The Titan Games (2019–…): Season 1, Episode 4 - The Titan Games Trials 4 - full transcript
Dwayne Johnson invites eight new competitors to test themselves on the most insane physical challenges ever devised - including one challenge 30 feet above the ground - in the hopes of ...
[rock music]
On The Titan Games,
all of our competitors
have had their share
of setbacks.
The important thing
is what happens next.
♪ At times, I had my doubts ♪
♪ Some days, I didn't know ♪
How do you bounce back?
How do you move forward?
How you deal with it
and overcome it,
well, that's
what makes a Titan.
From age 21 to 23,
I was self-medicating
with alcohol.
At that point, I said
"I have to stop drinking."
I give life
everything I have now.
-♪ Let's be ♪
-[Alex] Let's go!
♪ Iconic, let's defeat
The odds today ♪
There's no weight
I can't lift.
There's no wall I can't climb.
There's no hurdle
I can't overcome.
I can succeed regardless of
what circumstance I was given.
♪ Until they know our name ♪
That was amazing.
♪ Because we are, we are
The warriors tonight ♪
[Dwayne] Tonight
eight warriors who demonstrate
extraordinary strength
in their everyday lives
take on our epic challenges...
[Alex] Are you kidding me?
[Dwayne] for a chance
to advance to Mount Olympus
and claim the title of Titan.
♪ Don't let, don't let them
Take away your fight ♪
♪ Because we are ♪
♪ Warriors ♪
-♪ We are, we are ♪
-♪ I'm a warrior tonight ♪
♪ We are warriors, warriors ♪
[wind blowing]
[cheers and applause]
[Alex] Please welcome
Dwayne "The Rock" Johnson!
Yes!
Let's have some fun.
Here we go.
[dramatic music]
Welcome to Titan Arena.
You know, I have to tell you,
these games
have already exceeded
my expectations,
and you guys know
my expectations
were very high to begin with.
[cheers and applause]
So let's get started.
Helping me out tonight
here in the Titan Arena,
the one, the only.
Here is Cari Champion.
[dramatic music]
All right, thanks, DJ.
This is a battle
between two guys
who have serious day jobs,
and they're pretty
serious athletes.
One's a lawyer who's also
a expert martial artist.
The other?
Well, he's a business analyst
who's all business
when it comes to fitness.
[groovy music]
Reaching The Titan Games
requires perseverance,
and business analyst
Kwame Sarfo has been tested.
I thought,
"First job out of college,
I'm going to get $100,000
and buy that new car."
It didn't work out like that,
so for about ten weeks,
I found myself
living in the back of my car.
It was a tough time,
but it helped me
build my character.
[cheering]
I started recording myself
doing these crazy pushups
on Instagram,
and it just blew up.
People loved it.
Got about a million views
in three days.
Where is Kwame Sarfo?
And then Ellen liked it.
She brought me on.
[cheers and applause]
[groovy music]
What... What's happening?
Oh, my God!
That took me to 11 million
views on the Internet,
which was amazing.
But it's time for the world
to see that I'm not
just the push-up guy.
There's more to me
than push-ups.
[Cari] Kwame works full time
as a business analyst,
and still finds a way
to hit the gym
14 times a week.
[dramatic music]
A Titan is someone
that's made,
made from circumstances,
made from things
that happen in life.
I've put in the time. I've put
in the sweat, the effort.
The Titan Games
are what I'm meant for.
I will be a Titan.
[dramatic music]
[Cari] Some people
are satisfied
being a jack-of-all-trades,
master of none.
Lawyer Derik Scott
wants to master everything.
I want to find my limit
physically, mentally,
every single day.
Because if I'm
not finding my limit,
then I'm leaving something
on the table.
♪ Burn it up
Got the fire in me ♪
♪ Nothing's stopping
My victory ♪
[Cari] Derik has competed
in wrestling,
diving, karate,
and gymnastics.
From the time
I was four years old,
I could do a backflip.
[Cari] He recently had his
first professional MMA fight.
Competing in
professional fights
is about as close
as you can get
to getting into a arena
and being a gladiator
or a Titan.
[announcer] Derik Scott!
When the bell rings, I can
compete at peak performance
and be ready for anything.
That is going to help me
win The Titan Games.
♪ Yeah, it's going down
Undefeated ♪
[cheers and applause]
Hello, everyone.
I'm Liam McHugh,
with my partner
Alex "Goldenboy" Mendez.
Our competitors
better run for cover
with this
next challenge, Alex.
That's right. There's nowhere
to hide from the Cyclone.
With this deranged test of
core strength and stability,
you'll need to whip around
a suspended 60-pound
wrecking ball.
The goal is to knock over
all five pillars
that are each nearly
two stories tall.
[Liam] The challenge is
as the circumference
of the ball's path increases,
it will require even more
strength to maintain control.
First to topple
all five pillars
makes the cut
for Mount Olympus.
[cheers and applause]
Sometimes, life takes a big
swing and knocks you down,
but no matter how bad it looks,
every one of us
has the power to pick
ourselves up and swing back.
I wanted this challenge
to literally be
one of those times.
So Kwame, Derik, take charge,
and come out swinging.
This is Cyclone.
[dramatic music]
[Liam] Derik Scott,
he's in the red.
Kwame Sarfo in the blue.
You have the five pillars
and the 60-pound
wrecking ball.
-Who can get them down first?
-Come on!
[Alex] Derik's actually
going to manage
to take one down right away,
and then Kwame,
right behind him
as well, Liam.
[Liam] Here's what makes this
challenge so tough, Goldenboy.
If you don't keep
constant tension on the rope,
the ball will keep moving back
towards the middle.
[grunting]
And Derik gets his second one.
[Alex] Derik has
the right idea.
He's backing himself around,
staying in line
with the path of the ball.
Derik just hit another one!
They're kicking ass.
Whoo! You got this!
It's getting there. Come on.
[grunting]
[Liam] Derik Scott,
three down.
And Kwame gets his second.
And Derik strikes again!
He's got four down.
Incredible!
[Alex] Kwame is
a master of push-ups,
but he can't get control
of that rope right now.
Derik Scott,
the lawyer and fighter,
is one pillar away from
his shot to become a Titan.
[Liam] Kwame,
the business analyst,
connects with number three.
He's finding his rhythm.
Derik Scott,
reeling in the slack,
-is coming back around.
-[Alex] One more pillar.
[grunts]
-[Liam] And there it goes!
-[yelling]
[dramatic music]
Yes, baby! Let's get it!
-Wow!
-Derik's fired up.
He did great.
Whoo!
-[Liam] Derik Scott...
-[yells]
has himself a court date
with Mount Olympus.
It's the first of our
four challenges tonight.
The two men
and two women that win
will face off for the chance
to become a Titan
and continue on
in this competition.
[dramatic music]
We're here at The Titan Games
at Titan Arena,
the monstrosity that we built
for the biggest athletic
competition show
in the history of TV.
And here's
what makes this special,
the people.
[cheers and applause]
Welcome to The Titan Games.
[laughs]
Uh, what I wanted to do
with this competition...
this crowd is crazy,
by the way...
is inspire people to become
Titans in their own lives.
And judging by the energy
in this arena tonight,
I think it's working.
You guys feeling good?
[cheers and applause]
You guys ready
to have some fun?
[crowd cheering]
Yes!
And do it completely naked.
[cheers and applause]
[laughs]
By the way, that was
completely hypothetical.
Keep your clothes on,
all right?
Especially you, Goldenboy.
Okay.
Now, let's get on
to another battle. Here we go.
All right, DJ,
these next two competitors
are not just brave,
but they're fierce.
One's a horse whisperer
who crushes 50-mile
obstacle course races,
and the other
overcame addiction
and found a new life
through fitness.
[dramatic music]
Three years ago,
Melody Schofield
was a long way from competing
in The Titan Games.
Her battle was with
alcohol addiction.
It became an extremely
normal thing to me
to just have a glass of wine
or a shot in the morning
to feel normal.
At that point, I said
"I have to stop drinking."
I give life everything
I have now.
I train four hours a day,
five days a week.
I'm never going to drink again.
Now I'm a certified
recovery specialist.
Being able to help people
where I was
is extremely rewarding to me.
[soft music]
-[phone rings]
-Hello?
I'm looking
for somebody named Melody.
I am a huge fan of Dwayne.
-Hi.
-Melody, Dwayne Johnson.
-How are you?
-Oh, my God.
I'm freaking out, actually.
But I'm amazing.
Uh, I hear
they call you The Pebble.
Yes, they do!
My nickname, it's The Pebble,
because I look like
a female version of The Rock,
just a smaller version.
I want to say
congratulations and welcome.
Oh, my God!
[laughter]
That's a lot of good emotions
right there for Melody.
[Cari] Becoming a Titan
doesn't mean
spending endless hours
in the gym.
