Legends: Rebirth-The Lost Knife Sheath of Jim Bowie

[The Bandit King]

Episode 40: The Lost Knife Sheath of Jim Bowie

The camera winds and twists its way through a thick jungle of strange and exotic plants. After a few wrong turns, it finally stops in front of an ancient Mayan temple. At the base of the temple, a giant stone head sits. Suddenly, the head’s eyes light up and it begins to speak:

“Legends of the Hidden Temple: Rebirth!” These words appear on the screen. “With your guide, Kirk Fogg! And here he is now!”

A middle-aged man wearing a denim shirt and blue jeans swings in on a rope. He drops down and runs up the Steps of Knowledge, microphone in hand.

“Thank you! Thank you, everybody! Nice to see everyone again! It’s good to see you again, Olmec! Welcome to Legends of the Hidden Temple: Rebirth. The rooms are filled with lost treasures protected by mysterious Mayan Temple Guards. Only Olmec knows the legends behind each of these newly discovered treasures in his temple…which one are we gonna hear about today, Olmec?”

“The legend of the Lost Knife Sheath of Jim Bowie,” Olmec replies.

“Oh, the Lost Knife Sheath of Jim Bowie,” Kirk repeats. “Well, the legend has been set, and one of these teams will have a chance to retrieve the Lost Knife Sheath—will it be:

“The Red Jaguars?” The camera zooms in on each team as they are introduced.
“The Blue Barracudas?
“The Green Monkeys?
“The Orange Iguanas?
“The Purple Parrots?
“Or the Silver Snakes?

“They’ll have to pass some tough physical and mental tests, but in the end, only one team will have the right to enter Olmec’s Temple. But first, they have to cross the Moat, and Olmec will tell them how they’ll have to do it today…”

Olmec begins to explain the Moat Crossing:
“Before you, a large tree has fallen across the Moat. When Kirk gives the signal, one player from each team will begin walking across the tree until they reach the other side. Once you’re safely across, your partner will cross in the same way. You may use the branches and roots of the tree as handholds; however, if you fall or if a knee touches the tree, you must go back and start again. Once both players reach the other side, run over and hit the gong.” Kirk hits the Silver Snakes’ gong to demonstrate. “The first four teams to hit their gongs will go on to the next round!”

“All right, let’s get started,” Kirk says. “Teams, are you ready?”
All six teams scream and cheer in response.
“Olmec, are you ready?” Kirk asks.
“I’m always ready,” Olmec replies.
“All right—great,” says Kirk. “Teams, on your mark, get set—GO!”

The first players from each team rush out onto the tree-shaped bridge, and begin scrambling to make it across. The Purple Parrots’ boy makes it across first, followed closely by the Blue Barracudas’ boy. The Orange Iguanas’ girl makes it across about fifteen seconds later. “They’ve gotta use those branches; hold on to ‘em to get their balance!” Kirk explains. The Green Monkeys’ boy slips and touches the tree with his knees, and is promptly sent back by the spotters. The Silver Snakes’ girl and Red Jaguars’ boy both fall off just as they are about to make it across. “Oh, they both fell in—back they go to try all over again!” Kirk narrates. The Purple Parrots’ girl, Blue Barracudas’ girl and Orange Iguanas’ boy all make it across the Moat, and they hit their team’s gongs in that order. “There’s one team—two teams—three teams, right off the bat!” Kirk narrates. “We need one more!” The Green Monkeys’ boy, Red Jaguars’ boy, and Silver Snakes’ boy all make it across, and their partners all begin to cross. “It’s down to these three teams—whoever makes it across first is goin’ on to the Steps of Knowledge!” Kirk explains. The Silver Snakes’ girl makes it about halfway across before she loses her footing and touches the tree with her knees. The spotters send her back as the Green Monkeys’ girl and the Red Jaguars’ girl both make it across at about the same time. They have a last-second dash to hit their gong, and the Red Jaguars beat out the Green Monkeys by just a small fraction of a second.

