Suvechha Sarkar
Season 1 of NBC’s ‘Destination X’ is now down to its sharpest edge, both figuratively and literally. In episode 8, titled ‘The Knives Are Out,’ only five contestants remain, each more determined than ever to outwit and outlast each other. The tension is on a new level as the journey brings them to the heart of Venice, Italy, a maritime republic, which is the perfect backdrop for this latest twist. Host Jeffrey Dean Morgan welcomes the remaining players into the city as he unexpectedly lets them off the bus, goggles-free, to explore the city.
The Top Five Contestants Explore Venice’s Canals, Competing to Memorize Masked Figures
As the players jet off in the waterways of Venice, Ally remarks how she is in the top five. Not only is she playing for the $250,000 prize, but she also has the guy she likes. Since she has multiple motivations, she doesn’t want to leave. On the other hand, Biggy notes he has never left Tennessee and his home country, and being in Venice makes him really happy. Shortly after, they settle down at a table to unwind, wondering if they have to play a challenge here. As they expected, Jeffrey soon makes his entry and informs them with the best news they could hope for: there is no map room in Venice or dropping the X. However, he promptly adds that the game hasn’t stopped. During their time in the city, the players are going to have a chance to compete for power. The more power they have, the greater their chances of surviving.
Jeffrey continues that one of the contestants is going to be left behind in the City of Lost Souls. The players are then sent off in two gondolas, with Peter, Biggy, and Rick in one and Shayne and Ally in the other. Jeffrey announces that in their gondolas, they are each going to find a traditional Venetian dagger. They will see ten masked figures emerging from the dark as they move through the canals. They have to remember them if they want to win more daggers, which is equivalent to more power, depending on the number. While Peter feels this challenge is like his moment of pure focus in the cockpit, Rick believes his ability as a bird watcher is going to help him. The latter’s strategy is simply to name each mask, like “Goofy Gary.” As they begin to spot the figures one by one, Ally confesses that her memory isn’t great.
Ally reveals how she has Aphantasia, which means that when she closes her eyes to imagine things, she cannot see anything. Hence, the best way for her to memorize things is repetition. By the time their little journey comes to an end, Ally and Shayne horrifically discover that they have only spotted and memorized nine masked figures instead of 10. Jeffrey welcomes them once again and announces that if they play well tonight, they can win power for the next day’s challenge. He then brings 20 masked figures before the contestants and informs them that they have to pick out the ten figures they saw on their trip. While Ally hopes everyone else doesn’t remember anything, Shayne is nervous that either he or Ally may say goodbye because they missed one figure.
Shifting Alliances Take Shape After the Players Flawlessly Secure Daggers
Jeffrey explains that each player is going to get two turns to pick out a masked figure they saw. If they make their correct pick, they can earn a dagger. He has already given everyone one dagger each to give a fighting chance. With each turn, the contestants carefully select their picks. At the time of the reveal, it turns out that Rick, Shayne, Ally, Peter, and Biggy each have chosen correctly, providing each of them with two more daggers, bringing the total to three. Biggy remarks that since all of them made 10 correct choices, it only shows the level of competition they are playing with. As the next morning rolls in, Rick and Peter have set out on foot to explore the city. In his confessional, the former discloses that he has traveled more than most of his competitors, but he cannot let anyone know about it, not even Peter.
Rick doesn’t want others to see him as someone who has been everywhere and knows everything about all the places. As they enjoy their free time, Peter notes that he and Rick have done a good job keeping their alliance under wraps. He also adds how they are still outnumbered. Rick quickly adds that Ally, Shayne, and Biggy are in an alliance of three, and until they break up the couple (Ally and Shayne), they have the power. Peter remarks that they have to get Biggy on their side because his alliance with the couple only gets him into the top three and not past that. Both Rick and Peter agree that they have to split Ally and Shayne. On the other hand, the duo mull over the fact that their only advantage is that they are working together, and the others are not.
Shortly after, Biggy joins Rick and Peter at the table. Peter wastes no time in stating before him that he wants to form a new alliance with him and Rick to split Ally and Shayne. Rick promptly chimes in that if it’s Biggy and the duo in the finale, then the former is in danger because loyalties change when the grand prize is at stake. In his confessional, Biggy divulges that he is in the middle. Although he trusts Rick, he is not sure if he should betray Shayne, the person to whom he gave his word on day one. Rick explains that the first group of three with a solid plan is going to make it out of the game. As the night falls, Jeffrey reveals how he has invited the final five players to get dressed up. In her confessional, Ally discloses that everything she has done in her life has led her to this adventure.
A Masked Dagger Vote Fueled by Shifting Loyalties Leads to Tough Choices
Ally has studied Religion and Political Science with a minor in Anthropology. She reveals that winning the prize would mean a lot to her because it means she can go to grad school. Hence, she cannot be the one to go home tonight. Jeffrey welcomes them after they enter a Palazzo, which he reveals was built in the 14th century by a Venetian war captain. He then announces that for the night, the players have the chance to cut their competition behind the animosity of the masks kept before them. There are five skulls bearing the name of each contestant on the table. One by one, they are going to be asked to remove their mask and place their dagger in front of the skull of the player they want to put up for elimination. However, the twist is that no one is going to know who has placed the dagger.
