"I just had it!" |
Cherry Picker | |
Season 2, Episode 9 | |
Aired | January 17, 2004 |
Mission | Cherry Picker |
Winner | Purple Team |
Eliminated | Yellow Team |
Episode Guide | |
Previous | Face to Face |
Next | Aqueduct |
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Cherry Picker is the ninth episode of Endurance 2.
Overview[]
The Yellow and Orange teams have yet to win a mission, and today there will be another elimination. Can one of them get a victory and save their skin or are they both destined to go to the Temple of Fate?
Summary[]
This day on the island begins with most of the teams pondering their fate in the upcoming Temple mission. In particular, the Yellow team is feeling the pressure of not having won any missions. Yellow comes to the conclusion that if they don't win today's mission, they will be traveling across the Sea of Cortez to the Temple that evening, and facing elimination. Meanwhile, even though Brown team has the burden of the Samadhi, the ever-positive Max isn't daunted by the extra 2 feet they'll have to surmount in the Temple challenge.
The teams gather on the beach for the Temple mission: Cherry Picker. In this game, the teams have to place a large ball in a basket and assemble a series of poles together with the ball's holding cup on the very top. They must then carry the elevated ball across the beach, and finally dump it into an opening at the top of a large tower. The first team to put three balls in its tower wins. Because they have the Samadhi, Brown's tower is 24 inches — 2 feet — taller than the rest. When the game begins, almost all of the teams get their first ball in almost simultaneously. By ball No. 2, Yellow team takes a commanding lead. With a mantra of "slow and steady," Shep and Calley are calculated in assembling their pole and in approaching the tower to dump ball No. 3. But Annie and Jeff of the Purple team are anything but slow. They quickly gain speed and pull even with Yellow. In a photo finish, Yellow's third ball bounces around the top of their tower and eventually falls out! But Purple's third ball falls directly in their tower, once again confirming their status as the team to beat on the beach. But which team will they send to Temple as darkness falls?
It's a well-known fact around the beach that Brown will be sent to Temple that night, but that doesn't stop huckster Max from trying to make a last-minute deal to get out of it. But Annie will have nothing to do with a new deal between Brown and Purple since she was betrayed by Max once before. The Yellow team fully believes that they will go to Temple that evening, not only as a casualty in Purple's attempt to break the Brown-Green-Yellow alliance, but also due to the personal vendetta that Annie has against Calley.
When JD gathers with the remaining teams at Temple selection, it comes as no surprise that Purple sends Brown and Yellow to Temple. But oddly enough it is Michelle from Orange team who is most excited, because she and Tyler have made it to the final four after being the underdogs of Endurance 2. They were the team almost everyone targeted to lose and yet somehow they have prevailed. And as always, the ever-confident Max predicts that he and Jenna will come back to the beach that night. He also vows that he and Jenna will win the next Endurance mission as well, and revenge will be his. Max has every intention of giving the Samadhi back to Purple and ridding the beach of them once and for all!
As a storm brews that evening, Brown and Yellow finally face off at the Temple of Fate after a difficult boat ride over the Sea of Cortez. And although Yellow takes the first round by choosing wood over water, luck isn't with them as Brown comes back by choosing water over fire, and winning the final game by choosing fire over wood. Calley is devastated, and when they leave, Shep tells her to not worry about it.
Game Play[]
Pyramid Pieces[]
Pyramid Pieces | |
---|---|
Teams | Pieces |
Tyler & Michelle | Knowledge |
Jeff & Annie | Leadership, Heart, Luck, Trust, Discipline & Courage |
Mike & Keetin | Teamwork |
Max & Jenna | Perseverance & Strength |
- To be give away by the eliminated team: Commitment
Mission[]
In Cherry Picker, the teams have to place a large ball in a basket and assemble a series of poles together with the ball's holding cup on the very top. They must then carry the elevated ball across the beach, and finally dump it into an opening at the top of a large tower. The first team to put three balls in its tower wins.
Finishes[]
- Purple
- Yellow
- Orange
- Green
- Brown
Team Averages[]
- Purple— 2.71 (5/1/5/2/4/1/1)
- Brown— 2.86 (2/7/2/1/1/2/5)
- Green— 3.00 (1/2/1/3/5/5/4)
- Red— 4.00 (6/3/3/6)
- Yellow— 4.29 (4/5/3/6/6/4/2)
- Blue— 4.40 (7/4/4/5/2)
- Orange— 4.86 (8/6/7/4/3/3/3)
- Gray— 6.00
Production Notes[]
Quotes[]
- Calley (after losing the mission): "I just had it!"
- Michelle: "Max is going to his lowest to stay here."
- Jenna (after being sent to Temple): "Uh uh, not cool."
- Annie: "I seriously don't want to look like a backstabber."
- Michelle (confessional): "Boy am I happy to be in the final four. Who thought Orange would make it to the final four?"
- Annie: "This is what I have to do! I have to visualize the grand prize, and I don't see Purple getting the grand prize if Brown is there."
- Mike: "You'd think I'd trade you guys for Annie?"
- Shep: "Don't worry about it."
Trivia[]
- Third time Yellow came close to winning; the first two times being in Tower of Power and Rollerball.
- This episode marks Max and Jenna's first trip to the Temple of Fate since they were eliminated in Knotted Up.
- First time a Brown team is sent to temple and the first time they win.
- First time a Yellow team is eliminated at temple.
- With the exception of who won at Temple, the results of this mission are similar to those of Balance Ball a season later.
- Purple's win against Yellow in the mission is considered one of the biggest upset victories in Endurance History.
- Jenna once revealed that the Yellow ball's brightness captivated her, making her lose focus and leading to Brown losing.
- During the Temple of Fate, an extra pair of rocks can be seen in the burning cauldron, indicating that there was a tied round that was cut for time.
Endurance 2: Mexican Desert | |
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Drop Out • Wash Out • Tower of Power • Fireball • Rollerball • Tide Pull • Halftime • On The Ropes • Face to Face • Cherry Picker • Aqueduct • Plank Maze • Pathfinder • The Home Stretch • Final Mission • The Finale • Best of Endurance 2 |