Ep 17. Las Vegas Finals

The Las Vegas Finals is the penultimate episode of the fifth season of American Ninja Warrior, and it's the toughest obstacle course yet. The contestants have come this far, but they have to prove their mettle in a four-stage obstacle course. The challenges become more difficult as the course progresses, testing the strength, agility, and stamina of the ninjas.

As always, the competitors have to contend with the ultimate challenges of the course, starting with the first stage, which features six obstacles. The first obstacle is quintuple steps, followed by a balance obstacle, the spinning log, and the jumping spider. The fifth obstacle is the warped wall, which is the tallest ramp ever used in the competition, and finally the curved body prop is the last obstacle before the finish line. The top 30 contestants move on to the second stage, where they are required to complete three obstacles within a minute and fifteen seconds.

The second stage features the salmon ladder, where the competitors have to ascend an 18-foot ladder by jumping vertically from rung to rung using their upper body strength. The next obstacle is the metal spin where competitors have to spin a large metal sphere on a track without touching the water below it. The last challenge is the bread slicer, where the competitors have to move diagonally across a set of spinning platforms to reach the finish line.

Only the top 15 contestants qualify for Stage 3, the toughest challenge yet, which features just four obstacles that test the competitors' upper body strength and agility. The first obstacle is the cliffhanger, where the competitors have to ascend an overhang using only two tiny ledges. The next challenge is the crazy cliffhanger, a variation on the same obstacle, where competitors must clear three more ledges. The Ultimate cliffhanger follows, which involves a series of three ledges spaced only a handful of inches apart, and the last challenge is a spider climb that requires the contestants to climb a 50-foot rope, navigating through bars and other obstacles along the way.

Finally, the top contestants, only a handful, qualify for the fourth and final stage. The last stage is an underdog story for many, because only three Americans have beaten it in the past, making it the ultimate goal for many ninjas. The final stage this year is the rope-climb, where competitors have to race up a 75-foot hill using only their upper body strength. The climb starts with a rope to make the ascent easier, but it becomes increasingly steep and difficult as it goes on. There are no time limits or failures, only the promise of victory for the champion who can make it to the top.

The Las Vegas Finals episode showcases some of the best and most inspiring athletic performances in the history of the show. The camaraderie between the contestants is palpable, and it's clear throughout the episode that the competitors are not only competing against each other, but against themselves. As always, the show's hosts and commentators do an excellent job of keeping things exciting for viewers, providing critical insights and analysis about the ninjas and their performance.

Overall, if you are a fan of the American Ninja Warrior series, then this is an episode you don't want to miss. The Las Vegas Finals take the show to new levels of difficulty and athleticism, and it's an inspiring and exhilarating experience to witness the determination and skill of the competitors as they push themselves to the limit.