MAYA:
"Sooo….
I know I’ve made snarky comments about the diary room in the
past, but like I’m over it, you know? For the most part-- I seriously
cannot believe you're making me say my spiel in the plane's bathroom!
You guys must get off of torturing us or something.... Putting us in
ridiculous scenarios and seeing how we react.... But anyway, sometimes
it’s good to have
someone listen to your shit.
Like... I wasn’t expecting Wil to confide in me like that today... Or was that yesterday? I have no fucking clue what time it is, or even where we are. Are we in Europe yet? No? We're still flying over the Atlantic?!? ¡Ay, caramba!
....Ahem. But anywho; I’ve never really had that kind of trust or emotional connection with someone before, you know? I mean I kissed boys as a teenager, but it wasn’t really for love or any of that stuff. And I’m not saying Wil loves me or I love him! No, it’s too soon to fuck it all up with the l word. I’ve just never been attracted to someone like this, and like I’ve never even done anything sexual… I wonder… do you think Wil can even still...? Oh, God, I should not be saying that out loud; forget everything! Whatever, it’s just because this show is kinda my last chance maybe. My life doesn’t really have a point anymore, and I just wanna have fun while I can? I mean I’ve actually allowed myself to grow closer to these people. Giles is a riot, Eva’s just as fun, and I’m even starting to grow fond of Paul’s quirky kindness. I just don’t want it to end… And I’m afraid with my current situation, I might not have long here. Here on this show, or anywhere really… Perhaps it's time I came forward with the truth? You know what they say, 'the truth will set you free!' .... But in my case, it could end with death.....
And on that LOVELY note, please leave. The whole reason I came in here in the first place was to take a shit, so SCRAM!!"
Like... I wasn’t expecting Wil to confide in me like that today... Or was that yesterday? I have no fucking clue what time it is, or even where we are. Are we in Europe yet? No? We're still flying over the Atlantic?!? ¡Ay, caramba!
....Ahem. But anywho; I’ve never really had that kind of trust or emotional connection with someone before, you know? I mean I kissed boys as a teenager, but it wasn’t really for love or any of that stuff. And I’m not saying Wil loves me or I love him! No, it’s too soon to fuck it all up with the l word. I’ve just never been attracted to someone like this, and like I’ve never even done anything sexual… I wonder… do you think Wil can even still...? Oh, God, I should not be saying that out loud; forget everything! Whatever, it’s just because this show is kinda my last chance maybe. My life doesn’t really have a point anymore, and I just wanna have fun while I can? I mean I’ve actually allowed myself to grow closer to these people. Giles is a riot, Eva’s just as fun, and I’m even starting to grow fond of Paul’s quirky kindness. I just don’t want it to end… And I’m afraid with my current situation, I might not have long here. Here on this show, or anywhere really… Perhaps it's time I came forward with the truth? You know what they say, 'the truth will set you free!' .... But in my case, it could end with death.....
And on that LOVELY note, please leave. The whole reason I came in here in the first place was to take a shit, so SCRAM!!"
[DAY 13]
PILOT: “Ladies and gentlemen, we have landed!
Local time is 10:00 AM and the temperature is 13 degrees Celsius...
or 56 degrees Fahrenheit for you American folk.
We hope you enjoy your stay in Norway!"
* * * * *
Pacco: "Wow. Norway sure isn't one to have a grand selection of clothing options!"
The Gov: "You're telling me?? You are practically staring into the sun right now!"
Kaitlin: "Don't pretend that was your only option, David."
Tamela: "Yeah, 'David'... You should've gone for the hot-pink coat! It was just your size, too!"
Eva: "Heehee!"
Giles: "Regardless of what people say, real men do NOT wear pink..."
Maya: "¡JODER it's cold! Can we just find our vacation home already? I'm freezing my balls off here, folks."
Paul: "You call this cold? Try living in Serbia in the winter, THEN we can talk about 'cold'."
Wil: "Hm... I will pass. I haven't counted out the idea of having kids of my own yet, so I don't want to risk literally freezing my nuts out there.... Wherever 'there' is. Does anyone really even know where Siberia is??"
Paul: >.>
Pacco: "Hmmm..."
The Gov: "What?"
Pacco: "I can't seem to find our car."
The Gov: "That's not good. I knew this country was full of thieves the moment I stepped foot in it! A land without sun is a land without Vitamin D, and a land without Vitamin D is a population full of depressed crooks!"
Maya: "...Sun's out, Gov."
The Gov: "Oh. Well I'll be!"
Tamela: "I'm going to go check the corner. Perhaps the cars were towed?"
Kaitlin: "Did any of the cameramen catch something amiss?"
*camera shakes back and forth*
Eva: "How peculiar..."
Giles: "I don't even own a car, and this is precisely the reason why. Too much stress, and I don't do stress."
Pacco: "What a privileged white boy comment to make!"
The Gov: "Isn't he essentially the same?"
Pacco: "Cute. You can make fun of my dark complexion all you want, but I'll have you know that Khoudia Diop is a model and even I am darker than her, so hah!"
Eva: "Errr... right. Shall we spread out, dearies?"
Maya: "No, let's just follow Tamela, she's good at finding things."
Paul: "Oh, er.... Hello?"
Norwegian Native: "Hei kjekk." ;-)
Paul: "...."
Manager: "I can't believe you thought this was a good setup! It's utter crap!"
Employee: "I-I'm sorry, I just thought-"
Manager: "You just thought what? That this boring-ass oil-canvas painting somehow complimented the atrociously nasty couch you decided to advertise? Or that this ridiculously old lamp matched the couch, even though IT DOES NOT?!"
Manager: "You're bat-shit insane, Bethany, and in fact, I'm considering firing you.
You will NEVER be as good of an interior designer as me, so get over yourself, bitch."
Employee: *gasps*
The Gov: "Ladies, ladies, why must there be conflict?"
Employee: "It's okay sir, she's just my manager."
Manager: "I'm not 'just your manager', I'm your SUPERIOR."
Kaitlin: "I do not do well with conflict. Can we keep walking?"
Tamela: "Sure, our cars have to be SOMEWHERE..."
The Gov: "Sorry to intrude, but have either of you happened to see 3 Prius's? We're on a TV show and desperately need them, since they're the only thing giving us navigation in this new land."
Manager: "No. We haven't seen your fucking pussy-cars, sorry."
