The Cataclysm: Santa Maria

**The Cataclysm: Santa Maria** is the 35th season of the fictional reality competition series *The Cataclysm*. It is the ninth overall season to feature returning players on the cast. Taking place in the Azores of Portugal, 10 men and 10 women compete in the ultimate test of strength, endurance, and intelligence in order to be the "last one standing" and claim the $2,000,000 prize.

## Format

* **Exemption Challenge:**The Cataclysm's immunity challenge. The winners of this challenge are exempt from elimination.
* **Commander:** Prior to an exemption challenge during the faction stage, each team must select a member to be the team captain. This player becomes the Commander for that challenge. The Commander of the winning faction gets to nominate three players from the opposite team to face the voting ballot.
* **Final Challenge:**The finalists are determined in a Final Challenge, where the remaining contestants compete in a multi-level final competition that determines who advances to the end. In this season, the remaining four contestants compete to earn one of two final spots and the losers become the final members of the jury.
* **Ballot:**The Cataclysm's elimination round. Those nominated to face the ballot risk being eliminated.
* **Medallions:**In addition to the **Resurrection Medallion**, the other medallions available to use are: the **Fire Medallion**, which allows the holder to instantly nominate a player for the ballot, and the **Chaos Medallion**, which allows the holder to erase the ballot nominations and leave all the players up for elimination, excluding the holder of the chaos medallion and the exemption challenge winner.

## New Twists/Changes

* **Returning Players:** Four players from previous seasons return for a second chance this season with each being assigned to a separate faction.
* **Medallions:** Medallions are back in play from the very beginning of the game.
* **Stamps:** New to this season are Stamps, which contestants can collect and trade for in-game advantages throughout the season. Each contestant is given 1 Stamp from the beginning and earn stamps by winning the Exemption Challenge as Commander. When a contestant is eliminated, their Stamps are made a prize in the following Exemption Challenge. Stamps can also be traded between contestants, which are made in secret. The Stamps can be traded for:
	+ 2 Stamps in exchange for a challenge advantage
	+ 3 Stamps in exchange for a **Fire Medallion**
	+ 4 Stamps in exchange for a **Chaos Medallion**
	+ 5 Stamps in exchange for Exemption for the round

## Episode Progress

Legend
 Runner-Up
 EXE
 SAFE
 LOW
 BTM
 ELIM

## Notes

* **Stamps:** Green represents the contestant earned Stamps as Commander, Blue represents the contestant exchanged Stamps for an advantage, and Red represents the contestant being eliminated and losing their Stamps.
* On Episode 6, Breonna and Phoenix each exchanged 3 Stamps for a **Fire Medallion**. Also, Breonna used a **Fire Medallion** on Alexis, thus adding her to the voting ballot.
* On Episode 8, Jessie exchanged 3 Stamps for a **Fire Medallion**. Also, Jessie used a **Fire Medallion** on Mark, thus adding him to the voting ballot.
* On Episode 9, Grant traded Gaz his Stamp and Gaz exchanged 4 Stamps for a **Chaos Medallion**. Also, Gaz played a **Chaos Medallion**, thus adding everyone eligible into the voting ballot.
* On Episode 10, Alexis traded Jennifer 1 Stamp leading to Jennifer exchanging 4 Stamps for a **Chaos Medallion**. Also, Jennifer played a **Chaos Medallion**, thus adding everyone eligible into the voting ballot.
* On Episode 13, Gaz played the **Resurrection Medallion**, thus removing his name from the voting ballot.
* On Episode 14, Phoenix exchanged 5 Stamps for Exemption that round. Also, Alexis and Ocean each exchanged 4 Stamps for a **Chaos Medallion**. Also, Alexis played a **Chaos Medallion**, thus adding everyone eligible into the voting ballot.

## Season Summary

16 new contestants arrived on Santa Maria Island in The Azores, an island region of Portugal. They're soon joined by four returning players each looking to right the wrongs of their previous season. Breonna from Hell On Earth leads the Corvo faction, Cameron from New World II leads Faial, Jennifer from World At War leads Terceira, and William from Hell On Earth leads Sao Jorge. The players also learn the role of Stamps, which will be a part of the game until the final 6.

Jennifer becomes the first Commander with Terceira winning the first Exemption Challenge. As a result, she earns a Stamp. Deciding to keep the returning players safe, she spares Breonna and nominates Jessie, Larissa, and Prue. An alliance forms on Corvo between Breonna, Cezar, and Jessie as a result where they agree to vote out Larissa and Prue first. By turning the other against each other, the new alliance were the deciding vote in sending Prue out. Corvo avenged their loss by winning the next Exemption Challenge with Breonna as Commander. Sao Jorge lost the competition with Breonna nominating Autumn, Grant, and Sakinah for the voting ballot. Grant, Luther, and William decided to vote together to safe themselves for future votes and decided Sakinah was a weaker link, thus voting her out. Faial won their first Exemption Challenge next and Phoenix as Commander nominated Breonna, Jessie, and Larissa to target Jessie. Ultimately, the Corvo alliance stuck together and voted out Larissa. Terceira won next with Octavia as Commander. When Sao Jorge were up for nominations, Autumn quickly approached Octavia saying "the guys will vote her off and if she isn't nominated, she will offer her loyalty to her." Taken aback initially, Octavia agrees and nominated Grant, Luther, and William. Feeling William had allies in the other returning players, Grant and Luther decided to vote him out.

