Suvechha Sarkar
Season 1 of NBC’s ‘Destination X’ continues to push boundaries, offering viewers a game of strategy and deception wrapped in the unknown. In episode 5, titled ‘Moral Compass,’ the journey of the contestants continues on their signature bus. The host, Jeffrey Dean Morgan, sets the tone for the episode as he reveals that the eight remaining players are now halfway through their magical journey and are heading to a location straight out of a fairytale. With the end line inching closer, tensions continue to rise among everyone.
Strategic Insights Set the Stage For a High-Stakes Clue-Matching Challenge
With the tone set for the episode, the eight players can be seen discussing Tai’s exit. Jana is quick to note that she has learned not to cross any of the former players. In her confessional, she further adds that she is like the “black girl” in the horror film who is always at the wrong place at the wrong time. Meanwhile, Peter notes that he respects how Biggy plays the game four or five steps ahead. He mentions his alliance with Rick and Jana and states that he feels they can do a lot of damage together. He next approaches them and informs them that they were initially moving towards Frankfurt, and now they are going in the opposite direction. When Jana asks him if he is sure, he mentions the sun never lies. This prompts Rick to remark that this is the reason why the skills of a pilot are essential to this game.
Peter further informs Rick and Jana that he has been following the sun whenever possible, providing a massive clue in the game. Soon after, Jeffrey appears on the screen, interrupting everyone’s train of thought and asking them to prepare for the next challenge. He reveals that they are going on a train this time and asks them to number themselves in “1” and “2”. As everyone finishes doing so, the host discloses that Team 1 is going to be playing against Team 2. While Team 1 contains Mack, Biggy, Rick, and Shayner, Team 2 consists of Kim, Jana, Peter, and Ally. Jeffrey further adds a twist by asking the players to keep their goggles behind. As they get off the bus, they find themselves on a path amid the forest. It ultimately leads them to train tracks.
Meanwhile, Mack expresses confidence in her team because Biggy and Rick are the strongest intellectually. She further notes that Shayne is also a strong player. Similarly, Jana reveals in her confessional that although her fellow contestants underestimate her, she is a Day Trader and runs two businesses. Everyone is on high alert as a train approaches them with something German written on it. Kim can’t wait to get on the train since it’s better than a bus, but she is angry to have both the new players on her team. While she feels that Peter and Jana don’t understand the game properly, she also expresses how Ally has herself tangled up with Shayne. Hence, she is playing a solo game. As they board the Destination Xpress, the host welcomes them.
While One Team Scrambles to Win, the Other Deliberately Throws the Game
Jeffrey then discloses that for the day, they are going to compete to find out the towns the train is passing en route to their next destination. Above the players are nine suitcases containing nine items. The players have to match them with the city they come from. They are going to receive two attempts to get as many correct answers as possible, and the team with the most correct answers is going to hear the name of the city the train is traveling through. The team that gets the least accurate responses is going to listen to a red herring (misleading clue). This time, the twist is that Jeffrey will not reveal who is right and wrong. If a team gets all 9 of them correct, they can win the chance to head to the viewing carriage for a massive clue. Moreover, they are going to have just two minutes to lock in their guesses and press a buzzer.
As Team 1 begins the game, they find the options of Stockholm, Prague, Warsaw, Barcelona, Budapest, Athens, Vienna, London, and Helsinki. As they continue making their choices, Mack expresses that she is confident they’ve got all the first six correct. The focus shifts to Team 2, where Peter contemplates that it is going to be smart to lose the game purposefully. He informs them that they can at least benefit from hearing the red herring to know where they are not. In his confessional, he divulges that this is going to be beneficial for him and Jana since Rick can get the correct information. They can combine their efforts to negate the unwanted locations. After explaining, the team agrees to keep the items off the table. However, this doesn’t sit right with Kim, who cannot understand why they are allowing the other team to win.
Kim jokingly adds that although Peter’s strategy is not good, he is attractive. In the meantime, as Team 1 rushes to match their options, Mack reveals that she wouldn’t have Shayne on her trivia team. However, she clarifies that he has his strengths, and her thinking is not an attack on her character. Similarly, Biggy also observes that they must rush to gain an advantage over the other team. Rick races against time, pressing the buzzer with only a few seconds left. Their correct answers include the Pierogi Post from Warsaw, Blue Danube Records from Vienna, Dalecarlian Horse from Stockholm, Postcard from Prague, Umbrella from London, Grand Hotel Package from Budapest, and 1992 Olympic Medal from Barcelona. On the other hand, they incorrectly answered Wooden Drinking Cup from Athens and Greek Hat from Helsinki.
