Challenge Dirty 30: What winning would mean for the final girls
Cara Maria, Camila, and Tori. Cara and Camila are on a completely different Challenge career stage than Tori. They have been on the show for almost decade while Tori is barely debuting.
It’s a bit fair to say that Tori and Camila each had high expectations to begin their careers. Cara Maria’s debut show was the Challenge. As part of the second Fresh Meat season, Cara Maria dazzled the other newbies by beating all the other females in the Fresh Meat combine, and more impressively showed her strength by being one of only two females to even do a pull up. Laurel did 2, Cara did 6. She was the first pick of the Fresh Meat 2 draft, her partner being the great Darrell Taylor. How did she do? Fell flat on her face. Her and Darrell lost the first elimination of the season. A bit embarrassing to be part of Darrell’s first ever Challenge loss on the premiere episode.
Before coming on the Challenge, Tori went on Are You The One Second Chances. It was an Amazing Race type show that was a bit similar to the early days of the Challenge. The show was built around two AYTO stars: Tori and Devin. These two got all the way to the final and finished first (Devin) and second (Tori) respectively with their partners. Devin won the show, but what was clear from the show was that Tori was going to be a powerhouse on the Challenge. She was consistently outperforming males in the physical aspect of the competition, on top of her already charismatic personality. It has translated well as she made the final on her first Challenge. Tori could become the first AYTO winner.
Camila’s story is completely different. Almost like a foreign pitching prospect from the Dominican, Camila was dropped into the show after the weird spin-off Spring Break Challenge. She stayed for another ten seasons. She proved to be a good competitor from the start, winning multiple eliminations and getting a Challenge win on her third season. Since then, she has gotten in the best physical shape of her life while maintaining her career as a racist and scam artist.
Cara had to work hard to get here, she made her life the Challenge and made exponential jumps to the point where she is now, a top ten all time female competitor. Tori has come in like a fireball, ready to become the next elite or maybe something even more. Camila is the ultimate hate-watch, people are waiting to watch her lose, which makes the possibility of her winning feel terrible.
What winning would mean for Cara: She has compiled some of the most impressive Challenge stats of all time. She’s known for her twelve elimination wins (most of any female ever), but this is going to be her record tying fifth final, the most of any female challenger (Paula and Sarah also made 5). Cara has finished second in three finals and won the other. At this point we know that Cara is winning or finishing in second, third is not option. A win would consolidate her spot as a top five all time female competitor, and a loss would put her on the outside looking in. The good news for Cara Maria, is that five people have run a fifth final before (Bananas, Kenny, CT, Sarah, Paula), and they’ve all won that final. History is in her favor.
What winning would mean for Camila: This is Camila’s fourth final and second in a row. She lost last season to Ashley. Her loss was mostly due to Cory, but her treatment of male partners did not assist her in any form. A win would make her a two time winner who has nine elimination wins and the title of the only person to ever beat Laurel. It must be noted that she is a terrible person.
What winning would mean for Tori: MTV put an article out talking about how Tori is having maybe the best rookie season all time. It’s not true, her season is arguably in the top ten, though its not the best. However, a win would definitely change the narrative. In an individual game where you had to compete and are forced to play a social/political game, Tori being able to escape the Redemption House and win against two veterans in a final would give her total Challenge validation. That would truly be the best rookie season ever.