The remaining contestants were drafted between Faial and Terceira. On the new Faial, Breonna and Cezar remained aligned and formed a pact with Cameron. In addition, Alexis, Jennifer, and Octavia became an official alliance. On new Terceira, Gaz and Mark aligned with Grant. Jessie and Ocean became a duo. Mary and Thea remained outsiders as in their initial faction, however Autumn got the three of them to align. Jessie became Commander when new Terceira won the Exemption Challenge, and retaliated against Jennifer and Phoenix for previously nominating him as well as Cameron. Breonna, Cameron, and Cezar attempted to get Jennifer out but with Alexis and Phoenix forming a secret pairing, they were able to gain the majority and send Cameron home. Terceira won again with Mark as Commander who nominated Breonna, Cezar, and Phoenix. In effort to protect themselves, Breonna and Phoenix each exchanged their Stamps for a Fire Medallion. Breonna used hers on Alexis, adding the latter into the voting ballot. In a 4-3 vote, Cezar was voted out. Faial ended their losing streak at the next Exemption Challenge and Jennifer became Commander. Wanting to target Jessie, she nominated him along with Mary and Ocean. Jessie exchanged his Stamps for a Fire Medallion and convinced the rest of his faction to vote out Mark, who was nominated and voted out.

The remaining 12 contestants were told they had officially reached the Solo Stage and were now free to compete individually. Alliances were split between Alexis/Jennifer/Octavia/Phoenix, Gaz/Grant/Luther, Autumn/Mary/Thea, and Jessie/Ocean as a duo. A secret deal between Alexis/Phoenix and Gaz/Grant had also been formed. Alexis won the first solo Exemption Challenge and gained 4 Stamps following Mark's elimination. Alexis decided to target the Gaz/Grant/Luther alliance by nominating them however in exchange for Stamps, Gaz played the Chaos Medallion and his alliance managed to get Jessie voted out. Phoenix won the next Exemption Challenge and continued the target on Gaz/Grant/Luther. In order to cover her bases, Octavia rekindled a friendship with Gaz and voted to keep him over Luther, thus forcing Luther out to the dismay of her allies.

When Grant won the next Exemption Challenge, he set his sights on Alexis, Jennifer, and Phoenix. To combat the nomination, Alexis gave a Stamp to Jennifer in order for the latter to gain a Chaos Medallion. By playing the Medallion, Alexis' alliance called a truce to the other in order to vote out Octavia. As a result, Octavia was shockingly eliminated next. Phoenix winning the Exemption Challenge again led to Gaz and Grant being targeted once again. Feeling Grant was a larger threat with Stamps to gain in the next challenge, he was voted out over Gaz. When Ocean won Exemption, Alexis, Jennifer, and Phoenix formed a final 4 alliance with him with Phoenix secretly making a final 2 pact. As a result, Ocean nominated Gaz, Mary, and Thea for the voting ballot. Gaz manages to find and play a Resurrection Medallion, and with him out of the question, the remaining players voted Thea out feeling she was more of a threat over Mary. Gaz spared his life in the game by winning Exemption next. By exchanging 5 Stamps, Phoenix was made Exempt for the round. Also, Alexis and Ocean each gave their Stamps for a Chaos Medallion. Gaz initially nominated Alexis, Autumn, and Jennifer. However in a risky gameplay, Alexis played the Chaos Medallion and convinced Ocean not to use his so he wouldn't be saved by the Medallion. As a result, the women were able to vote out Ocean that episode. Alexis won the next Exemption Challenge and nominated Autumn, Gaz, and Mary, where Gaz finally was eliminated. Alexis won Exemption again and earned herself a place in the Final Challenge. The final nominations were Autumn, Mary, and Phoenix. Though the obvious plan was to force a tie between Autumn and Phoenix with Autumn losing, Jennifer felt it was too risky to go to the Final Challenge with Phoenix. She believed Alexis and Phoenix would beat her and she wouldn't make it to the end. As a result, Jennifer voted with Autumn and Mary and Phoenix was eliminated.

Alexis, Autumn, Jennifer, and Mary made it to the Final Challenge and competed to earn a spot in the Final 2 in order to plead their case to the jury as to why they deserve to win The Cataclysm. This final ended up being a battle between duos with Alexis/Jennifer working together and Autumn/Mary working together. In the second part of the challenge, Mary was last to arrived and was eliminated. In the third stage, Alexis and Jennifer finished first with Autumn being the last contestant eliminated this season. Alexis and Jennifer plead their cases to the jury of nine as to why they deserved to win. Alexis owned up to playing a "cutthroat" game and not being afraid to put her neck out there to make moves. She felt she played very hard and was responsible for how the game played out. Jennifer built her speech around playing "under the radar" and "still being in the know without building a target on herself." The jury felt both played well, although Jennifer received criticism for "losing steam" as the game progressed and going from a strong initial player to being a sidekick. Alexis received critiques for stabbing many people in the back, with Octavia bluntly telling Alexis: "I never turned on you and wasn't going to. So what you should have thought about was whether that was the better move. Because you made a lot of noise in this game when you didn't need to - and that's your mistake." Other players betrayed by Alexis, Ocean and Phoenix, both felt Alexis earned her spot in the final regardless and played a great game nonetheless. In the end, Alexis won in a 7-2 vote and was the Last One Standing.