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The Mercenary, also known as the Heavy Hitter, is a season twist introduced during Cutthroat. The twist often features players not featured on a season entering the competition to participate in an elimination against the players in the game. Since the twist was first debuted it has been used multiple times during elimination rounds, with each time being featured differently.

Twist history[]

Cutthroat[]

The twist was first introduced during Cutthroat as the Heavy Hitter twist. During the eighth Gulag of the season TJ revealed that rather than face each other, the elimination nominees would all face a Heavy Hitter of their gender in the elimination. The player of each gender to last the longest against the Heavy Hitter in the Gulag would be announced the winners of the elimination.

Episode Gulag Heavy Hitter Opponents Winner
8/9 Back Up Off Me
Tina Barta
Tina
Theresa Jones
Theresa
Tori Hall
Tori
Tori Hall
Tori
CT Tamburello
CT
Johnny Bananas
Johnny
Tyler Duckworth
Tyler
Tyler Duckworth
Tyler

Battle of the Bloodlines[]

The Heavy Hitter twist was brought back on Battle of the Bloodlines during the eighth Pit elimination of the season. At the start of the elimination TJ revealed that rather than face each other, the elimination nominees would each face a separate Heavy Hitter in the elimination determined by flip of a coin. The player to last the longest against their Heavy Hitter in the Pit would be announced the winners of the elimination.

Episode Pit Heavy Hitter Opponent Winner
9 Hand It Over
Chris Tamburello
CT
Jamie Banks
Jamie
Jamie Banks
Jamie
Zach Nichols
Zach
Mike Boise
Mike

Vendettas[]

The Heavy Hitter twist was brought back once again on Vendettas, now referred to as the Mercenary twist. On the designated double eliminations during the fifth and eighth Ring eliminations TJ announced that the elimination nominees would each face a separate Mercenary in the elimination determined by random flip of a coin. If a player is to lose against their Mercenary, they will be eliminated from the game while any player to defeat their Mercenary will rejoin the competition and earn a Grenade.

Episode Ring Mercenary Opponent Winner
7/8 Crazy 8
Jordan Wiseley
Jordan
Shane Landrum
Shane
Jordan Wiseley
Jordan
Aneesa Ferreira
Aneesa
Veronica Portillo
Veronica
Aneesa Ferreira
Aneesa
Tori Deal
Tori
Kam Williams
Kam
Kam Williams
Kam
Derrick Kosinski
Derrick
Joss Mooney
Joss
Derrick Kosinski
Derrick
11 Yankin' My Chain
Frank Sweeney
Frank
Brad Fiorenza
Brad
Brad Fiorenza
Brad
Ashley Mitchell
Ashley
Kam Williams
Kam
Kam Williams
Kam
Darrell Taylor
Darrell
Nelson Thomas
Nelson
N/A
Laurel Stucky
Laurel
Britni Thornton
Britni
Laurel Stucky
Laurel

Additionally at the start of the final challenge TJ announced that each of the finalists would have to face against a Mercenary of their gender during one of the checkpoints. If a player loses against their Mercenary, the Mercenary is allowed to assign that player a Grenade before advancing.

Episode Checkpoint Mercenary Opponents Loser
14 Decked Out
Johnny Bananas
Bananas
Kyle Christie
Kyle
Leroy Garrett
Leroy
Tony Raines
Tony
Zach Nichols
Zach
N/A
Melissa Reeves
Melissa
Cara Maria Sorbello
Cara Maria
Kailah Casillas-Bird
Kailah
Kam Williams
Kam
Kam Williams
Kam

Notes:

  • Aneesa won the "Crazy 8" Ring by default after Veronica injured her finger on the "8" and was declared unable to continue.
  • Following multiple rounds, the "Yankin' My Chain" Ring between Darrell and Nelson was declared a draw. Nelson was not awarded a Grenade as a result.
  • Melissa was only required to face three players during the "Decked Out" checkpoint after Nicole Z. injured her ankle early in the race.