The Gov: "My my, pardon you! First you verbally abuse your employee, now you verbally abuse strangers on the street! What an unkind woman you are. Don't worry about the cameras, I'm sure they will blur your face for you.... Well, ACTUALLY, perhaps you SHOULD worry, since the footage is all the ammo this poor young woman right here needs to see through that your ass gets FIRED."
Manager: "EXCUSE ME, SIR!?!?"
Giles: "This is certainly escalating."
Maya: "Yeeeah.... Unnaturally so, no? Something's off."
Wil: "There's definitely something off, these 'natives' speak perfect English, no accent whatsoever. I think this is some kind of test, let's hold back and wait it out."
Eva: "Dears, whatever issues you are having, it is best you resolve it in a less public area. If you need her to rework the display, I am sure she can do so very easily, all you gotta do is ask nicely."
Pacco: "Yup, there's a major difference between criticism and CONSTRUCTIVE criticism. I'd recommend you learn the difference, and soon, before you really DO get fired for going a bit overboard on your employees, ma'am."
Manager: "Is that so? Well ACTUALLY.... I'm not really her manager, or any kind of manager for that matter...."
'Manager': "My name is Karmen, and this young lady is actually an actress."
Anja the Actress: "Hallo everyone! Thank you all for standing up for me! Good luck for the remainder of your competition, and please enjoy your stay in Norway!!"
Karmen: "Thanks Anja."
Karmen: "Confused? Don't be. This is just our way of priming you to your next mission:
MORAL DILEMMA."
Karmen: "But first, let me backtrack a bit..."
K: "For
starters, you can all just call me K. Most people call me Karma, but to
go along with this season's AWESOME theme, I'm K.... AGENT K...." 8-)
K: "Secondly: Welcome again to Norway! We're currently in a small fishing village just a few miles away from Bergen. Why was Norway selected as the vacation destination, you may wonder? Well, they wanted to get you all out of the concrete jungle known as New York, and into a place so desolate and off the grid that you could ACTUALLY see the night time sky without light pollution fogging up the magnificent view of the stars. And, if you're lucky, you might just catch the northern lights before your trip is over!"
K: "Furthermore, when it comes to health and prosperity, there's simply no topping Norway.
For the 12th year in a row, the land of fjords has earned the number one spot on the United Nation's Human Development Index (HDI), which measures countries in three basic areas -- life expectancy, education and income/standard of living.
It is evident that Norway is one of the best countries in the world, which is no small venture! And its untouched natural beauty is a whole other topic altogether. Yes, it can get very cold, especially the more northbound you go, but the folks here love the cold. It allows for a year-long skiing and ice-skating, which, is actually very near and dear to me and my heritage. Why's that? Well, let me tell you!!"
Pacco: "Hmmm..."
The Gov: "What?"
Pacco: "I can't seem to find our car."
The Gov: "That's not good. I knew this country was full of thieves the moment I stepped foot in it! A land without sun is a land without Vitamin D, and a land without Vitamin D is a population full of depressed crooks!"
Maya: "...Sun's out, Gov."
The Gov: "Oh. Well I'll be!"
Tamela: "I'm going to go check the corner. Perhaps the cars were towed?"
Kaitlin: "Did any of the cameramen catch something amiss?"
*camera shakes back and forth*
Eva: "How peculiar..."
Giles: "I don't even own a car, and this is precisely the reason why. Too much stress, and I don't do stress."
Pacco: "What a privileged white boy comment to make!"
The Gov: "Isn't he essentially the same?"
Pacco: "Cute. You can make fun of my dark complexion all you want, but I'll have you know that Khoudia Diop is a model and even I am darker than her, so hah!"
Eva: "Errr... right. Shall we spread out, dearies?"
Maya: "No, let's just follow Tamela, she's good at finding things."
Paul: "Oh, er.... Hello?"
Norwegian Native: "Hei kjekk." ;-)
Paul: "...."
Manager: "I can't believe you thought this was a good setup! It's utter crap!"
Employee: "I-I'm sorry, I just thought-"
Manager: "You just thought what? That this boring-ass oil-canvas painting somehow complimented the atrociously nasty couch you decided to advertise? Or that this ridiculously old lamp matched the couch, even though IT DOES NOT?!"
Manager: "You're bat-shit insane, Bethany, and in fact, I'm considering firing you.
You will NEVER be as good of an interior designer as me, so get over yourself, bitch."
Employee: *gasps*
The Gov: "Ladies, ladies, why must there be conflict?"
Employee: "It's okay sir, she's just my manager."
Manager: "I'm not 'just your manager', I'm your SUPERIOR."
Kaitlin: "I do not do well with conflict. Can we keep walking?"
Tamela: "Sure, our cars have to be SOMEWHERE..."
The Gov: "Sorry to intrude, but have either of you happened to see 3 Prius's? We're on a TV show and desperately need them, since they're the only thing giving us navigation in this new land."
Manager: "No. We haven't seen your fucking pussy-cars, sorry."
The Gov: "My my, pardon you! First you verbally abuse your employee, now you verbally abuse strangers on the street! What an unkind woman you are. Don't worry about the cameras, I'm sure they will blur your face for you.... Well, ACTUALLY, perhaps you SHOULD worry, since the footage is all the ammo this poor young woman right here needs to see through that your ass gets FIRED."
Manager: "EXCUSE ME, SIR!?!?"
Giles: "This is certainly escalating."
Maya: "Yeeeah.... Unnaturally so, no? Something's off."
Wil: "There's definitely something off, these 'natives' speak perfect English, no accent whatsoever. I think this is some kind of test, let's hold back and wait it out."
Eva: "Dears, whatever issues you are having, it is best you resolve it in a less public area. If you need her to rework the display, I am sure she can do so very easily, all you gotta do is ask nicely."
Pacco: "Yup, there's a major difference between criticism and CONSTRUCTIVE criticism. I'd recommend you learn the difference, and soon, before you really DO get fired for going a bit overboard on your employees, ma'am."
Manager: "Is that so? Well ACTUALLY.... I'm not really her manager, or any kind of manager for that matter...."
'Manager': "My name is Karmen, and this young lady is actually an actress."
Anja the Actress: "Hallo everyone! Thank you all for standing up for me! Good luck for the remainder of your competition, and please enjoy your stay in Norway!!"