“That’s it—we’ve got our four teams!” Kirk exclaims as he runs over and stands beside the Purple Parrots. “That was neck-and-neck all the way, and the Purple Parrots were great—first team over, no problems at all. And now, going on to the Steps of Knowledge are the mighty Purple Parrots…and the tenacious Orange Iguanas…” Kirk pauses between each team’s name to allow applause. “…and the fiery Blue Barracudas…and the unstoppable Red Jaguars! The Green Monkeys and the Silver Snakes gave it a great effort, it was down to the wire—we’ve got a great gift for them anyway, and here’s what it is!” They receive a $50 gift certificate from GameStop.

[The Bandit King]

Kirk and the remaining four teams are now standing atop the Steps of Knowledge. “As the quest continues, it’s now time for Olmec to tell us about the Lost Knife Sheath of Jim Bowie. But teams, pay attention, because your knowledge of the legend could bring you a step closer to Olmec’s Temple…”

Olmec begins to tell the story:
“One of the most rugged men in history was the legendary mountaineer Jim Bowie. He fought at the famous Battle of the Alamo in Texas, and played a huge role in Texas’s independence from Mexico. He was also good friends with fellow frontiersman Davy Crockett. Jim became famous for his ruggedness, resilience, and his huge, sword-like knife, which he named after himself. One day, while attending a duel in Natchez, Mississippi, Jim was involved in a very violent brawl. The two duelists had resolved their differences non-violently, but the onlookers wanted more.
“‘Sissy!’ shouted Norris Wright, a Texas sheriff who had a rocky past with Jim Bowie. ‘Y’all are just walkin’ away from this fight ‘cause ya know he’ll beat yer sorry, skunk-suckin’, gopher-skinnin’ bee-hind!’
“Legend has it that Jim had heard enough. He emerged from the crowd and approached his long-time rival Sheriff Wright.
“‘Hey, that feller yer callin’ a sissy happens to be a friend of mine!’
“‘Shut yer pie-hole, Jim, ya flea-bitten, lily-livered, worthless piece-a’ garbage!’
“‘Hey, just a minute!’ said Jim. ‘Them’s fightin’ words!’
“‘Yeah, them’s fightin’ words!’ Sheriff Wright replied.
“Jim took his knife out of its sheath, knelt down, and drew a long line in the sand. ‘I dare ya ‘ta step across this here line.’
“Without hesitation, Sheriff Wright stepped across the line and stabbed Jim with a pocket knife. As Wright tried to draw his pistol, Jim kicked him in the shin, stabbed him in the stomach with his knife, and shot him a few times for good measure. A huge fight ensued, and when the dust cleared, many men were dead, including Sheriff Wright. Jim survived, however, and was seen by one man placing his knife back in its patent-leather sheath and walking away unperturbed. From that day forth, Jim Bowie became known as a legendary knife fighter, and the knife that bears his name is still manufactured today. The sheath that housed Jim’s original knife, however, disappeared…until now. Your quest is to find the Lost Knife Sheath of Jim Bowie and bring it back here.”

“Okay—thanks, Olmec,” Kirk replies. “So tell us, where is the Knife Sheath?”

“The Lost Knife Sheath of Jim Bowie can be found in the Snake Pit,” Olmec replies. The camera zooms in on the large leather sheath on the outer railing in the room before fading back to Kirk.

“Ooh…” Kirk remarks. “Okay teams, you’re now standing on the Steps of Knowledge. In a moment, Olmec’s gonna ask you a question. If you think you know the answer, just stomp down on that ancient marking in front of you. If you’re right, you’re gonna move down to the next level, but if you’re wrong or run out of time, I’ll give the other teams a chance.” Kirk begins descending the Steps. “The first two teams to make it to the bottom level will be one step closer to Olmec’s Temple. Olmec…we’re now ready for your first question.”

Olmec begins:
“Was Jim Bowie from: Arkansas, Texas, or Tennessee?”
The Orange Iguanas ring in. “Texas?”
“That is correct,” Olmec replies. The Orange Iguanas proceed to the second step.
“Orange Iguanas, step down,” Kirk instructs. “Next question.”

“What weapon is most associated with Jim Bowie: a gun, a knife, or a sword?”
The Purple Parrots ring in. “A knife.”
“That is correct,” Olmec responds. The Purple Parrots now step down to the second level.
“Purple Parrots can step down as well,” Kirk remarks. “Next question, please.”

