Weekly Recap
Episode Five: Move It Along

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This week's episode of Endurance: High Sierras begins right where the last one left off — with Cameron trying to decide which two teams to switch after Blue team gave him the power to make the call. Will he go with the plan he agreed upon with Blue and switch the Red and Green teams? Or will he choose to go with the secret plan devised by Dakota to switch unsuspecting the Gray and Blue players? Everyone is on pins and needles, as the final decision hangs in the balance. Finally, after consulting with his partner, Aeriel, and getting some additional input from Alex on the Green team, Cameron goes with the secret plan! Connor and Ike switch teams, making Connor and Taylor the newly formed Blue team, and Ike and Darci the newly formed Gray team! Understandably, all of the contestants involved in the partner switch are upset, but Taylor especially so. She feels crushed that her trust in others has been shattered.

Several contestants are in tears, not only those who were directly involved with the switch, but also those who anonymously took part in the plot and had to witness the events unfold. JD asks Dakota whether he knew about the plot behind Blue’s and Gray’s backs. When JD finally drags an admission out of Dakota, and he assumes responsibility for the idea of switching Blue and Gray, JD asks him why he didn’t take other people’s feelings into account when devising his plan. Unable to come up with an answer, other than stammering “Feelings are a part of the game, but ... ”, Taylor abruptly interrupts him stating “Obviously they’re [feelings] not enough!” All Dakota can do in response is to put his head down in shame. Before he dismisses the contestants from the ridge, JD reminds them that there’s a game to be played tomorrow, and it’ll be a brand-new day.

The next morning dawns to find the new team members getting accustomed to their new partners while still trying to find out exactly what happened. Blue and Gray are all surprised to learn that everybody knew about the secret plan but them! The Blue team seems OK with the switch, but the newly formed Gray team feels like they are targets.

Later on, the teams meet with JD to play the “Move It Along” Endurance mission. The Blue players are excited to try out their new partnership, while Ike and Darci are nervous that if they don’t win they will be given the Samadhi. JD tells the contestants that they’ll have to race from one end of a course to the other — without touching the ground — by standing with their teammates on small wooden blocks and maneuvering themselves down the course. The first team to finish without falling and hitting the ground wins the Discipline pyramid piece and the all-powerful Samadhi. The game begins with numerous teams falling off their blocks and having to start over. But after a while, the newly formed Blue team finds a rhythm and pulls ahead to win the mission. All of a sudden, the Blue players find themselves with a two-piece lead over the other teams, and they hold the power to the Samadhi!

The result of the Endurance mission leaves everyone scrambling to figure out who Blue will give the Samadhi to. The Gray team is very nervous, knowing that most of the other teams are close and they are sort of the outsiders of the group. The Blue players retire to the crow’s nest, where they debate on who should receive the Samadhi. Connor thinks if they give it to anyone but Gray, they will end up with four enemies. However, it’s a tough decision for him to handicap his old teammate, Darci. Taylor thinks that, although it’s a tough decision to give the Samadhi to Gray, it’s also the safest play they can make given the circumstances.

Back at the ridge, JD starts to talk about Dakota and the secret plan for the switch. Alex and the others finally reveal that they all were part of the plot, with the exception of Gray and Blue. JD reminds everyone how karma will come to play in the game this year, and what goes around may in fact come back around. Dakota promises that he will never again be part of such a backhanded plan. When it comes time to hand out the Samadhi, Blue takes the safe route and gives the Samadhi to their old partners on the Gray team. When Ike cracks it open, it is revealed that they will have a 20-second penalty in tomorrow’s first Temple mission. As the sun sets on the ridge, the Gray team knows that it’s make it or break it time; they have to win tomorrow’s mission or face being one of the first teams sent to the Temple of Fate. Will Gray beat the odds and win tomorrow’s mission, or will the curse of the Gray team extend to another year? Find out next time on Endurance: High Sierras!

Episode 1, Episode 2, Episode 3, Episode 4, Episode 5, Episode 6,
Episode 7, Episode 8, Episode 10, Episode 11, Episode 12, Episode 13, Episode 14, Episode 15