Published: March 9, 2026
It’s no secret that MrBeast has faced his fair share of controversies over the years, and his game show, Beast Games, has only intensified those conversations. The premise inevitably invites comparisons to Squid Game, a series critiquing the dehumanizing nature of debt and the spectacle of the wealthy exploiting the desperate. Beast Games mirrors that dynamic in real life, placing ordinary people in high-pressure situations with massive sums of money on the line—though thankfully without life-or-death stakes.
The season 2 finale, which aired on Amazon Prime on Feb. 27, amplified that tension. As the stakes grew and the prize loomed larger, the emotional weight on contestants became impossible to ignore. Moments of suspense highlighted the uncomfortable reality of turning financial vulnerability into entertainment. It’s this duality that makes the show both compelling and controversial.
Yet there’s another side. For many viewers, myself included, there’s a guilty pleasure in watching people compete in elaborate challenges for life-changing money. The production is impressive, the pacing addictive, and the human reactions (joy, heartbreak, relief), undeniably engaging. The finale captures this contradiction perfectly: it’s possible to recognize ethical gray areas and still find the show entertaining.
Anyway, let’s get into the finale, told to you by Beast Games’ biggest fan, clearly.
Last episode ended on a cliffhanger: contestants were voting on who deserved a spot in the top six. The final vote came down to Nick, who had to choose between Monika and Brett. Honestly, I didn’t care for either. Monika was slimy and cringey from the start. I bet she’s just lovely in real life, but on the show? Arrogant and mean. And Brett was… kind of just there. At the start of the final episode, Nick voted for Brett, eliminating Monika, who reacted with a dramatic fit despite already having over $500,000 secured for herself.
The final six: Tyler, Jack, Auguste, Brett, Hannah, and Cory, made for an interesting mix. My opinions were strong: I wanted Auguste and Brett out, and I wasn’t a fan of Jack’s constant whining. Hannah, however, was a standout. Quiet at first, she proved herself a strategic powerhouse.
In the next game (kicking a soccer ball at a glass heart to knock others out), everyone ganged up on Jack almost immediately. I kind of felt bad… but not that bad. Bye, Jack! *Cue him whining like the world ended when Cory got him out.* I do have empathy, and I get that that sucks, but dude, you made it to the top six and left with about $40,000– that’s not too bad for a 19-year-old. Then came a shocker: Tyler eliminated Auguste. This came after Auguste had been repeatedly encouraging everyone to gang up on Hannah. Tyler took Auguste out and said he didn’t want to set that example for his kids when they grow up and watch the show. Amazing, honorable move, honestly.
The tension only ramped up from there. With Jack and Auguste gone, we were down to the final four: Tyler, Hannah, Cory, and Brett.
With Jack and Auguste gone, the final four were Tyler, Hannah, Cory, and Brett. The penultimate challenge, The Tower of Memory, tested mainly memory: contestants had to recreate a colored block structure they had only seen briefly. Hannah hesitated, and Brett gambled by buzzing in first. With Cory’s help, Brett nailed it and chose to eliminate Hannah, who left with only a $1,000 participation prize despite rejecting $1 million earlier in the Captain Bribe round.
Now that we were down to the top three (Tyler, Brett, and Cory), it was time for the classic MrBeast bribe. The final three placed in front of a digital counter that started climbing. The first person to hit their button would take whatever amount was on the screen and forfeit their shot at continuing to compete for the $5 million.
The tension was thick. As the counter hit $1,000,000, Brett hit his button. Respect. Walking away with a guaranteed million (bringing his total to nearly $1.2M with previous winnings) was a great move. To be fair, I wish Cory had taken the $1M because, sadly, my sweet angel gets the short end of the stick.
That left our final two: Tyler and Cory. The last challenge, a mix of Deal or No Deal and a psychological guessing game, involved ten briefcases and one $5 million check. After rounds of suspense, Tyler kept his cool and picked the winning case.
The Results:
- 1st Place: Tyler (#167) – $5,105,000. Celebrating with his wife was a heartwarming end.
- 2nd Place: Cory (#191) – Only about $17,133 due to earlier splits; a brutal twist.
- 3rd Place: Brett (#195) – $1,198,000, turning into a millionaire at the last moment.
The finale was messy, dramatic, and addictive: exactly what we expect from Beast Games. It showcased high stakes, strategic gameplay, and the human drama that keeps viewers coming back, while reminding us why the show remains both controversial and compelling all at once.
