"Mole? Somebody get me a dermatologist!"
by Belle Book

Chapter Nine -- Finale

Scene 1: The Entrance Hall in the Schloss Neuschwanstein, near Fussen, Germany

Abby (voice-over): Previously on Teen Mole -- ten contestants set out on an incredible journey. (We see all ten contestants greeting each other in California.) Immediately, accusations began to fly. (We see Keith and Daria have the first of their many clashes.) In France, the contestants saw the sights of Paris (we get a clip of the tour), tackle a go-kart track (we see Peter communicating information via a walkie-talkie), race through the streets of Lyon (we see Raul running), trying to rescue Ann (we see Heather enter a room, where she sees Ann tied to a post and gagged), go skiing (we see Fern skiing down a course), and go on a balloon trip (we see Violet and Tom having difficulty with their balloon). In Switzerland, contestants had to play a variation of "Clue" (we see Daria interviewing Mark), answer geography questions (we see Fern answering a question), earn exemptions by running through Lausanne (we see Raul sneaking around to get a green card), greet their loved ones (we see Fern and her brother, Terrence, hug), and avoid snipers to earn an exemption (we see Daria get hit by a sniper), In Germany, we see contestants try to earn final exemptions by luring other contestants out of their rooms (We see Tom calling someone on the phone), and get out of locked rooms in Bavarian castles (we see Violet winding up a music box.) And along the way, seven contestants were executed.

We then get clips of each contestant as they receive the bad news that they're out of the game.

Abby (voice-over): Peter ... Ann ... Keith ... Heather ... Mark ... Raul ... Fern. (A red thumbprint appears.) This leaves Daria, Tom, and Violet in the finals. (As she continues, we get clips of all three.) So, who is the winner? Who is the runner-up? And who is the Mole?

At this point, the James-Bond music returns as all three contestants are shown. We then return to Abby, who's standing in the Entrance Hall of the Schloss Neuschwanstein.

Abby: Hello, everyone, and welcome to the finals. It's been quite a journey for our finalists. Tonight, you will find out who will win the jackpot of $550,000! And you'll find out who is the Mole. You'll see how the Mole sabotaged the games, and get hidden clues to the identity of the Mole. And all ten contestants will be reunited for the first time since the beginning of the game. So let's get started. Have you figured out who is the Mole? Is it Daria? Is it Tom? Or is it Violet? Each one has had their share of suspicious moments. Let's take a look.

Daria's name is the first one shown.

Tom (confessional): Daria's sarcastic, antisocial, and a proud nonconformist. That would make her very suspicious, most of all to someone like Keith.

We see Daria refuse to bungee-jump off of Topenga Canyon, and see Keith accuse Daria of being the Mole.

Peter (confessional): Keith came up to me and revealed to me his suspicions of Daria. He said that it was the job of the Mole to lose money for the pot by sabotaging challenges.

We then see Daria crash while trying to ski in Round 3.

Keith (confessional): If Daria thinks she can fool me like she fooled Violet, she's got another think coming. I'm getting all the details to prove that Daria's the Mole.

We then see Daria get hit by a sniper in Round 6.

Daria: Damn!

Raul (confessional): Daria's being eliminated early in the challenge -- that's no big surprise. I would've been surprised if she made it to the church.

Tom's name is the next one shown.

Violet (confessional): Tom's got the perfect qualities to be the Mole. He's good at blending in, and if there's sabotage associated with him, it's rarely obvious, if ever.

We see Tom try to answer a question in the Golfing Challenge in Round 2.

Abby: Tom, here's your question. Name the American female figure skater who won the bronze medal at the 1972 Olympic Games.

Tom: Damn! I know next to nothing on figure skating. (Seems to think for a very long moment, then shrugs.) I give up.

Abby: The answer is Janet Lynn.

Daria (in interview mode): After Keith, Mark, and Ann chose, Violet, Tom, and I were left. Tom said that the ladies should go first. Was he just being a gentleman? Or was he maneuvering himself into being the last to choose so he could get the question he knew he'd never answer correctly? If so, is he the Mole? There's little things that keep coming up that make me wonder about him.

We then see Daria and Tom in the Geneva "Cabonitiers" Museum. As Daria's trying to answer the final question, Tom trips and sets off the alarm, leading to their capture.

