to have enough slack in the chain to reach the key.  Every ten minutes a window in the cell opens up and the team has one minute to reach the key inside.  If a player gets the key they may free only themselves, and if they do that they will join me by a nice, warm, crackling fire, get a delicious meal and sleep in a warm bed.  If everybody escapes before sunrise, I’ll add 25K to the pot.  Here’s the catch:  trust is crucial, because next to the key I’m placing an exemption card. You’ll have to trust that whoever you allow to reach the key will not take the exemption, because not only will they have the exemption, but no money will be added to the pot.  And any players who are not yet unchained will have to spend the night in the freezing cold.  The window will open for the first time in 10 minutes.”  

Craig immediately plays the health card, saying he needs to get out of the cold.  He promises not to take the exemption.  The Molettes are initially hesitant; Mark says “after watching my journal burn up, I don’t trust anybody.”   Paul advocates for Craig based on health concerns.  Clay very reluctantly allows Craig to go.  True to his word, Craig takes only the key, sets himself free and leaves.  Kristen declares that she also wants to get out of the cold.  Clay is again reluctant, but Kristen brings up the deal she made with him at the end of the Midas Rush mission, when she essentially handed Clay the exemption she deserved.  Clay says he’s okay letting Kristen go but fears eventually “there will be a breakdown.”  Alex says “We all do it or we don’t all do it,” meaning they all unchain and leave or no one does.  For some reason, Mark finds this insulting.  A freezing Kristen says she ain’t too proud to beg.  Nicole camera comments “If it were totally up to me, I wouldn’t release a single human soul.”  I don’t know who is the mole, but at this point I’m rooting for Nicole simply so she stays around and dishes up more of the same.  The team decides to allow Kristen to go.  She takes only the key and bolts, thanking everyone.  Paul wants to leave next, playing his “trump card” by swearing on his daughter.  Mark grouches that he can’t trust Paul, because Paul has been saying all along that for him, “It’s all about the hustle.”  Paul insists this is not a hustle: “This is the first and the last time you can trust me in this game.”  He swears again on his daughter.  Mark says he doesn’t believe Paul would swear on his daughter’s life as a con and they allow Paul to go next, watching him like hawks.  He reaches for the exemption card and really gives them a fright, but takes only the key and leaves.  Mark, who is not able to think straight as hypothermia sets in, admits that no one should trust him.  He and Clay go back and forth a bit, but honestly, it looks like they are all so freezing cold they are beginning not to care what happens.  The point of no concern.  

The scene shifts to a cozy dinner setting where Jon talks with Craig and Kristen, and here comes Paul.  He admits he had a second thought about taking the card when the door opened.  Back on the chain gang, Clay admits he is hesitant to leave because he thinks Mark will take the exemption.  Mark repeats that he can’t trust himself.  Clay camera comments that was the moment their coalition began to unravel.  Really?  I thought it was last week, when Mark went nuts over the burnt journals and Clay made the exact same comment.  Anyway, Clay leaves next with no exemption.  Mark camera comments that he  feels he has the upper hand because everyone knows that he is ticked over the journal so no one wants to play with him right now.  He adds that after Clay left, Nicole gave him a look that convinced him she was being honest.  He’s getting colder and more delusional by the moment.  The remaining Molettes agree to let Nicole go.  She takes only the key.  At dinner, Clay tells the others he would be very surprised if Mark does not take the exemption, because “he has changed - the sleeping dragon has awakened.”  Here comes Nicole.  Jon asks if she took the exemption.  Going for the fake out, she looks down as if ashamed, then admits she did not.  

