Recap: The Amazing Race 35, Episode 12 – “Returned to its roots.”

Recap: The Amazing Race 35, Episode 12 – “A Sunset, Seattle Scramble”

The Final Leg begins as teams learn their final destination is Seattle, Washington. Upon arrival in Seattle, teams will find their next clue at the Space Needle. That clue tells teams to walk around the rim of the Space Needle to search the skyline for the next clue. Only one member of each team can be out at a time. Rob & Corey get the first slot followed by Greg & John and Joel & Garrett.

The clue waiting on top of the needle directs teams to find Chihuly Garden and Glass just next to the Space Needle. The next clue reveals a Seattle Scramble which requires teams to complete three tasks inspired by the city’s arts scene in any order they choose.

In Grunge, teams must become a roadie for a grunge band and properly set up instruments on the stage. In Grab, teams must swing from a trapeze and perform a knee-hang catch. In Glass, teams must glass blow and create a glass sea float. Teams will receive a piece of the next clue after each task.

Rob & Corey look up the locations on a map and decide to go to Grab since it is the furthest one. Joel & Garrett decide to do Glass first as does Greg & John.

Greg & John ask for a check of their sea float first, but their ball is too small so they must start over. Joel & Garrett get the thumbs up on their first attempt. Corey gets the knee-hang catch on his first try, but Rob has to make eight attempts before being able to grab onto the other trapeze artist. Greg & John are now in last after finally getting their ball approved on their 6th attempt.

Joel & Garrett arrive at the Grunge task first followed by Rob & Corey and then Greg & John. Joel & Garrett figure out a tricky piece of the stage puzzle that is hidden, plug all their amps in and move on to the Grab task. Rob & Corey get their band up and running next, again leaving Greg & John in last.

While Rob & Corey head to the glass blowing, Joel & Garrett and then Greg & John head to the trapeze. Joel and Garrett both successfully grab after their 3rd attempts. John gets the grab on his 1st attempt while Greg gets it on his 2nd. Rob & Corey get their ball approved on their first attempt.

The teams now have a complete clue: a model plane with the address 6321 NE 175th Street, Kenmore, WA 98028.

That is the address for Kenmore Air Harbor where they will perform the final memory task. Kayaks have been labeled with the Road Blocks and Detours of the Race. Teams must place them in chronological order to get the final clue.

Joel & Garrett get started and try to hurry and finish before anyone else arrives. Greg & John arrive and try to catch up. Joel & Garrett ask for a check, but unfortunately switch two Road Block kayaks between the Los Angeles rooftop task and the Slovenia glider. Rob & Corey arrive and now all three teams are here.

Greg & John ask for a check and get the thumbs up. They can now hurry to the Finish Line at Clise Mansion. Joel & Garrett finally switch the kayaks and leave next.

But Greg & John are the team that crosses the Finish Line first and win the 36th… I mean, 35th season of The Amazing Race. Joel & Garrett is Team #2 and Rob & Corey are Team #3.

Episode Thoughts

“Old school travel” and “classic gameplay”? lol Okay, sure. That was a funny intro.

But anyway, this was a nice, unique finale. Seems like the Scramble works much better for a Final Leg instead of the first Leg. Or at least with less teams. They should’ve done the Scramble in-season too. It could have helped fill out a few episodes.

Anyway, using the Scramble helped make this Final Leg maybe a bit more exciting and unpredictable than it might have been otherwise. It does add a bit of uncertainty and unique factors into the Race to the Finish Line, as we saw here.

First, the Space Needle walk was good. A simple task, but nice heights-related task for the Final Leg at the start of it. Plus another simple Route Marker nearby.

But of course the Scramble was the focus of this one. Each of the tasks were simple and straightforward. So any small slip up was going to affect where teams were at any point during that portion of the Leg. The drive to each location and which task is completed first definitely can affect how fast teams may complete all tasks or get to each location.

Then having the Final Memory Task after the Scramble was good as well. Funny how the task felt very TARPHDME lololol

A nice, creative task though using the kayaks. And finally a TARUS task recounting the Road Blocks and Detours of the Race. TARPHDME has been doing it all along lolololol

Anyway, it was actually a solid Leg. And an alright episode. Me not really rooting for any one team kind of lessened the excitement for me. But overall, certainly better than TAR32’s franchise-worst finale at least lolololol