Daria (confessional): I know whose fault it is we lost the challenge.

Tom (confessional): I didn't mean to trip and set off the alarm, but I did. Even so, we might've gotten out more easily if Daria had been a faster runner.

We then see Daria and Violet trying to answer Tom's questions in Round 8, and failing to find Tom because they gave a wrong answer.

Daria (confessional): It's possible that Tom simply failed to take into account the ethnocentrism Violet will probably have to face outside of college. But I doubt it.

Violet's name is the final one shown.

Daria: She's sly, she's subtle, she's strategic. She's got the perfect qualities to be the Mole.

Our first view of Violet is in Round 3, where she and Tom fail to get their balloon into Albertville. We then see Violet pull a device from the fuel tank.

Abby: Now what about you, Tom and Violet?

Violet: I found this! (She held up the device she found earlier.) It's some kind of device that was attached to the fuel tank. This could be the cause of our problems.

Abby: Let me see. (She took a look at it.) If activated, this device can actually starve the balloon of fuel, so to speak. This would either make the balloon difficult to get airborne, or it could prevent the balloon from remaining airborne.

Tom (confessional): Interesting that Violet was the one who spotted the sabotage. Could she have noticed it because she was responsible for it?

We then see Violet using the walkie-talkie in Round 5 to communicate with Tom. Raul manages to outrun Tom and get an exemption for himself. Fern glares at Violet, who looks stoic.

Tom (confessional): I wonder why I couldn't hear Violet the first time. Could Violet have cut the signal the first time so that I couldn't hear it clearly, enabling Raul to get another piece of paper? I wouldn't put it past her.

We finally see Tom successfully lure Violet away from her hotel room in Round 7.

Fern (confessional): Violet's leaving her room after hours is the final piece of the puzzle. She's the Mole!

Abby: Welcome back, everyone. Let's say hello to the seven finalists that didn't make it to the final round. Peter, Ann, Keith, Heather, Mark, Raul, and Fern.

We see the seven non-finalists seated in chairs in the Entrance Hall. They all say hello.

Abby: Peter, did you expect to be the first one out?

Peter: I expected to be one of the first three out. I just wasn't certain if I'd be the first one out.

Abby: What about you, Ann? Did you expect to be the second one out?

Ann: To some degree, yes. That's part of the reason why I went with one person the round I left.

Abby: And here's Keith. The one who annoyed so many people during the game.

Keith (embarrassed): Yeah. I'm afraid I went overboard in my suspicions, and if there was anyone who least deserved to win, that was me. I'm going to apologize to Daria when I see her.

Abby: That's good. Heather, you were the first, and possibly only, person to be executed as the result of a tiebreaker. How does that feel?

Heather: Not too good. But I tried my hardest, and I can't ask for anything more.

Abby: That's so true. Mark, you feel Violet and Raul tricked you, causing your execution. Do you still feel that way?

Mark: Raul told me he and Violet were playing Divide and Conquer with me, so I know they tricked me.

Abby: Speaking of Raul, you had a coalition with Violet.

Raul: Yeah, but she dumped me, most likely to go with Daria. I don't blame her, however. Daria's very smart.

Abby: And last but not least, Fern. You barely missed making the finals. How does that make you feel?

Fern: I wish I could've gotten into the finals, but it could've been worse. I could've been the first one out.

Abby (smiling): That's true. Now, who do you think is the Mole, and who do you think is the winner? Peter.

Peter: I think Daria is the Mole, and I think Tom is the winner.

Ann: I think Tom is the Mole, and Daria is the winner.

Keith: Violet is the Mole, and Daria is the winner.

Heather: I agree with Keith. Violet is the Mole, Daria is the winner.

Mark: I would also say Violet's the Mole, and Daria's the winner.

Raul: I think Tom's the Mole, and Daria's the winner.

Fern: Tom is the Mole, and Daria is the winner.

Abby: Okay. Coming up, we'll find out exactly who is the winner, who is the runner-up, and who is the Mole.

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Scene 2: Raft University, in Daria's freshman year of college.