Shifting Alliances and Withheld Information Expose Deepening Rifts
The host announces that since Team 1 has gotten only seven answers correct, they are only going to receive the clue that the train may be traveling through Frankfurt. Since Kim has pressed the buzzer for Team 2 and they have not provided any correct answer, Jeffrey announces a red herring for her- they may be traveling through Dortmund. This prompts Kim to note that it sounds German. Both teams now have another chance to get all nine correct. This time, they also wrongly put the Greek Hat in Helsinki, the Dalecarlian Horse in Athens, and the Wooden Cup in Stockholm. In her confessional, Matt confesses that they need the big golden clue since Europe is a massive place and they can be anywhere. She further expresses confidence that all nine of their answers are correct.
As Mack rushes to press the buzzer, she is disappointed to discover that they have only gotten six answers correct. The host informs her that they may be traveling through Stuttgart. This prompts Mack to wonder if the other team got anything correct. Meanwhile, Team 2 has once again chosen not to answer anything. Hence, when Jana presses the buzzer, she receives a red herring stating they are probably traveling through Hanover. However, this does not faze her in the least since she and Peter already have an alliance with Rick. So, although she has lost, she perceives it as a win. Unfortunately, Team 1 has lost their chance to go to the viewing carriage. As she informs her team about the same, Rick reveals the verbal clue he got about Frankfurt. Mack also discloses her, prompting Biggy to observe that it is pointing towards Germany.
In the meantime, Peter states before his team that they at least know they haven’t passed Hanover. However, Kim refuses to reveal her clue and decides to continue playing a solo game. She reveals how she knows about Rick’s alliance with Peter and Jana. Ally states after this that Kim has a lot of knowledge that she keeps to herself. However, the former is not willing to risk her game like that. As Peter asks Ally if they can trust her not to say to the other team that they have botched the game, she replies that she was not planning on doing so. However, she discloses that honesty and loyalty only extend to the ones she cares about, and she does not care about Jana and Peter. As everyone returns to the bus, Team 1 can be seen discussing their clue. Biggy points out that they may be heading towards Austria.
Questions of Trust and Morality Stir Tension Between the Players
In his confessional, Rick observes that while he is going to reveal the clues to Jana and Peter, Shayne will disclose them before Ally. So, Kim is the only person who is going to get any clue. The focus shifts to the other team, where Ally and Kim inform the new players that they do not trust Rick. Kim opens up about how her team did not perform well, and although she needs a clue, she is not going to ask for it. Peter steers the conversation to how hiding clues to use them as an advantage, misdirecting, or even deflecting is all part of the game. This does not sit well with Ally because she wonders why someone would say in such a game that one shouldn’t have a moral compass. This makes her state that she cannot trust him. While she points out that it is manipulation, Peter reiterates that it is all just a competition.
Peter pulls Rick aside and informs him about the red herring that his team got. The latter also reveals to him the correct clues his team has received. Meanwhile, Ally is conversing with Shayne, Mack, and Biggy and informs them about Peter’s comment that there is no morality in the game. Shayne divulges that Peter is not a person who can be trusted. Although the former does not care about his opinion, he does care about Ally. As the next day rolls in, Kim is thinking about her need for a clue. However, it is interrupted when Jeffrey wishes the players good morning and instructs them to wear their goggles. As their vision turns on, they are surprised to find themselves in the middle of the woods, which is none other than the Black Forest. Shortly after, the players are all welcomed by Jeffrey in front of a beautiful cottage.
Kim quickly notes many clues, like a red-white checkered shirt and Lederhosen, which indicate Oktoberfest and confirm they are in Germany. Jeffrey wastes no time in announcing that the contestants are going to play a Swapping Challenge to decide who is going to face the map room. He points out the eight baskets placed before them and asks them to sit on their respective logs. However, he bars them from looking into it just yet. He then continues by saying that there are poisonous apples in three of the baskets, and the ones to end up with them are going into the map room. Two of these baskets have magic mirrors, which give a power that Jeffrey will reveal later. The last three contain cookies and provide the players with no power. Each player will look into their basket and then decide if they want to stick with theirs or swap it with a contestant of their choice.