Close to an hour has gone by.  The deliberation has changed from ‘does anyone go?’ to ‘who goes next.’  Alex unchains and heads to dinner, although in his camera comment he says he fears that Mark will take the exemption.  Next it is Mark’s turn at temptation.  He walks up to the window and stares at it, waiting for it to open.  Mark camera comments “I know that this one move could be the complete turning point of the game for me.  I was running through all possible scenarios.”  The window opens; Mark hesitates and kicks at the  bars for awhile.  A quick cut to the dinner conversation: Clay thinks Mark will take the exemption card and use the burning of his journal as justification.  Mark walks in on cue.  Jon says “These guys are curious - what decision did you make?”  Mark counters with “You guys have been sitting here talking, I want to know what you guys said.”  Paul responds “I said that Mark being the man that he is, I think he would have a hard time taking the exemption.  That’s just my opinion.” Clay says “My biggest thing was when you would not give me your word - I knew you would take it at that point.”  Mark tells them he does have something green in his pocket, and after a dramatic pause throws out a mint wrapper.  There are claps and handshakes all around.  The pot is now at 177K.  Clay camera comments that he is still surprised Mark didn’t take the exemption, maybe he’s the mole.  Mark comments “Not taking the exemption was hard, but I decided that just getting ahead wasn’t enough, ’cause then my social game would be destroyed.  We’re all willing to help each other now, but if I had taken that card, people would be going ‘Screw you, Exemption Boy’.”  

Jon has a surprise for the Molettes:  fresh new journals.  Mark asks for his same number back, but likens the situation to losing your wedding ring -you just can’t replace it.  “I really didn’t care about the new journal.”  Jon says “I hope you guys have all enjoyed your time here in the Andes, because tomorrow we’re moving out, heading to Mendoza, the Napa Valley of Argentina.”  The Molettes toast this news.  

Paul is driving a van containing Mark, Clay and Craig, and Alex drives Nicole and Kristen in the other as the Molettes make their way from Uspallata to Mendoza through spectacular scenery.  On the way there is an initial friendly exchange of information for the new journals.  But when Clay asks Paul for his date of birth, he sniffs “I already told you.”  Paul finally gives up the information, but not before setting Clay off.  Clay and Paul bicker, and it gets uglier and more personal.  Paul uses Scripture to attack Clay’s profession of criminal defense attorney.  He sneers “Your whole life is a hypocrite,” prompting Clay to call him “an uneducated moron.”  Clay camera comments that he was trying to use Paul’s own game against him.  We see Alex, Nicole and Kristen riding happily along in van number 2, enjoying the scenery.  We quickly return to the other van with a shot of the sour faced lemon the Molettes have dubbed their mascot.  Clay and Paul continue to trade insults which require an increasing amount of bleeping until Clay asks Paul if he would like to step outside the van.  As the situation escalates, Craig beats a hasty retreat to the other van.  Finally Clay loses it entirely and throws the sour face lemon mascot at the back of Paul’s head.  Paul screams in indignation over being pelted with fruit.  Clay eventually trades places with Kristen, who climbs into Paul’s van as Mark furiously scribbles in his journal.  The occupants of the other van - now Clay, Craig, and Nicole with Alex at the wheel begin singing about the joys of being “Paul free, in van number two.”  It’s actually quite catchy.  

The next day at breakfast in Mendoza, tempers have cooled, but Paul is clearly still ticked and is wisely avoiding Clay.  Nicole asks Jon what the day holds in store for them.  Jon replies:  “Something that will let off some steam.”  Nicole asks excitedly “Do we get to shoot something?”  Jon responds “I guess that’s never completely out of the question.”  Craig quickly reminds Nicole “Something, not someone.” 

We cut to the scene of the next mission; Jon informs the Molettes it is called “Travelers.”  They will be split into teams of two.  “Using various forms of transportation, you’ll travel from here 5.5 miles to this” - he pulls out paper currency imprinted with a picture of the Cerro de la Gloria statue, which celebrates Argentina’s independence from the Spanish empire.  “You have 45 minutes to reach the statue.  For every team that does, I’ll add 10K to the pot for a potential total this mission of 30K, giving you a chance to get over the 200K mark.  Since there are seven players, that leaves out one which brings us to the little twist.  This morning at breakfast, unbeknownst to you, I designated one player to be the Transportation Captain.  The criteria was pretty simple: it was the first player to say the word ‘exemption’.”  Knowing it was him, Craig throws his hands up, yelling Hi-O.  Jon continues “Craig, you will split the players up into the teams of two and will be designating the forms of transportation your fellow players will be using.  Also, I have a special offer for you:  if none of the teams make it to the statue in time, you will receive an exemption, but no money will be added to the pot.  With the sweet goes the sour.”  As Craig goes off to decide who gets what mode of transport, Clay reminds him that they are roommates and it could be a long night.  When he and Jon are gone, the others speculate about how much Craig wants the exemption.  

