Full Metal Jousting: Episode 8 “Go To War”

Not one, not two but all three remaining quarterfinal jousts! Who will win and move on to the Semi-finals? Let’s find out.

Episode 8: ‘Go To War’

The episode opens with the jousters showing off their injuries. There are bruises in a variety of places but the worst is injury to Matt’s leg. It’s about 6 inches long and held together with stitches and glue.

Shane believes that the Avery/Myers joust could be the best we’ve seen so far. Of the three quarterfinal matches left I think it has the potential to be the best.

The viewer poll is strongly in favor of Rope with 65% to Josh’s 35%.

Pass 1:
Red Team, Josh: Miss
Black Team, Rope: Strike +1

Pass 2:
Red Team, Josh: Unhorsing +10
Black Team, Rope: Unhorsing +10

Pass 3:
Red Team, Josh: Miss
Black Team, Rope: Broken Lance +5

Pass 4:
Red Team, Josh: Broken Lance +5
Black Team, Rope: Strike +1

Pass 5:
Red Team, Josh: Miss
Black Team, Rope: Strike +1

Pass 6:
Red Team, Josh: Strike +1
Black Team, Rope: Strike +1

Pass 7:
Red Team, Josh: Strike +1
Black Team, Rope: Broken Lance +5

Pass 8:
Red Team, Josh: Strike +1
Black Team, Rope: Miss

Final:
Red Team, Josh: 19
Black Team, Rope: 18

Josh Avery wins and moves on to the semi-finals.

One of the best jousts of the show! The double unhorsing on the second pass was explosive! Rope was a favorite to win as was Josh. On the fourth pass Josh broke the armor on Rope’s grand guard. it broke at the weld line, but would still require a heavy hit. After a safety timeout and a grand guard replacement they begin again. On pass seven Josh is unhorsed, but he does it to himself, Rope never hit him. Rope gets no points but Josh hurts his knee. They go into the final pass all tied up. The final pass could have gone either way and was almost tie. But after a little wait the judge comes out with the final score and in this joust Josh was able to pull out the victory with a touch on the final pass. I think Rope should be one of the jousters picked for the $25,000 joust.

In the locker room it appears that James wants to talk to Jake and asks him to be serious for a minute. I’m not sure that Jake can be serious. He continues to joke with James and then does a Sharon Stone “Basic Instincts” impersonation in full armor. James never gets to talk to Jake, at least not on camera and then we are off to the joust.

Pass 1:
Red Team, James: Miss
Silver Team, Jake: Miss

Pass 2:
Red Team, James: Broken Lance +5
Silver Team, Jake: Miss

Pass 3:
Red Team, James: Miss
Silver Team, Jake: Strike +1

Pass 4:
Red Team, James: Strike +1
Silver Team, Jake: Broken Lance +5

Pass 5:
Red Team, James: Strike +1
Silver Team, Jake: Broken Lance +5

Pass 6:
Red Team, James: Miss
Silver Team, Jake: Miss

Pass 7:
Red Team, James: Miss
Silver Team, Jake: Miss

Pass 8:
Red Team, James: Miss
Silver Team, Jake: Miss

Final:
Red Team, James: 7
Silver Team, Jake: 11

What a surprising joust. I thought ‘The Hammer’ would destroy Jake. Overall the joust was pretty lackluster and James was unable to control his emotions. Jake broke three lances in a row on James, the third broken lance really took James out of his game. It was off target so no points were awarded but the psychological factor helped Jake and hindered James. In the end Jake was able to upset one of the show favorites and move on to the semifinal round.

Coach Ripper was definitely upset with the outcome. I think he wanted James to win the whole show.

Before the final joust we see Matt at practice. it doens’t go well. He hasn’t been jousting for seven days with his injury and it shows. Matt is uncomfortable on his horse, Paladin and his targeting, timing and technique are all off. It is a disappointing practice for Matt.

Before the joust begins Matt calls for his seconeary horse, Crispin as he was uncomfortable on Paladin.

Pass 1:
Red Team, Nathan: Strike +1
Black Team, Matt: Miss

Pass 2:
Red Team, Nathan: Miss
Black Team, Matt: Strike +1

Pass 3:
Red Team, Nathan: Miss
Black Team, Matt: Miss

Pass 4:
Red Team, Nathan: Miss
Black Team, Matt: Miss

Pass 5:
Red Team, Nathan: Strike +1
Black Team, Matt: Strike +1

Pass 6:
Red Team, Nathan: Miss
Black Team, Matt: Strike +1

Pass 7:
Red Team, Nathan: Miss
Black Team, Matt: Miss

Pass 8:
Red Team, Nathan: Miss
Black Team, Matt: Miss

Final:
Red Team, Nathan: 2
Black Team, Matt: 3

Matt Hiltman wins and moves on to the Semi-Finals.

This was the worst joust of the entire series. Even Shane commented on how bad it was. If instant replay was allowed Matt would have lost the joust. I watched the head shot on Pass 6 several time in slow motion and it is clear that the lance did not hit the grand guard. Matt should have had 5 points deducted. Watching the hit at full speed it is easy to see how the judges called it the way they did.

There are now four jousters left and the semifinals are set. It will be Josh K. vs Josh A. and Jake vs Matt. I don’t think they should have put Josh vs Josh in the semifinals. That would make for a great championship joust! It looks like we will get two jousts in the next episode and then two in the final episode, plus one Full Metal Jousting Champion.

What are your thoughts on the three jousts in this episode? Leave your predictions on the champion in the comment section.
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