Special Forces: World's Toughest Test season 4 episode 9 recap: The recruits face a multi-stage interrogation process under rising psychological pressure

The season finale of Special Forces: World’s Toughest Test focused on the remaining recruits undergoing a rigorous interrogation process designed to test their psychological endurance.

Five participants, Gia Giudice, Shawn Johnson East, Andrew East, Kody Brown, and Brianna LaPaglia, were subjected to 12 hours of interrogation after being awake for 24 hours.

During this phase, the recruits were instructed not to reveal their military affiliation while maintaining their composure under stress.

According to Fox, the Directing Staff monitored all interactions, observing the participants’ adherence to their prepared narratives and their ability to remain composed throughout the exercise.

The episode demonstrated which recruits successfully managed the pressure and which recruits failed under the simulated conditions.

Episode highlights of Special Forces: World’s Toughest Test finale

Initial interrogation and storytelling

During the first stage, Brianna LaPaglia was required to change clothes and wear sunglasses, while Andrew East was reprimanded for closing his eyes during questioning.

Kody Brown faced questioning from two interrogators, including a female interrogator noted for maintaining strict control of the session.

Gia Giudice attempted to build rapport by narrating a story about being with her friend Andrew.

Shawn Johnson East shared an influencer-related story, incorporating her responsibilities as a mother, and both recruits maintained composure under scrutiny.

Andrew East, however, confronted the interrogator while discussing his family, resulting in the staff concluding he failed to follow the prescribed tactics.

Brianna and Kody also employed the influencer narrative. During this segment, the Directing Staff called out Brianna for lying and subjected her to a simulated punishment involving dirty water.

Kody faced a similar procedure due to inappropriate behavior, described in the episode as being “creepy,” which led to his armband being removed after he reached his breaking point.

Confrontation and failure of recruits

Andrew East and Shawn Johnson East were placed together in a subsequent room for questioning regarding their relationship and adherence to the rules.

During this session, Andrew was identified for lying about his wife, and the incident was confirmed by Gia Giudice, who was also present in the room.

Final challenges and passing criteria

The remaining participants, including Kody Brown, Brianna LaPaglia, Shawn Johnson East, and Gia Giudice, proceeded to additional tasks that included holding sandbags above their heads while squatting in high heat.

Kody Brown failed this portion as well, resulting in his armband being removed for shutting down during the exercise.

The final three recruits faced a simulation of being buried in mud while maintaining silence and not revealing their military status. Brianna LaPaglia admitted to being affiliated with the Special Forces and failed this challenge.

Shawn Johnson East and Gia Giudice were the last two recruits and completed the final task, passing both the interrogation and the overall selection process.

The episode concluded with a montage of the recruits’ experiences, with staff congratulating them for completing the program.

Giudice reflected that she and Shawn Johnson East would be "bonded" for life after completing the selection process, noting that she did not anticipate being able to finish it.

Johnson East explained that the experience stripped away participants' core, emphasizing that recruits had to maintain focus while balancing awareness of their surroundings.

Stay tuned for more updates.