There's a party going in Daria and Violet's room at the university. A banner says, "Congraulations Daria and Violet, finalists in Teen Mole!" There's pizza, chicken nuggets, french fries, and soda on the table for people to eat and drink. People have been dropping in and out to congraulate them. Daria, wearing a dark blue shirt now instead of her mustard-yellow one, and a longer black skirt, but otherwise unchanged, looks like she wants to be anywhere else, but is tolerating the activity. Perhaps it's because her best friend Jane is one of the people at the party. Violet looks happier and a bit more relaxed.

Abby (on television): When we come back, the winner, runner-up, and the Mole will all be revealed. (We see reactions from the contestants.) Then, all ten contestants are reunited (we see bits of conversation), and we see how the Mole managed to sabotage the games.

Jane: Hey, Daria! I knew you'd get into the finals!

Daria: Yeah. It almost makes me want to avoid standing close to you, so I can get at your neck.

Jane (smirking): Well, we'll find out your fate soon enough, Daria. Personally, I bet you win.

Violet: So do I. But if she wins, at least I made the finals, and that's important as well. Oh, here comes my English teacher and your faculty advisor, Mrs. Donovan.

Mrs. Donovan, a woman in her mid-thirties, approaches the trio.

Mrs. Donovan: Hi, Daria, Violet. Hi, Jane. (The trio say hi to her.) Oh Jane, thanks for helping me plan this party for Daria and Violet.

Jane: You're welcome. The best part was keeping it a secret from Daria. Who do you think is the Mole, and who do you think is the winner?

Mrs. Donovan: Daria's obviously going to win. I think Violet's the Mole, which means Tom will be the runner-up.

Jane: I think Tom's the Mole, actually. But I agree with you -- Daria will win.

Mrs. Donovan: Daria, Violet, whatever happens to both of you, I want to say that you did an outstanding job in reaching the finals!

Daria: Thanks, Mrs. Donovan.

Violet: Yeah. Thanks, Mrs. Donovan. Oh, I think the commercials are going to end soon. Let's watch and see.

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Scene 3: The Entrance Hall in the Schloss Neuschwanstein

Abby: Well, we're back. So far, one of you says that Daria is the Mole, three say that Tom is the Mole, and three say that Violet is the Mole. We'll soon find out. But first, I must inform you that the finalists were isolated in the Bedroom, in the Dressing Room, and in the Living Room. The Mole's final victim was locked up in the Dressing Room, which is given over to the world of Wagner's "Die Meistersinger von Nurnberg," the winner was locked up in the Bedroom, which has the motives of "Tristan und Isolde," and the Mole was locked up in the Living Room, which is dedicated to "Lohengrin." So, let's see who the Mole's final victim is.

Abby turns on a TV inside the Entrance Hall. She puts in a video, and within minutes, Abby's image appears on the screen.

Abby (on the video): I'm going to type your name into the computer. If a green screen appears, you are either the Mole or the winner. If a red screen appears, you are the Mole's final victim. Understand? (The contestant, offscreen, nods.) Okay.

Abby types a name into the computer, then presses Enter. A red screen appears. Violet smiles ruefully.

Mark: I don't believe it!

Heather: Wow! (Keith simply looks stunned.)

On the video, Violet gets up and grabs her bag. Abby comes over to help her.

Abby: I'm so sorry, Violet.

Violet: Part of me is as well, but I made a friend, and that's almost as important as winning.

Abby: That's true. And you did quite well.

Violet (smiling): True. Just not quite good enough.

As the final moments of Violet's execution wind down, Violet enters the Entrance Hall. Abby and the seven prior victims of the Mole stand and applaud Violet, who smiles.

Abby: So, Violet, you are the Mole's final victim. What went wrong?

Violet: Most likely it came down to one or two questions. I think I missed one, and the winner got that one.

Abby: Well, we all know now that Violet was the Mole's final victim. There are only two people left: Daria and Tom. One is the winner, and one is the Mole. Let's see which one is which.

She puts the video back in again, and presses Enter. The image of Abby reappears.

Abby (on the video): I'm going to type your name into the computer. If a green screen appears, you are either the MOle or the winner. If a red screen appears, you are the Mole's final victim. Understand? (The contestant, offscreen, nods.) All right.

Abby types a name into the computer, then presses Enter. A green screen appears. As it does so, the camera cuts to Daria, whose eyes are now just widening.

