Real World/Road Rules Challenge: The Duel II is the 17th season of the MTV reality game show, The Challenge (at the time known as Real World/Road Rules Challenge). The Duel II is the sequel to the show's 13th season, The Duel. It took place in Queenstown, New Zealand, with former cast members from MTV's The Real World and Road Rules competing along with several cast members from the Fresh Meat challenge. The season premiered on Wednesday, April 8, 2009, and concluded on June 17, 2009, with the reunion show.

Format

The Duel II follows the same format as the original Duel challenge, with the main difference being that each round of play features a male and female elimination. The specific differences are as follows following differences: At the end of the season, six contestants compete in the final challenge — three of each gender. First-place wins $100,000, second-place wins $35,000 and third-place wins $15,000.

Contestants

Gameplay

Challenge games

Duel games

Final challenge

The final challenge begins with each player riding on a jet boat, and each player jumping off the boat when it stops in the middle of the river. Each player has to cross from one side of a river to another using a rope. The remainder of the course involves checkpoints reminiscent of each duel elimination. After crossing a river, each player has to run up a steep hill to the first checkpoint, "Spot On," in which each player has to complete a puzzle. The second checkpoint is based on "Duel Pole Dancing," in which each player has to shimmy their way up to the top of a pole in order to unlock a mountain bike. Each player then rides their bike up a mountain side to the third checkpoint, "Back Off." Players have to chain themselves to an iron ring, and have to team up with a player of the opposite gender of their choice. Each pair then advances to the "Push Over" checkpoint, in which players have to push a sled filled with dirt across a line, and remove the dirt to make the sled lighter. Each player then retrieves a key from under the sled's original spot in order to unlock themselves from the metal rings from the previous checkpoint. The final checkpoint is "The Elevator," in which each player has to elevate themselves to the top of "The Duel" structure to retrieve a Māori carving, then sprint to the finish line, where the first-place finishers win $100,000, the second-place finishers win $35,000 and third-place finishers win $15,000.

Game summary

Elimination chart

Duel progress

Selection processes

Teams

Episodes

Reunion special

The reunion aired on June 17, 2009, and was hosted by Maria Menounos and was taped at the MTV Studios on June 9, 2009. Cast members that attended were: Landon, Evan, Rachel, Brittini, Aneesa, Kim, Dunbar, Brad, Tori, Diem, Mark, Jenn, & Paula. The many relationships/hookups, fights & missions were discussed. First topic that was discussed was how Rachel beat all of the guys in the final mission. Mark stated that the reason why she had beat every one of the guys because the guys had to wait on the girls at the checkpoint during the middle of the mission. Brad felt like Rachel should have helped him dig more like how Brittini helped Evan, even though Rachel says she did. Maria then asked Evan & Rachel what they did with their money. Rachel said "she is having a good time with it." and Evan says "He is putting it all away and saving it for the right girl." Then, the CT/Adam fight was shown. Mark stated that besides the Diem situation being the source of the fight, past challenge history and them together on their season sparked more tension between the two. Jenn states that the fight was a whole lot worse when you were actually there, and Rachel says that CT shouldn't be allowed on any more of these challenges. The love triangle is discussed. Jenn said she had already known about Rachel & Aneesa's history and that Rachel avoided talking about it to either one of them, because she didn't want to hurt anyone's feelings. But, Aneesa felt like her feelings didn't matter and they were "swept under a rug." Kim then discussed that she & Dunbar had tried something after New Zealand but didn't work out. Evan then felt like Paula shook up the voting order when she voted for Dunbar instead of MJ, even though Paula denies that ever happens and says Evan "did her wrong". Mark & Landon felt like the missions were pretty easy and Landon says that he would rather lose to Brad than anyone else on the show. Brad states that the show added a stress factor to his relationship with Tori, but Tori confirms that they are engaged and will be getting married in April. It is also discussed why Mark came out of retirement after announcing it on the Gauntlet 2 reunion. Maria asks about Robin & Katie, Robin is pregnant and expecting a little boy and Katie is engaged. Mark also added that Brooke just moved in with her girlfriend from A Shot at Love with Tila Tequila. The Real World: Cancun preview is shown, thus ending another challenge reunion.