We officially have our final eight. After 17 weeks and 32 eliminations, Battle of the Eras has dwindled down to four men and four women.
Now the competitors are officially in the running for the grand prize. The final could entail anything, but based on the information we have, some people are in better positions to win than others. Using this data, these are the competitors with the best odds of winning, and the ones who will need to defy the odds for a victory.
Men
4. Derek Chavez
Prior finals: 1 (0 wins)
Elimination wins this season: 1
Individual wins this season: 1
On week one, most viewers weren’t expecting Derek to survive until the end. But a series of strong performances and tight relationships have allowed him to dodge targets, gain power, and establish himself as a bit of a dark horse. This is an improvement from his perception on other seasons, but he’s still not a favorite to win. He’s never excelled in a final, and he’ll go into this race with a penalty from losing Fortress Bricks. Let’s just hope the karma points are in his favor.
3. Johnny Bananas
Prior finals: 11 (7 wins + an additional appearance/win on Champs vs. Stars )
Elimination wins this season: 2
Individual wins this season: 1
From a social standpoint, this has been a remarkable season for Bananas. When we look at the actual challenges, he’s been fairly mediocre. He hasn’t won a solo challenge since the Eras Invitational, and his elimination wins were in oddball games. It feels like Bananas best days may be behind him, but if he excels at the final, he would certainly put a lot of doubters to rest.
2. Kyland Young
Prior finals: 0
Elimination wins this season: 2
Individual wins this season: 3
On a season with zero rookies, Kyland was essentially the rookie success story. He came into the game as an unfamiliar face to most people on Eras 1, 2, and 3, and he had to patch up his relationship with Michele to gain allies this season. By the end of the game, he could call her a good friend, and he could say that he’s impressed a lot of the veterans. Sometimes, he gets in his head, but more often, he’s the person who’s applying pressure to Jordan and posing a real threat.
1. Jordan Wiseley
Prior finals: 6 (4 wins)
Elimination wins this season: 0
Individual wins this season: 4
There’s no doubt that the other three male finalists are kicking themselves in the ass for letting Jordan skate to the end without seeing a single Arena. Jordan is potentially the best Challenger ever, and he’s certainly driving that point home this season. He’s made winning look easy, and he’s been one of the few people who was unafraid to make power moves. It feels like Jordan didn’t show up on this season for the drama. Instead, he’s just here for the money, and it doesn’t look like other people will stop him from getting it.
Women
4. Michele Fitzgerald
Prior finals: 0
Elimination wins this season: 3
Individual wins this season: 0
Michele has doubted herself throughout this season, but akin to Kyland, she’s a pseudo-rookie who made it to the final. She’s proven to be great at puzzles, but she’s also shown her weaknesses. Her lack of strength and endurance hasn’t ruined her game yet, but it seems like a long, grueling final isn’t going to be forgiving when she’s struggling to keep pace with her opponents.
3. Jenny West
Prior finals: 1 (1 win)
Elimination wins this season: 2
Individual wins this season: 2
After a 4-season break, Jenny came back to the game with a similar intensity that we saw on Total Madness. She’s done well in most daily challenges, and even better in eliminations, but this time her success was really dependent on her social game. It feels like she should be poised to kick ass in the final, but there have also been moments of foreshadowing. Jenny’s endurance — a key element of winning the final— has come into question this season. We’ve watched her huff and puff through a few of the competitions, and that’s not a good look in the final race.
2. Tori Deal
Prior finals: 6 (1 win)
Elimination wins this season: 2
Individual wins this season: 5
Tori has established herself as a strong competitor during her past seasons, but it felt like she was a few moves away from being a contender on the Challenge Mount Rushmore. This season, she found herself on a cast with many Challenge greats, and she really stood out from the group. Nobody won more individual competitions than Tori, and she managed to keep Cara Maria from getting to her seventh consecutive final. Tori’s really proven that she’s not messing around on the show, even though she had to make some enemies to do it this season.
1. Rachel Robinson
Prior finals: 3 (2 wins)
Elimination wins this season: 2
Individual wins this season: 2 (plus a “team” win as the only representative on Era 1)
The second half of season 40 has been a game of survival for Rachel, the sole member of Era 1 to make it to the individual portion of the game. While she may not have the most wins through out the course of Battle of the Eras, she stands out as someone who’s defied the odds. Whenever her back was against the wall, she emerged victorious, so it doesn’t feel improbable for her to pull off one more victory in the final. Plus, she likely has great karma from the friends she’s made, relationships she’s upheld, and her domination in competitions.
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