‘Stars on Mars’ Power Rankings, Week 11: And Then There Were Five

With just the finale left to go, let’s take a look at how the remaining contestants on “Stars on Mars” stack up. Disagree with our takes? Let us know in the comments!

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Past power rankings:

Week 1 | Week 2 | Week 3 | Week 4 | Week 5 | Week 6 | Week 7 | Week 8 | Week 9 | Week 10

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1. Adam Rippon

Last week: 6 ↑

Adam’s political plays haven’t always been the savviest, but you can’t argue with the results: He’s gotten through to the finale with allies to spare. It’s not clear what challenges will separate the contestants in the final episode, but it’s hard to bet against an Olympian. Adam has rarely found his way out of the basement in our power rankings, but he’s suddenly on top at the best possible time.

2. Paul Pierce

Last week: 5 ↑

The jock caucus is fully dead. From its ashes, however, has risen a two-person alliance between ex-NBAer Paul Pierce and notable nonathlete Cat Cora, both of whom were part of the show’s surprise introduction of new contestants midseason. The latecomers’ alliance is outnumbered, but that may not matter much in the finale, which will ultimately use challenge performances, not popular votes, to crown the final winner. Paul Pierce is one of two ex-athletes left in the hab, and it’s hard to imagine any other contestants keeping up with his long strides if the challenges involve any kind of hustling around.

3. Tinashe

Last week: 2 ↓

Tinashe has ushered her little alliance into the finals with a 3-2 majority, but the time for politics may soon be over. That’s OK, though — Tinashe has shown herself to be very competent in challenges, too, albeit her loss to another team in this past episode notwithstanding.

4. Cat Cora

Last week: 1 ↓

Cat Cora has shown a willingness to be competitive and ruthless, but she hasn’t always shone in challenges (in fact, she has repeatedly failed to properly use a screwdriver and has not always been able to stay on her own two feet). That could be a serious liability in the finale.

5. Porsha Williams Guobadia

Last week: 3 ↓

Porsha barely escaped elimination in Episode 11. Her bond with the two other remaining original contestants puts her in the political majority, but it’s not clear that politics will matter much in the finale’s challenges.

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Eliminated: Marshawn Lynch

Last week: 4 ↓

The format of Episode 11 left us with a bottom two instead of a bottom three, and the crew was forced to choose between Marshawn and Porsha. Unfortunately for Marshawn, the remaining contestants decided to consider day-to-day contributions, and Marshawn’s ongoing shenanigans and occasional bullying became the justification for sending him packing.

Eliminated: Ariel Winter (Episode 10)

Last week: N/A

Victory was short-lived for Ariel Winter, who followed her archrival Lance Armstrong out the door in the very next episode. Like Lance, she bowed out voluntarily after being put in the bottom three.

Eliminated: Lance Armstrong (Episode 9)

Last week: N/A

When the machinations of Mission Specialist Tinashe relegated Lance to the bottom three, he took the coward’s way out and volunteered to leave the hab. The show has now had nearly as many quitters as it has had genuine ejections.

Eliminated: Andy Richter (Episode 8)

Last week: N/A

Andy made an enemy in Episode Seven when, as base commander, he put Cat Cora in his bottom three. In the very next episode, Cat ascended to the base commander role and set about making Andy’s life miserable before sending him packing at the end of the episode.

Eliminated: Ronda Rousey (Episode 7)

Last week: N/A

Despite having a very strong position as the best-liked member of the still-powerful jock clique, Ronda volunteered to go home in Episode 7. It was the most disruptive self-ejection yet.

Eliminated: Ashley Iaconetti (Episode 6)

Last week: N/A

Ashley Iaconetti arrived in Episode 5 and was promptly ushered out in Episode 6. Not much happened with her in between.

Eliminated: Tom Schwartz (Episode 4)

Last week: N/A

Tom was one of two people kicked out of the hab in Episode Four’s surprise double-elimination (the other was Natasha Leggero). Tom’s ejection seemed to have more to do with accumulation of bottom-three performances than it did with any specific mistakes he made in his final episode.

Eliminated: Natasha Leggero (Episode 4)

Last week: N/A

Like Richard Sherman the week before, Natasha actually requested to be sent home. The difference in her case was that she was absolutely getting booted off regardless.

Eliminated: Richard Sherman (Episode 3)

Last week: N/A

In easily the most shocking moment of the show so far, Richard Sherman effectively quit during the elimination phase of Episode Three. Technically in the bottom three but in no real danger of elimination, thanks to Marshawn’s antics and Natasha’s incompetence, Sherman declined to mount a defense. Instead he gave a short speech volunteering to be sent home. Base commander Tinashe obliged.

Eliminated: Tallulah Willis (Episode 2)

Last week: N/A

Tallulah managed to win the base commander job in Episode Two, only to meet with failure in the emergency challenge. The team’s flop made Tallulah eligible for elimination, and mission specialist Natasha Leggero sent Willis packing.

Eliminated: Christopher Mintz-Plasse (Episode 1)

Last week: N/A

Poor McLovin was booted in the series premiere. Things move fast on Mars, and Mintz-Plasse just couldn't get out of the gate cleanly.