Karmen: "Thanks Anja."
Karmen: "Confused? Don't be. This is just our way of priming you to your next mission:
MORAL DILEMMA."
Karmen: "But first, let me backtrack a bit..."
Karmen: "My full name is Karmen Dårlig Flink, and I will be your Co-Host for the season!
Hipp Hipp HURRA!
Before we continue with introductions, let us take a stroll through downtown, shall we?"
* * *
KARMEN:
"Now, as your temporary host, I should inform you all of what's to come
the next several days, before we delve into today's mission."
K: "Secondly: Welcome again to Norway! We're currently in a small fishing village just a few miles away from Bergen. Why was Norway selected as the vacation destination, you may wonder? Well, they wanted to get you all out of the concrete jungle known as New York, and into a place so desolate and off the grid that you could ACTUALLY see the night time sky without light pollution fogging up the magnificent view of the stars. And, if you're lucky, you might just catch the northern lights before your trip is over!"
K: "Furthermore, when it comes to health and prosperity, there's simply no topping Norway.
For the 12th year in a row, the land of fjords has earned the number one spot on the United Nation's Human Development Index (HDI), which measures countries in three basic areas -- life expectancy, education and income/standard of living.
It is evident that Norway is one of the best countries in the world, which is no small venture! And its untouched natural beauty is a whole other topic altogether. Yes, it can get very cold, especially the more northbound you go, but the folks here love the cold. It allows for a year-long skiing and ice-skating, which, is actually very near and dear to me and my heritage. Why's that? Well, let me tell you!!"
K: "I am actually the great-granddaughter of none other than Fridtjof Nansen! If you don't know who he is-- and no worries, most don't-- he was a Norwegian explorer, scientist, diplomat, humanitarian and Nobel Peace Prize laureate!!! In his youth he was a champion skier and ice skater, and I have followed in his footsteps---anyone care to join in on the fun?!"
K: "So, certainly a man with a good karma score; did I mention? Many Norwegians consider themselves an 'Ateist', AKA, an Atheist, but I represent the 1% of the population who are Buddhists. Karma is an extremely important aspect of my spirituality, so ignore me if I verbally take note of karma scores, it's just a habit of mine. Speaking of, to those who spoke out against me earlier in our 'What Would You Do' segment; good for you! Your karma scores just went up, so you should all be anticipating good fortune in the days to come; and perhaps even good luck in today's mission, eh?"
K: "I strive to have a good karma score, which is not something I usually admit, but in this case, was forced to by The Mole Production so that the audience could get to know me better, isn't that wonderful? But yes, I am obligated to say that my accolades are quite ginormous, and would take quite some time to go through all the things I've done so far in my life. Certainly, I have nothing on my great-grandfather, who was awarded the Nobel Peace
Prize for his work repatriating prisoners of war! He has also been extremely influential in Norwegian politics, leading the delegation to the first assembly of
the League of Nations in 1920, which was the United Nations of that time-- not as successful as the UN, I might add, but a great idea nonetheless!"
K: "One woman in particular that I have great respect for is Dr. Jane Goodall, who is the United Nations Messenger of Peace: talk about a MAMMOTH karma score, amiright?!?!"
K: "...Which brings me back to this great country; as fantastic as Norway is, no country is without sin.... Ignoring some of our questionable history, even today, this country participates in the horrendous tradition of massive seal hunting, which pains me to my core.
However, over the years, I have worked to improve the killing protocols of the grand hunt, and am proud to say that in 2007, the European Food Safety Agency confirmed the animals are put to death faster and more humanely in the Norwegian sealing than in large game hunting on land worldwide--quite the personal achievement!"
K: "I am also working on abolishing factory farms COMPLETELY, but that's an entirely different topic altogether and I'm sure you guys are tired of hearing about me, so I'll shut up and do what I'm supposed to, which is...
TAKE YOU ALL TO CHURCH!!!"
K: "At last, here we all gather together.... in CHURCH! Hallelujah!! Can I get an 'Amen'?!"
Paul: "AMEN!"
Giles: "F-men!"
The Gov: "Hey! You stole my joke!"
Giles: "No I didn't. You meant fuck mankind. I literally mean fuck men. HUGE difference, bud."
K: "Teehee! This is SO much dang fun, being with you all here, right now, at right this moment!"
K: "I ponder how well this season is doing compared to previous seasons? And I wonder who the fan favorite currently is? Or WILL be. I can guarantee you all now that your karma will GREATLY affect the outcome of this future poll. Any future dastardly deeds may very well warrant you some negative karma, but perhaps the fans worldwide will lap it up? After all, the audience wants to be entertained, and drama is always at the forefront of entertaining reality TV!"
K: "-but back to business."
K: "This 'Moral Dilemma' mission is worth a grand total of $180. And as you should know, the group's pot and the spy's stash multiplies by a THOUSAND at the end of this game, so you're REALLY all playing for nearly a fifth of a million dollars today! Åh wow!!"
K: "One at a time, you will join me outside, where you will be faced with a unique ethical dilemma and must pick between two options."
The Gov: "Here we go. My reputation will be dragged through the mud yet again."
Giles: "Hey, don't diss mud! Mud is fun! Especially mud pie. Who doesn't love dirty pies?"
Paul: "Who does?"
Eva: "Giles! Nakasusuklam!!"
K: "You must base your answer on how you think you would ACTUALLY act/respond, not how you would WANT to act/respond. Remember: be truthful, as the truth will set you free."
*Maya gulps*
*Tamela shivers*
*Pacco rubs his forehead*
*Kaitlin squints*
K: "We 'will' start with you, Wil! Teehee!"
"Captain's Orders"
In 1842, a ship struck an iceberg and more than 30 survivors were crowded into a lifeboat intended to hold 7. As a storm threatened, it became obvious that the lifeboat would have to be lightened if anyone were to survive. The captain reasoned that the right thing to do in this situation was to force some individuals to go over the side and drown. Such an action, he reasoned, was not unjust to those thrown overboard, for they would have drowned anyway. If he did nothing, however, he would be responsible for the deaths of those whom he could have saved. Some people opposed the captain's decision. They claimed that if nothing were done and everyone died as a result, no one would be responsible for these deaths, and there was always the CHANCE (albeit small) that some could have survived the ordeal without the captain's intervention.