Christiana Rugloski spends
most of her time outdoors,
and she's constantly moving.
I work at
an equi-therapy facility...
You're a real cowboy.
with children and adults
with physical
and mental disabilities.
Remember to slide your hands
down your reins a little bit.
-Good.
-♪ You're looking for ♪
My job is very physical,
and I love being outside.
I enjoy the manual labor,
you know?
You're working with
dirty stuff, heavy stuff,
but it's really satisfying
to me.
[Cari] The freedom
Christiana feels in nature
is a stark contrast
to her upbringing
as one of eight
homeschooled siblings
in an ultra-conservative
religious household.
My parents wanted
to shelter us and protect us.
We're not allowed
to wear pants
or anything,
like, form-fitting.
Or to play sports,
get strong, you know?
All that kind of stuff.
I realized I wasn't content
with how things were,
and I wanted to get out there,
do things.
♪ No fear of letting go
They're in the ever glow ♪
♪ Go get what you want
Go get what you want ♪
You got it, Chris.
You got it, Chris.
At 19, Christiana moved out
and began pursuing
her athletic dreams.
Incredibly, within a year,
she had won three
obstacle course competitions
and qualified
for world championships.
I need to just keep
challenging myself,
and keep pushing myself,
and this is the next thing.
-I'm going to be a Titan.
-♪ What you want ♪
[cheers and applause]
[Liam] Just think
where these two women were
a few years ago.
Christiana was still
living at home,
and Melody was still
struggling with addiction.
Now they're facing off here
in Titan Arena
on a challenge we love.
We call it the Herculean Pull.
DJ wanted to create
a challenge
where you outleverage an
opponent you can't even see.
[Liam] First you use grip
strengh and upper-body power
to unthread two 100-pound
silver poles,
each longer
than a pickup truck.
[Alex] Next is a blind tug
of war with the golden pole,
and you can't use
the ground for help.
[Liam] Whoever can hang on
and generate the most force
will hit the target
and punch their ticket
to Mount Olympus.
My goal in The Titan Games
was to crown
real-life superheroes.
Now, real-life superheroes,
they don't wear capes
or fight aliens.
They get up every morning,
they put in the work
with their own two hands,
sometimes calloused.
Then they do it all over again
for the ones they love.
Melody, Christiana, no capes.
Just pure grit.
This is Herculean Pull.
[dramatic music]
[Liam] Christiana in the red.
Melody in the blue.
And they go for silver poles
on opposite sides.
[Alex] Christiana
strikes first.
That was quick.
Melody right behind.
One more, and they
can go for that gold
to decide the winner.
Oh, Melody thought she had it,
but there's
a little more to go.
[grunting]
[Liam] Wow, Christiana
got both poles out
and is on to the golden pole.
Melody better get moving here.
[Alex] Oh, no!
Melody's struggling!
Oh, my God,
Melody's got to get up there!
She's got to grab it!
[grunting]
[dramatic music]
Are you kidding me?
I'm pretty sure Christiana
just set a record
for the Herculean Pull.
It was amazing.
[Liam] Christiana,
homeschooled.
Wasn't allowed
to play sports growing up.
She's moving on
to Mount Olympus.
So glad I got to meet you.
Yeah, it was good
to meet you, too.
-Oh, God, nice to meet you.
-Yeah, you did great.
-Thank you so much.
-Absolutely.
[dramatic music]
So I challenged
my team of designers
to create the most intense,
brutal, twisted form
of bowling ever imagined.
The result is the Cyclone.
Set 'em up, knock 'em down,
win a ticket to Mount Olympus.
I can't wait
to see this one again.
Time for our next battle.
Oh, my God. Nope.
It's all right.
You know what?
I'm sorry, guys.
It was arm day. It's arm day.
All right, DJ's working out.
Now these ladies
are working out.
Competing now are two strong,
smart women on a mission
One is a bioengineer and
a record-holding powerlifter.
The other
is a preschool teacher
who's also
a phenomenal athlete.
[dramatic music]
Just five feet tall,
Nichole Root
is the shortest woman
in the entire competition,
and at 39,
she's one of the oldest.
♪ Yeah, I'm the queen
Of the kill ♪
But this California
preschool teacher
has been dominating
obstacle course competitions,
setting an inspiring example
for her teenage daughters.
When I was 18,
I found out I was pregnant.
I felt a lot of pressure
being a young mom.
I was waiting tables, and it
was really overwhelming.
I had my two daughters,
but at the same time,
that gave me direction.
And so I just tried
really hard to be a good mom.
♪ I hope you're ready for
Ready for, ready for action ♪
My oldest is 19,
and my baby's going to be 17.
The greatest reward is just
watching my daughters succeed.
All of my greatest
accomplishments are hands-down
something my children
have done.
♪ I hope you're ready
For action ♪
I'm competing
for my daughters.
I'm competing for myself.
I will be a Titan.
[cheers and applause]
I love you!
[Liam] Nichole's
younger daughter, Gwen,
is here tonight
to provide support,
and Mom is going to need it
because she's going up against
powerhouse opponent
36-year-old Emily Hu.
[dramatic music]
People always
look at me and think,
"Oh, what a small,
cute little girl.
She probably doesn't know
what she's doing in the gym."
And then, usually,
they're surprised
that I can outlift them.
♪ Go, go ♪
♪ This is what
It sound like ♪
♪ This is
What it sound like ♪
[Cari] Emily Hu loves
crushing stereotypes
both in her Silicon Valley job
as a bioengineer,
and as
a competitive powerlifter.
Being a strong woman,
we're told
it's not feminine, or this is
not the way a woman should be.
For me, being normal
means working in tech
and being a powerlifter.
Then going home and getting
dressed up and going out.
Why can't everyone do both?
[grunts]
Amazingly, Emily didn't
start training
until she was 30
and couldn't do a single
pull-up or push-up
the first time
she entered the gym.
I put in the time,
and I put in the work.
At my peak,
I have three world records.
I was 120 pounds
when I benched 275 pounds.
I have high expectations
of myself.
♪ Put your hands up ♪
♪ This is what
It sound like ♪
I'm here to show women
that you can still
be strong and feminine.
I will be a Titan.
Our next two competitors are
two incredibly tenacious women.
Emily, Nichole,
it's time to shine.
This is Cyclone.
[dramatic music]
[Liam] Instant
adrenaline rush.
[Alex] Let's go!
[grunts]
[grunts]
[Liam] Step one,
get that wrecking ball moving.
And Emily, with those strength
training world records,
has a clear edge in power.
[Alex] Nichole
has the endurance
of a distance runner,
but will that help here?
[Liam] One goes down
right there for Nichole Root.
[Alex] Nichole Root
has an early lead.
[dramatic music]
And Emily takes one down
as well.
[Liam] Both have one,
and there's another one down
there for Nichole Root.
Come on!
You know she has a strategy.
She's a preschool teacher.
She's got to wrangle
a bunch of toddlers.
She came in here with a plan.
[grunting]
[Alex] Now she knocks down
a third pillar.
I cannot believe
what we're seeing.
I thought Emily
would crush this.
-Wh-What's going on?
-[Liam] Well, you can see
the problem is that
Emily's standing in place,
and the ball's simply
not swinging wide enough.
This is a killer
core workout.
[Alex] Nichole
just got number four!
This preschool teacher
is crushing
a champion powerlifter!
Whoo! Go! Come on!
[grunting]
[Liam] And Emily
finally gets number two.
-[grunting]
-And three!
She just cut down
two in one swing.
That takes power.
[grunting]
Nichole only needs one more,
but Emily is
finding her rhythm.
[Alex] Emily is so close,
but Nichole,
she's coming around again.
And connects!
[dramatic music]
-Wow.
-[screams]
Yes!
[cheering]
[Liam] Like she'd
been preparing for this
her entire life,
the preschool teacher
graduates to Mount Olympus.
[Alex] It all came down
to technique.
Emily stood in place
and whipped the wrecking ball
around her head.
But it couldn't reach
the pillars.
Now look at Nichole.
She kept pace with the ball
all the way around the ring.
The centrifugal force
sent the ball wide,
and took the pillars out.
[heavy breathing]
I love you! Good job!
[Liam] So 39-year-old
Nichole Root
will face 21-year-old
Christiana Rugloski
on Mount Olympus,
and the winner continues on
in our competition
for a chance to become
our Titan champion.
[dramatic music]
With The Titan Games,
I wanted to showcase
a group of people
who demonstrate
extraordinary strength
in their everyday lives
and give them a platform.
But not just any platform,
a state-of-the-art,
unforgiving,
groundbreaking,
ridiculous, badass,
"Sweet Lord Almighty,
what is that thing?"
kind of platform.
We call it Mount Olympus.
Time to see
who gets to play on it next.
Both of these athletes
are bringing something
to the table tonight.
One's on a mission to show
other people with disabilities
that nothing
is out of their reach.
