The Challenge Season 40 Episode 13 recap: Daily victory, best friends battle, new alliance forms

Michele Fitzgerald secured her third elimination victory of The Challenge Season 40: Battle of the Eras by defeating Olivia Kaiser in the "Stranded" arena on November 13, 2024. The matchup resulted from Michele's last-place finish in the "40 Yard Dash" daily challenge, where Cara Maria Sorbello earned her first win of the season.

Jordan Wiseley dominated the men's division while Cory Wharton finished last, earning a time penalty for next week. The house dynamics shifted when Michele called out Johnny "Bananas" Devenanzio during the bus ride home regarding his interactions with Aviv Melmed.

Following Olivia's exit, Michele named Bananas, Josh Martinez, and Cory as elimination targets. Four competitors remain from Era 4, while Era 2 maintains the strongest presence with four players. A new strategic partnership formed between Cory and Cara Maria, who had competed independently throughout the season.

Michele claims third elimination win on The Challenge 40, sends Olivia home

Daily challenge

The Challenge 40 Host TJ Lavin revealed a daily challenge centered around a giant "40" etched into a field. Each contestant needed to collect six puzzle pieces hidden among various impediments before constructing them into a pyramid formation. Michele began with a 60-second disadvantage carried over from her previous performance.

The mud proved exceptionally dense, causing multiple The Challenge 40 competitors to lose their footwear while moving through the course. Jenny West and Rachel Robinson maintained proximity throughout their runs.

Many players struggled during the construction phase, repeatedly requesting verification of their unstable formations while male contestants made repeated attempts at balancing their pieces.

Cara Maria's completion earned her protection as a weekly target while simultaneously demonstrating her competitive abilities. Jordan's win shielded him from potential nomination for elimination. Cory's last-place finish among men resulted in future penalties. Michele's bottom placement automatically sent her to face elimination.

Pre-elimination drama

The return trip sparked controversy when Michele made remarks regarding an interaction between Bananas and Aviv Melmed. The situation quickly intensified into a verbal clash, with Bananas expressing strong disapproval of Michele's comments. Aviv later initiated a conversation with Michele to address the situation directly.

During their discussion, Michele clarified that her frustrations stemmed from interactions with Bananas rather than any issues with Aviv. The Challenge 40 conversation concluded with both women reaching an understanding about the circumstances.

The atmosphere in The Challenge 40 house grew increasingly tense as competitors processed the impending elimination between friends. Various cast members attempted to provide support to both Michele and Olivia as they prepared for their face-off. Josh's visible support for Bananas during recent events created additional strain within existing alliances.

The "Stranded" elimination battle

The elimination round featured two towering DNA-shaped ladder structures in the arena's center. TJ explained that players must use 40 metal rods of varying lengths to build their climbing ladders. Upon reaching the summit, competitors would retrieve letter bags to solve a three-word phrase. The game combined physical construction with mental problem-solving skills.

Olivia gained an early advantage through rapid rod placement while Michele took time organizing her materials by size. As the build phase continued, Olivia maintained her lead and reached her letter bag first.

However, the word puzzle phase shifted the momentum. Michele quickly arranged her letters to form "Not Eliminated Tonight" while Olivia struggled with letter organization. Michele's word puzzle expertise secured her third elimination victory of The Challenge 40.

Following the elimination, Michele and Olivia shared an emotional embrace before Olivia's departure. Derek showed visible distress from the stands as he watched his close friend leave the competition.

New alliances and targets

Before the elimination, Cory worked to strengthen his position in the game through a strategic discussion with Cara Maria at the club. With Theo Campbell eliminated, Cara Maria agreed to align with Cory moving forward. The conversation marked Cara Maria's first major strategic move after competing independently for most of the season.

After her victory, Michele announced her male targets. She selected Bananas as her primary choice, followed by Josh and Cory. Michele explained her decision to protect Derek as a gesture to honor her friendship with Olivia.

The remaining competitors now include Rachel Robinson from Era 1. Era 2 retains Aviv Melmed, Cara Maria Sorbello, Derek Chavez, and Johnny Bananas. Era 3 maintains Cory Wharton, Jordan Wiseley, and Tori Deal. Jenny West, Josh Martinez, Kyland Young, and Michele Fitzgerald continue representing Era 4.