On the other hand, if the captain attempted to save some, he could do so only by killing others and their deaths would be his responsibility; this would be worse than doing nothing and letting all die. The captain rejected this reasoning. Since the only possibility for rescue required great efforts of rowing, the captain decided that the weakest would have to be sacrificed, and thus, threw overboard the individuals that carried the most dead weight. As it turned out, after days of hard rowing, the survivors were rescued and the captain was tried for his action. If you had been on the jury, how would you have decided?
A) HE’S PARTIALLY/FULLY GUILTY
B) HE’S COMPLETELY INNOCENT
"Hero or Villain?"
You’re driving a truck when you spot three teenagers mugging an elderly person. Knowing you lack the physical power to stop all of them, you decide to plow right into them as they are running away. You are thanked by the victim, but are sued by the 3 boys who had to be treated for moderately-severe injuries. The law sides with them, arguing it was “excessive force”. Is this fair and just?
A) YES
B) NO
"A Fishy Predicament"
Last night you invited a few friends for dinner. One was a vegetarian who believed eating animals was wrong. As you were preparing the meal, you reached for the fish sauce and paused.
You needed only three drops, but remembered that your vegetarian friend doesn't eat fish. The fish sauce was a subtle but key ingredient, and creating a separate dish for your friend at this late stage seemed a great inconvenience. You concluded that your friend would most likely never find out.
In the end, you decided to…
A) GO AHEAD WITH THE FULL RECIPE
B) CREATE A SEPARATE DISH
"Torturous Decision"
A madman who has threatened to explode several bombs in crowded areas has been apprehended. Unfortunately, he has already planted the bombs and they are scheduled to go off in a short time. It is possible that hundreds of people may die. The authorities cannot make him divulge the location of the bombs by conventional methods. He refuses to say anything and requests a lawyer to protect his fifth amendment right against self-incrimination. In exasperation, some high level official suggests torture. This would be illegal, of course, but the official thinks that it is nevertheless the right thing to do in this desperate situation. Do you agree?
A) YES
B) NO
"Psychiatrist's Quandary"
You are a psychiatrist and your patient has just confided to you that he intends to kill a woman. You're inclined to dismiss the threat as idle, but you aren't sure. Should you report the threat to the police and the woman or should you remain silent as the principle of confidentiality between psychiatrist and patient demands?
A) ALERT THE POLICE/WOMAN
B) REMAIN SILENT
"Circle of Death"
In the movie Circle, everyone must vote to kill each other one at a time until only one remains. One person reasons that the elderly should be offed first since they are the next to die anyway. Using this logic, they ultimately came to the conclusion that the youngest person there (in this case, a 10-year-old girl) should be the sole survivor. However, matters become complicated when one woman claims to be pregnant. She has a slight belly, but by no means can you tell if she’s actually pregnant, and there’s no obvious tell whether or not she’s lying. Certainly it is better to save two lives rather than just one, but there’s no guarantee this is what you’re doing. With only seconds to spare, who do you kill?
A) THE GIRL
B) THE WOMAN
"Women & Children First"
It’s a common belief that in instances where only a few can be saved, it’s “Women and Children first”. A common example where this is displayed is the film Titanic. With only moments to spare, this seems like a reasonable conclusion.
The Gov: "Don't forget the politicians! They're important too!"
K: "Why is he out here?!" >:(
ANYWAY: Imagine a scenario where there’s only one spot left on the final lifeboat, and you are the Captain making the decisions (who has already decided to go down with his ship). All the children are safe, and only one woman remains; however, her twin brother is standing right next to her, who happens to have a more noble job as a firefighter. You know she’s been unemployed most of her life. Who do you save?
A) THE WOMAN
B) THE MAN
"A Mother's Nightmare"
A Polish woman, Sophie Zawistowska, is arrested by the plum and sent to the Auschwitz death camp. On arrival, she is "honored" for not being a plum by being allowed a choice: One of her children will be spared the gas chamber if she chooses which one. In an agony of indecision, as both children are being taken away, she suddenly does choose. They can take her daughter, who is younger and smaller. Sophie hopes that her older and stronger son will be better able to survive, but she loses track of him and never does learn of his fate. Did she do the right thing? Years later, haunted by the guilt of having chosen between her children, Sophie commits suicide. Should she have felt even a shred of guilt?
A) YES
B) NO
"The Callous Passerby"
Roger, a quite competent swimmer, is biking to work. He passes by a lake from which a teenage boy who apparently cannot swim has fallen into the water. The boy is screaming for help. No one else is around. Roger recognizes that there is absolutely no danger to himself if he jumps in to save the boy; he could easily succeed if he tried. Nevertheless, he chooses to ignore the boy's cries. The water is cold and he doesn’t want to ruin his good clothes -- he does not want to be late to work either.
"Why should I inconvenience myself for this kid," Roger says to himself, and continues on his way to work.
Does Smith have a moral obligation to save the boy? If so, should he have a LEGAL obligation ['Duty to Rescue' Laws] as well? Meaning, should he be held legally responsible for this boy’s imminent death?
A) YES
B) NO
~ ~ ~ ~ ~
K: "Thank you, Agents, for your enthusiastic answers!!"
K: "I will now pass around the answering sheets, as you will all be predicting how everyone else answered for their individual dilemma.
The Spies have hacked everyone's cell phone, and thus, their Advantage is they already know how each of you answered your dilemma."
K: "$20 will be added to the pot for every time the majority (which is 5) correctly predicts the chosen option.
There will be Armor awarded to 1st, 2nd, and 3rd place, based on who makes the most correct predictions.
And yes, the Elusive Exemption is in play, as it has still remained uncaught; whoever earns the title of 'Devil's Advocate' earns the Exemption. To get this title, you must be in the minority opinion for EVERY scenario. You are free to discuss each scenario as a group. You have 30 minutes. Begin."
~30 minutes later~
K: "K! The sheets have been tallied, and I hold the results!!!
I've got good news and bad news.... Bad news?"
K: "40 dollars has already been lost to the Spy's Stash."
K: "But the good news? You guys just added $100 to the GROUP pot! Celebration time!! Wooh wooh! WOOP-WOOP!!"
K: "....ONE problem, however... We have two ties that we need to straighten out."
K: "Luckily! I asked everyone a follow-up question to their scenario, in case of a tie.