The other
has a winning combination
of brains and brawn.
Dwayne Johnson, I'm going
to be the best Titan you have.
["Believer" playing]
There's no weight
I can't lift.
There's no wall I can't climb.
There's no hurdle
I can't overcome.
[Cari]
Chris Ruden's confidence
comes from
his remarkable strength
despite a lifetime
of struggling to fit in.
♪ I was broken
From a young age ♪
I was born with two fingers
on my left hand,
and a shorter left arm.
I thought I was destined
to not be anything.
I spent 17 years
hiding my disability.
I was with my girlfriend
for three years
before she saw my hand.
I just took my glove off and
showed my hand to the world
less than a year ago.
♪ Hey, you made me a
You made me a believer ♪
♪ Believer ♪
When I got
into powerlifting,
I won six out of seven
meets I've done.
I broke four state records,
an unofficial world record.
I fell in love
with the feeling of
"I can succeed regardless of
what circumstance
I was given."
I'm a youth
motivational speaker.
Showing a kid
who thought there's no hope
that there is hope
is my driving factor
for being on The Titan Games.
♪ Pain ♪
Everyone goes through
some sort of struggle,
some sort of adversity.
Don't hide.
Take your glove off.
Unleash the greatness
you have.
I'm a Titan,
because I'll never quit.
I'll crush anyone
you put in front of me.
♪ Pain, you made me a
You made me a believer ♪
♪ Believer ♪
[upbeat music]
[Cari] 20-year-old
college student Jack Kwan
is the youngest athlete
in The Titan Games,
but what really
makes him stand out
is his gravity-defying hair.
To do my hair,
it takes me about 30 minutes.
It's just like training
any other muscle.
You got to force your hair
to get taller.
You got to push it down,
and then you gotta
push it back up.
Perfect.
[Cari] As the youngest
of five siblings,
Jack has always
craved the spotlight.
I was constantly trying
to get my parents's attention,
and so I took it on my own
to teach myself dance tricks,
flips, and maneuvers.
Jack continues
to explore body movement
as a kinesiology major at
the University of Wisconsin.
At 180 pounds, Jack's one
of our smaller competitors,
but he refuses
to be outworked.
I push my body to my limits.
Any sort of training,
whether it's gymnastics,
bodybuilding, parkour,
I'm here to show people
what I've been working on
my entire life.
This is an opportunity
of a lifetime,
and I'm going
to take advantage of it.
[cheers and applause]
[Liam] It was 50 years ago
that man first
set foot on the moon.
Tonight Jack and Chris
are about to take
another thrilling space walk.
[Alex] That's right, Liam.
It's time to launch
Lunar Impact.
[dramatic music]
Afraid of heights?
Well, too bad!
Lunar Impact's action happens
30 feet in the air.
[Liam] First, we're testing
speed and agility
as you race up a ladder
that's three stories tall.
Then, you ue
your lower-body power
to drive the sliding wall
and push your opponent
off the narrow,
crescent-shaped bridge.
[Alex] Last one standing
is headed to Mount Olympus.
[dramatic music]
[cheers and applause]
[Liam] Oh, and Chris is going
to remove his prosthetic.
He told us earlier he actually
climbs faster without it.
[Alex] For Jack,
speed is his best weapon.
He doesn't want to let Chris
start pushing that wall
before him
with his raw power.
[Liam] We are ready
for liftoff. Take it away, DJ.
I could tell you how much
determination and toughness
are required
for this next challenge.
I could make a fancy metaphor
about reaching for the stars,
but I'm not.
Instead, I'll just say this.
Chris, Jack,
you know the stakes.
You only get
one chance at this,
so focus at the task at hand,
and hold back nothing.
In other words, grit it out.
This is Lunar Impact.
[dramatic music]
[Liam] And it starts
with that 30-foot ladder.
[Alex] Chris off
to a great start here,
but, oh, my goodness!
Look at Jack!
He's flying!
And he manages to get on top
of Lunar Impact first.
Chris Ruden
has to get on top right now.
[dramatic music]
Oh! Oh, my God!
[Liam] It is over!
What an upset.
Jack Kwan didn't even
give Ruden a chance
to display
that brute strength.
I am blown away.
[Liam] That speed
and that agility, unreal.
20-year-old Jack Kwan is
moving on to Mount Olympus.
[Alex] It all
came down to this.
Have you ever seen anyone
climb a ladder like that?
Jack flew up 30 feet
in just eight seconds.
He knew he needed
to reach that wall first
to have a chance
against Ruden's raw power.
[Liam] It was
a disappointing run for Chris,
but just being here
sent a powerful message
of perseverance,
and he's standing by
with Cari.
Did you ever think
you'd be here
at this place
right here in this arena?
I never thought
I would take my glove off
and show people my disability.
I'm here for every kid that's
afraid of being different,
every kid that's afraid
of the way they look
or the way they are.
I'm here to show
that it's possible.
I lost, but I feel like
I did my job,
and I hope every kid
in America knows
limitations are self-imposed.
Thank you so much
for being here.
Thank you for being
such a wonderful example
for what The Titan Games
are all about.
Thank you so much,
and thank you to The Rock.
Thank you. Thank you.
Great job, brother.
Thank you. Thank you.
-I appreciate that.
-Great job. Great job.
[dramatic music]
[Liam] So our pairings
are set,
Jack Kwan versus Derik Scott
and Christiana Rugloski
versus Nichole Root.
They're all headed
to Mount Olympus.
[dramatic music]
I designed
Mount Olympus to test
every fiber
of athleticism and heart
within our competitors.
Conquering it
is the only way to prove
you're worthy of being a Titan.
[dramatic music]
Mount Olympus is the crown
jewel in the Titan Arena.
From the strength required
to push over a half-ton wall
and drive 450 pounds
up a 25-degree incline,
to the agility to climb over
six spinning cylinders
each wider
than a redwood tree,
each stage of Mount Olympus
has been specifically designed
to test all aspects
of athleticism.
If you have a weakness,
the mountain's
gonna reveal it.
Prove that you
can conquer my mountain,
and you join
my Team of Titans.
[dramatic music]
[cheers and applause]
Now, the fighting lawyer,
Derik Scott,
and the boy wonder, Jack Kwan,
go head-to-head.
[dramatic music]
My strategy going into
Mount Olympus
is just to be as quick
as possible.
[Alex] Oh! Oh, my God!
I'm going to leave
everything on the line.
-[Liam] Unreal.
-And I have to
become a Titan.
My agility,
athleticism, gymnastics
is on par if not better
than his is.
[Alex] This hard-hitting,
MMA-fighting lawyer.
But my strength
is significantly better.
[yells]
It literally feels like this
competition was made for me.
[cheers and applause]
Derik, Jack,
this is going to test you,
possibly break you both
physically and mentally.
There's nothing left to say
except it's time
to get to work.
This is Mount Olympus.
[dramatic music]
[Liam] Derik, the lawyer,
in the red,
Jack, the college student,
in the blue
at the 1,000-pound wall.
[Alex] Here we go, baby!
And Jack shatters that wall,
but Derik not far behind.
[yells]
Just listen to Jack!
He's getting primal pushing
those Gates of Olympus.
[yells]
[Liam] Stacked up,
it's 450 pounds.
Derik crushed them.
He's moving on
to Rolling Ascent.
[Alex] And Jack
is right on his tail.
[grunting]
I mean, you're seeing
just the agility
come into play here,
and Derik flies up it!
He's already at The Cliffs.
Oh, and you know
an MMA fighter is gonna love
punching and kicking
his own path to the top.
Wow.
-[Liam] Jack's struggling.
-[Alex] Oh, no!
[grunts]
[Liam] Meanwhile, Derik Scott
is jumping and punching,
but he still hasn't
started climbing.
[yells]
[Alex] Oh, Jack body-slams
past Rolling Ascent!
Go, go, go, go, go!
[Alex] He's gotta
make up ground.
-We know he's fast.
-[yells]
[Liam] Remember, you've got
to make your own ladder here.
Derik has,
and he's up and over.
[dramatic music]
Yes! Go, D! Go!
[grunts]
[Alex] Whoa, whoa, whoa, whoa!
Jack Kwan's wild ride
up the mountain continues.
[grunts]
Derik now over
to raise the torch.
[Liam] 600 pounds.
[grunting]
And Derik is using
his entire body
to keep that crank moving.
[Alex] Jack is struggling
on The Cliffs.
[Liam] The holes
he's making are too big.
You need tiny holes to get
just your feet, your hands,
and you use them to climb up.
[grunts]
Derik Scott raises his torch.
-Whoo!
-Let's go!
[Liam] It's time
for that 60-foot descent.
Three walls...
five feet, six feet,
and seven feet.
[Alex] He's doing somersaults
down the mountain!
[dramatic music]
But here comes Jack!