At “Jon’s Rentals” Craig is given the opportunity to choose from among a number of different modes of transport, including scooters, tiny bikes, stilts, a burro, and more.  There is even a  llama suit for two.  On camera Craig admits he was going for the exemption, so he “wanted to make it very difficult for everyone and wanted to make it very humorous.” The rest of the Molettes walk up.  If their expressions were drawn on with black Sharpie, they would look just like the lemon mascot.  Craig tries to justify the coming blow by likening this mission to Race to the Summit as opposed to All For One.  “In All For One, no one was going to take the exemption; in Race to the Summit no one felt bad that Mark and Kristen went for it.  So this time I’m going to go for it.  I’m not going to make it easy for you guys and I think it’s going to be fun - well, for me to watch.  Alex, you’re going to have to dress up like a conquistador and bring this donkey along with you.  You can’t ride it.”  Alex good naturedly camera comments “I was a conquistador, with my donkey.  Had a sword and everything.”  Craig teams Alex up with Mark,  who will be wearing a scuba outfit with flippers.  Mark does not take Alex’s mellow approach, claiming “It was insulting.”  Craig continues “Clay, you’re going to be using the unicycle. With Clay, Kristen, you’re going to be using the stilts.”  A highly indignant Kristen camera comments “You’re going to make me look like some circus freak?”  

Craig saves the best for last: This is a llama: Nicole, you’ll be at the head; Paul you’ll be bringing up the rear.”  Clay camera comments “I thought it was a moment of sheer genius when he chose Nicole to be the head of the llama and Paul to be the rear end.  It was almost Shakespearean.”  Nicole comments “I mean, how dare you?!  We saved his ass from the cold, then he picked me to be in a llama costume?!  Please!  We are not cool.  Not anymore.”  Diva-lightful!  Craig declares, “I don’t think any of you would have made a different choice.”  Nicole pipes up “I would’ve given somebody a bike.”   Paul: “You had two mopeds back there you could’ve used.”  Mark: “You picked an impossible task, I don’t know what to tell ya.  Running full pace, you can hardly go 5.5 miles in 45 minutes.”  Paul camera comments that he began to think this was a strategy of Mark’s, getting people to not even attempt the task.  “He was so convincing he started making me believe I couldn’t do an eight minute mile.”  Mark says petulantly “I’m not going to be a fool for something that’s impossible.”  Paul adds “I’m not going to be an ass in an ass.”

Jon breaks in:  “Craig and I are going ahead; you get suited up and we’ll see you on the course.”  Mutiny ensues with Paul, Mark, Kristen and Nicole officially opting out.  Clay thinks the mole is at work, and that since the stilts were comparatively low, that Kristen “could possibly have made it.”  Alex, clearly enthralled with his conquistador costume, begins to suit up.  He camera comments that  it’s not in his nature to give up without trying, but he knew he couldn’t change his teammate Mark’s mind.  Alex also raises the excellent point that as a group, the Molettes didn’t really think ahead.  Perhaps there was something a mile down the road, maybe there was a loop hole - another aspect to the mission they never discovered by not at least giving it a shot.  We see Craig and Jon waiting in vain at the halfway point.  The scene shifts back to the others, who have officially given up, although Alex keeps his conquistador outfit on as long as possible.  Well it does have a sword.  The Molettes jump in a van and drive to the statue, all the while dissing Craig for the way he set up the task.  

Upon their arrival, Jon needlessly informs the group that since they didn’t use their assigned modes of transport, they earned no money.  Jon asks how the mole revolution went down: “was it one person or a collective decision?”  The players tell him it was unanimous, but  Jon says he is sensing mole factor even though they are insisting it was a group decision.  Craig camera comments “At one time I would have said no way Mark is the mole, but now I have to go back on that.  In the Dress Code mission he opted out and kept 5K from the pot.  In this last mission he was the ring leader in getting people not even to try.  And what coach keeps his team from trying?”  Jon continues “But you didn’t even give it a shot.”  Mark says heatedly “We didn’t care!”  Jon declares that the group earned no money and Craig earned his exemption.  The other Molettes take exception to the idea that Craig ‘earned’ it.  Screw you, Exemption Boy!

