WARNING: Major spoilers ahead from The Challenge 40 finale!
Another season of The Challenge has come to an end, and it did so with a memorable bang. The Challenge 40: Battle of the Eras brought back 40 veterans of the game from across the two-decade run of the reality competition series. In the most brutal final competition yet, all four Eras were represented, but a last-minute shocker made some history for the show.
The second part of the season 40 finale aired on MTV on Jan. 8 and featured the conclusion of the overnight checkpoint, as well as three more grueling checkpoints that had the final eight players battling it out on the water to become the one man and one woman to take home the grand prize. But the Karma Vote also promised to potentially shake up the game, and oh, did it ever!
In the end, deserving competitors won The Challenge 40, even if the outcome wasn't at all what we were expecting. Ready to dive into the results? Let's get into all the details from the second part of the finale and explain the history-making outcome that dropped jaws and will likely have lasting impacts on future seasons.
Here's your last spoiler warning!
Jordan is the male winner of The Challenge 40
Perhaps the least shocking outcome of them all, Jordan dominated his way through the final challenge to become the winner of the $400,000 grand prize. He placed first in six out of seven checkpoints, losing first place only to Derek in the overnight coin counting checkpoint. He was the one to beat and Derek and Bananas definitely tried their best to beat him.
Thankfully, Derek won second place, a placement that was very deserved. His checkpoint and Karma Vote totals equaled Jordan's sole total from winning the checkpoints. In order to have beat Jordan, Derek would have had to overtake Jordan in a couple checkpoints and/or Jordan would have had to have a lower Karma score. Regardless, Derek placed above Bananas and that's all that matters.
For the male portion of the leaderboard, the Karma Vote didn't change any of the rankings. With or without the Karma Vote, Bananas and Kyland wouldn't have been able to take first or second place. Three out of four Eras were represented on the male side, but it's a bummer Era 1 men couldn't make it to the final. Still, true competitors made it to the end and truly proved themselves.
Here's how the men placements added up:
- Jordan: 27 (Checkpoints) + 4 (Karma) = 31 ($400,000)
- Derek: 19 (Checkpoints) + 8 (Karma) = 27 ($75,000)
- Bananas: 15 (Checkpoints) + 2 (Karma) = 17 ($25,000)
- Kyland: 9 (Checkpoints) + 6 (Karma) = 15
Rachel makes history to tie for first place
Here's where the finale gets shocking! The Karma Vote shook up the women's rankings in way that created both celebration and disappointment, depending on which player you were. Jenny ended up dominating the checkpoints and taking first place, but she wasn't alone. Rachel managed to make up lost points with the Karma Vote in order to tie Jenny for first place!
TJ's reveal that there was no second place finish for the women was unexpected to say the least. Tori placed fourth and Michele placed third. Even though Michele fought her way to the second most points after each of the checkpoints, Rachel had a higher Karma scored and that added up. Understandably, Michele was saddened to have come so close to not only second place but the win. She was one point away from a three-way tie! Two points away from taking the whole win!
In lieu of splitting the $400,00 grand prize, Jenny and Rachel split $475,000, the combined first and second place prizes. That means Michele didn't automatically take the second place prize money, instead winning third place. Tori, too, didn't benefit from the tie, staying put in fourth with no prize. (Tori's placement was surprising! She was previously a frontrunner.)
Here's how the women placements added up:
- Jenny: 22 (Checkpoints) + 2 (Karma) = 24 ($237,500)
- Rachel: 16 (Checkpoints) + 8 (Karma) = 24 ($237,500)
- Michele: 19 (Checkpoints) + 4 (Karma) = 23 ($25,000)
- Tori: 13 (Checkpoints) + 6 (Karma) = 19
The Challenge 40 ending in a tie makes history for the franchise. The Challenge USA season 1 ended with a tie, but the flagship series hasn't quite had an outcome quite like this. In addition, it's a huge first for a secret vote from eliminated competitors to impact the winner in such a fashion. We couldn't have anticipated when season 40 began that the Karma Vote would produce a tie!
Beyond those aspects, Rachel winning season 40 comes as her first win since season 17. In 2009's The Duel II, Rachel was the sole woman winner alongside the male winner, Evan. Although she has competed again in Battle of the Exes and All Stars 4, this marks Rachel's first win since 2009, her third win overall along with The Gauntlet and The Duel II. Not to mention, she's the last remaining member of Era 1 and not only made it to the end but WON. She's a legend in every sense.
Congratulations to Jordan, Jenny, and Rachel for winning and the rest of the competitors for making through TJ's most savage final yet!