The Smole: 34.15-Did I stutter?

Previously...

Contestants reflected on the failure of the previous mission...

Felix: "It was a war between two worlds, and in the midst of the crossfire we neglected Gabriel. That's alright, but I just wished we actually earned points. Fortunately nobody dared try and swipe my candle since there were two of us there."

Gladys approached James for legal advice...

Gladys: "In fact, recently I've been in quite a fix so I may need your services."

James: "In that case, care to tell me more?"

Lewis lost it and beat up Gladys...

Lewis: "Take that, b***!"

...only to sorely regret it later...

Gladys: "Everything has been captured and recorded. You keep claiming you're morally upright, Mr. Stewart, but you do enjoy adopting under-the-belt tactics and even violence to resolve matters, don't you? What would your employers think, hm?"

Lewis: "What? Drats. I shouldn't have done that publicly."

Gladys: "It appears that you are a Stewart through and through."

Lewis: "Nonsense! I am nothing like them! I went against my entire family. How can I be one of them?"

Gladys: "Just keep on denying it, Mr. Stewart."

Only Janice and Lewis were at risk of execution, so Janice came up with a plan...

Janice: "The best way to win this is to find out who Lewis is suspecting and answer questions the same as him but faster. So I did a little snooping around..."

Janice: "I hear mumblings. Time to eavesdrop."

Her plan worked, to the detriment of Lewis...

Janice: "Yes it worked! I mean, oh, phew."

"Unfortunately, that means that Lewis Stewart, you are the next to be executed. Please pack your bags and leave."

***

"Congratulations. You have officially made it to the final five. All of you are one step closer to the grand prize. Yet only one will walk away with it. On average, 23 points were betted on Lewis being the Mole, so another 23 points are lost. You are left with 156 points to split your suspects. Hopefully you can add that amount to the 150/800 points you currently have in your pot."

While Lewis was forced out, Felix decided to drop the idea of revenge...

Gabriel: "Revenge?"

Felix: "Yes. Gladys caused my wife's death. I'm not going to let her off that easily."

Gabriel: "Now I don't know what's going on but I think you should just forgive and forget. Let me ask you this: why did you even join in the first place?"

Felix: "For a distraction. To move on."

Gabriel: "Then why aren't you doing that? Anyway, suit yourself. You can come join me in the pool to have some fun if you want."

***

Felix: "I'm giving up on the revenge plan. I'm not going to pursue this any more."

With Janice as the only one motivated to bring down Gladys, will she succeed? Or will evil triumph? And will she lose focus of the Mole as a result?

(Just trying out this for a few episodes to see if I like it)

***

Gabriel: "I haven't sparred in a long time. I'm itching to spar."

***

Janice: "We need a new strat, fast. Every day that Gladys is smug is worrying. It's like a ticking time bomb."

Felix: "Didn't I tell you that I'm out of this revenge scheme?"

Janice: "Oh, you were serious? I thought it was just a prank."

Felix: "What kind of prank would that be?"

Janice: "Great. Not only do you back out last minute, but you also insult me and say I'm too dumb to differentiate pranks from serious matters."

Felix: "What? That's not what I meant."

Janice: "What are you afraid of?"

Felix: "Huh?"

Janice: "Did I stutter? What are you afraid of?"

Felix: "Uncertainty."

Janice: "Ugh, there's no getting through to you. Fine. Do whatever you want. Leave if you dare."

Felix: "I should go wash the dishes."

Felix: "I'm sorry. Forgive me, please. I'm too much of a coward."

Felix: "I just don't think that we would actually succeed. If we fail, then...Gladys may come after me. I don't want that to happen. I still have an old mother to take care of. I don't want any harm to come to her."

***

Gladys: "Mr. Ruen, you said you'd share with me your journal today."

Gabriel: "No I didn't."

Gladys: "Yes you did."

Gabriel: "I'm not senile. I remember what I did and did not say."

Gladys: "Darn, he's sharp today."

Gladys: "Mr. Sol, would you be a dear and jog Mr. Ruen's memory here?"

James: "I'm not your lackey."

Gladys: "I'd pay you a handsome sum."

James: "Hmm...I'd expect no less than 20 grand."

Gladys: "I'll write it on my cheque as soon as I go up."

Felix: "Gladys, I want to talk to you about something."

Gladys: "Please excuse me."

Gladys: "What is it regarding, Mr. Kuchappe?"

Felix: "I just want to apologise for all the hostility and inconvenience I've been causing you lately."

Felix: "I realised that I was being stupid. I must have been mad."

Gladys: "I see...since you are so repentant, I shall forgive you. I care about the people and I understand how you feel. I can tell you deeply love your wife, so I can empathise."

Felix: "Thank you for being so gracious."

Janice: "Felix Kuchappe, just what do you think you are doing?"