The following dilemmas received a 4-4 vote:
"Hero or Villain?"
"The Callous Passerby"
Which means, it is now time to do a public RE-VOTE!!!!!"
K: "Same rules as before, except this time, instead of your predictions being a secret, they will be made public. Thematically, I should lie and tell you that the reason this mission is so secretive is because we're in church, and me playing the priest, your secrets must remain confidential. But lying isn't my style-- it's bad karma-- so the REAL reason this mission is so secretive is because....
Production doesn't want to continuously spoon-feed the players information! By keeping the results of this mission mostly hidden, it prompts the players to actually talk to each other to obtain intel on the other Agents, instead of me giving you the breakdown afterwards.
So hopefully, this should lead to some lively discussions later among coalitions and enemies alike!!"
K: "Alright.... Here are the follow-ups:
HERO OR VILLAIN: How do you balance the scales of justice?
Pacco did, in fact, choose A: Yes (it IS fair and just to be sued for excessive force)
However, did Pacco change his decision in the following alternative scenario?
Instead of witnessing them mugging an elderly person, they are actually robbing a convenience store. You hear a loud gun shot, followed by someone inside yell "CALL AN AMBULANCE!" as the trio runs off down the street. All of them are wearing generic clothing and face masks, so you know that if you don't act, and quickly, these 3 people will NEVER be identified, and so, you decide to run them over to stop them.
Once again: the three boys sue you for their moderately severe injuries. Does Pacco....
A) Still believe this was excessive force, and should be sued accordingly?
OR
B) Now believe this was a just action to stop the criminals, and is now considered a hero?"
Maya: "A"
Tamela: "A"
Kaitlin: "A"
Wil: "B"
The Gov: "A"
Giles: "B"
Paul: "B"
Eva: "A"
K: "THE CALLOUS PASSERBY: Is not saving someone the same as killing them?
Maya did, in fact, choose A: Yes (he SHOULD be held legally responsible for the boy's death)
However, did Maya change her decision in the following alternative scenario?
What if Roger did NOT know how to swim efficiently? Without any help, or any type of tools, the only way to save the teenage boy would be for him to physically get in the water, which could potentially lead to his own death.
Let's say...
-->If he tries, 50% they both survive, but 50% they both drown.
Alternatively...
If he DOESN'T try at all, the kid will surely drown, but of course, he won't be inconvenienced whatsoever by the situation.
Roger indeed DOES get off his bike, rushes over, considers his options and thus his odds, but ultimately decides NOT to do anything.
At this point he realizes nothing can be done to save the kid, no one is around to help, so he turns his back on the drowning victim and rushes to work, trying to pretend he didn't just witness anything.
Unbeknownst to him, a Bird Watcher a few miles away was using her binoculars to watch for birds flying over the lake, and saw the whole incident. She called 911, reported the boy's death, and identified the man who left the scene. Roger was brought into court as a witness the following day.
A) Should he still be tried and punished accordingly for violating the Good Samaritan Law?
OR
B) Should he be let off the hook (no pun intended) scot-free?"
Eva: "A"
Paul: "B"
Giles: "B"
The Gov: "A"
Wil: "B"
Kaitlin: "A"
Pacco: "A"
Tamela: "A"
~30 minutes later~
K: "K! The sheets have been tallied, and I hold the results!!!
I've got good news and bad news.... Bad news?"
K: "40 dollars has already been lost to the Spy's Stash."
K: "But the good news? You guys just added $100 to the GROUP pot! Celebration time!! Wooh wooh! WOOP-WOOP!!"
K: "....ONE problem, however... We have two ties that we need to straighten out."
K: "Luckily! I asked everyone a follow-up question to their scenario, in case of a tie.
The following dilemmas received a 4-4 vote:
"Hero or Villain?"
"The Callous Passerby"
Which means, it is now time to do a public RE-VOTE!!!!!"
K: "Same rules as before, except this time, instead of your predictions being a secret, they will be made public. Thematically, I should lie and tell you that the reason this mission is so secretive is because we're in church, and me playing the priest, your secrets must remain confidential. But lying isn't my style-- it's bad karma-- so the REAL reason this mission is so secretive is because....
Production doesn't want to continuously spoon-feed the players information! By keeping the results of this mission mostly hidden, it prompts the players to actually talk to each other to obtain intel on the other Agents, instead of me giving you the breakdown afterwards.
So hopefully, this should lead to some lively discussions later among coalitions and enemies alike!!"
K: "Alright.... Here are the follow-ups:
HERO OR VILLAIN: How do you balance the scales of justice?
Pacco did, in fact, choose A: Yes (it IS fair and just to be sued for excessive force)
However, did Pacco change his decision in the following alternative scenario?
Instead of witnessing them mugging an elderly person, they are actually robbing a convenience store. You hear a loud gun shot, followed by someone inside yell "CALL AN AMBULANCE!" as the trio runs off down the street. All of them are wearing generic clothing and face masks, so you know that if you don't act, and quickly, these 3 people will NEVER be identified, and so, you decide to run them over to stop them.
Once again: the three boys sue you for their moderately severe injuries. Does Pacco....
A) Still believe this was excessive force, and should be sued accordingly?
OR
B) Now believe this was a just action to stop the criminals, and is now considered a hero?"
Maya: "A"
Tamela: "A"
Kaitlin: "A"
Wil: "B"
The Gov: "A"
Giles: "B"
Paul: "B"
Eva: "A"
K: "THE CALLOUS PASSERBY: Is not saving someone the same as killing them?
Maya did, in fact, choose A: Yes (he SHOULD be held legally responsible for the boy's death)
However, did Maya change her decision in the following alternative scenario?
What if Roger did NOT know how to swim efficiently? Without any help, or any type of tools, the only way to save the teenage boy would be for him to physically get in the water, which could potentially lead to his own death.
Let's say...
-->If he tries, 50% they both survive, but 50% they both drown.
Alternatively...
If he DOESN'T try at all, the kid will surely drown, but of course, he won't be inconvenienced whatsoever by the situation.
Roger indeed DOES get off his bike, rushes over, considers his options and thus his odds, but ultimately decides NOT to do anything.
At this point he realizes nothing can be done to save the kid, no one is around to help, so he turns his back on the drowning victim and rushes to work, trying to pretend he didn't just witness anything.