Final Reckoning[]

In Final Reckoning, the Mercenaries will face the elimination teams for their chance to enter the game. If the Mercenaries win, they will take their opponents spot in the game. Ashley and Hunter were required to eliminate one team to enter the game while Cory and Devin were required to eliminate two teams.

Episode Armageddon Mercenaries Opponents Winners
8 No Slack
Ashley Mitchell Hunter Barfield
Ashley & Hunter
Angela Babicz Faith Stowers
Angela & Faith
Ashley Mitchell Hunter Barfield
Ashley & Hunter
13 Shake It Off
Cory Wharton Devin Walker
Cory & Devin
Amanda Garcia Zach Nichols
Amanda & Zach
Cory Wharton Devin Walker
Cory & Devin
DaVonneFRIcon JozeaFRIcon
Da'Vonne & Jozea
Cory Wharton Devin Walker
Cory & Devin

Ride or Dies[]

In Ride or Dies, the three teams of Heavy Hitters entered the game at staggered points in time. Each team features a well-known veteran pairing. Unlike other times where a mercenary had to win an elimination to enter the game, these teams simply got to enter the game right after an elimination had ended, occurring for the first three episodes.

Episode Heavy Hitters
1
Johnny Bananas Nany González
Bananas & Nany
2
Aneesa Ferreira Jordan Wiseley
Aneesa & Jordan
3
Darrell Taylor Veronica Portillo
Darrell & Veronica

Battle for a New Champion[]

In Battle for a New Champion, ten Champion Mercenaries were revealed. The season features 24 players, known as Contenders, who have never won before battling it out for their first-ever championship. Along the way they will have to face these Challenge Champions in surprise eliminations, however the Champions will not earn their way into the game. Instead, the they will take $10,000 out of the Contenders' final prize pot if they win the elimination in addition to sending the Contender home. If the Contender wins the elimination, they protect their money and stay alive in the game.

Episode Arena Champion Contender Winner
5 King of the Hills
Jordan Wiseley
Jordan
Ciarran Stott
Ciarran
Jordan Wiseley
Jordan
6 Loaded Barrel
Kaz Crossley
Kaz
Big T Fazkerley
Big T
Big T Fazkerley
Big T
7 Totally Mental
Devin Walker
Devin
Callum Izzard
Callum
Devin Walker
Devin
8 Pole in the Storm
Kaycee Clark
Kaycee
Big T Fazkerley
Big T
Kaycee Clark
Kaycee
9 Going Under
Tori Deal
Tori
Melissa Reeves
Melissa
Tori Deal
Tori
10 Fire Walker
Darrell Taylor
Darrell
Kyland Young
Kyland
Kyland Young
Kyland
11 Chain Reaction
Laurel Stucky
Laurel
Ravyn Rochelle
Ravyn
Ravyn Rochelle
Ravyn
12 Block Head
Cara Maria Sorbello
Cara Maria
Michele Fitzgerald
Michele
Michele Fitzgerald
Michele
13 What's Going Down
Brad Fiorenza
Brad
Kyland Young
Kyland
Kyland Young
Kyland
14 Mind Grind
CT Tamburello
CT
Asaf Goren
Asaf
CT Tamburello
CT


Trivia[]

  • CT, Darrell, and Jordan are the only contestants to be a Heavy Hitter/Mercenary thrice.
  • Aneesa, Ashley, Bananas, Laurel, Tori and Devin are the only contestants to be a Heavy Hitter/Mercenary twice.
  • Kaz is the only Mercenary who never competed on a flagship season.
  • Big T, Kam, and Kyland are the only contestants to face off against Mercenaries in elimination twice.
    • Kam and Kyland are the only contestants to win against two Mercenaries in a single season.
  • Zach is the only contestant to be a Mercenary and then later compete against one in an elimination himself.
  • Melissa is the only contestant to return as a Mercenary during their debut season.
  • It was confirmed during the reunion of Battle for a New Champion that Bananas was supposed to make his third Mercenary appearance, but he later dropped out. He was replaced by Brad.
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