At the pre-quiz dinner, Craig states that he is feeling guilt ridden; not for taking today’s exemption, but for not properly thanking his fellow Molettes for letting him be the first to get out of the cold the other night.  He camera comments  that he went from being the guy everybody likes to the guy everybody hates.  “The good news is that everyone thinks I’m the mole; the bad news is I’ve lost all moral support.”  Jon asks the group “Would anybody have handled it differently and not gone for the exemption?”  The vaguely stated general consensus is that they would have gone for it but not quite as blatantly.  Craig camera comments “Never in my life have I considered myself to be the normal, average person until put into this situation.  Paul flies off the handle at the drop of a hat; Mark is paranoid; and Nicole is a psychopath - insert footage of Nicole telling Paul ‘I will kill you while you sleep.  I can do it and not leave any forensic evidence.’  Now I’m surrounded by insane people.  These people are crazy.”  

Jon asks the Molettes “How tough has it been not reaching the outside world?”  Mark: “Absolutely miserable.  My wife and I haven’t gone one day without speaking to each other in 19 years, and now it’s been 23 days.  It’s been hell.”  He camera comments “Being away from home has changed me drastically.  It’s difficult just having nobody to go to when you’re at your lowest point.”  Jon asks “Who else is having a hard time?”  Paul: “It’s killing me, that’s for damn sure.  I mean, I’ve resorted to talking to a damn lemon”  - he produces the mascot, now alarmingly shriveled - “who is dying, and I refuse to get rid of him.  I love you, lemon.”  Clay: “I don’t think about it that much; I brought photos from home.”  He camera comments that his strategy involves trying to be more quiet and mysterious than the others.  Jon raises his glass and toasts the next victim of the mole.  

It’s quiz time: We watch the Molettes agonize over their answers to the ten questions while voice overs play.  Alex: “The mole could be Mark; I think he’s playing the game too hard.  The mole needs to have some kind of facade, that could be his.”  Kristen: “I’ve been gunning for one person as the mole the whole time, knowing that many of the guys are playing the odds - I even know Nicole is playing the odds.  It just puts me at an advantage.”  Paul: “Craig has been on the top of my list since day one, and as people drop off it just confirms some of my suspicion.”  Mark: “I feel nervous going into tonight’s execution because to me, this is the turning point in the game.  I am either going to play odds, or I am going to target one person completely.  And it could end my game.”  Clay: “Nicole, she’s a wild card.  At times she’s annoying, at times she’s helpful, at times you see a glimmer of truth, at times you say this woman is lying about everything.  I would like to have a computer where I could verify if her name’s Nicole; I don’t even know if that’s right.”  

The execution is held at the old Mendoza train station.  The pot is at 177K.  Jon reminds the Molettes about Craig’s exemption, then informs them “Once again, we have a tie.  The player with the slowest time will be executed.  The difference in time - one second.”  It’s time to reveal the results.  Alex is greenscreened, then Paul.  Kristen is up and is the next to be mole whacked.  As they walk out together, Kristen tells Jon “I’m disappointed, but my strategy in the quiz was to focus on one person, so if it wasn’t this week it probably would have been next.”  Nicole camera comments “It’s completely ironic that I’m the only woman here in a group of men, because I’m a gynecologist and all I work with all day is women.  I will miss Kristen greatly, she was highly intelligent - I thought she had it and I’m floored.”   

Next week will be a two hour Mole.  The first hour will recap the best moments from the last five weeks with never before seen footage.  We see Paul swearing and being belligerent - this is new? - and Craig log rolling over squealing Molettes on a hotel bed.  This will be followed by a brand new episode. Scenes show Nicole in fine diva form, telling Paul “You’re about to kiss my ass, okay?”  There will also be the obligatory adventure genre reality show bungee jumping, so be sure to tune in for all the fun.