Big Brother Season 26 - Episode 21 - AI Arena Battle and Live Eviction

[Fuskie]

Tucker may be the AI instigator, but it was Angela who created the most chaos this week and instigated her way right onto the block. Welcome to Live Eviction Night on Big Brother!

Previously on Big Brother, with T'kor on top, her Sixth Avenue alliance was set to control the game. When her ally member Tucker volunteered to be a pawn, T'kor took him up on the offer, saying she was confident he could win the Veto and keep noms the same, sending Makensy packing. 

At the Veto competition, it came down to Cam vs. Tucker, and while the football player scored the Veto, Tucker became the BB AI Assist. But Tucker also had a Top Secret task for the week, and he used this power to stir up suspicion and cause chaos.

The House suspected Angela was behind the avatars and the antics, so Tucker gave her a heads-up. And when he reaffirmed she was still his #1 in the game, it set off the mom's paranoia, causing her to turn on Tucker. Quinn quickly sold the Utah mom out, so while Tucker tried to reason with Angela, Quinn made her T'kor's target. Despite the betrayal, Tucker still wanted to save Angela, but at the Veto meeting, T'kor shockingly put another 6th Avenue member on the block. 

Tonight, Tucker, Angela, and Makensy enter the AI Arena. Will Tucker save himself for a third time by dominating the digital domain, or will Angela or Makensy come off the block? And who will be sent packing?

Plus, is the Tubina Showmance in trouble? Find out right now, live, on Big Brother!

Immediately after the veto meeting ended, Tucker stormed off, upset at T’kor for going against his wishes to put Leah up. Tucker’s reaction made T’kor question whether she might be willing to corral the house to vote him out if the opportunity presents itself. But with everyone still gathered in the living room, 

Angela offered her own explanation, telling Joseph what he missed out while in the AI Mattrix, about asking to be a part of Tucker’s alliance and what she saw as his betrayal. She also made it clear that Quinn betrayed her confidence again and that he couldn’t be trusted. Kimo worried that while she didn't mention their names, she was exposing their alliance. This is why we can't have nice things, he said. Tongue in cheek, Quinn wonders what he did to Angela - he just shared some vital information in the house!

Rubina attempted to keep her core four together by going to Tucker, but he insisted that he was justified in being upset at T’kor. He explained that from his perspective he’s done “a lot of favors” for other people and they weren’t grateful for it. Tucker told her he was unsure “if anything is real,” and that hurt Rubina because she assumed that he trusted that their romantic connection was real.

Later, Tucker went to Rubina and asked to make a F2 deal with her, saying that she was the only thing that would keep him in the game, but she wasn’t immediately open to believing it was true. From the diary room, she expressed that she’s not sure she can trust what he says because he’s a good talker and she knows that they’re in a game.

Chelsie began planting the idea of taking Tucker out if he remained on the block after the AI Arena. She first secured Cam’s support, but both were cautious not to end up on the wrong side of the house vote yet again. Chelsie avoided openly campaigning against Tucker, opting instead to quietly gauge where others stood. Both Leah and Makensy hinted that keeping Tucker in the house was dicey due to his close ties with Rubina, T’kor, and Kimo.

Leah believed Quinn would support their plan to evict Tucker, so Chelsie approached her former Pentagon alliance mate, emphasizing the importance of sticking together. Quinn assured Chelsie that he was committed to voting Tucker out, but in the diary room, he admitted it would be difficult for him, as it might isolate him from Kimo and T’kor, potentially losing their trust.

In the AI Arena, Tucker, Makensy, and Angela competed in "Puzzling Password," in which they raced to assemble a block puzzle that would reveal a numerical password. They then needed to find that password from many encrypted chips. It was Go Time, and Tucker could be seen psyching himself up.

However, Makensy swiftly and accurately placed piece after piece, completing the puzzle in a dominating performance. Angela was making steady progress, but Tucker seemed confused, facing the numbers on his puzzle pieces in the wrong direction. 

Makensy chose the correct encryption chip on her first attempt, to win the AI Arena Battle and remove herself from the chopping block, leaving Angela and Tucker to face the eviction vote. For her part, Angela embraced Tucker, repeating that she had done well in the comp over and hover.

When the Houseguests learned that Makensy won in the arena, Angela started to beg openly that she wants to remain in the game to be there with them. Tucker appealed directly to Quinn to save him like he had saved Quinn. T’kor looked worried, perhaps feeling guilty that one of her alliance members would be evicted because of her nominations. 

When all the voters secluded themselves in a room, Tucker told Angela that he thinks they’ll vote for her to stay because he’s been telling them to send him home all week. Staying true to character, Angela responded that she would believe anything he told her outside of the game, but she just didn't trust what he was telling her.

During their final eviction pleas, Tucker expressed his love for everyone and asked to stay, hoping to continue keeping the atmosphere light. He acknowledged that "it’s just a game," and emphasized his love for playing games. Angela followed, passionately reminding them that she had won two HoHs and connected with each of them on a personal level and wanted to stay to spend more time with them and experience her dream. Joseph looked visibly uncomfortable at Angela's desperation.

And then it was time to vote.

Rubina: Angela
Chelsie: Tucker (Chelsie was excited and danced out of the Diary Room after casting her vote).
Kimo: Angela (tearfully)
Joseph: Angela (tearfully)
Leah: Tucker
Makensy: Tucker (tearfully)
Quinn: Tucker (he was also very excited)
Cam: Tucker

When Julie read that Tucker had been evicted by a vote of 5-3, Tucker showed no surprise. However, Rubina was crushed, and Cam, despite voting to evict him, had tears rolling down his face. Joseph was also very emotional at Tucker's leaving.

Before leaving, Tucker whispered words of encouragement to Rubina and slipped his wristbands onto her hand. Before grabbing his bags, he lifted her into his arms and gave her a big, sloppy kiss as everyone else cheered them on. As he stepped through the door, Rubina told Tucker she loved him.

Julie Chen Moonves questioned Tucker about his performance in the AI Arena, specifically asking if he had intentionally thrown the competition. Tucker admitted that he had struggled with the challenge, building the puzzle backward. She reminded him he had said he understood the rules before they started. Tucker admitted he just got it wrong.

 

Regarding the votes, Tucker expressed an understanding of the Houseguests' motivations. He acknowledged that his nomination had made him a target, and that some of his allies might have prioritized their own survival over loyalty. 

 

While surprised by Makensy's decision to vote him out, Tucker admitted that he would have likely done the same in her position. He emphasized that he would have stuck by Angela despite all that happened because he's a man of his word.

Even though he had been evicted from the game, there was the matter of America's Vote for the AI Instigator. Tucker looked like he had forgotten about that, the roller coaster of the week's events weighing on him. Julie Chen Moonves revealed America had voted to award him $20,000. Tucker was surprised and grateful. 

When pressed on his feelings for Rubina, Tucker confirmed that his relationship with Rubina was indeed very real, tearfully acknowledging it would be hard to be away from her, but he would be watching and rooting from home for her to win.

Back inside the house, Leah was consoling a distraught Rubina, while Makensy teared up. 

Finally, Julie Chen Moonves teased that AINSLI has more twists in store for the Houseguests and reminded viewers that while this week's vote was for the AI Instigator, there was a more important vote coming up in November, and steered viewers to the website https://www.headcount.org/votevotevote.