The three contestants who get the most daggers will be condemned to the Garden of Lost Souls, where they have to battle it out, leading to one elimination. While Shayne doesn’t feel good since he has not had time to speak with his alliance, Peter hopes Biggy can realize it is time to strike. Jeffrey then instructs everyone to put on their masks and informs them that when he taps them on the shoulder, it is going to be their time to place their daggers. The first turn is for Ally, who is tempted to put all the daggers on Rick. However, she puts one on Peter to ensure he ends up with more daggers than her, Shayne, or Biggy, and places the other two on Rick. Peter follows suit right after and places the first dagger on Ally to split her and Shayne.
Peter decides to put the last two daggers on Biggy since he is not going to get many daggers. The former feels that it is the best play to keep himself safe. While Rick puts one dagger on Ally and two on Shayne, Biggy places one dagger each on Peter, Ally, and Shayne. When Shayne next opens his mask and sees three daggers on him, he presumes they can be from Rick and Peter. He chooses to put on a dagger for Peter and two for Rick since he believes the latter can be sneaky. By the end, Rick has four daggers, while Shayne, Peter, and Ally have gotten three daggers each. Jeffrey reveals that Biggy is safe with the least number of daggers: two. Since it is a tie for the other four, it is upto Biggy to decide who he wants to save. After much contemplation, he picks Shayne, stating he cannot turn his back on him.
Three Players Head to the Garden of Lost Souls For a Tarot Clue Challenge
Shayne expresses that he has a double-edged sword because although he is safe, Ally is not. While there may be a chance that it may be the last time he sees her, he kisses her and confidently states that she is going to be back. Ultimately, Rick, Peter, and Ally head to the Garden of Lost Souls with Jeffrey to face the final challenge. The host presents a selection of tarot cards and informs them that each is a clue representing a place or a landmark within Europe. To remain in the game, the players must read the clues and avoid picking the card furthest away from Venice. If they choose a safe card, it is going to have a heart, and the contestant can choose the one to go next. However, if they find the card with the farthest landmark from Venice, 1300 miles away, they will reveal a skull and be eliminated.
With a random shuffle, Jeffrey selects Ally as the first person to take their chance. She chooses the Papal City card, which indicates Vatican City and is safe. She remarks that she believes Rick has the best chance of knowing which place is farthest away, so she decides to pick Peter next. In her confessional, she truthfully expresses her fear, wondering if Peter is smart enough to send Rick home or naive enough to keep him in the game when she is not as big a threat comparatively. He then picks The Tilting Tower, which indicates the Leaning Tower of Pisa and turns out to be safe. It is now Rick’s turn, and he chooses The Glass Pyramid card, noting that it means The Louvre in Paris, France. Gladly, it is the safe one, and he picks Ally for the following turn. She picks the City of Love card, which is for Paris, France, and the safe choice.
It is followed by Peter’s choice of the Fallen Wall, meaning the Berlin Wall in Germany, and Rick’s selection of the Circle of Stones—Stonehenge in England. Following this, Ally takes her next guess at the Eternal City, which is Rome, Italy. Peter picks the Bull Skin card, pointing to Spain. There are only four last cards left: the Raven Tower, the Emerald Isle, the High City, and the Urinating Infant. Ally picks the last card, which is for Manneken Pis, situated in Belgium. Peter takes his next guess at the High City card, pointing to the Acropolis, Greece. As the competition comes down between Rick and Ally, the former notes that if Peter now chooses to give the turn back to her, it is going to give her a 50-50 shot at eliminating him. Peter then divulges how he and Rick have been working together in alliance.
Ally’s Journey Ends After Drawing the Death Card, Leaving Behind the Final Four
However, Peter’s revelation prompts Ally to remark that he is “stupid” to keep Rick in the game. In the end, Peter selects Rick, who points out that the Emerald Isle is in Ireland, and although he doesn’t know what the Raven Tower indicates, he does know it is not far from Ireland, where they are right now. It turns out that the Raven Tower is the Tower of London and the safe card. Unfortunately, in the end, Ally picks the Death Card, the farthest location, over 1300 miles from Venice. After bidding them goodbye, Ally opens up in her exit interview, saying that she feels Peter’s keeping Rick in the competition is bad for his game.
Ally is upset that she is unable to say goodbye to Shayne, but she believes he knows exactly how she feels about him. She adds that it is the best experience of her life, and she has played a good social game. In a shocking twist, Jeffrey gives Rick and Peter a glimpse into the future: a card with an anchor as their clue. Both of them rejoin Shayne and Biggy at St. Mark’s Square. However, Ally’s elimination has left Shayne distraught, but he expresses that having Biggy gives him peace of mind. The episode comes to an end with the final four heading to the Semifinals.
Read More: Destination X Episode 7 Recap: The Clues Were There All Along