Made it up to the top
of Mount Olympus,
but he needs to hurry up.
[grunts]
[Liam] Derik tumbles
over the last one.
Look at this.
Thumbs up and smiles already.
He should realize Jack Kwan
is not out of this.
[grunts]
-The torch is lit.
-Come on!
[Alex] Derik may be a lawyer,
but this isn't a done deal.
This ball weighs 250 pounds.
[Liam] He is just struggling.
[Alex] And look at this!
Here comes Jack!
You said it, Liam.
You can't celebrate early.
[Liam] Look, there are
seven stages on Mount Olympus,
and you got to conquer
every one of them.
Right now, that ball and chain
is like an anchor
for Derik Scott.
Come on!
[dramatic music]
[Alex] Derik Scott
needs to hurry up,
because Jack
is right on his tail!
[Liam] Yeah, this is
Jack's chance to catch up,
-and there he is.
-[Alex] Just like that,
Jack Kwan is back in this race.
-Come on, Jack. Bring it!
-Go, pull!
[Liam] Jack Kwan
looks exhausted.
[Alex] But this college kid
knows he can't quit.
The pain will go away,
but Titan glory lasts forever.
[grunting]
[Liam] Oh, man, Mount Olympus
is taking its toll.
And Jack is closing in.
-Pull, Jack, pull!
-Pull!
[Alex] Look at Jack's face!
That's how hard it is
to become a Titan.
[groans]
[grunts]
[Liam] Derik Scott
is at the Titan tomb.
He needs to pull
that ball and chain
just a little bit more
so he has the leverage
to swing through.
[Alex] Jack Kwan
is right there!
Come on!
[Liam] Derik hammering away!
Come on, D!
[dramatic music]
He's cracked through!
[Alex] Derik Scott
is looking for the relic.
Jack has to hurry up!
Where's the key?
[groans]
[Liam] Jack Kwan can barely
lift the hammer right now.
There it is!
[Alex] Derik Scott,
he's got the relic!
He's going to lock it in
in front of DJ,
and he is a Titan!
[screams]
[Liam] Derik Scott.
Lawyer, fighter,
and now Titan.
[both scream]
[cheers and applause]
-Congratulations.
-Thanks, dude.
Congratulations.
Go see your family.
[dramatic music]
-I love you so much!
-I love you, too.
[laughs]
[Alex] This run
was a perfect reminder
of just how nasty
Mount Olympus can be.
They slipped, fell,
and went through pure hell.
[Liam] But that's what
it takes to become a Titan.
And now Derik is standing by
with Cari.
Congratulations, Derik.
You are a Titan.
-Yeah.
-How does that feel?
It's better than any fight
I've ever won.
This feels so amazing,
just because
how much that course
really did test you.
That boulder was, whoa,
like, stupid heavy.
[laughter]
You've been amazing tonight.
Congratulations.
You are a Titan,
and you are headed
-to the Battle of the Titans.
-Fantastic. Thank you so much.
[dramatic music]
You're probably wondering how
we crown our ultimate winners.
Well, here's how
it's gonna work.
At the end of the season,
all the Titans will return
for the epic
Battle of the Titans.
And when the last battle
has been fought,
one man and one woman
will each become
undisputed Titan Champions.
Now, the horse whisperer,
Christiana Rugloski,
and the preschool teacher,
Nichole Root,
face off on Mount Olympus.
They're coming off
tremendous victories,
but only one
will emerge a Titan.
[cheers and applause]
[dramatic music]
I didn't really
have the chance
to be involved
in athletics growing up.
[Liam] Christiana
tearing through this.
Becoming a Titan would prove
that I can do anything
that I set my mind to.
I'm gonna
beat the competition,
because I don't quit.
[Alex] Nichole Root
already establishing
dominance early on.
If I just take a little bit
of all the love and support
and belief that
everybody else has in me,
I think absolutely
anything is possible.
[cheers and applause]
Two powerhouses, one crown.
Something's got to give.
Christiana, Nichole,
it's time
to take what you came for.
This is Mount Olympus.
[dramatic music]
[Liam] Christiana in the red.
Nichole in the blue.
These are obstacle course
endurance athletes,
but their strength
will be tested
immediately here
at the 1,000 pound wall.
[Alex] Technique is key here.
They're both trying
to get it rocking
like a giant domino.
Christiana is through!
And Nichole is right behind.
Now it's over
to the Gates of Olympus.
[Liam] Those gates
are 150 pounds each.
Nichole only weighs 125.
So with all three stacked,
she's pushing
three and a half times
her body weight uphill.
[grunts]
[Alex] And Christiana is done.
She's on
to the Rolling Ascent.
[whooping]
[dramatic music]
Meanwhile, Nichole is
still struggling on the Gates.
She's even putting
her back into it.
And it works.
Let's go, Nichole.
[Liam] Christiana,
she's struggling
on the Rolling Ascent.
[grunts]
[Alex] But Nichole doing
very well right now.
Go, Nichole!
[Liam] Christiana
almost at the top,
but can't get over
the last roller.
Nichole has a chance
to move ahead.
[Alex] Oh!
Nichole gets rolled!
And Christiana is through.
Now it's onward
to The Cliffs.
You got to punch it!
Punch it!
[Liam] Smash and climb.
Create your ladder
so you can get yourself
up this wall.
[grunts]
Right now Nichole's using
that explosive leg strength
to get past the last roller,
but Christiana is
moving up The Cliffs.
[Alex] Nichole
needs to get moving!
Wow, that preschool teacher
has some power.
There you go. Use that elbow.
Use that elbow.
[Liam] Goldenboy,
this is where we thought
Christiana's eight-inch
height advantage
would come into play.
She doesn't need
as many hand and toe holds
as Nichole does
at five foot even.
[Alex] Just look
at that reach, Liam.
She's at the top.
[Liam] She is on
to raise the torch,
600 pounds here.
[Alex] She just suffered
through four
intense challenges.
Now this crank requires every
muscle in your upper body.
[crank rattles]
There you go, Christiana!
Let's go, Nichole.
[Alex] Nichole just manages
to make her way
on top of Mount Olympus.
But Christiana fires it up.
-[cheering]
-[Liam] Here comes Christiana.
She's making her descent.
[grunts]
There are three walls...
five feet, six feet,
and seven feet.
As Nichole continues to try
to raise that torch.
Go, Mom!
Christiana to
the third wall, up and over.
[laughs]
-And throws her hands up?
-You're celebrating.
[Alex] You know,
I hate to break it to you.
The struggle starts right now.
You have to drag
that 200-pound boulder
to the tomb
and pull out the relic.
[dramatic music]
Nichole's blasting
her biceps
on that crank right now.
And Nichole Root
raises her torch.
-Yeah!
-Whoo!
She still has a chance,
but needs
to soar down the mountain.
Oh, look at this.
Christiana draped the chain
behind her back
to give her
that added leverage.
Very smart.
Very smart strategy.
[Liam] Saw a little smile
on her face right there.
[Alex] She knows she
did something clever.
And Nichole is making
her way down the mountain.
[Liam] Nichole's only
five feet tall.
Look at this.
Leaping up and over
that last seven foot wall.
Let's go, Nichole.
[Alex] Liam, this is why
you don't celebrate early.
Nichole Root
is back in the race.
Christiana's
still moving slowly.
[Liam] Nichole still
has a shot here,
but at 125 pounds,
you got to wonder,
how is she gonna handle
that 200-pound ball and chain?
[grunts]
[Alex] Oh, Nichole Root
is dragging that boulder!
-I cannot believe this, Liam!
-Oh, my God!
[Alex] Christiana was
smiling on her way down,
hands in the air!
Nichole Root said,
"To heck with that!
"I am going to catch up
right here, right now.
I want to be a Titan."
She's ready
to match Christiana
blow for blow at the tomb!
[dramatic music]
[Liam] And look at that!
Nichole cracked through first.
This is anyone's race.
[Alex] Christiana
opens the tomb!
Nichole's right behind her!
Will she be able
to mount a comeback?
Oh, my goodness!
Christiana has the key.
-Christiana locks it in.
-Done!
And Christiana Rugloski
is a Titan!
[dramatic music]
I cannot believe
what we just saw.
Congratulations.
Congratulations.
Thanks.
[Alex] Christiana pulled ahead
on the Rolling Ascent,
and thought she had
an easy lead
coming down the mountain.
But at the Ball and Chain,
the preschool teacher
gave us a lesson in raw power
and kept on Christiana's hees
all the way to the finish.
[Liam] That little girl
who was never allowed
to play sports as a kid
grew up to be a Titan.
Derik and Christiana did it.
They came. They fought.
They conquered.
They earned the right
to be called Titans.
[dramatic music]
[Liam] So the lawyer,
Derik Scott,
and Christiana Rugloski
are our newest Titans.