“Which of these battles did Jim fight in: Bunker Hill, The Alamo, or Gettysburg?”
The Red Jaguars ring in. “The…Alamo…?”
“That…is correct,” Olmec replies. The Red Jaguars now join the Orange Iguanas and Purple Parrots on the second step.
“Red Jaguars are on the board now,” Kirk narrates. “Next question, Olmec.”

“In what Texas city is the Alamo located: Houston, San Antonio, or Dallas?”
The Orange Iguanas ring in. “San Antonio…?”
“That is correct,” Olmec replies. The Orange Iguanas step down to the penultimate level.
“The Orange Iguanas are now only one step away from the Temple Games,” Kirk narrates. “It’s anybody’s game, though—next question, please.”

“What famous frontiersman was a friend of Jim’s: Daniel Boone, Davy Crockett, or—”
The Red Jaguars ring in. “Davy Crockett…?”
“That…is correct,” Olmec replies. The Red Jaguars step down to the next-to-last level.
“The Red Jaguars are also now one step away,” Kirk observes. “There’s still time for the other teams, though—next question.”

“In what state did Jim get involved in a brawl: Alabama, Mississippi, or Missouri?”
After a long pause, the Blue Barracudas ring in. “Um…Alabama…?”
“Incorrect,” Olmec replies.
The Orange Iguanas ring in. “Mississippi…?
“That…is correct,” Olmec booms. The Orange Iguanas step down to the bottom and high-ten one another.
“The Orange Iguanas are goin’ on to the Temple Games,” Kirk remarks. “We still need one more team, though. Who’s it gonna be—the Red Jaguars, the Blue Barracudas, or the…Purple Parrots? Olmec, continue.”

“What was the name of Jim’s arch-rival: the Sheriff of Nottingham, Sheriff Wright, or Deputy Dog?”
The Red Jaguars ring in. “Sheriff Wright…?”
“That is correct!” Olmec booms. The Red Jaguars hop down to join the Orange Iguanas on the bottom step.

“And we’ve got our two teams!” exclaims Kirk as he rushes over and stands between them. “They are the Red Jaguars, and the Orange Iguanas! Blue Barracudas and Purple Parrots did great, too—come down here, guys. We’re not sending you guys home empty-handed. We’ve got a great gift for ‘em, and here’s what that gift is!” They receive Ice Age: Dawn of the Dinosaurs on DVD.

Kirk is now seen standing between the two advancing teams. “These two teams will go head-to-head for a right to enter Olmec’s Temple, and we’ll see that right after this!”

The camera zooms over Kirk and the two teams and comes to a stop just outside the Dark Forest, where it zooms in on a small fake lizard outside the room. The title appears onscreen, and we go to a commercial.

[The Bandit King]

We return from the break to find Kirk standing in front of the Temple with the two remaining teams.

“Welcome back to Legends: Rebirth,” he says. “Now, the glory goes to the fastest and the strongest…

“So let’s hear it for Drew and Emily of the Red Jaguars!” The audience claps for the short blue-eyed girl with curly brown hair and the much taller brown-eyed boy with short brown hair.

“And Lee and Samantha of the Orange Iguanas!” The audience claps for the brown-eyed girl with very long, shiny black hair and the taller blue-eyed boy with reddish-brown hair and freckles.

“All right, are you ready?” Kirk asks.

“Yeah!” the teams reply.

“All right—man your battle stations,” Kirk instructs, and the teams head off to prepare from the Temple Games. “Now, in these Temple Games, our teams are competing for…” Kirk retrieves a Pendant of Life from his pouch and holds it up to the camera. “…Pendants of Life. The winning team will need Pendants to help protect them from those dreaded Temple Guards that lurk inside Olmec’s Temple. There are three Temple Games. Olmec, will you…”

“I know, I know,” Olmec interrupts. The black lights under Olmec come on and he begins to explain the first Game:

“After the brawl that made him famous, Jim may have jumped on his horse and rode off into the sunset. In this game, we will test your horseback riding skills. When Kirk gives the signal, hold on tight, because the horse you’re riding will begin to gallop. If you fall off, your opponent will receive a point. The player who falls off the horse the fewest amount of times in sixty seconds…wins.”

