NBC.com

Fear Factor Episode 417 Original airdate: February 16, 2004

The ultimate showdown for the million dollars was finally here. Just three couples remained. Only one would walk away with all that cash. Joe met the contestants by a desolate, desert road. The first stunt would not be an elimination round. Instead, couples would compete for an STA travel experience to Russia where they would fly in MiG jets at supersonic speeds - the perfect way to unwind after seven weeks of Fear Factor stunts! In order to win the trip, the couples would need to drive a car up a ramp and onto the bed of a moving semi. And oh yeah, the driver of the car would be blindfolded. The driver's partner would be able to see and could guide the driver only through verbal commands. The couple that successfully completed the stunt the quickest would be going to Russia.

Jackson and Monica were up first. Jackson would drive and Monica would direct. Jackson drove fast - so fast that he almost passed the semi. Monica frantically yelled instructions and they briefly touched the ramp but then fell back. Finally, with the car perfectly aligned, Jackson gunned it and got up the ramp and onto the truck. They finished in just 1:24.2. Next, it was Adam and Meg. Again, the man would drive and the woman would direct. Before they started, Adam told Meg not to freeze up like she'd done in previous stunts. Then, as an added confidence booster, he reminded her that she'd mixed up left and right that day, twice. Once in the car, they got off to a terrific start. In less than 20 seconds, they were on the ramp. But the car wasn't centered. Meg screamed as the car slid off the right side of the moving semi and bounced violently, while a blinded Adam tried to control the vehicle. They spun around, doing a complete 180. Shaken up and facing the wrong direction, Meg and Adam were disqualified for the round. Meghan and James were the last couple. And even though they'd come this far in the game, they hadn't won a single stunt or prize. Meghan said that this didn't bother her, but James wanted to win this one. They got off to a strong start. Meghan directed James and they blasted right up the ramp and onto the truck bed. They were going so fast that they stopped only by slamming into the back of the truck. But they'd done it - and their time was an incredible 12 seconds! Meghan and James had finally won something! It was such a huge success that even their competition cheered for them.

For the next stunt, everyone met in a dark and creepy basement filled with cobwebs. The woman would lay in a coffin-shaped, glass box, strapped down as more than 500 tarantulas were poured on top of her. The man would suck blended crickets and spit the mixture into a tube until enough of it caused a key to float toward the top. Then the man would use the key to release a hacksaw and saw through a pipe, revealing a Fear Factor marker. Grabbing the marker would end the stunt and free his mate. The couple with the slowest time would be eliminated.

Meghan was strapped in first. As hundreds of tarantulas were dumped on her, she remained motionless. However, the other two women, safely on the sidelines, started to cry. In one minute of sucking liquid crickets, James got the key, freed the saw and started work on the pipe. With Joe urging him on, James grabbed the marker and freed Meghan in 2:22.4. The other two women cried even harder. Meg, who had completely freaked out during a previous non-elimination rat stunt, was nearly hysterical. Monica admitted that she was scared, but said that this is the kind of thing she came here to do. In less than one minute, with Joe shouting encouragement, Jackson got the key and started to saw. He sliced right through the pipe in less than 20 seconds, making their final time just 1:10.4, securing their place in the million-dollar finale!

As Meg was being strapped in (still sobbing), she said that she didn't think she could go through with the stunt. Adam tried to talk her down and even Joe chimed in with encouragment. Finally, Meg agreed to be strapped down, but then she completely lost it. She was literally begging the men to let her out of the box. There was nothing left to do. Joe unstrapped her and Adam and Meg lost by forfeit. Adam tried to console Meg as she cried, but both were reeling from the loss. Although they'd won many prizes along the way, they'd now never see the biggest prize of all. The two remaining couples joined Joe at a lake, the site of the final competition. In the stunt, the man would dangle from a helicopter that was headed toward a speeding boat where his partner would be, hands cuffed together. When both vehicles reached a buoy, the couple would simultaneously jump into the water. The man would unlock his partner's handcuffs and he and his mate would swim to a platform where each would release a flag. The couple with the best time would walk away with the million bucks.

Since Jackson and Monica had the best time from the previous stunt, they were able to choose Meghan and James to go first. James was so nervous he thought he might throw up. Jackson, on the other hand, was quite confident. The only thing that worried him was Meghan and James' uncanny luck. Meghan's hands were cuffed together as her boat sped toward the helicopter that James clung to. As both vehicles crossed the buoy, Meghan and James jumped. They reached each other quickly, but struggled with the handcuffs. Finally, after releasing the cuffs, they swam to the platform. James must have still been nervous, because he fumbled a few times before he released the flag, bringing their total time to 1:21.6. James and Meghan were upset with their time. But there was nothing they could do now, so they hugged and hoped for the best.

Jackson and Monica were confident they could beat the time. They each got on their vehicles, but as they approached the buoy, Monica misjudged and jumped too early. This put the couple further away from the platform and cost them precious time. After Jackson released Monica's handcuffs, they swam hard toward the platform. The time on the clock showed it was going to be close. Once back on shore, Monica and Jackson learned that their final time was 1:06.6! They were Fear Factor Millionaires!! Meghan and James were hugely disappointed, but great sports - offering hugs and congratulations to Monica and Jackson. Seven weeks, nine couples and it all came down to Monica and Jackson. Clearly fear was not a factor for them!