The Fine Line Between Honesty and Strategy Vanishes in the Swapping Round
It now depends on the contestants if they want to tell the truth or be deceitful. Upon taking a look, Rick reveals that he has a magic mirror. When Ally says she has cookies, Peter remarks that she is lying after making such a big deal about her moral compass. While both Biggy and Mack mention that they have a magic mirror, Kim and Peter declare that their baskets contain poisonous apples. Right after, Shayne and Jana inform everyone that they have cookies and a magic mirror. It is now time for the players to decide whether to swap their baskets. Mack, Shayne, and Jana choose to stick to their baskets. Ally decides to swap with Rick since she feels Rick is truthful about having the mirror. As both Peter and Kim make the decision to keep their baskets, the latter remarks that she wants to take her chance in the map room.
In her confessional, she confidently states that at least one of them is going to take her basket. While Biggy chooses to keep his basket, Rick ends up swapping his with Kim’s because he feels Kim is hiding something. When Jeffrey asks him why he is not getting his mirror back from Ally, the latter just mentions that it is a good question. As the revealing time comes along, it turns out that Jana and Mack are not lying about having the magic mirror. While Biggy, Peter, and Shayne have the cookies, Kim, Ally, and Rick end up with the apples. It turns out that Kim is an excellent poker player and did the Double Bluff. Although facing the map room, she is reluctant to beg for information. Kim feels that since she has played a solo game and has come this far as a single parent, she is going to continue to do so.
As the rest of the players are asked to return to their bus, Jeffrey asks Jana and Mack to follow the breadcrumbs into the forest and discover their special power. When they finally reach the end of the road, they find a mirror in a tree. They are shocked to see Heidi Klum speaking through the mirror, who informs them that they can send someone to the map room. Jana quickly points out that it is Heidi Klum, but Mack refuses to know her. In her confessional, Jana excitedly discloses that Heidi Klum is a supermodel from Munich, Germany. They both agree not to share the clue with anyone. After returning to the bus, Mack honestly states before Ally, Shayne, and Biggy that the problem is that she doesn’t know where they are. Since Ally’s alliance has told her about Frankfurt and Stuttgart, she decides to find a big city nearby where they may exit.
Kim’s Shocking Elimination Reveals the Destination to be Munich, Germany
Kim notes that she is aware that Rick knows all the clues, but she is too stubborn and prideful to ask anyone about it because she does not want to play the game like this. Meanwhile, Jana informs Peter about the Heidi Klum clue about Cinderella and her castles. The latter reveals that he knows Cinderella’s Neuschwanstein Castle is located in Munich, Germany. Peter further expresses his happiness that Jana has shared the hint with him. As the players arrive at their destination, Jeffrey finally boards the bus. He then asks Mack and Jana to select someone to send them to the map room. Mack selects Peter because she wants to keep only the weak players around and feels that Peter is actually a formidable competitor. On the other hand, Jana picks Shayne, adding that she does not want to get on the bad side of Biggy.
The time begins to tick as Rick, Kim, Ally, Shayne, and Peter enter the map room to put their X. There, Rick recollects how Jeffrey had mentioned phrases like “drama’s brewing” and “bus-hopping,” which indicates Oktoberfest, and he decides to choose Munich. As the time comes to an end, everyone is shocked to find that Kim is the one to be eliminated. While Mack expresses her respect for her for being a lone wolf, Shayne notes how Kim always makes his day better. After an emotional goodbye, Jeffrey finally reveals to the latter that they are in Munich, Germany. She is further surprised to discover that Peter and Rick were the ones who placed their X closest to their location.
The attention shifts to the bus, where Shayne calls out Peter on his comment about “moral compass” to Ally. However, the latter bluntly states that he had only mentioned that withholding information is just for the game. The episode finally ends as the host reveals that each item in the basket was related to fairytales written by the Grimm Brothers, who were inspired by the black forest, where the players found themselves on their way to Munich, Germany. All eyes are now on the next episode as trust is dwindling by only a thread among the contestants.
Read More: Destination X Episode 4 Recap: Let the Deceit Begin
