A Mine Is a Terrible Thing to Waste

'''The two teams are sent into an abandoned mine, where one teammate takes charge of their team, and someone's disorder gets more out of hand. Someone throws the challenge to save their old team, leading to their elimination. Meanwhile, an old contestant falls in love with a new contestant and gives them a special reward, which leads to them quitting the competition. With a contestant who left in the other team, an old contestant, who used to be an intern, is brought back to the show.'''

Plot
Brick and Lightning work out by lifting a log in place of a freeweight. Jo tells the Confession Cam that now that she's on Team Rat, she has the girl's side to herself and can work out in the nude. At breakfast, Chef is missing and the cupboards are bare. In the search, they all enter the walk-in freezer, but it turns out to be a refrigerated van which Chef drives to the challenge.

At the challenge, Chris is sending everyone into a mine to find a Gilded Chris Award in their team colour. However, it's radioactive, and each contestant is given a Geiger detector with a 30 minute timer. Lightning and the Rats make it to the mine shaft elevator first, but Lightning shouts and causes a localized cave-in on his team. The Maggots pass them and pick up the flashlights in the shaft. Sadly, the elevator crashes at the bottom, which forces the Rats to shimy down the cables. Brick goes first, and Jo throws him the jar of fireflies. Brick catches the jar with both hands, and begins to fall swiftly down the shaft. He is able to slow himself by using his arms, but Jo and Lightning speeding down after him cause him to drop the jar, allowing the fireflies to escape. Jo and Lightning chase after them, leaving Brick alone in the dark.



Meanwhile, the Maggots explore the caves, and Mike picks up a hat from the ground. He puts the hat on and instantly channels Manitoba Smith, his adventurous alter-ego. He leads his team through the mine, eventually coming to a couple of minecarts. Mike and Cameron get in the first one, while Scott, Anne Maria and Zoey ride in the back. They make good time, but the cars split, sending the first one ahead, while the rear cart ends up in a pool. In the pool, a shady figure grabs Anne Maria and takes her farther into the cave.

Jo manages to catch the fireflies by slamming the jar on Lightning's head.

Cast

 * Ezekiel appears but has no lines. However, he makes animal noises.
 * Some Interns appear, but have no lines.

Quotes

 * Jo (in confessional): Hey, Chris Mc"Lame". You can make me switch, but you can't break me. Now that I have the girls cabin for myself, I can practise like the first Olympic athletes... Naked!
 * Mike (as Manitoba): I say we go left!
 * Lightning: Man, I've never kissed a Superbowl ring!
 * Jo: And I've never kissed a guy!
 * Lightning: Uh, yeah! It's cool dude! Lightning don't judge!
 * Zoey: The trap! And I'm too young to die!
 * Anne Maria: And I'm too hot!
 * Anne Maria: Do I look like a lifeboat! (Throws Scott off of her head)
 * Zoey: (Holding back Anne Maria) I'm sure that it's an accident that Scott landed on you!
 * Scott: Yeah! An accident! I hope you both realize whose fault this is! The minecarts were Mike's idea!
 * Anne Maria: But he just didn't try to drown me!
 * Zoey: Anne Maria! She's gone!

Trivia

 * This is the first episode of the season to feature a double-elimination.
 * Ezekiel makes a cameo in this episode, still in his feral state, and appears to be attracted to Anne Maria.
 * This makes him the first original contestant who did not participate in all of the previous three seasons to make an additional guest appearance.
 * Also, it is revealed that he kept the million dollars suitcase from Total Drama World Tour, as he offered it to Anne Maria
 * Mike's fourth alternate personality, Manitoba Smith, debuts in this episode.
 * Dakota is brought back to the competition after Anne Maria quits, because the Mutant Maggots have lost a contestant and Chris is fed up with her being an intern.

Goofs

 * While the million dollar case was dropped into a volcano, it is shown in this episode to have little damage, which is not possible.
 * When Ezekiel showed the million dollar case to Anne Maria, his teeth was perfectly normal instead of having a lack of tooth burshing.