Unbeknownst to him, a Bird Watcher a few miles away was using her binoculars to watch for birds flying over the lake, and saw the whole incident. She called 911, reported the boy's death, and identified the man who left the scene. Roger was brought into court as a witness the following day.
A) Should he still be tried and punished accordingly for violating the Good Samaritan Law?
OR
B) Should he be let off the hook (no pun intended) scot-free?"
Eva: "A"
Paul: "B"
Giles: "B"
The Gov: "A"
Wil: "B"
Kaitlin: "A"
Pacco: "A"
Tamela: "A"
K: "I personally believed that BOTH Pacco and Maya would change their minds, but as it turns out... THE MAJORITY IS CORRECT. They both, once again, chose A, and since the majority was correct, that's another 40 points added to the group pot, for a total of 140/180 this mission! Not quite a grand-slam, but a home-run nonetheless!!"
K: "And I can confirm that the Elusive Exemption.... has FINALLY been caught! One of you managed to vote in the minority for every single scenario, which potentially could have hindered the group's efforts.
Because the Elusive Exemption has been captured, it will not show up again. Congrats to the capturer! Is that a word? No? Well, it should be!!"
K: "As for the Armor Awards...
1st place: PACCO, with 7 correct predictions.
2nd place: MAYA, with 6 correct predictions (won the tiebreaker).
3rd place: THE GOVERNOR, with 6 correct predictions (lost the tiebreaker).
Pacco gets 3 Armor (AKA a full suit), Maya 2, and The Gov 1."
K: "Nå.... Before I let you all go, and free you from this church-"
Paul: "How can one be 'freed' from such a beautiful place? Churches are little heavens on Earth!"
Maya: "Shut up Paul, and let the woman speak."
K: "Now now, I appreciate that, but telling people to shut up is certainly bad karma!!"
Maya: "Sorry. I'm tired and stressed the fuck out. Can we just go check out our new place already? It's been a loooooong day for me.... and I'm sure everyone else too."
K: "Fortunately for you, I was juuust getting to that! But before I give you the key, I just wanted to make this final point: It is human nature to be selfish, I cannot deny that. This competition itself proves that; people are willing to lie and do whatever they have to for self-preservation, that's just life, human or otherwise."
K: "Throughout the day, you all faced various situations where you had to act decisively, and your ethical code was challenged accordingly. Although I DID want to observe your morals, it's important to remember that full altruism in any species is a death sentence; symbiosis is key. Meaning.... what, exactly? Well; full selflessness is not beneficial, and if humans were completely selfless, we would have died out by now as competition is necessary in evolution. Being utterly selfish isn't a great look either, and eventually karma will bite you in the butt, as evidenced by the various wars, disasters, and sicknesses we've faced over the centuries. Mutualistic interactions, therefore, seem to be the sweet spot here, where both parties can compromise and benefit from. Is this a metaphor for the game? You bet it is. As much as The Mole is an individual game, it's just as much a team game, so don't forget that."
K: "And if you're feeling similarly to Maya this evening, there's a reason for that; I must confess that we worked hard on coming up with dilemmas that were more complicated than just the classic 'Trolley Dilemma', which is saving 1 person versus 10. No, instead, we dug a bit deeper, and gave everyone a unique scenario that was particularly personal for that select individual..... And I'll just leave it at that."
K: "Right, it's getting dark! Here is your house key. Your cars are parked behind this church. Leave it to them to show you the way home."
K: "Godnatt, folkens!! I'll be seeing you all tomorrow!"
Giles: "Ah-hah! The key works!"
Kaitlin: "It better! I'm so tired I could sleep on a horse right now."
Giles: "Oooh..."
Giles: "How cozy!"
Giles: "We have an ocean view guys! AN OCEAN VIEW!!!"
The Gov: "As lovely as this all is, I'm ready to hit the hay. Anyone know the bedroom sitch?"
Pacco: "No idea, but my migraine is getting worse, so the first bed I see I'm claiming."
Kaitlin: "Ack! Erm, hey Tam."
Tamela: "I'll just pretend that you're not acting strangely."
Kaitlin: "Works for me if it works for you. Say, what happened to your pills? Is Production letting you get a refill?"
Tamela: "I'm afraid not. I have completely run out, I took the last one this morning. I've begged and begged, but they keep telling me they can't."
Kaitlin: "They can't or won't?"
The Gov: "Won't what?"
Tamela: "Oh, hey there Gov. Are you bunking with us?"
The Gov: "Apparently. They're packing us in here like sardines it seems."
*Kaitlin grimaces*
The Gov: "Do either of you young ladies know which bunk Giles and Eva claimed?"
Tamela: "No idea."
The Gov: "Kaitlin?"
The Gov: "Hello? Earth to Kaitlin?"
The Gov: "...."
The Gov: "So she just completely ignores me now? What the hell?! I'd kill to know what I did to her!"
Tamela: "Perhaps she didn't appreciate your answer to your dilemma today?"
The Gov: "Pft. Like her answer was much better? She would choose to save the useless sister over the brother just because it's a woman?? Pathetic. God only knows what her follow-up question was, and I'm sure her answer was just as appalling."
Tamela: "Perhaps you should share your own follow-up before you climb that moral high horse?"
The Gov: "My follow-up was torturing the bomber's daughter instead, to get him to talk. Obviously I changed my answer. I'm not a callous monster, as much as I might look it. What was yours?"
Tamela: "I.....I don't want to talk about it."
Giles: "Come on, show me some amazing witchy trick before we go to bed!"
Eva: "Oh, I'm afraid my bag of tricks has run out for today. I'll need some time to gather up my energy again."
Giles: "You know, I'm not sure what to believe. Obviously witches aren't real, they're as real as the Lochness Monster right out there in our backyard. But you have this mysterious aura about you, that I can't seem to solve... And the rain in the elevator?! I mean, how is that possible!? I'm starting to question my sanity here. What's actually going on? Are you a hypnotist, some kind of master illusionist? Is production helping you with your 'magic' tricks?"
Eva: "No no no, of course not. My clan is quite powerful and well-respected where I'm from, all you have to do is locate and ask a local about my family. Your definition of witch doesn't necessarily align with my definition, and admittedly the essence of the word is lost in translation. You are probably thinking broomsticks and cauldrons. The reality is.... there's no magic, but rather, stretching the realm of reality a bit. You could deem it supernatural if you like."