Daria: This ... is ... a ... joke. Right?

Abby: Congraulations, Daria. You have just won the game.

Peter (reacting to the announcement): No way!

Daria (on video): I did it?!

Abby: You sure did. (She hugs a stunned Daria.) Would you like to meet the Mole now?

Daria: I sure would.

Abby: Then follow me. (She takes Daria upstairs, then to a darkened room. She turns on the light.) Daria Morgendoffer, winner, I'd like you to meet the Mole.

As she says this, a figure emerges from the extension chamber, known as the Swan's Corner. Tom smirks as he comes forward.

Abby: Tom Sloane.

Meanwhile --

Fern: I knew it!

Ann: He sure fooled me. Good job.

Tom (on video): Congraulations, Daria. (Daria does not reply.) Daria, is there something wrong?

Daria: Is there a knife somewhere I can use?

Tom smirks and goes over to hug Daria. As he does so on the video, Keith makes a comment.

Keith: Daria deserves to win, especially for putting up with me.

Abby (on video): Congraulations to you both. Now, how shall we celebrate? Shall we go somewhere to eat?

The trio converse as they head out. As they do so, Daria enters the Entrance Hall. Everyone stands up and applauds her. It's unclear whether Daria's more surprised that she won, or that Keith is one of those applauding her.

Abby: Congraulations, Daria. That was a well-deserved win, over an equally deserving opponent.

Daria: Yeah. Sorry you lost, Violet.

Violet: That's okay. I figured I'd lose to you anyway. (They hug.)

Abby: And now, would you like to meet the Mole?

Raul: Bring him on!

Abby: Mole, your audience awaits!

The room suddenly darkens. They then see a green gel light come on from the servants' quarters area to the left of the corridor. A dark figure emerges walking over to the puddle of light where the other contestants are. When the figure emerges into the light, we can see that it's Tom. Everyone applauds, and Tom bows. As he does so, the room brightens again.

Abby: As you can see, Tom is the Mole. I have his final confession here, if you wish to see it.

They all obviously wish to, so she puts the video into the VCR and plays it.

Tom (confessional): Well, it's time to admit my deepest, darkest secret. I, Tom Sloane, am the Mole. This has been an amazing journey for me. Early on, however, it was also a bit rough at times. I had to act like I was a player and hide my true nature from others. I had to even pretend to the interviewers and in my diary that I wasn't the Mole. However, as the game progressed, it got easier for me, especially after I began to suspect that Daria and Violet were working together to hide my true nature from the others. They did a great job of it, and I applaud them for pulling it off. It couldn't have been easy for them. Daria, congraulations on a well-deserved win. You earned every penny of the jackpot. Violet, sorry you lost, but you did an outstanding job in the game as well. And to the rest of you -- I'm sorry if my deception hurt you, but it was all part of the game. I did what I had to, and that's all I could do.

Abby: The Mole's final confession. Tom actually is from Lawndale, and will go to Bromwell University. He once dated Daria, but they broke up before both of them got onto the show. Tom applied as a contestant, but shortly before the game began, the producers chose him to be the Mole. He did an outstanding job of it, managing to fool seven people. But his ability to fool everyone came to an end in the fourth round, when Daria and Violet figured out that Tom was the Mole. When we come back, we'll see how Daria and Violet used their coalition to discover Tom's secret, and we'll see how Daria won and Violet lost.

As the scene changes, we see the other contestants reacting to the fact that Daria and Violet had a coalition. Raul didn't look surprised, but the others sure did.

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Scene 4: Back at Raft University

Abby (voice-over): When we come back, Daria and Violet's coalition is examined, we review Daria's many clashes with Keith, and we see how Tom managed to sabotage the games.

The people who are there when the big announcement is made run up to Daria and Violet. Those that reach Daria congraulate her, while those that reach Violet console her.

Jane: Congraulations! I knew you'd win, Daria! I just knew it!

Daria: Well, you obviously knew me better than I knew myself.

Mrs. Donovan: Congraulations on a well-deserved win, Daria. Sorry you lost, Violet. You would've been equally deserving.

Violet: Thanks, Mrs. Donovan. I'm disappointed I lost, but I knew it was coming. I was up against Daria, and she knew Tom better than I did. The combination was fatal for my chances.

