‘The Challenge’ Season 38 Producer Says Last Hours of Final Are a ‘Gigantic Surprise’

MTV’s The Challenge Season 38 final is nearly over, and fans get to see which of the three remaining teams takes home the win. Jordan Wiseley and Aneesa Ferreira, Nany González and Johnny “Bananas” Devenanzio, and Tori Deal and Devin Walker remain. Here’s what producer Emer Harkin said about a “gigantic surprise” at the end of the season.

[Spoiler alert: The Challenge Season 38 final spoilers ahead.]

3 teams remain to run the last few hours of ‘The Challenge’ Season 38 final

Jordan Wiseley and Aneesa Ferreira, Nany González and Johnny “Bananas” Devenanzio, and Tori Deal and Devin Walker are still fighting for the big money in The Challenge Season 38 final. Tori and Devin have remained steady throughout the final, whereas Jordan and Aneesa have shown their cracks after Aneesa’s rolled ankle. Nany and Johnny have also had severe highs and lows, though many fans expect they’ll bust out the win thanks to Johnny’s champion status.

MTV’s The Challenge Twitter posted a clip of the last episode of the final. All three teams are wearing glowing helmets as they see a giant structure light up before them. The teams then hear T.J. Lavin’s voice echo in the background. “Welcome to my maze,” Lavin states as the structure’s spotlights move through a field. The nighttime glowing structure challenge seems to be the final frontier for the contestants.

Producer Emer Harkin says the final contains a ‘gigantic surprise’

Producer Emer Harkin spoke to MTV’s Official Challenge Podcast about what fans can expect to see in The Challenge Season 38 final. Harkin noted there’s a “giant surprise” viewers won’t see coming.

“The final, for me, … it really was a very different final and something that I’m really proud of,” Harkin explained to the podcast. “It felt very much of the ilk of a regular final for the first 50 or 60 hours, and then it just completely flips upside down and it goes somewhere nobody will be expecting. And so, I really was proud of that.”

Harkin then noted the final three teams also said that the end of the final contained the “coolest thing” they’d ever seen on the show. “And so that meant a lot,” she continued. “And we really are able to give them this gigantic surprise moment in the final episode, and that is important to me — that I really caught them off-guard. That’s really important.”

Emer Harkin said it’s difficult to surprise ‘The Challenge: Ride or Dies’ cast

Producer Emer Harkin told MTV’s Official Challenge Podcast that it’s incredibly difficult to surprise the cast of the show, which is why she feels extra proud of the surprises in The Challenge Season 38 final.

“It’s hard to keep anything secret from these cast members,” Harkin said. “As you know, you guys are always eyes and ears everywhere. That’s probably my takeaway from this season. The ability to surprise at certain moments is awesome.”

Spoilers note the last two teams duke it out over a puzzle in the final this season. We’ll have to wait and see who wins — and if there’s another twist for the winners.

The Challenge Season 38 airs Wednesdays at 8 p.m. ET on MTV.

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