Next week,
we'll find two more,
and in just a few weeks,
all 16 will be heading
to our Battle of the Titans.
We'll see you next week
on The Titan Games.
[dramatic music]
On The Titan Games,
all of our competitors
have had their share
of setbacks.
The important thing
is what happens next.
♪ At times, I had my doubts ♪
♪ Some days, I didn't know ♪
How do you bounce back?
How do you move forward?
How you deal with it
and overcome it,
well, that's
what makes a Titan.
From age 21 to 23,
I was self-medicating
with alcohol.
At that point, I said
"I have to stop drinking."
I give life
everything I have now.
-♪ Let's be ♪
-[Alex] Let's go!
♪ Iconic, let's defeat
The odds today ♪
There's no weight
I can't lift.
There's no wall I can't climb.
There's no hurdle
I can't overcome.
I can succeed regardless of
what circumstance I was given.
♪ Until they know our name ♪
That was amazing.
♪ Because we are, we are
The warriors tonight ♪
[Dwayne] Tonight
eight warriors who demonstrate
extraordinary strength
in their everyday lives
take on our epic challenges...
[Alex] Are you kidding me?
[Dwayne] for a chance
to advance to Mount Olympus
and claim the title of Titan.
♪ Don't let, don't let them
Take away your fight ♪
♪ Because we are ♪
♪ Warriors ♪
-♪ We are, we are ♪
-♪ I'm a warrior tonight ♪
♪ We are warriors, warriors ♪
[wind blowing]
[cheers and applause]
[Alex] Please welcome
Dwayne "The Rock" Johnson!
Yes!
Let's have some fun.
Here we go.
[dramatic music]
Welcome to Titan Arena.
You know, I have to tell you,
these games
have already exceeded
my expectations,
and you guys know
my expectations
were very high to begin with.
[cheers and applause]
So let's get started.
Helping me out tonight
here in the Titan Arena,
the one, the only.
Here is Cari Champion.
[dramatic music]
All right, thanks, DJ.
This is a battle
between two guys
who have serious day jobs,
and they're pretty
serious athletes.
One's a lawyer who's also
a expert martial artist.
The other?
Well, he's a business analyst
who's all business
when it comes to fitness.
[groovy music]
Reaching The Titan Games
requires perseverance,
and business analyst
Kwame Sarfo has been tested.
I thought,
"First job out of college,
I'm going to get $100,000
and buy that new car."
It didn't work out like that,
so for about ten weeks,
I found myself
living in the back of my car.
It was a tough time,
but it helped me
build my character.
[cheering]
I started recording myself
doing these crazy pushups
on Instagram,
and it just blew up.
People loved it.
Got about a million views
in three days.
Where is Kwame Sarfo?
And then Ellen liked it.
She brought me on.
[cheers and applause]
[groovy music]
What... What's happening?
Oh, my God!
That took me to 11 million
views on the Internet,
which was amazing.
But it's time for the world
to see that I'm not
just the push-up guy.
There's more to me
than push-ups.
[Cari] Kwame works full time
as a business analyst,
and still finds a way
to hit the gym
14 times a week.
[dramatic music]
A Titan is someone
that's made,
made from circumstances,
made from things
that happen in life.
I've put in the time. I've put
in the sweat, the effort.
The Titan Games
are what I'm meant for.
I will be a Titan.
[dramatic music]
[Cari] Some people
are satisfied
being a jack-of-all-trades,
master of none.
Lawyer Derik Scott
wants to master everything.
I want to find my limit
physically, mentally,
every single day.
Because if I'm
not finding my limit,
then I'm leaving something
on the table.
♪ Burn it up
Got the fire in me ♪
♪ Nothing's stopping
My victory ♪
[Cari] Derik has competed
in wrestling,
diving, karate,
and gymnastics.
From the time
I was four years old,
I could do a backflip.
[Cari] He recently had his
first professional MMA fight.
Competing in
professional fights
is about as close
as you can get
to getting into a arena
and being a gladiator
or a Titan.
[announcer] Derik Scott!
When the bell rings, I can
compete at peak performance
and be ready for anything.
That is going to help me
win The Titan Games.
♪ Yeah, it's going down
Undefeated ♪
[cheers and applause]
Hello, everyone.
I'm Liam McHugh,
with my partner
Alex "Goldenboy" Mendez.
Our competitors
better run for cover
with this
next challenge, Alex.
That's right. There's nowhere
to hide from the Cyclone.
With this deranged test of
core strength and stability,
you'll need to whip around
a suspended 60-pound
wrecking ball.
The goal is to knock over
all five pillars
that are each nearly
two stories tall.
[Liam] The challenge is
as the circumference
of the ball's path increases,
it will require even more
strength to maintain control.
First to topple
all five pillars
makes the cut
for Mount Olympus.
[cheers and applause]
Sometimes, life takes a big
swing and knocks you down,
but no matter how bad it looks,
every one of us
has the power to pick
ourselves up and swing back.
I wanted this challenge
to literally be
one of those times.
So Kwame, Derik, take charge,
and come out swinging.
This is Cyclone.
[dramatic music]
[Liam] Derik Scott,
he's in the red.
Kwame Sarfo in the blue.
You have the five pillars
and the 60-pound
wrecking ball.
-Who can get them down first?
-Come on!
[Alex] Derik's actually
going to manage
to take one down right away,
and then Kwame,
right behind him
as well, Liam.
[Liam] Here's what makes this
challenge so tough, Goldenboy.
If you don't keep
constant tension on the rope,
the ball will keep moving back
towards the middle.
[grunting]
And Derik gets his second one.
[Alex] Derik has
the right idea.
He's backing himself around,
staying in line
with the path of the ball.
Derik just hit another one!
They're kicking ass.
Whoo! You got this!
It's getting there. Come on.
[grunting]
[Liam] Derik Scott,
three down.
And Kwame gets his second.
And Derik strikes again!
He's got four down.
Incredible!
[Alex] Kwame is
a master of push-ups,
but he can't get control
of that rope right now.
Derik Scott,
the lawyer and fighter,
is one pillar away from
his shot to become a Titan.
[Liam] Kwame,
the business analyst,
connects with number three.
He's finding his rhythm.
Derik Scott,
reeling in the slack,
-is coming back around.
-[Alex] One more pillar.
[grunts]
-[Liam] And there it goes!
-[yelling]
[dramatic music]
Yes, baby! Let's get it!
-Wow!
-Derik's fired up.
He did great.
Whoo!
-[Liam] Derik Scott...
-[yells]
has himself a court date
with Mount Olympus.
It's the first of our
four challenges tonight.
The two men
and two women that win
will face off for the chance
to become a Titan
and continue on
in this competition.
[dramatic music]
We're here at The Titan Games
at Titan Arena,
the monstrosity that we built
for the biggest athletic
competition show
in the history of TV.
And here's
what makes this special,
the people.
[cheers and applause]
Welcome to The Titan Games.
[laughs]
Uh, what I wanted to do
with this competition...
this crowd is crazy,
by the way...
is inspire people to become
Titans in their own lives.
And judging by the energy
in this arena tonight,
I think it's working.
You guys feeling good?
[cheers and applause]
You guys ready
to have some fun?
[crowd cheering]
Yes!
And do it completely naked.
[cheers and applause]
[laughs]
By the way, that was
completely hypothetical.
Keep your clothes on,
all right?
Especially you, Goldenboy.
Okay.
Now, let's get on
to another battle. Here we go.
All right, DJ,
these next two competitors
are not just brave,
but they're fierce.
One's a horse whisperer
who crushes 50-mile
obstacle course races,
and the other
overcame addiction
and found a new life
through fitness.
[dramatic music]
Three years ago,
Melody Schofield
was a long way from competing
in The Titan Games.
Her battle was with
alcohol addiction.
It became an extremely
normal thing to me
to just have a glass of wine
or a shot in the morning
to feel normal.
At that point, I said
"I have to stop drinking."
I give life everything
I have now.
I train four hours a day,
five days a week.
I'm never going to drink again.
Now I'm a certified
recovery specialist.
Being able to help people
where I was
is extremely rewarding to me.
[soft music]
-[phone rings]
-Hello?
I'm looking
for somebody named Melody.
I am a huge fan of Dwayne.
-Hi.
-Melody, Dwayne Johnson.
-How are you?
-Oh, my God.
I'm freaking out, actually.
But I'm amazing.
Uh, I hear
they call you The Pebble.
Yes, they do!
My nickname, it's The Pebble,
because I look like
a female version of The Rock,
just a smaller version.
I want to say
congratulations and welcome.
Oh, my God!
[laughter]
That's a lot of good emotions
right there for Melody.
[Cari] Becoming a Titan
doesn't mean
spending endless hours
in the gym.
Christiana Rugloski spends
most of her time outdoors,
and she's constantly moving.
I work at
an equi-therapy facility...
