How Does the Life Saver Work on ‘The Challenge: All Stars’? 

[Warning: The below contains MAJOR spoilers for The Challenge: All Stars Season 1, Episode 4, “Semi-Charmed Lifesaver.”]

The All Stars competing and fans have been wondering what exactly happens if someone uses the Life Saver, and in the April 23 episode, the answer is revealed.

In the new season of The Challenge, which brought in OGs to compete for $500,000, it’s an individual game. But they must work as teams — with one female and one male captain on each — during daily challenges. It’s a female elimination week, so the female captain (in this case Ruthie Alcaide) of the winning team is safe, while the male captain receives the coveted (and mysterious) power of the Life Saver.

This week, that honor goes to Mark Long, who spends the night before the elimination asking almost all the women — he goes to Arissa Hill the next day — if they want him to use it.

For the most part, everyone is interested in seeing what it is exactly, and Mark uses it to save the house vote, Katie Cooley (who nominated herself). So who’s facing off against the female captain from the losing team, Beth Stolarczyk? Does Mark choose? Not this time, as host TJ Lavin reveals. Instead, “now, we gotta vote,” he announces. (No one volunteers, as much as everyone would prefer someone to.)

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“There’s no politicking, there’s no having side conversations. Everyone has to make their own decision here and now,” Jonna Mannion says. And that “shows you where people’s cards are … who people are aligned with, whose names people can’t say,” Jemmye Carroll adds.

TJ turns to Darrell Taylor first for his vote, and he asks Beth who she wants as her opponent. When she says Arissa, Darrell, Jemmye, Jonna, Syrus Yarbrough, Yes Duffy, Laterrian Wallace, Derrick Kosinski, and KellyAnne Judd respect her wishes. (Votes are also cast for Kendal Sheppard, Aneesa Ferreira, and KellyAnne.)

Arissa’s pissed (“the house full of snakes that I’m living with just threw me into this elimination”) as she goes down to face off against Beth. “Can we box?” she asks. TJ says no. And after he details the elimination, she shocks him and everyone by declaring she’s not participating.

Juan Cruz Rabaglia PARAMOUNT+/MTV

“The way you all pulled this s**t was some flagrant snake-ass s**t and while I respect the way that this game is played, what I don’t respect is how y’all are living which is pretty motherf**king foul,” she tells the house. (Here’s just another instance where we’re glad they’re not bleeping out profanity.) “And if I can’t box her, I don’t want any part of it because the reality is when I did win, there’s no f**king way I could come back and be under the same roof as y’all motherf**kers, so f**k you, I’m done, y’all can kiss my motherf**king ass, and that’s the motherf**king game.”

“Alright, don’t take care, hope to see you never,” TJ sends her off. (It’s not the first time he’s uttered those words in Challenge history.)

So Arissa quit, Beth is still in the game, and All Stars is getting better and more entertaining with each week.

The Challenge: All Stars, Thursdays, Paramount+