‘The Challenge: Vendettas’: What Is ‘The Troika’? — Shocking New Twist For Season 31 Revealed

In a sneak peek for ‘The Challenge: Vendettas,’ T.J. Lavin reveals that the ‘Troika’ will hold the power each week. What the HECK is a troika? Watch here and see!

We’ll finally learn more of the rules for The Challenge: Vendetta during the season’s second episode Jan. 9, and a new sneak peek gives us a bit of insight into what we can expect. In the clip, host T.J. Lavin explains to the competitors that after the weekly challenge, there will be a male and female winner. They will split the $25,000 prize for winning the challenge. Then, since this is a male elimination week, the last place male will automatically be sent into the elimination challenge. But there’s more: The challengers who finish in the top three overall in the challenge — regardless of gender — will then form “the almighty Troika.”

So, WTF is a troika?! “It’s the three people that get to decide the fate of one other person,” Johnny Bananas explains. (FYI: the Merriam-Webster dictionary definition of ‘troika’ is “a group of three; especially an administrative or ruling body of three”). Yes, the top three finishers will have to decide on the other male up for elimination. Of course, this season is all about vendettas, so those who finish in the top three will likely want to throw in someone they’re hoping to get revenge on. It gets tricky, though, because the threesome have to come to an agreement — what if one person wants to send in another Troika-member’s ally?!

The Challenge has always been a game of politics, as much as a physical competition. However, it seems Vendettas will push the competitors’ mental game to the next level — and we can imagine that this twist is probably just the beginning!

HollywoodLifers, what do you think of the new twist for season 31?!