You're a real cowboy.
with children and adults
with physical
and mental disabilities.
Remember to slide your hands
down your reins a little bit.
-Good.
-♪ You're looking for ♪
My job is very physical,
and I love being outside.
I enjoy the manual labor,
you know?
You're working with
dirty stuff, heavy stuff,
but it's really satisfying
to me.
[Cari] The freedom
Christiana feels in nature
is a stark contrast
to her upbringing
as one of eight
homeschooled siblings
in an ultra-conservative
religious household.
My parents wanted
to shelter us and protect us.
We're not allowed
to wear pants
or anything,
like, form-fitting.
Or to play sports,
get strong, you know?
All that kind of stuff.
I realized I wasn't content
with how things were,
and I wanted to get out there,
do things.
♪ No fear of letting go
They're in the ever glow ♪
♪ Go get what you want
Go get what you want ♪
You got it, Chris.
You got it, Chris.
At 19, Christiana moved out
and began pursuing
her athletic dreams.
Incredibly, within a year,
she had won three
obstacle course competitions
and qualified
for world championships.
I need to just keep
challenging myself,
and keep pushing myself,
and this is the next thing.
-I'm going to be a Titan.
-♪ What you want ♪
[cheers and applause]
[Liam] Just think
where these two women were
a few years ago.
Christiana was still
living at home,
and Melody was still
struggling with addiction.
Now they're facing off here
in Titan Arena
on a challenge we love.
We call it the Herculean Pull.
DJ wanted to create
a challenge
where you outleverage an
opponent you can't even see.
[Liam] First you use grip
strengh and upper-body power
to unthread two 100-pound
silver poles,
each longer
than a pickup truck.
[Alex] Next is a blind tug
of war with the golden pole,
and you can't use
the ground for help.
[Liam] Whoever can hang on
and generate the most force
will hit the target
and punch their ticket
to Mount Olympus.
My goal in The Titan Games
was to crown
real-life superheroes.
Now, real-life superheroes,
they don't wear capes
or fight aliens.
They get up every morning,
they put in the work
with their own two hands,
sometimes calloused.
Then they do it all over again
for the ones they love.
Melody, Christiana, no capes.
Just pure grit.
This is Herculean Pull.
[dramatic music]
[Liam] Christiana in the red.
Melody in the blue.
And they go for silver poles
on opposite sides.
[Alex] Christiana
strikes first.
That was quick.
Melody right behind.
One more, and they
can go for that gold
to decide the winner.
Oh, Melody thought she had it,
but there's
a little more to go.
[grunting]
[Liam] Wow, Christiana
got both poles out
and is on to the golden pole.
Melody better get moving here.
[Alex] Oh, no!
Melody's struggling!
Oh, my God,
Melody's got to get up there!
She's got to grab it!
[grunting]
[dramatic music]
Are you kidding me?
I'm pretty sure Christiana
just set a record
for the Herculean Pull.
It was amazing.
[Liam] Christiana,
homeschooled.
Wasn't allowed
to play sports growing up.
She's moving on
to Mount Olympus.
So glad I got to meet you.
Yeah, it was good
to meet you, too.
-Oh, God, nice to meet you.
-Yeah, you did great.
-Thank you so much.
-Absolutely.
[dramatic music]
So I challenged
my team of designers
to create the most intense,
brutal, twisted form
of bowling ever imagined.
The result is the Cyclone.
Set 'em up, knock 'em down,
win a ticket to Mount Olympus.
I can't wait
to see this one again.
Time for our next battle.
Oh, my God. Nope.
It's all right.
You know what?
I'm sorry, guys.
It was arm day. It's arm day.
All right, DJ's working out.
Now these ladies
are working out.
Competing now are two strong,
smart women on a mission
One is a bioengineer and
a record-holding powerlifter.
The other
is a preschool teacher
who's also
a phenomenal athlete.
[dramatic music]
Just five feet tall,
Nichole Root
is the shortest woman
in the entire competition,
and at 39,
she's one of the oldest.
♪ Yeah, I'm the queen
Of the kill ♪
But this California
preschool teacher
has been dominating
obstacle course competitions,
setting an inspiring example
for her teenage daughters.
When I was 18,
I found out I was pregnant.
I felt a lot of pressure
being a young mom.
I was waiting tables, and it
was really overwhelming.
I had my two daughters,
but at the same time,
that gave me direction.
And so I just tried
really hard to be a good mom.
♪ I hope you're ready for
Ready for, ready for action ♪
My oldest is 19,
and my baby's going to be 17.
The greatest reward is just
watching my daughters succeed.
All of my greatest
accomplishments are hands-down
something my children
have done.
♪ I hope you're ready
For action ♪
I'm competing
for my daughters.
I'm competing for myself.
I will be a Titan.
[cheers and applause]
I love you!
[Liam] Nichole's
younger daughter, Gwen,
is here tonight
to provide support,
and Mom is going to need it
because she's going up against
powerhouse opponent
36-year-old Emily Hu.
[dramatic music]
People always
look at me and think,
"Oh, what a small,
cute little girl.
She probably doesn't know
what she's doing in the gym."
And then, usually,
they're surprised
that I can outlift them.
♪ Go, go ♪
♪ This is what
It sound like ♪
♪ This is
What it sound like ♪
[Cari] Emily Hu loves
crushing stereotypes
both in her Silicon Valley job
as a bioengineer,
and as
a competitive powerlifter.
Being a strong woman,
we're told
it's not feminine, or this is
not the way a woman should be.
For me, being normal
means working in tech
and being a powerlifter.
Then going home and getting
dressed up and going out.
Why can't everyone do both?
[grunts]
Amazingly, Emily didn't
start training
until she was 30
and couldn't do a single
pull-up or push-up
the first time
she entered the gym.
I put in the time,
and I put in the work.
At my peak,
I have three world records.
I was 120 pounds
when I benched 275 pounds.
I have high expectations
of myself.
♪ Put your hands up ♪
♪ This is what
It sound like ♪
I'm here to show women
that you can still
be strong and feminine.
I will be a Titan.
Our next two competitors are
two incredibly tenacious women.
Emily, Nichole,
it's time to shine.
This is Cyclone.
[dramatic music]
[Liam] Instant
adrenaline rush.
[Alex] Let's go!
[grunts]
[grunts]
[Liam] Step one,
get that wrecking ball moving.
And Emily, with those strength
training world records,
has a clear edge in power.
[Alex] Nichole
has the endurance
of a distance runner,
but will that help here?
[Liam] One goes down
right there for Nichole Root.
[Alex] Nichole Root
has an early lead.
[dramatic music]
And Emily takes one down
as well.
[Liam] Both have one,
and there's another one down
there for Nichole Root.
Come on!
You know she has a strategy.
She's a preschool teacher.
She's got to wrangle
a bunch of toddlers.
She came in here with a plan.
[grunting]
[Alex] Now she knocks down
a third pillar.
I cannot believe
what we're seeing.
I thought Emily
would crush this.
-Wh-What's going on?
-[Liam] Well, you can see
the problem is that
Emily's standing in place,
and the ball's simply
not swinging wide enough.
This is a killer
core workout.
[Alex] Nichole
just got number four!
This preschool teacher
is crushing
a champion powerlifter!
Whoo! Go! Come on!
[grunting]
[Liam] And Emily
finally gets number two.
-[grunting]
-And three!
She just cut down
two in one swing.
That takes power.
[grunting]
Nichole only needs one more,
but Emily is
finding her rhythm.
[Alex] Emily is so close,
but Nichole,
she's coming around again.
And connects!
[dramatic music]
-Wow.
-[screams]
Yes!
[cheering]
[Liam] Like she'd
been preparing for this
her entire life,
the preschool teacher
graduates to Mount Olympus.
[Alex] It all came down
to technique.
Emily stood in place
and whipped the wrecking ball
around her head.
But it couldn't reach
the pillars.
Now look at Nichole.
She kept pace with the ball
all the way around the ring.
The centrifugal force
sent the ball wide,
and took the pillars out.
[heavy breathing]
I love you! Good job!
[Liam] So 39-year-old
Nichole Root
will face 21-year-old
Christiana Rugloski
on Mount Olympus,
and the winner continues on
in our competition
for a chance to become
our Titan champion.
[dramatic music]
With The Titan Games,
I wanted to showcase
a group of people
who demonstrate
extraordinary strength
in their everyday lives
and give them a platform.
But not just any platform,
a state-of-the-art,
unforgiving,
groundbreaking,
ridiculous, badass,
"Sweet Lord Almighty,
what is that thing?"
kind of platform.
We call it Mount Olympus.
Time to see
who gets to play on it next.
Both of these athletes
are bringing something
to the table tonight.
One's on a mission to show
other people with disabilities
that nothing
is out of their reach.
The other
has a winning combination
of brains and brawn.
Dwayne Johnson, I'm going
to be the best Titan you have.
