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“No one in the universe is stopping you from taking every single dollar—except you.” These words from MrBeast, the YouTube sensation known for his captivating challenge videos since age 11, set the stage for a tense episode of Beast Games. In Season 2, Episode 8, titled “Would You Steal $1,000,000,” the drama doesn’t just stem from the challenges themselves but from the players’ strategic maneuvers against one another. When we last saw Nick, he was contemplating his next move on the money throne, reflecting on Jimmy Donaldson’s thought-provoking statement. This time, he stuns everyone with a bold decision: to pocket a hefty $250,000 for himself, despite being the trusted figure around whom other players had rallied.
Nick’s decision-making process is revealing. Phrases like “I don’t wanna do anybody wrong, but…” and “I wanna stay true to my word, but…” indicate his internal struggle. He argues that he cannot fully trust some players to follow through and believes his choice won’t impact their chances at the ultimate prize. Despite the potential fallout, Nick proceeds to bring his all-male alliance members—Auguste, Tyler, and Jack—into the fold, informing them of his actions. They seem to accept his rationale, but away from Nick, Auguste voices a sentiment echoing among the group: “[Nick’s] time on Beast Games is probably gonna come to an end.”
CHOOSE YOUR OWN REGRET
Auguste, now facing a reduced pile of cash, opts for fairness, taking $83,333, or 1/9th of the pot, as he doesn’t wish to deprive others he’s just met of their share. Tyler, ever the jokester, initially claims he’ll take it all but settles on a respectable $100,000. Jack follows suit, taking $81,000, leaving $485,667 as Nick continues to revive players from their metaphorical graves, next unearthing Brett and Corey.
Brett’s decision shocks everyone. Part of the “straggler’s alliance” with Corey, he opts for a life-altering $250,000. In a moment reminiscent of JD’s stunned expression after grabbing a million in “Captain Bribe,” Brett appears somber as the cash fills his cube. “I feel somber,” he admits, grappling with the weight of his choice. Despite the transformative potential of the money, he expresses regret, feeling as though the decision taints him.
Corey, at first understanding of Nick’s logic, later admits feeling hurt by the unfolding events. He chooses to take a modest $47,133, a decision he hopes serves as a counterexample to the self-serving actions initiated by Nick. Corey believes that this chain reaction of selfishness might yield a positive outcome for those who remain honest in the game.
SMOOTH CRIMINAL
Monika has emerged as the smartest player in Beast Games Season 2, even if she began as a member of Team Strong. Beast City’s master of coin turned down so many cash offers from MrBeast, she declared herself “un-bribeable,” and his further attempt to do so in Episode 8 plays right into her strategy. Presented with $500,000 cash if she’ll sell Beast the ante-up coin, Monika takes it, because it’s external to the current game. She can say she took zero dollars from the pot and left $188,000-plus for three players behind her to split – in other words, look incredibly noble – and not be lying. MrBeast seems genuine when he says it could be the “biggest brain play in Beast Games history.”
As for Monika, not having to say she sold the coin opens up all kinds of gameplay opportunities. (“There are a lot of ways to play this.”) She turns to the camera to whisper secret truths, just like she did during the rope hang with Bryleigh, and this time her boasts are in the third person. “It’s Monika’s villain arc season!”
BEAST CITY SERENADE
After an awkward conversation among themselves, where the big money boys try to justify their take and the rest come around to only having eight competitors left in Beast City who it’s possible to trust, Monika pulls Jim into the cone of silence. She acknowledges her boyfriend can be obnoxious, and give everything away with a grin. So she warns him not to say shit about her secret $500,000. (Jim, being classic Jim: “You got a bag! Oh my goodness, you’re so rich.”) MrBeast reminds the contestants there are only two episodes left until one of them bags generational wealth. And he announces that the result won’t happen inside the environs of Beast City, where these Last 10 outlasted 200 Smarts and Strongs over the course of 30 days. For the final countdown, Beast Games is going on the road.
Guards! Bring in the jumbo jet! The first stop for the final rounds of Season 2 is Riyadh, Saudi Arabia, and a fleet of Lamborghinis. What is this, Furious 7? The flashy rides ferry everybody to a new set for gameplay, lit in purple, where individual pods line the common area and the Five Million Dollar Pyramid is on display in the center. Each player will repair to the pod that bears their name, where a red phone awaits. Over six rounds, they will all vote for who to move forward. And in the end, only six players will move on.
Enough trust was broken during Episode 8 that these people could probably use the broken pieces to push out anyone they didn’t want around. But MrBeast can’t help but meddle with another money angle. He has his guards pile players’ pods full of the specific dollar amounts taken during the last game. 250k in cash is much heavier visual aid than like 50,000. The red phones will be ringing as competitors try to bribe each other with their winnings, force each other to do their bidding, and move on to the final rounds.
10 players remain. And they’re all in pods in Riyadh.
Johnny Loftus (@johnnyloftus.bsky.social) is a Chicago-based writer. A veteran of the alternative weekly trenches, his work has also appeared in Entertainment Weekly, Pitchfork, The All Music Guide, and The Village Voice.