“It’s a wild, wild ride in the Wild, Wild West,” Kirk says. “Let’s put sixty seconds on the clock!” The clock slams down in the bottom corner, set for the default time. “On your mark, get set, GO!”

On Kirk’s word, the spotters begin agitating the horse-shaped sandbags. Both girls manage to hang on for a good while, but with 40 seconds remaining, Emily falls off her horse. As the agitation restarts, Samantha is noticeably slipping, but Emily falls off again with 22 seconds left. Almost immediately after the spotters start up again, Samantha falls off her sandbag. As the agitation increases in the last 15 seconds of the game, Emily falls off again. Not five seconds later, Samantha falls off for a second time. Soon afterward, the game ends.

“Okay, that’s it!” Kirk remarks, running back onscreen. “Both of you, down off the horses—it’s not easy trying to hang onto something that wild. But let’s see how we did…” Kirk glances back at the scorecards. “The Red Jaguars got two points, and…the Orange Iguanas got three points! The Orange Iguanas get the half Pendant of Life!” The audience applauds for a few seconds. “Red Jaguars can still catch up in this next game. It’s worth a half Pendant—Olmec, tell us about Temple Game #2…”

Olmec begins:
“In Jim’s time, being a good knife-fighter wasn’t enough—a man had to be an accurate sharpshooter as well. In this game, your aim will be tested. Before you lies a target with nine compartments. When Kirk gives the signal, place a ball between your legs, swing out, and drop it inside one of the chambers. Then swing back, grab another ball and try again. The first player to fill all nine compartments, or…the team that fills the most chambers in sixty seconds…wins.”

“Let’s see how good our teams’ aim is,” Kirk says. “First, let’s get sixty seconds on the clock!” The clock slams down in the bottom corner with a loud gong sound. “On your mark, get set, GO!”

The spotters place a ball between both Drew’s and Lee’s feet, and both boys swing out to the target. They both score on their first shot, with Lee getting a dead-center shot and Drew hitting the middle-left compartment. Both boys manage to hit three more targets without getting any balls in the same place until 33 seconds are left, when Drew drops another ball in the dead-center space. They each go back and forth with their score, getting a few balls in previously occupied spaces, until the game ends.

“Okay, that’s it!” Kirk shouts as he appears back onscreen. “That was some good shootin’ there, Tex! Let’s see how we did…” Kirk kneels beside the targets and begins to count. “We’re not counting the balls that went in the same spot, so the Red Jaguars got one, two, three, four, five balls; and the Orange Iguanas got…one, two, three, four, five, six balls! The Orange Iguanas get another half Pendant of Life!” The audience applauds some more. “So now, the Orange Iguanas are ahead, one Pendant to nothing. But now, we go to the third and final Temple Game. It’s worth one full Pendant of Life, and the Red Jaguars can still tie it up. Olmec, tell us about Temple Game #3, please…”

Olmec begins to explain the final Temple Game:
“In the legendary battle of the Alamo, Jim Bowie, Davy Crockett, and almost a hundred other men fought to stave off a massive army of Mexican soldiers. In this game, you’ll have to take down only four. When Kirk gives the signal, load your slingshot and shoot a ball at one of the soldiers. Then your partner will load the slingshot. The first team to knock down all four soldiers, or…the team that knocks over the most soldiers in sixty seconds wins!”

“They’re neck-and-neck, but this one is for the Temple,” Kirk explains. “Let’s put sixty seconds on the clock, please!” The clock slams down in the bottom corner with the usual sound effect. “Thank you…let me just get out of the way here. Ready, aim, FIRE!”

Both teams miss their targets completely on their first shot, but they both nail the left middle target on the next ball they lob. The Red Jaguars manage to knock over the leftmost target with 44 seconds remaining, but the Orange Iguanas tie it up three seconds later by knocking over the remaining middle target. The Orange Iguanas knock over their leftmost target with 35 seconds left, but the Red Jaguars knock down their right middle target two seconds later to even up the score again. Neither team scores any points for a good while, and balls go flying everywhere. With nine seconds left, the Orange Iguanas finally knock over their final target to win the game.