["Believer" playing]
There's no weight
I can't lift.
There's no wall I can't climb.
There's no hurdle
I can't overcome.
[Cari]
Chris Ruden's confidence
comes from
his remarkable strength
despite a lifetime
of struggling to fit in.
♪ I was broken
From a young age ♪
I was born with two fingers
on my left hand,
and a shorter left arm.
I thought I was destined
to not be anything.
I spent 17 years
hiding my disability.
I was with my girlfriend
for three years
before she saw my hand.
I just took my glove off and
showed my hand to the world
less than a year ago.
♪ Hey, you made me a
You made me a believer ♪
♪ Believer ♪
When I got
into powerlifting,
I won six out of seven
meets I've done.
I broke four state records,
an unofficial world record.
I fell in love
with the feeling of
"I can succeed regardless of
what circumstance
I was given."
I'm a youth
motivational speaker.
Showing a kid
who thought there's no hope
that there is hope
is my driving factor
for being on The Titan Games.
♪ Pain ♪
Everyone goes through
some sort of struggle,
some sort of adversity.
Don't hide.
Take your glove off.
Unleash the greatness
you have.
I'm a Titan,
because I'll never quit.
I'll crush anyone
you put in front of me.
♪ Pain, you made me a
You made me a believer ♪
♪ Believer ♪
[upbeat music]
[Cari] 20-year-old
college student Jack Kwan
is the youngest athlete
in The Titan Games,
but what really
makes him stand out
is his gravity-defying hair.
To do my hair,
it takes me about 30 minutes.
It's just like training
any other muscle.
You got to force your hair
to get taller.
You got to push it down,
and then you gotta
push it back up.
Perfect.
[Cari] As the youngest
of five siblings,
Jack has always
craved the spotlight.
I was constantly trying
to get my parents's attention,
and so I took it on my own
to teach myself dance tricks,
flips, and maneuvers.
Jack continues
to explore body movement
as a kinesiology major at
the University of Wisconsin.
At 180 pounds, Jack's one
of our smaller competitors,
but he refuses
to be outworked.
I push my body to my limits.
Any sort of training,
whether it's gymnastics,
bodybuilding, parkour,
I'm here to show people
what I've been working on
my entire life.
This is an opportunity
of a lifetime,
and I'm going
to take advantage of it.
[cheers and applause]
[Liam] It was 50 years ago
that man first
set foot on the moon.
Tonight Jack and Chris
are about to take
another thrilling space walk.
[Alex] That's right, Liam.
It's time to launch
Lunar Impact.
[dramatic music]
Afraid of heights?
Well, too bad!
Lunar Impact's action happens
30 feet in the air.
[Liam] First, we're testing
speed and agility
as you race up a ladder
that's three stories tall.
Then, you ue
your lower-body power
to drive the sliding wall
and push your opponent
off the narrow,
crescent-shaped bridge.
[Alex] Last one standing
is headed to Mount Olympus.
[dramatic music]
[cheers and applause]
[Liam] Oh, and Chris is going
to remove his prosthetic.
He told us earlier he actually
climbs faster without it.
[Alex] For Jack,
speed is his best weapon.
He doesn't want to let Chris
start pushing that wall
before him
with his raw power.
[Liam] We are ready
for liftoff. Take it away, DJ.
I could tell you how much
determination and toughness
are required
for this next challenge.
I could make a fancy metaphor
about reaching for the stars,
but I'm not.
Instead, I'll just say this.
Chris, Jack,
you know the stakes.
You only get
one chance at this,
so focus at the task at hand,
and hold back nothing.
In other words, grit it out.
This is Lunar Impact.
[dramatic music]
[Liam] And it starts
with that 30-foot ladder.
[Alex] Chris off
to a great start here,
but, oh, my goodness!
Look at Jack!
He's flying!
And he manages to get on top
of Lunar Impact first.
Chris Ruden
has to get on top right now.
[dramatic music]
Oh! Oh, my God!
[Liam] It is over!
What an upset.
Jack Kwan didn't even
give Ruden a chance
to display
that brute strength.
I am blown away.
[Liam] That speed
and that agility, unreal.
20-year-old Jack Kwan is
moving on to Mount Olympus.
[Alex] It all
came down to this.
Have you ever seen anyone
climb a ladder like that?
Jack flew up 30 feet
in just eight seconds.
He knew he needed
to reach that wall first
to have a chance
against Ruden's raw power.
[Liam] It was
a disappointing run for Chris,
but just being here
sent a powerful message
of perseverance,
and he's standing by
with Cari.
Did you ever think
you'd be here
at this place
right here in this arena?
I never thought
I would take my glove off
and show people my disability.
I'm here for every kid that's
afraid of being different,
every kid that's afraid
of the way they look
or the way they are.
I'm here to show
that it's possible.
I lost, but I feel like
I did my job,
and I hope every kid
in America knows
limitations are self-imposed.
Thank you so much
for being here.
Thank you for being
such a wonderful example
for what The Titan Games
are all about.
Thank you so much,
and thank you to The Rock.
Thank you. Thank you.
Great job, brother.
Thank you. Thank you.
-I appreciate that.
-Great job. Great job.
[dramatic music]
[Liam] So our pairings
are set,
Jack Kwan versus Derik Scott
and Christiana Rugloski
versus Nichole Root.
They're all headed
to Mount Olympus.
[dramatic music]
I designed
Mount Olympus to test
every fiber
of athleticism and heart
within our competitors.
Conquering it
is the only way to prove
you're worthy of being a Titan.
[dramatic music]
Mount Olympus is the crown
jewel in the Titan Arena.
From the strength required
to push over a half-ton wall
and drive 450 pounds
up a 25-degree incline,
to the agility to climb over
six spinning cylinders
each wider
than a redwood tree,
each stage of Mount Olympus
has been specifically designed
to test all aspects
of athleticism.
If you have a weakness,
the mountain's
gonna reveal it.
Prove that you
can conquer my mountain,
and you join
my Team of Titans.
[dramatic music]
[cheers and applause]
Now, the fighting lawyer,
Derik Scott,
and the boy wonder, Jack Kwan,
go head-to-head.
[dramatic music]
My strategy going into
Mount Olympus
is just to be as quick
as possible.
[Alex] Oh! Oh, my God!
I'm going to leave
everything on the line.
-[Liam] Unreal.
-And I have to
become a Titan.
My agility,
athleticism, gymnastics
is on par if not better
than his is.
[Alex] This hard-hitting,
MMA-fighting lawyer.
But my strength
is significantly better.
[yells]
It literally feels like this
competition was made for me.
[cheers and applause]
Derik, Jack,
this is going to test you,
possibly break you both
physically and mentally.
There's nothing left to say
except it's time
to get to work.
This is Mount Olympus.
[dramatic music]
[Liam] Derik, the lawyer,
in the red,
Jack, the college student,
in the blue
at the 1,000-pound wall.
[Alex] Here we go, baby!
And Jack shatters that wall,
but Derik not far behind.
[yells]
Just listen to Jack!
He's getting primal pushing
those Gates of Olympus.
[yells]
[Liam] Stacked up,
it's 450 pounds.
Derik crushed them.
He's moving on
to Rolling Ascent.
[Alex] And Jack
is right on his tail.
[grunting]
I mean, you're seeing
just the agility
come into play here,
and Derik flies up it!
He's already at The Cliffs.
Oh, and you know
an MMA fighter is gonna love
punching and kicking
his own path to the top.
Wow.
-[Liam] Jack's struggling.
-[Alex] Oh, no!
[grunts]
[Liam] Meanwhile, Derik Scott
is jumping and punching,
but he still hasn't
started climbing.
[yells]
[Alex] Oh, Jack body-slams
past Rolling Ascent!
Go, go, go, go, go!
[Alex] He's gotta
make up ground.
-We know he's fast.
-[yells]
[Liam] Remember, you've got
to make your own ladder here.
Derik has,
and he's up and over.
[dramatic music]
Yes! Go, D! Go!
[grunts]
[Alex] Whoa, whoa, whoa, whoa!
Jack Kwan's wild ride
up the mountain continues.
[grunts]
Derik now over
to raise the torch.
[Liam] 600 pounds.
[grunting]
And Derik is using
his entire body
to keep that crank moving.
[Alex] Jack is struggling
on The Cliffs.
[Liam] The holes
he's making are too big.
You need tiny holes to get
just your feet, your hands,
and you use them to climb up.
[grunts]
Derik Scott raises his torch.
-Whoo!
-Let's go!
[Liam] It's time
for that 60-foot descent.
Three walls...
five feet, six feet,
and seven feet.
[Alex] He's doing somersaults
down the mountain!
[dramatic music]
But here comes Jack!
Made it up to the top
of Mount Olympus,
but he needs to hurry up.
[grunts]
[Liam] Derik tumbles
over the last one.
