Why did Player 21 drop out? Ethan’s Beast Games Season 2 decision leaves fans in shock

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The latest episode of Beast Games, Season 2 Episode 4, is now available on Prime Video. A choice made by contestant Ethan Healy (Player 21) is already sparking conversation among viewers.

I was so excited when the first three episodes of the show finally came out! It was amazing getting to meet all 100 contestants – seriously, these people are brilliant! – and knowing they’re all battling it out for a huge $5 million prize. It’s going to be an incredible competition!

Contestants can also earn money through various challenges, like the ‘Captain’s Bribe,’ where one player actually won $1 million – though it meant their teammates received nothing.

This week’s episode presents a new challenge: ten players will compete on Survivor island in a unique reality TV crossover event.

Why did Player 21 drop out of the challenge?

During Episode 4 of Beast Games Season 2, Player 21 surprisingly quit the “Get a Grip” challenge after accepting a $50,000 offer from MrBeast. Many viewers were confused by this decision, considering he could have continued competing for a grand prize of a $1.8 million island.

The special Survivor crossover event sends ten players to the iconic Survivor island to compete in challenges. While no one will be voted off the show, only one player will win a stay on a luxurious island getaway.

Okay, so after the first relay race, we went from ten players down to just five! Then came the really tough part – ‘Get a Grip’! It’s that challenge where they have to hang onto a pole for as long as possible, and honestly, it’s brutal to watch! Only five of them got to keep going after that.

The final two contestants advance to Tribal Council, where the remaining eight players vote to determine the winner.

Tyler and Nick were the first to be eliminated, leaving JC, Ian, and Ethan. While JC and Ian are having a hard time, Ethan appears to be doing well and is confidently maintaining his position.

If Ian makes a mistake, Ethan’s chances of winning increase, especially since JC was previously a competitor on Beast Games Season 1. To make things even more exciting, MrBeast offers them a $50,000 bribe – but accepting the money means they’re out of the competition.

Ian and JC persuaded Ethan to accept the money, and after considering it, he decided to. He ultimately went with the more secure option rather than taking a chance.

When MrBeast questioned why he participated, Ethan explained that the guaranteed money was his main motivation. He said, “Fifty thousand dollars is still a good amount, and I still have a chance to win five million.”

Ethan’s a chess coach, which means he’s good at planning ahead. Although he didn’t win the challenge, he decided it was better to leave with something than risk losing everything.

Beast Games Season 2 viewers debate decision

Although his choice makes sense, many viewers are confused by it. One Reddit user expressed their surprise, writing, “Ethan, why did you do that? He could have won $1.8 million!”

One person called it “the dumbest thing I’ve ever seen,” and another wondered what he was thinking, especially considering the prize money was only $50,000. They pointed out it was a particularly bad move because his opponent had a history of dishonest play from a previous season, making it an incredibly foolish decision.

You won’t believe this, but I remember in the first challenge, someone actually turned down a hundred grand! It was crazy because ten people decided to quit and let an old-school player from Season 1 of Beast Games take their spot, all for that money. This guy just said no, though – pretty wild to see!

He turned down a deal worth $100,000 to lose on purpose and bring back veteran players, but he accepted $50,000 when he only had about a 33% chance of winning. He was confident he could win against IAN, who was close to being eliminated, and he was certain he’d win against JC with a perfect 8-0 score.

Despite the criticism, some people are willing to give him a pass. One person suggested he was so surprised by his potential success that he convinced himself he deserved the $50,000. Another commenter simply called it a classic case of imposter syndrome.

Someone else pointed out that he likely anticipated competing against Ian, who has a family and might have been seen as more appealing to voters. They believed he underestimated Ian’s stronger connection with the public.

You never know – he might go on to win the $5 million.

Where is Ethan now?

Ethan created an Instagram page to share news about his upcoming appearance on Beast Games Season 2. He’s currently posted twice, starting with an announcement on December 11th revealing he’s contestant number 21 on the Prime Video show.

View this post on Instagram

A post shared by Ethan Healy (@ethan21fr)

“Mark your calendars for January 7th! Did I win $5 million?”

On January 10th, I reported that 175 opponents had been defeated, with only 24 remaining. I was still in the competition, but unfortunately, my teammates were starting to lose.

He’s a chess coach at Magnus Chess Academy, according to his LinkedIn profile. The academy provides chess lessons, camps, and tournaments for students, both online and in person.

Prior to this, he worked as an academic tutor and also took an internship as a software engineer. 

You can now watch the first four episodes of Beast Games Season 2 on Prime Video. While you wait for the fifth episode, check out updates on Players 152 and 173, and see what other TV shows are coming in 2026 with our release calendar.

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2026-01-14 16:50