“Okay, that’s it!” Kirk shouts as he rushes back onscreen. “That’s it—the Orange Iguanas knocked down all their targets first, so they get the full Pendant. That gives them two; the Red Jaguars didn’t get any—the Orange Iguanas are goin’ to the Temple!” Lee and Samantha high-five one another as the Red Jaguars applaud politely. “Red Jaguars, come over here—you guys were great, too, and you’re not going home empty-handed. There’s a great gift waiting for you, and here’s what it is!” They receive a custom-made Legends of the Hidden Temple: Rebirth watch.

As the prize disappears off-screen, we see Kirk standing between Lee and Samantha. “We’ll see if the Orange Iguanas can make it through Olmec’s Temple and retrieve that Lost Knife Sheet—Sheath of Jim Bowie, right after this!”

The camera pans in on the Snake Pit and zooms in on the Lost Knife Sheath before the title appears onscreen, and we fade to a commercial.

[The Bandit King]

We return from the break to find Kirk standing in front of the Temple with the winning team.

“Welcome back to Legends: Rebirth,” he says. “The Orange Iguanas have made it this far; now they have the chance to enter Olmec’s Temple. But first, Olmec will give them some information to help them retrieve the Lost Knife Sheath of Jim Bowie…”

Olmec begins to explain the layout as the camera gives us a first-person tour of the Temple:
“You could start…by running up the stairs to the Crypt! Grab the book from the skeletons, and pass into the Rope Labyrinth! Maneuver through the ropes, and climb into the Magician’s Chamber. Pull the rabbit from the correct hat, and a door may open into the Clockwork Room. Set the clocks for the correct time, and pass into the Room…of the Golden Torches! Light the correct torch, and open the door to the SHRIIIINE of the Silver Monkey! Assemble the statue and you may be headed toward the Room…of the Secret Password. Find the tablet with the correct inscription and shout it out to open the door to the Pharaoh’s Secret Passage. Slide down the tunnel to the Dungeon, where you could smash through the wall into the Dark Forest…but beware of the Temple Guards that may inhabit the trees! Find the key in the tree, and you’ll enter…the Snake Pit. Place the snakes in the hollow stump, and you’ll gain entry to the Atlantean Altar. Uncover the tile that lets in the waters of Atlantis, then…crawl through the Labyrinth, climb through the Ledges, race down the stairs and back through the Temple Gate! The choices are yours and yours alone!” Olmec pauses. “You won 2 Pendants in the Temple Games. Who’s going first?”

“I am,” says Samantha.

“Very well, Samantha,” Olmec replies. “When Kirk gives the signal, you’ll race through the Gates into the Temple and make your way toward the Lost Knife Sheath. Hidden inside the Temple are Temple Guards assigned to protect three specific rooms. You can trade your Pendant for an extra life and go on, but…if you’re caught without a Pendant, you’ll be taken out of the Temple, and it’ll be Lee’s turn to enter and try her luck. If you can reach the Lost Knife Sheath, all the doors of the Temple will instantly unlock, and the Temple Guards will vanish. Return through the Gates with the Lost Knife Sheath of Jim Bowie in three minutes, and you’ll both be handsomely rewarded…and here’s how!”

• Just for making it this far, they’ll get a sports package from Outdoor Products.
• If they can grab the Lost Knife Sheath within three minutes, they’ll also receive a laptop computer from Toshiba.
• And if they can bring the Lost Knife Sheath out of the Temple before three minutes expires, they’ll win a trip to San Antonio, Texas.

“All right, a trip to San Antonio—will they be able to claim it?” Kirk asks. “Let’s find out—you both need to get your mouf…mouthpieces in. Samantha, you get out in front here—set the clock for three minutes!” The clock slams down in the corner, all set to go.

“Olmec, lower your gate.” Olmec moans gutturally as the gate is lowered, and the black lights under him go out.

“On your mark,” Kirk begins, “get set, GO!”