Janice: "Are you bowing down to the slut?"

Felix: "I told you it's over. I'm washing my hands of this."

Janice: "Traitor."

Felix: "Say whatever you want. I'm just trying to protect me and my family, or what's left of it. I need to mend bridges with her."

Janice: "Pfft, what a coward. Should have known when you wore a yellow sweater."

Gladys: "Hmph, I told her she cannot win. I better leave them to it. I have more important matters to deal with."

***

Felix: "So, we've been waiting for a minute already here. Why are we gathered here?"

Janice: "Maybe it's some glitch. To pass the time, why not we share with us our motivations for winning?"

Janice: "I'll start the ball--"

Gabriel: "Oh, I'd like to go first. I want to win because of the money. I'm not from a well-to-do family. The money will help me."

Janice: "Gee, thanks Gabriel."

Gabriel: "No problem."

Felix: "I think that was sarcasm."

Gladys: "Oh, another poor soul."

Gladys: "It's like they don't feed you or clothe you. I suppose that explains a lot."

Gladys: "Your inability to fund your education has manifested in such behaviour. I feel sorry for you, Mr. Ruen."

Gabriel: "That's so patronising. I don't want pity. Don't make it sound like I'm some dirty impoverished kid from the slums who scavenges for food scraps. You're not much better."

Janice: "That's the spirit! Give it to her!"

Gladys: "But I am. Your reaction justifies it."

James: "I have heard enough."

Gladys: "Excuse me?"

James: "I know what it's like for Gabriel. There's no need to mock the less wealthy and be such a bigot."

Gabriel: "Do you know what you are saying or who you are talking to, Mr. Sol?"

James: "Yes and yes."

James: "I can understand what he's going through. I had a less-than-desirable childhood myself. But that pushed me and brought me here today."

James: "And I will do whatever it takes to make sure I don't slip back into poverty."

"Sorry for the delay. There were some problems on our side. Anyway, you are gathered here today for your next mission. Each of you had been asked a question previously. Both options would have led to a task to be completed and the correct answer would have led to a task that is more suited for you. Now, each of you will have to answer a question that another contestant, contestant B, got asked. If you correctly predict what B answered, B will play for points. If you incorrectly predict what B answered, B will play for an exemption. Good luck."

***

"James, Janice was asked this question: Who said 'money makes the world go round'? James or Gladys? What would your answer be?"

James: "I don't recall ever saying that although it does sound like something I would say."

James: "I would think Janice was told this phrase before or it wouldn't be fair. If it's not me, then it must be Gladys. My answer is Gladys."

Janice: "James is money-minded enough so it sounds like something he would say. But I don't think it's that easy. And Gladys is corrupted so she could also have the same mentality. Whatever, I'll just go with James. If I'm wrong I'll just pretend I'm trolling and throw a wrench in the Mole's plans."

"Gladys, Felix was asked: Your mother and wife are drowning. You only have time to save one. Who do you save?"

Gladys: "But Mr. Kuchappe doesn't have a wife. Not any more."

Gladys: "I would think that means he would go for his mother. Yet if this was a hypotethical question, he would definitely want to save his wife to not lose her again. So it could go both ways."

Gladys: "His mother is rather old, however, so logically speaking it would make sense for Mr. Kuchappe to save his mother first. After much deliberation, my answer is that he would save his mother."

Felix: "This is such a difficult decision to make. I love both very dearly. But I think I will choose to save my mother. I've gone through the pain of losing my wife already. I don't want to go through the pain of losing my mother too."

"Janice, this is Gabriel's question: What did you say when you were first asked whether you wanted to be the Mole prior to joining? What is your answer to that question?"

Janice: "I think his answer is more important."

Janice: "But let's see...Gabriel definitely sounds like the type to say yes."

Janice: "But is that what he would answer? Knowing him, he most probably forgot what he answered before joining the Smole."

Janice: "And it is possible he would give the wrong answer, expecting the other party, which is me, to give the correct answer so that he can play for an exemption. But is he that devious?"

Janice: "Hmm...nah. I think it's more likely he forgot and if he's not the Mole he'll probably say no. So my answer is no."

Gabriel: "Sure, why not? It'll be fun. But wasn't I asked if I wanted to be the Mole before joining? Does the current Mole have to leave or something so you need a replacement?"

"Felix, Gladys's question is: What would Janice say is a more powerful weapon: laws or a seed? What would your answer be?"

Felix: "Hmm...this is a very weird question."

Felix: "Neither are physical weapons. How can a seed be a weapon? Unless it's in a metaphorical sense. And I have to guess what Gladys guessed Janice said."

Felix: "This is a very tough and layered question. I need to think hard about this."

Felix: "Okay, I think Gladys may try to counter Janice. Janice may try to use reverse psychology and say the seed, so Gladys would say laws are more powerful. And it makes sense too, given that she's a politician."