Jane: True. However, I have to admit that you made a worthy competitor for Daria, and a worthy partner in crime. Almost as worthy as I might've been.

Daria: Actually, I think Violet made an even more worthy partner in crime than you would have, Jane. She was so strategic.

Violet (pleased): Why thank you, Daria!

Just then, the phone rings. Mrs. Donovan goes to get it.

Mrs. Donovan: Daria, it's your family. They'd like to talk to you.

Daria: I'll get that. (She answers the phone.) Hello?

Helen (on phone): Daria, we just saw you win! Congraulations! We're so proud of you, sweetie!

Daria: You all are? Quinn too?

Helen (on phone): Yes. Like to speak to her?

Daria: I'd like to hear that she's happy for myself, yes.

Helen (to Quinn): Quinn, Daria wants to speak to you! (To Daria,) Before I let you speak to her, I might as well tell you that I thought you'd win, and that Violet was the Mole.

Daria: Obviously you were half-right. (A minute later, Quinn takes the line.)

Quinn (on phone): Daria? Is that you? If so, I'd like to say congraulations on a well-deserved win! (She seems sincere.)

Daria (reassured): Thank you, Quinn. How is your senior year going?

Quinn: Pretty well. Since the Fashion Club no longer exists, I'm able to focus more on my academic performance, and trying to help Lindy as best I can. (1)

Daria: How is she?

Quinn (sadly): She's still in denial, I'm afraid. Even though she's lost another job of hers for drinking.

Daria: I'm sorry to hear that. She may not admit she has a problem until she reaches rock bottom.

Quinn (sadly): Yeah. (Changing the subject,) Dad thought you were the Mole, and that Violet would win. However, I thought Tom was the Mole, and that you would win.

Daria: Well, Dad was way off, but you weren't. Tell my parents that -- that I love them and that I hope to see them soon.

Quinn (surprised by Daria's admission): I will! Bye!

She hangs up just as Violet calls her.

Violet: I think they're returning to the show now!

Daria returns to the tv, which indeed is almost at the end of commercials.

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Scene 5: The Entrance Hall in the Schloss Neuschwanstein

Abby (standing by the TV/VCR): Welcome back. As you all know by now, Tom is the Mole. Daria beat Violet in the final quiz to win the jackpot of $550,000. Daria, what do you plan to do with all that money?

Daria: I'm going to use most of it to pay my tuition while in college. However, I'm going to give some of it to my best friend Jane. However, if she won't take the money, I'll save it for a rainy day.

Abby: Good idea. However, we can safely say that one of the reasons you got into the finals is that you took up Violet's offer to form a coalition. Let's see how that coalition began and evolved.

She puts another video into the VCR.

Abby (voice-over): Violet came into the game with a distinct goal in mind: get to the finals. She'd seen the first show, and that helped her plan her strategy.

Violet (confessional): In the first series, I saw that Jennifer tended to stand out a lot, which made her an unlikely candidate to be the Mole. Meanwhile Kathryn was the quiet player, whom few suspected. As a result, I decided to not form coalitions with people who blended into the background -- they might be the Mole. I would form at least one coalition with the person whom others in the game would be likely to suspect as the Mole early on, because they stood out.

Abby (voice-over): Fortunately for Violet, the first challenge gave her two likely candidates. (We see Daria and Keith's argument at Topenga Canyon.)

Violet (interview): When Daria refused to jump, I knew someone would suspect her. And when Keith made a point of calling attention to it, I had a second candidate. But should I form coalitions with both of them? Or with just one? I decided to speak to both of them at separate times, so I could figure out which way I should go.

Abby (voice-over): So, on the way to the airport, Violet rode with Daria, and realized that they might have some things in common. At the airport, Violet made a point of staying with Keith while Daria and Tom went to get tickets. It didn't take long for Violet to figure out her next move.

Violet (interview): Daria was sarcastic and cynical, but I found myself actually liking her. Keith, on the other hand, was such a jerk! Also, Daria was really intelligent and observant, so I figured she'd be the best ticket into the finals. I was really glad when I shared a room with Daria when we got into Paris, as I knew that would be a great time to approach Daria for a coalition.