Samantha dashes up the stairs, clutching her Pendant. She soon enters the Crypt, and pulls all three books before the door to the Rope Labyrinth opens (2:53). “Okay, into the Rope Labyrinth,” Kirk narrates as Samantha progresses onward. “This girl’s fast, she plays basketball and softball—we’ll see if that can help her out here!” After a little trouble maneuvering through the ropes, Samantha reaches the other side of the room, where she hits the actuator for the Magician’s Chamber. The door doesn’t open, so she tries the actuator for the Clockwork Room. This door does open, so she heads into the room (2:30). After glancing at the clock on the door leading upward, she begins setting all the clocks in the room for 12 o’clock. The camera cuts to Lee on the ground below, clapping and cheering. Samantha sets all the clocks in the room for the correct time, opening the doors to both the Room of the Golden Torches and the Magician’s Chamber—but also revealing the first TEMPLE GUARD hiding behind the door to the latter room (2:09)! “Oh, a Temple Guard was waiting for her!” Kirk narrates as Samantha screams. “She’s got a Pendant, though—she’s got two Pendants!” Samantha fumbles with her Pendant for a few seconds before actually handing it over, then progresses into the Room of the Golden Torches. She grabs the torch-lighter at the back of the room and begins touching the torches on the pedestals at the front of the room, in order, from left to right. It takes all three torches before the final one lights up, and the door to the Shrine of the Silver Monkey opens (1:49). “Okay, she got it,” Kirk narrates. “Now it’s on to the Shriiine of the Siiiiiilver Monkey!” Samantha steps into the room, but no sooner has she done so than the second TEMPLE GUARD emerges from the secret door in the room and grabs her (1:45).

“Oh, second Temple Guard! Lee’s gotta get moving now!” Kirk instructs, and Lee begins running up the stairs. He follows Samantha’s path directly, eventually making it to the Shrine (1:20). He grabs all three pieces in one trip, and brings them back to the front of the room. He places the base without any trouble (1:12), but has a little trouble aligning the middle. After fumbling with it for a few seconds, he finally aligns it correctly, and then jams down the head, opening the door to the Dungeon (0:59). “He’s got it—down to the dark, dark Dungeon!” Kirk narrates. Lee begins climbing down into the Dungeon, climbing all the way down before dismounting the ladder. As soon as he does, though, he’s ambushed by the third TEMPLE GUARD (0:50). “Oh, there’s the third Temple Guard!” Kirk exclaims. “Give him the Pendant—hurry!” Lee hands over his Pendant, and breaks down the wall into the Dark Forest. He reaches into the stage-left tree in search of a key, but comes out with nothing. He tries the stage-right key, and sure enough, he finds one, and inserts it into the slot beside the door leading to the Snake Pit. The door opens, and Lee enters the room, clambers to the front guardrail, and grabs the LOST KNIFE SHEATH (0:31).

“There, he’s got the Knife Sheath!” Kirk narrates. “Now all he has to do is get out with it!” Lee scrambles over the fake vegetation in the room and soon enters the Atlantean Altar, where he begins climbing the ladder up to the Clockwork Room (0:25). “Up to the Clock Room—twenty-three seconds!” Kirk narrates. Lee exits the Clockwork Room and begins clambering through the top part of the Rope Labyrinth, making it across with little time to spare (0:09). He enters the Crypt (0:07), darts through the room (0:04), and begins running down the stairs—but time expires before he crosses the Gate!

“That’s it! He did it!” Kirk says as Lee exits the Temple with the Lost Knife Sheath. “Wait, wait—NOOO!!! He didn’t make it in time! It was a photo finish, but we go by what our judges say, and they say he didn’t quite make it!” Lee and Samantha look shocked at the recent developments. “They were this close, but it just wasn't meant for them to do it! Tough, tough break—what a heartbreaking development! But still, they get the sports package, and they also get the laptops for reaching the Knife Sheath. This was an exciting day, but sadly, we’ve gotta go. Join us again next time, but remember: it’s not just Legends, it’s Legends: Rebirth!”

Kirk and Lee wave to the crowd as the credits begin to roll, and Samantha looks to still be in disbelief. The camera shows various parts of the set, including a pile of rocks beside Olmec, a fake snake coiled around the Orange Iguanas’ torch next to the Moat, and a close-up of an “abandoned” backpack and pickaxe propped up next to the Dungeon. Kirk is seen comforting Lee and Samantha, and tears look to be welling up in Samantha’s eyes as the credits finish rolling.

