Contestants and the direct path

[The Red Jaguars]

One subject we like to talk about all the time on Legends is contestants taking direct paths and hurting their chances at a temple win. Sometimes when a contestant takes a direct path, it usually results in them taking a longer route or they will encounter an additional temple guard or two. I know taking the direct path all the time isn't a bad thing, just look at wins like "The Mask of Shaka Zulu" and "The Snake Bracelet of Cleopatra".

I think it would be nice to compile a list of various temple appearances where taking the direct path hurt a team in a way. For this list, we are not trying to find every single contestant who took the direct path. Rather, a contestant or team who got screwed over by the direct path.

Here's a few examples:

The Pendant of Kamehameha - Robbie
This one is a no-brainer at all. Had Robbie went into the Heart Room or even the Observatory, then he would've avoided the Throne Room guard for sure and maybe even the Heart Room guard too had he went up into the Observatory. Taking the direct path in this run caused this temple win to end in triple capture.

The Stone Head of the Evil King - Heather
While its not 100% guaranteed that Medusa's Lair door would open from the Pit, I am pretty sure Heather could've went into that room from the Pit. Had she went in there instead of the Throne Room, then I think she would've done a better job on Medusa's Head.

The Melted Head of Madame Tussaud - Nicholas
Season three had quite a few episodes where both the very top of the central shaft and very bottom of the central shaft opened up when the column was knocked down. This run was an example of one of them. In Nicholas's case, starting on the bottom floor where the Melted Head was located at caused him to scale the entire shaft. We do know that he could've avoided the entire shaft, as evident by Jennifer running straight to the King's Storeroom from the Pit. This would've saved the team a lot of time and maybe Jennifer could've reached the Melted Head?

What other temple appearances do you think taking the direct path had a negative impact on the run?

[Purple Parrots Fan]

Well, this "direct to path" talk is much better than complaining about every single contestant taking the direct path in the merest ways. And more to add on to your list would be:

Joe from Elizabeth The First's Golden Ship: His strategy was literally just "march right into the Throne Room and grab the ship." But, the plan failed, as he met his first temple guard in the Cave. And the team ended up getting captured in the quickest time ever because of the direct path strategy.

Peter from the Electrified Key of Benjamin Franklin: Just like the aforementioned episode, Peter thought just going straight into the Throne Room would work. But it didn't, and he continued to try for a direct path by going into Medusa's Lair, where he met his first temple guard. Had he just gone straight into the King's Storeroom, he would have recorded a solo victory.

Shay from Henry VIII's Great Seal: Just like with Kamehameha, the direct path ruined the teams chances of winning. Since the first temple guard was in the Cave and everything. Had Shay just entered the Gargoyle Room instead of the Cave, the run wouldn't have ended in triple capture. But then again, we probably wouldn't have had that hilarious ending of Nick jumping out of the temple if there was no triple capture.

[The Red Jaguars]

Yeah, in the past people like outer space believed that EVERY contestant took the direct path. Some people he said that took the direct path include:

He said that Ryan from "The Pearl Necklace of Gwalior" was trying to take the direct path just because he cleared rubble in front of the Tomb of the Headless Kings door. Umm no, I don't see how he was taking the direct path. It looked like to me he just struggled a little bit in the Pit.

Another one he said that took a direct path was Ty from "The Lucky Medallion of Atocha". Just because Ty started in the Ledges doesn't mean that he was going for the direct path. Especially considering the Medallion was located clear across the temple and Ty didn't take the direct path from the Pit.

Joe from Elizabeth The First's Golden Ship: His strategy was literally just "march right into the Throne Room and grab the ship." But, the plan failed, as he met his first temple guard in the Cave. And the team ended up getting captured in the quickest time ever because of the direct path strategy.

Even though this was a season one episode and they might have not known better at times about the direct path, you would think that this plan would be a little too obvious though. I mean why would anyone think it takes two rooms to reach an artifact in the first place? This is the exact reason why it ended in triple capture too.

Peter from the Electrified Key of Benjamin Franklin: Just like the aforementioned episode, Peter thought just going straight into the Throne Room would work. But it didn't, and he continued to try for a direct path by going into Medusa's Lair, where he met his first temple guard. Had he just gone straight into the King's Storeroom, he would have recorded a solo victory.

And this is the exact reason why this team lost, because Peter kept beelining for the direct path. Taking the direct path in some runs could make a difference between a solo victory and an additional temple guard capture. This is a perfect example of how beelining the direct path will cause a team to meet extra temple guards.

Shay from Henry VIII's Great Seal: Just like with Kamehameha, the direct path ruined the teams chances of winning. Since the first temple guard was in the Cave and everything. Had Shay just entered the Gargoyle Room instead of the Cave, the run wouldn't have ended in triple capture. But then again, we probably wouldn't have had that hilarious ending of Nick jumping out of the temple if there was no triple capture. 

Yup, this team pretty much meet the same fate as the "Golden Ship" kids except that their temple guard encounters were more spread out. But once again, taking a direct path entrance room made a difference between a run ending in success and one ending in triple capture.

[The Red Jaguars]

Here's a few more:

The Jeweled-Necklace of Montezuma - Kevin

Kevin encountered both guards in the Crypt and Medusa's Lair. Both of these guards could've been avoided though had he started in the Ledges and went straight into the Swamp. This would've gave the team at a chance for a solo victory. Too bad, considering the swept the temple games too.

The Useless Map of the Chibcha Chieftain - Hallie

Just like "Kamehameha", had this team not entered the Tomb, then this run wouldn't have ended in triple capture. They also wouldn't have had to worry about that trek up the central shaft. Too bad though, they were pretty decent players too.

[Purple Parrots Fan]

Yeah, in the past people like outer space believed that EVERY contestant took the direct path. Some people he said that took the direct path include:

He said that Ryan from "The Pearl Necklace of Gwalior" was trying to take the direct path just because he cleared rubble in front of the Tomb of the Headless Kings door. Umm no, I don't see how he was taking the direct path. It looked like to me he just struggled a little bit in the Pit.

Oh, that was ridiculous. Just because someone is trying to clear rubble so he can climb the walls better, doesn't mean the contestant "is taking a direct path." I swear, I never understood his reasonings at times.

Another one he said that took a direct path was Ty from "The Lucky Medallion of Atocha". Just because Ty started in the Ledges doesn't mean that he was going for the direct path. Especially considering the Medallion was located clear across the temple and Ty didn't take the direct path from the Pit.

Yeah, notice how when Ty got to the Pit, he went straight to the King's Storeroom and NOT the Throne Room? Though if he had started in the Crypt, he wouldn't have run into any temple guards.

As far as your above choices go, I completely agree about Kevin. The lengths that he went to to try for a direct path. While Kelly screwed up the monkey, at least she knew to start in the Ledges and avoid Medusa's Lair. Had Kevin not tried for a direct path, this could have been a no guards solo victory, much like the Enormous Ring temple run. Assuming the Dark Forest guard was avoidable as well.

I sort of disagree about Hallie though. She probably didn't want to waste time climbing the walls in the Pit, ala Veronica. That's probably why she went into the Tomb at the last second. Sure, that's what caused the team to lose, but I hardly consider that a direct path at all.