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Episode Recap: Intergalactic Zoo

16 artists arrive and things quickly turn into an intergalactic zoo for which they must create alien/animal hybrids.

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Let it be known hereafter that Season 9 of Face Off is the “Cold-A$$ Mofo” season. Any season that starts with a Spotlight Challenge –- and no Foundation Challenge with its sweet, sweet immunity –- is a season we wouldn't trust as far as we could throw a bathtub. When the contestants arrive at the Natural History Museum in Los Angeles and hear that news from McKenzie's mouth, they scramble to pick their jaws up off the floor before racing to find the object that they and their partner will use as inspiration for the alien animal they'll create for not just one model, but two. (See again, “Cold-A$$ etc.)

How to Watch

Catch up on Face Off on Peacock or the SYFY App.

Libby and Stevie think they have a good thing going with their alien queen inspired by the native silver mineral, but Neville, on site to guide their concepts, tells them it has to be less humanoid, more animal. That means they have to rethink their concept in the lab. Starting the first challenge behind on time is not a good feeling, but they come up with an insectoid creature, using one head as the pretty lure for the prey and the other model's head as the devouring predator.

Omar and Kevon, whose inspiration is a giant clam shell, use one arm of each model for the shell and the other arms to operate a gory mouth in the innards of the clam. Jordan and Ben are loving their azurite with malachite inspiration and even adapt gracefully when they realize they don't have quite enough makeup to cover both models. Take a little fabric from wardrobe, wrap it around the center, tie with twine and voila! Your blind underground dinosaur is whole again.

Sidney isn't super confident out of the gate due to his self-taught status, but his partner Evan has that classroom learning and they balance each other out as they create a horned tourmaline-with-albite critter (Mr. Westmore's advice to go asymmetrical with the face and cowl is well-taken).

The challenge goes by far too quickly, and before you know it, people are having their first (but certainly not last!) freak-outs in Last Looks. Meg sobs to her partner, Missy, that she can't put something that muddy and unfinished on stage; Missy is also unhappy with the look, but stays strong for her partner and pushes through to the end. Nora and her partner Scott, on the other end of the spectrum, love how their ram horn inspired their snake-like creature and are thrilled when they see it on stage.

Top Looks went to Ben & Jordan and Sidney & Evan, and considering the awesome graphic paint job and sophisticated sculpt Ben put together for the blind dinosaur, he is undoubtedly this week's champ.

Libby & Stevie and Omar & Kevon are in Bottom Looks and all grieving as they step to the center platform, each certain they'll be the one to leave. But Glenn's announcement that no one is going home tonight has them crying even more -- they've all been given a second chance! The tremendous challenge thrown at them showed the judges exactly what each of them can do and they all know just how much they have to prove next week. Bring it!