[The Bandit King]

The Lost Knife Sheath of Jim Bowie
Season 1, Layout 5
Artifact Location: The Snake Pit
Team: Orange Iguanas (Lee Morgan & Samantha McConnell)
Pendants: 2
Result: Ran out of time (acquired artifact)

Don’t let the diagram fool you—this was a loss. But I’ll be darned if it’s the closest and most heartbreaking loss I’ve ever seen. The kids did almost everything correctly during the Temple Run, but still came up short.

Samantha did all right for what fate gave her. She got caught up for a few seconds in the Rope Labyrinth, and took a while to hand her Pendant over in the Clockwork Room, but other than that, she did pretty well. She was taken out in the Shrine with a full 1:45 to go.

Lee also did all right, even though he hit a bit of a snag putting the Silver Monkey together. He grabbed the Knife Sheath with a healthy 31 seconds left. You’d think with his speed and the amount of time he had left over, this would be a win, right? Wrong. Lee lacked one vital thing every contestant should have during the Temple Run—an escape plan. Thinking it’d be faster, Lee took the ladder up to the Clockwork Room, costing him valuable time. Also, he met the rope-filled top part of the Rope Labyrinth, costing him more time. He was just about to come down the stairs and through the Temple Gate when time expired.

If Lee hadn’t have taken this ridiculously bad way out, this would have definitely been a win. It’s just a shame that the last episode of Season 1 had to pan out this way.

Rating: 7.5 out of 10

Notes and Trivia: This is obviously the closest loss in the show’s tenure. It’s also the only time an artifact hidden in the Snake Pit is reached.

Temple Diagram made by JTH1

[The Dark Enforcer]

I call dibs on BULLSHIT!!!

These producers musty have absolutely no fucking heart!

[The Ancient Warrior]

I think the creative thing about the outcome is that it's a failed escape, but the player tried to exit via the upper floor.  I'm surprised that never seemed to happen in the actual show (well, unless they only got to the artifact with like three seconds left), so I gotta say it was good that you acknowledged it, and it definitely made for an exciting Temple Run? an unsuccessful run, sure, but an exciting one nonetheless.

I suppose it would've been a little too much of a coincidence to expect a victory as the season finale, but this was still very well-written and suspenseful.  Whether or not you wanted to take a break before starting in on Season 2, I can't wait for it.

[The Bamboo Forest]

One of just the many times that, if I was the contestant, I would slap Kirk and yell "SHUT THE FUCK UP ALREADY!" at the end. So good job with the realism there, TBK.

[karmew32]

What would've made it more heartbreaking is if TV replays clearly showed that he crosses the finish line, like what happened in Armando Galarraga's unofficial perfect game.

P.S. What was closer, this, or the Broken Wing of Icarus? Also, how far away was Lee from the finish line when time expired?

[karmew32]

Hello?

[The Bamboo Forest]

Patience, TBK hasn't been here today yet.

[The Bandit King]

What would've made it more heartbreaking is if TV replays clearly showed that he crosses the finish line, like what happened in Armando Galarraga's unofficial perfect game.

P.S. What was closer, this, or the Broken Wing of Icarus? Also, how far away was Lee from the finish line when time expired?

This was indeed closer than "The Broken Wing of Icarus". I didn't really think about measurements, but I can definitely see him being less than a foot away from the finish line before time ran out.

[karmew32]

What would've made it more heartbreaking is if TV replays clearly showed that he crosses the finish line, like what happened in Armando Galarraga's unofficial perfect game.

P.S. What was closer, this, or the Broken Wing of Icarus? Also, how far away was Lee from the finish line when time expired?

This was indeed closer than "The Broken Wing of Icarus". I didn't really think about measurements, but I can definitely see him being less than a foot away from the finish line before time ran out.

I can see him actually crossing the finish line, but the judges saying he didn't cross it. I think that's what happened in this episode. I think you should make an episode where that happens (the judges saying they didn't make it when they actually did).

By the way, where is the finish line? The bottom of the stairs? Or where that gate that Olmec pulls down is?

[The Bandit King]

Never really thought about it. I've always considered the "finish line" to be the bottom of the stairs, personally...

[The Ancient Warrior]

I tend to think of it as that landing halfway up the stairs, where the gate stands, but I suppose that'd vary from writer to writer and viewer to viewer.