Look at this.
Thumbs up and smiles already.
He should realize Jack Kwan
is not out of this.
[grunts]
-The torch is lit.
-Come on!
[Alex] Derik may be a lawyer,
but this isn't a done deal.
This ball weighs 250 pounds.
[Liam] He is just struggling.
[Alex] And look at this!
Here comes Jack!
You said it, Liam.
You can't celebrate early.
[Liam] Look, there are
seven stages on Mount Olympus,
and you got to conquer
every one of them.
Right now, that ball and chain
is like an anchor
for Derik Scott.
Come on!
[dramatic music]
[Alex] Derik Scott
needs to hurry up,
because Jack
is right on his tail!
[Liam] Yeah, this is
Jack's chance to catch up,
-and there he is.
-[Alex] Just like that,
Jack Kwan is back in this race.
-Come on, Jack. Bring it!
-Go, pull!
[Liam] Jack Kwan
looks exhausted.
[Alex] But this college kid
knows he can't quit.
The pain will go away,
but Titan glory lasts forever.
[grunting]
[Liam] Oh, man, Mount Olympus
is taking its toll.
And Jack is closing in.
-Pull, Jack, pull!
-Pull!
[Alex] Look at Jack's face!
That's how hard it is
to become a Titan.
[groans]
[grunts]
[Liam] Derik Scott
is at the Titan tomb.
He needs to pull
that ball and chain
just a little bit more
so he has the leverage
to swing through.
[Alex] Jack Kwan
is right there!
Come on!
[Liam] Derik hammering away!
Come on, D!
[dramatic music]
He's cracked through!
[Alex] Derik Scott
is looking for the relic.
Jack has to hurry up!
Where's the key?
[groans]
[Liam] Jack Kwan can barely
lift the hammer right now.
There it is!
[Alex] Derik Scott,
he's got the relic!
He's going to lock it in
in front of DJ,
and he is a Titan!
[screams]
[Liam] Derik Scott.
Lawyer, fighter,
and now Titan.
[both scream]
[cheers and applause]
-Congratulations.
-Thanks, dude.
Congratulations.
Go see your family.
[dramatic music]
-I love you so much!
-I love you, too.
[laughs]
[Alex] This run
was a perfect reminder
of just how nasty
Mount Olympus can be.
They slipped, fell,
and went through pure hell.
[Liam] But that's what
it takes to become a Titan.
And now Derik is standing by
with Cari.
Congratulations, Derik.
You are a Titan.
-Yeah.
-How does that feel?
It's better than any fight
I've ever won.
This feels so amazing,
just because
how much that course
really did test you.
That boulder was, whoa,
like, stupid heavy.
[laughter]
You've been amazing tonight.
Congratulations.
You are a Titan,
and you are headed
-to the Battle of the Titans.
-Fantastic. Thank you so much.
[dramatic music]
You're probably wondering how
we crown our ultimate winners.
Well, here's how
it's gonna work.
At the end of the season,
all the Titans will return
for the epic
Battle of the Titans.
And when the last battle
has been fought,
one man and one woman
will each become
undisputed Titan Champions.
Now, the horse whisperer,
Christiana Rugloski,
and the preschool teacher,
Nichole Root,
face off on Mount Olympus.
They're coming off
tremendous victories,
but only one
will emerge a Titan.
[cheers and applause]
[dramatic music]
I didn't really
have the chance
to be involved
in athletics growing up.
[Liam] Christiana
tearing through this.
Becoming a Titan would prove
that I can do anything
that I set my mind to.
I'm gonna
beat the competition,
because I don't quit.
[Alex] Nichole Root
already establishing
dominance early on.
If I just take a little bit
of all the love and support
and belief that
everybody else has in me,
I think absolutely
anything is possible.
[cheers and applause]
Two powerhouses, one crown.
Something's got to give.
Christiana, Nichole,
it's time
to take what you came for.
This is Mount Olympus.
[dramatic music]
[Liam] Christiana in the red.
Nichole in the blue.
These are obstacle course
endurance athletes,
but their strength
will be tested
immediately here
at the 1,000 pound wall.
[Alex] Technique is key here.
They're both trying
to get it rocking
like a giant domino.
Christiana is through!
And Nichole is right behind.
Now it's over
to the Gates of Olympus.
[Liam] Those gates
are 150 pounds each.
Nichole only weighs 125.
So with all three stacked,
she's pushing
three and a half times
her body weight uphill.
[grunts]
[Alex] And Christiana is done.
She's on
to the Rolling Ascent.
[whooping]
[dramatic music]
Meanwhile, Nichole is
still struggling on the Gates.
She's even putting
her back into it.
And it works.
Let's go, Nichole.
[Liam] Christiana,
she's struggling
on the Rolling Ascent.
[grunts]
[Alex] But Nichole doing
very well right now.
Go, Nichole!
[Liam] Christiana
almost at the top,
but can't get over
the last roller.
Nichole has a chance
to move ahead.
[Alex] Oh!
Nichole gets rolled!
And Christiana is through.
Now it's onward
to The Cliffs.
You got to punch it!
Punch it!
[Liam] Smash and climb.
Create your ladder
so you can get yourself
up this wall.
[grunts]
Right now Nichole's using
that explosive leg strength
to get past the last roller,
but Christiana is
moving up The Cliffs.
[Alex] Nichole
needs to get moving!
Wow, that preschool teacher
has some power.
There you go. Use that elbow.
Use that elbow.
[Liam] Goldenboy,
this is where we thought
Christiana's eight-inch
height advantage
would come into play.
She doesn't need
as many hand and toe holds
as Nichole does
at five foot even.
[Alex] Just look
at that reach, Liam.
She's at the top.
[Liam] She is on
to raise the torch,
600 pounds here.
[Alex] She just suffered
through four
intense challenges.
Now this crank requires every
muscle in your upper body.
[crank rattles]
There you go, Christiana!
Let's go, Nichole.
[Alex] Nichole just manages
to make her way
on top of Mount Olympus.
But Christiana fires it up.
-[cheering]
-[Liam] Here comes Christiana.
She's making her descent.
[grunts]
There are three walls...
five feet, six feet,
and seven feet.
As Nichole continues to try
to raise that torch.
Go, Mom!
Christiana to
the third wall, up and over.
[laughs]
-And throws her hands up?
-You're celebrating.
[Alex] You know,
I hate to break it to you.
The struggle starts right now.
You have to drag
that 200-pound boulder
to the tomb
and pull out the relic.
[dramatic music]
Nichole's blasting
her biceps
on that crank right now.
And Nichole Root
raises her torch.
-Yeah!
-Whoo!
She still has a chance,
but needs
to soar down the mountain.
Oh, look at this.
Christiana draped the chain
behind her back
to give her
that added leverage.
Very smart.
Very smart strategy.
[Liam] Saw a little smile
on her face right there.
[Alex] She knows she
did something clever.
And Nichole is making
her way down the mountain.
[Liam] Nichole's only
five feet tall.
Look at this.
Leaping up and over
that last seven foot wall.
Let's go, Nichole.
[Alex] Liam, this is why
you don't celebrate early.
Nichole Root
is back in the race.
Christiana's
still moving slowly.
[Liam] Nichole still
has a shot here,
but at 125 pounds,
you got to wonder,
how is she gonna handle
that 200-pound ball and chain?
[grunts]
[Alex] Oh, Nichole Root
is dragging that boulder!
-I cannot believe this, Liam!
-Oh, my God!
[Alex] Christiana was
smiling on her way down,
hands in the air!
Nichole Root said,
"To heck with that!
"I am going to catch up
right here, right now.
I want to be a Titan."
She's ready
to match Christiana
blow for blow at the tomb!
[dramatic music]
[Liam] And look at that!
Nichole cracked through first.
This is anyone's race.
[Alex] Christiana
opens the tomb!
Nichole's right behind her!
Will she be able
to mount a comeback?
Oh, my goodness!
Christiana has the key.
-Christiana locks it in.
-Done!
And Christiana Rugloski
is a Titan!
[dramatic music]
I cannot believe
what we just saw.
Congratulations.
Congratulations.
Thanks.
[Alex] Christiana pulled ahead
on the Rolling Ascent,
and thought she had
an easy lead
coming down the mountain.
But at the Ball and Chain,
the preschool teacher
gave us a lesson in raw power
and kept on Christiana's hees
all the way to the finish.
[Liam] That little girl
who was never allowed
to play sports as a kid
grew up to be a Titan.
Derik and Christiana did it.
They came. They fought.
They conquered.
They earned the right
to be called Titans.
[dramatic music]
[Liam] So the lawyer,
Derik Scott,
and Christiana Rugloski
are our newest Titans.
Next week,
we'll find two more,
and in just a few weeks,
all 16 will be heading
to our Battle of the Titans.
We'll see you next week
on The Titan Games.
[dramatic music]