Giles: "Huh?"
Paul: "What is this I hear about witches and the supernatural??"
Eva: "Nothing Elder, please go-"
Paul: "I hope you are aware of the implications of such satanic actions! Only God and God only has the power to control the natural order of things, and you violating that, and entering into the supernatural, whatever that may be, will surely give you a ticket to Hell! And if you people had actually LISTENED to the teachings of the Bible during my study sessions, you may have learned this lesson already, but instead, you all goofed around, lied about your true motivations, and remain IGNORANT!"
Eva: "Okay, okay. Tch, hay naku. I'll explain. But please, for the love of Diyos, lower your voice before you awaken everyone in the house!"
Paul: "Fine. Attempt to explain yourself."
Giles: "What the fuck is even happening right now?"
Paul: "Brother Giles! Wash your mouth!!"
Giles: "...I am?"
FINAL BREAKDOWN:
[1st digit = # of A predictions, 2nd digit = # of B predictions.... Final letter is correct answer]
5-3 "Hero or Villain": A
1-7 "A Fishy Predicament": B
6-2 "Torturous Decision": A
3-5 "Psychiatrist's Quandary": A
3-5 "Circle of Death": B
3-5 "A Mother's Nightmare": A
6-2 "Captain's Orders": A
6-2"Women & Children First": A
5-3 "The Callous Passerby": A
1-7 "A Fishy Predicament": B
6-2 "Torturous Decision": A
3-5 "Psychiatrist's Quandary": A
3-5 "Circle of Death": B
3-5 "A Mother's Nightmare": A
6-2 "Captain's Orders": A
6-2"Women & Children First": A
5-3 "The Callous Passerby": A
K: "And I can confirm that the Elusive Exemption.... has FINALLY been caught! One of you managed to vote in the minority for every single scenario, which potentially could have hindered the group's efforts.
Because the Elusive Exemption has been captured, it will not show up again. Congrats to the capturer! Is that a word? No? Well, it should be!!"
K: "As for the Armor Awards...
1st place: PACCO, with 7 correct predictions.
2nd place: MAYA, with 6 correct predictions (won the tiebreaker).
3rd place: THE GOVERNOR, with 6 correct predictions (lost the tiebreaker).
Pacco gets 3 Armor (AKA a full suit), Maya 2, and The Gov 1."
K: "Nå.... Before I let you all go, and free you from this church-"
Paul: "How can one be 'freed' from such a beautiful place? Churches are little heavens on Earth!"
Maya: "Shut up Paul, and let the woman speak."
K: "Now now, I appreciate that, but telling people to shut up is certainly bad karma!!"
Maya: "Sorry. I'm tired and stressed the fuck out. Can we just go check out our new place already? It's been a loooooong day for me.... and I'm sure everyone else too."
K: "Fortunately for you, I was juuust getting to that! But before I give you the key, I just wanted to make this final point: It is human nature to be selfish, I cannot deny that. This competition itself proves that; people are willing to lie and do whatever they have to for self-preservation, that's just life, human or otherwise."
K: "Throughout the day, you all faced various situations where you had to act decisively, and your ethical code was challenged accordingly. Although I DID want to observe your morals, it's important to remember that full altruism in any species is a death sentence; symbiosis is key. Meaning.... what, exactly? Well; full selflessness is not beneficial, and if humans were completely selfless, we would have died out by now as competition is necessary in evolution. Being utterly selfish isn't a great look either, and eventually karma will bite you in the butt, as evidenced by the various wars, disasters, and sicknesses we've faced over the centuries. Mutualistic interactions, therefore, seem to be the sweet spot here, where both parties can compromise and benefit from. Is this a metaphor for the game? You bet it is. As much as The Mole is an individual game, it's just as much a team game, so don't forget that."
K: "And if you're feeling similarly to Maya this evening, there's a reason for that; I must confess that we worked hard on coming up with dilemmas that were more complicated than just the classic 'Trolley Dilemma', which is saving 1 person versus 10. No, instead, we dug a bit deeper, and gave everyone a unique scenario that was particularly personal for that select individual..... And I'll just leave it at that."
K: "Right, it's getting dark! Here is your house key. Your cars are parked behind this church. Leave it to them to show you the way home."
K: "Godnatt, folkens!! I'll be seeing you all tomorrow!"
Giles: "Ah-hah! The key works!"
Kaitlin: "It better! I'm so tired I could sleep on a horse right now."
Giles: "Oooh..."
Giles: "How cozy!"
~ ~ ~
Giles: "We have an ocean view guys! AN OCEAN VIEW!!!"
The Gov: "As lovely as this all is, I'm ready to hit the hay. Anyone know the bedroom sitch?"
Pacco: "No idea, but my migraine is getting worse, so the first bed I see I'm claiming."
Kaitlin: "Ack! Erm, hey Tam."
Tamela: "I'll just pretend that you're not acting strangely."
Kaitlin: "Works for me if it works for you. Say, what happened to your pills? Is Production letting you get a refill?"
Tamela: "I'm afraid not. I have completely run out, I took the last one this morning. I've begged and begged, but they keep telling me they can't."
Kaitlin: "They can't or won't?"
The Gov: "Won't what?"
Tamela: "Oh, hey there Gov. Are you bunking with us?"
The Gov: "Apparently. They're packing us in here like sardines it seems."
*Kaitlin grimaces*
The Gov: "Do either of you young ladies know which bunk Giles and Eva claimed?"
Tamela: "No idea."
The Gov: "Kaitlin?"
The Gov: "Hello? Earth to Kaitlin?"
The Gov: "...."
The Gov: "So she just completely ignores me now? What the hell?! I'd kill to know what I did to her!"
Tamela: "Perhaps she didn't appreciate your answer to your dilemma today?"
The Gov: "Pft. Like her answer was much better? She would choose to save the useless sister over the brother just because it's a woman?? Pathetic. God only knows what her follow-up question was, and I'm sure her answer was just as appalling."
Tamela: "Perhaps you should share your own follow-up before you climb that moral high horse?"
The Gov: "My follow-up was torturing the bomber's daughter instead, to get him to talk. Obviously I changed my answer. I'm not a callous monster, as much as I might look it. What was yours?"
Tamela: "I.....I don't want to talk about it."
Giles: "Come on, show me some amazing witchy trick before we go to bed!"
