The Cataclysm: Honduras

**The Cataclysm: Honduras** is the fifth season of the reality competition show *The Cataclysm*, in which 20 contestants compete in the ultimate test of strength, endurance, and intelligence to win the $2,000,000 prize.

This season took place on the Jeanette Kawas National Park in the Central American country of Honduras.

Alexis Mateo, Yara Vélez, Tobias Muscarella, and Austin Carpenter returned to compete on *The Cataclysm: All Stars*. Mateo returned again alongside Heidi Gibson to compete on *The Cataclysm: Resurrection*. Winner Sidney Jacobs returned for *The Ultimate Cataclysm*.

 Format

* **Exemption Challenge:**The Cataclysm's immunity challenge. The winner(s) is exempt from elimination and selects three other contestants (teams) to compete in the Danger Dome.
* **Danger Dome:**The Cataclysm's elimination round. Three nominated contestants (teams) compete in a three-way duel to save themselves from elimination.

## New Features / Twists

* **Return of Redemption (ROR):** This power is removed from the game.

 Contestants

## Episode Progress

Legend
 Runner-Up
 SAFE
 LOW
 BTM2
 ELIM

## Season Summary

Upon arriving on a glorious, New Zealand beach, the 20 new competitors were greeted by the host. It was explained that the pair selection would be simple - you choose someone of the opposite sex as a partner, and if you match, you're paired for the team stage. Pairs were formed quickly with everyone receiving their first pick except Chelsea, Roxanne, Yara, Julian, Scott, and Toby. Eventually, Roxanne and Julian were left standing without a match and became a pair automatically.

### Team Stage

Once settled in, personalities began to clash among the contestants. Carmen and Whitney faired unpopular with the other women due to their attitudes and were quickly perceived as stuck-up. Julian and Toby faced trouble socially, and much to the dismay of their partners, became easy targets due to their inability to form alliances.

The first two exemption challenges of the season were won by Sidney & Heidi of the orange team. Over the first two episodes, they targeted unpopular competitors, such as Carmen, Shaun, and Whitney, as well as potential threats in the long run, including the blue team (Alexis & Austin) and the black team (Danielle & Brendan).

Alexis & Austin retaliated once they won an exemption challenge, and would establish a power feud with the orange team at that. In an effort to build an army in the game, the blue team aligned with the outsiders in the green team (Roxanne & Julian) and Toby of the red team. The green team played it safe upon their exemption win, and once the red team won, Toby and Chelsea collided with their choices. Toby's loyalties lied with the blue and green teams, while Chelsea was convinced by Sidney & Heidi to work with them. Their compromise would lead to the closest Danger Dome battle that has ever been seen, with all three teams finishing within seconds on one another.

### Solo Stage

Yara won the first individual exemption challenge of the season and immediately formed a pact with Alexis, in which they agreed to work together for the remainder of the competition. Sidney also formed separate deals with Yara and Alexis in an effort to prevent himself from facing elimination. Following Shaun's elimination, Sidney and Heidi formed an alliance with Scott and Carmen to target the former red and blue teams, which led to Austin and Chelsea's eliminations. Infuriated by the turn of events, Yara felt betrayed by her former partner in Scott and berated him for "being a coward". Alexis was able to win the following two exemption challenges, shifting the power and eliminated Heidi and Carmen respectively. Toby was eliminated in the final five, leaving major rivals in the final four. Sidney would win the final exemption challenges of the season, which lead to Yara's emotional exit and single-handedly sent Alexis to the jury while applauding her for her performance.

Once they reached the final two, Sidney and Scott faced the jury of seven and pleaded their cases as to why they deserved the money. Sidney highlighted how he established himself early in the game as a physical threat and manipulated others into working with him rather than against him. In addition to this, Sidney took credit for several major eliminations and moves that shaped the season. Scott described his game as being the "wolf in sheep's clothing" because of his ability to remain low-key while remaining on the good side of his peers. He also took pride in his challenge performances, having won two individual exemption challenges and surviving the Danger Dome many times.

In the eyes of the jury, Sidney overwhelmingly crushed Scott in terms of game play. Despite viewing himself as being a low-key player, members of the jury described it as non-existent. He received harsh criticisms from Austin and Alexis, who both felt that they "gave it their all and lost out to a floater". Yara went in on Scott for being so under-the-radar and for "taking the easy way out, like a little bitch". In a memorable moment, Yara admitted that she'll vote for Scott under her conditions:

"First of all, I want you to grow a backbone, because the way you bent over in this game was pathetic. You came all the way to Honduras and wasted your time, so when you go home, apologize to your "mama". Apologize to your dad, uncle, aunt, kids, whatever, and let them know that you fucked up. Wait a minute, apologize to me too because you owe me one for your bullshit, man. You owe me, and believe it or not, I'm willing to vote for you, because I know you'll listen to me since I scare you, and because I feel sorry for you. Nobody here is giving you a vote, Scotty."

The jury's universal praise of Sidney Jacobs would ultimately lead to a 6-1 vote in his favor and he became the last one standing and the fifth person to claim the $2,000,000 prize.