Gladys: "The seed. It's intangible and cannot be seen, and by the time one realises the seeds are sown it will be too late for they would have sprouted. Hence, it is very insidious."

"Gabriel, James's question is: What is the atomic mass of caesium in unified atomic mass units: 132.9u or 161.7u? Gabriel, what is your answer?"

Gabriel: "Oh, this is difficult. I never studied chemistry."

Gabriel: "There is no way James would know this. He's a lawyer, not a chemist."

Gabriel: "Or does he? Whatever. I shall just guess the first one."

James: "I don't know this. I think I'll just guess 132.9u."

***

James and Janice have been told to go somewhere to ascertain whether Janice answered her question correctly.

"Janice, you answered James. The correct answer is Gladys. James answered Gladys, so Janice, you shall play for an exemption."

"Using only your legs, keep the ball for at least 60 seconds. If the ball touches the floor at any point, you would have failed and not earn an exemption."

"Begin."

Janice: "Do it for the exemption! Ugh, I sound like a slave to capitalism."

Janice: "They said the leg. The knee is technically part of the leg."

Janice: "Don't lose focus."

Janice: "How many seconds more?"

"42 seconds."

Janice: "What? It's been only what...18 seconds?"

Janice: "***."

Janice: "It's not fair. I'm wearing a skirt and heeled shoes for Christ's sake. A warning would have been nice."

Janice: "I knew I was wrong the moment I had to go to the gym."

If Janice was correct, she would have had to type a certain text without making a single error in 60 seconds.

Gladys and Felix are off to do their task.

Felix has to identify three songs based on the first five seconds of each song to earn 20 points. Felix was correct (in the sense that his mother was older and couldn't swim but his wife could swim so his wife has a higher chance of surviving), and Gladys predicted correctly. Otherwise, Felix would need to count to 60 seconds (give or take one second) mentally without a stopwatch.

The first song plays.

Gladys: "You better get this right, Mr. Kuchappe."

Felix: "Shh...oh, I recognise this song. It's All of Me by John Legend."

"Correct."

"Next song."

Felix: "This is easy. Hey Jude by the Beatles."

"Correct. One more song to earn 20 points, or else you will be going back with 0."

Gladys: "Don't get it wrong when we've come so close."

Felix: "I'll try my best."

Gladys: "That isn't enough."

Felix: "Shh, it's starting."

Felix: "Oh, I know this...um, How Far I'll Go. It's from Moana."

"Correct. You earn 20 points."

Felix: "At least we finally get something."

Gabriel answered wrongly as a result of hearing the question wrongly. If he answered correctly, he would have to run 4 laps around a track within 12 minutes. Janice answered differently from Gabriel so Gabriel will play for an exemption.

Gabriel's task now is to solve a mathematical problem.

Gabriel: "I haven't touched maths for a long time."

Janice: "I'm not counting on him. It's Gabriel. It's a good thing he's playing for an exemption and not points because he won't be getting either."

Janice: "Stop doodling."

Gabriel: "I'm bored. Let me doodle a little."

Gabriel: "Is that how you differentiate? I don't remember."

Janice: "Hey, it looks like he may actually be getting somewhere. He doesn't need help. Not that I can. It's against the rules and I flunked maths."

Gabriel: "This diagram definitely helped me remember some differentiation rules."

Gabriel: "My answer is 2x^2 + 4e."

"Unfortunately, that is incorrect. The correct answer is 3x^2 + 8e^2."

Janice: "I held my hopes too high. Should have known."

Gabriel: "Hey that's not fair. I tried. You can come and do it if you think it's that easy."

Janice: "Ease on the angst, Gabriel."

Gladys has to paint something worth at least 20 Simoleons as determined by an art appraiser. She answered incorrectly and Felix answered differently from Gladys, so Gladys will play for an exemption.

Felix: "I don't think she can paint."

Gladys: "Just watch me."

Felix: "I am glad that I was wrong...or right, technically."

If Gladys had answered correctly, she would have to name the year in which the apartheid system was completely eradicated from South Africa.

Felix: "If I assume that everyone else predicted wrongly, the best we can earn is 20 points. That's pathetic."

Gladys: "Please be quiet, Mr. Kuchappe. You are disturbing me."

Felix: "Sorry."

Gladys: "I am done at last. I tried."

"After appraisal, this painting is worth 2 Simoleons."

Gladys: "What? This is preposterous. This is painted by a minister in South Africa! It cannot be worth so little!"

Gladys: "They are clearly prejudiced and blind. They just want to make things difficult."

Both James and Gabriel gave the correct answer, so James will play for 20 points.

James has to speed read a passage in 30 seconds then answer a question about it. His alternative task would have been to skinny dip in the cold ocean water for 20 minutes.