Eva: "Oh, I'm afraid my bag of tricks has run out for today. I'll need some time to gather up my energy again."
Giles: "You know, I'm not sure what to believe. Obviously witches aren't real, they're as real as the Lochness Monster right out there in our backyard. But you have this mysterious aura about you, that I can't seem to solve... And the rain in the elevator?! I mean, how is that possible!? I'm starting to question my sanity here. What's actually going on? Are you a hypnotist, some kind of master illusionist? Is production helping you with your 'magic' tricks?"
Eva: "No no no, of course not. My clan is quite powerful and well-respected where I'm from, all you have to do is locate and ask a local about my family. Your definition of witch doesn't necessarily align with my definition, and admittedly the essence of the word is lost in translation. You are probably thinking broomsticks and cauldrons. The reality is.... there's no magic, but rather, stretching the realm of reality a bit. You could deem it supernatural if you like."
Giles: "Huh?"
Paul: "What is this I hear about witches and the supernatural??"
Eva: "Nothing Elder, please go-"
Paul: "I hope you are aware of the implications of such satanic actions! Only God and God only has the power to control the natural order of things, and you violating that, and entering into the supernatural, whatever that may be, will surely give you a ticket to Hell! And if you people had actually LISTENED to the teachings of the Bible during my study sessions, you may have learned this lesson already, but instead, you all goofed around, lied about your true motivations, and remain IGNORANT!"
Eva: "Okay, okay. Tch, hay naku. I'll explain. But please, for the love of Diyos, lower your voice before you awaken everyone in the house!"
Paul: "Fine. Attempt to explain yourself."
Giles: "What the fuck is even happening right now?"
Paul: "Brother Giles! Wash your mouth!!"
Giles: "...I am?"
Eva: "You do know I'm a Catholic, right?"
Paul: "Then why do you practice such devilry?"
Eva: "I...I don't."
Eva: "I debated whether it would be a good idea to tell you this on national TV, but I figured hardly anyone back home is actually watching. The Mole doesn't air there, and we didn't really let anyone know I'm on TV right now....
Anyway, I'm not actually a witch. I just make it out that I am. It's part of my clan's long history of being associated with seers in local folklore. It's very much embedded into our culture.
You see, my family and I are some sort of pillar of the community that handles local rituals and traditions. Some of which are hundreds of years old and survived the eradication of tribal culture and practices by European colonists, mind you."
Eva: "So although I may not be a witch, I can be crafty all the same. ;-)
All that training to learn these tricks taught me a few things too."
Giles: "Ah. That makes sense...."
Paul: "Does it?"
Giles: "Yes. Her family are masters of illusion!"
Paul: "Masters of fraud, more likely. Pretending to harness such power is sacrilegious, no doubt."
Eva: "Welp, pusa's out of the bag now, so that's that. I'm going to bed. Night guys."
Giles: "I call top-bunk!!"
Paul: "Then why do you practice such devilry?"
Eva: "I...I don't."
Eva: "I debated whether it would be a good idea to tell you this on national TV, but I figured hardly anyone back home is actually watching. The Mole doesn't air there, and we didn't really let anyone know I'm on TV right now....
Anyway, I'm not actually a witch. I just make it out that I am. It's part of my clan's long history of being associated with seers in local folklore. It's very much embedded into our culture.
You see, my family and I are some sort of pillar of the community that handles local rituals and traditions. Some of which are hundreds of years old and survived the eradication of tribal culture and practices by European colonists, mind you."
Eva: "So although I may not be a witch, I can be crafty all the same. ;-)
All that training to learn these tricks taught me a few things too."
Giles: "Ah. That makes sense...."
Paul: "Does it?"
Giles: "Yes. Her family are masters of illusion!"
Paul: "Masters of fraud, more likely. Pretending to harness such power is sacrilegious, no doubt."
Eva: "Welp, pusa's out of the bag now, so that's that. I'm going to bed. Night guys."
Giles: "I call top-bunk!!"
Wil: "Is he sleeping?"
Maya: "Yeah, I think so...."
Wil: "So when are you going to tell me what's up with you today?"
Maya: "Pardon me for acting moody after flying for 10 hours, driving an additional hour, and spending the entire day shopping and facing moral dilemmas. I'm exhausted, OK?"
Wil: "What's your real name, Maya?"
Maya: "My real name?! What are you even talk-"
Wil: "Cut the bull shit! You opened up to me the other day but we were interrupted. I dropped it, assuming you'd tell me when the time was right, but now I'm just tired of skirting around the issue. You've lied about your job, your hobbies, and I'm pretty sure your name as well! You've claimed to have only taken Spanish in high school, and yet, I've caught you speaking it fluently. You don't talk about your family either; for all I know they don't even live in the states. The most incredible part in all of this? You HATE the color purple!!!
You HAVE to tell me what's up with you, Maya. If not me, then someone, anyone!"
Maya: "Urrrgh. Fine. Can we at least cut the cameras off?"
Jan the Camerawoman: "Absolutely not."
Maya: "Fuck it. Whatever, I'm tired of lying about this shit.... You're right. My birth name is NOT Maya."
?: "My birth name was in fact Valentina
Daniela Martínez, and I was born in Colombia on Valentine's Day. My parents are wealthy politicians, as for me? What you see is what you get, which is not saying much. I used to identify as Valentina, but now, for my safety, I have assumed a new identity given to me by the WPP.... Witness Protection Program. I'm not legally allowed to discuss my case, but yes, I was the sole person who witnessed a murder, and had to testify against some of the biggest drug ring lords in my country. I was supposed to be anonymous, but someone fucked up, and my name was leaked. Then.... my life changed forever, just like that. The WPP set me up with a completely new identity: Maya Heidi Hansen, and I were to live a quiet existence in Wisconsin, earning my paycheck as a fitness trainer. My parents couldn't leave Colombia, so they saw me off with some American money and that was that. In the beginning, I tried writing to them, but it just felt so.... pointless. My life had dramatically changed, and they were just as busy as before. Couldn't call, couldn't visit. Nothing. Eventually, it was just silence.
I would say I'm thankful that the Program saved my life, but now I'm questioning if my life was worth saving in the first place....."
Wil: "Oh, Maya...."
*Pacco remains silent as Wil stumbles out of his bed*
*************************************************************************
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