We then see Daria and Violet in their bedroom.

Daria: What strategy do you have?

Violet: I'm planning on forming a coalition and using that coalition to get info that would pin down the Mole. I might even form a second coalition if I feel I need to, but right now, one will do. The right one.

Daria: And just who do you have in mind for the right coalition?

Violet (smiling): You.

Abby (voice-over): What Violet did not realize, however, was that she was one of Daria's top suspects.

Daria (interview): I have three suspects at the top of my list so far, and I won't form coalitions with any of them unless someone else suspects one of them and that person's eliminated. They're Fern, Tom, and Violet.

Abby (voice-over): Fortunately, Daria would eliminate one of them by the second round. She roomed with Ann, and just before dinner on the night of the second quiz, they talked about their voting strategies.

We see a clip of Daria and Ann talking.

Daria: Wouldn't it be better to spread your answers out between Violet and someone else?

Ann: Probably. But I don't think I can keep up with the others. I think I'll be out, so I'll go for broke with Violet. That way if I survive, I'll have more confidence that she is the Mole.

Abby (voice-over): Daria decided to let Ann go for it, as it would help her narrow down the field. And when Ann was executed, Daria realized Violet was not the Mole. (We see Ann's execution.)

Daria (confessional): Ann's out, and she went for Violet. That's one more person off my list.

Abby (voice-over): With Violet no longer a suspect, Daria decided to take Violet up on her offer. (We see Daria talking to Violet.) Meanwhile, Violet had formed a coalition with Raul to gain information. Together, Daria and Violet checked their lists, and realized Fern and Tom were at the top of both of their lists. They decided to watch both of them more closely, but not completely eliminate the others, except for Keith of course.

Violet (confessional): While Fern and Tom are our top choices, Daria and I can't completely eliminate Heather, Mark, and Raul, although they're all very unlikely.

Daria (confessional): The only one I'm convinced isn't the Mole at this point is Keith. Of course, I've eliminated him because he's a jerk.

Abby (voice-over): In the third round, Daria and Violet determined that the Mole would be more likely to strike in the Balloon to Albertville Challenge than in the Ski For Life one, correctly believing that the balloon challenge would be one where the Mole would be able to strike without looking suspicious. This is why Tom began to move ahead of Fern. However, Fern was still a strong suspect in their eyes. So in the fourth round, they determined to eliminate one of the two as suspects.

We see a clip of the two talking before they go downstairs.

Daria: So it's definite. First opportunity we get to split up, you'll watch Fern, and I'll watch Tom. Right?

Violet: Right. One of those two is the Mole, and one isn't. And we'll find out which is which by the end of this round.

Abby (voice-over): Their opportunity came when five people had to take part in the Geography Challenge, while two had to steal jewelry in the Museum Challenge. Daria and Violet split up and went in different challenges. Violet failed to see anything especially suspicious in Fern's behavior in the Geography Challenge, but for Daria, it was another story.

Daria (interview): Tom told me to answer the questions for the combination to the room, saying that I personally knew some athletes, while he didn't. That sounded suspiciously like his behavior in the Golfing Challenge. Besides, even in Fielding Prep, he probably would've had some athletes in his class, and be on speaking acquaintance with at least one of them, even if they didn't move in the same circles.

Abby (voice-over): But Tom's actions once they got inside clinched Daria's suspicions.

We see the clip where Daria manages to reach the vault, then has Tom enter while she answers the questions, only to be thwarted when Tom trips.

Daria (interview): I was able to slip past the laser beams to reach the vault, while Tom tripped. And Tom's probably got better coordination than I do. That convinced me. Tom was the Mole.

Abby (voice-over): Daria and Violet had agreed that when one of them discovered who the Mole was, they would alert the other by doing something that would really call attention to themsevles.

Violet (interview): When Daria attacked Tom, then stomped off, I initially wondered why Daria would attack Tom. Then I realized that it must be Daria's signal -- Tom was the Mole! From then on, Fern was no longer a suspect.

Abby (voice-over): That round, Daria and Violet both answered for Tom during the quiz, Fern answered for Violet, Mark split his answers between Raul and Violet but answered most of them for Violet, and Heather and Raul answered for Fern. Heather and Raul tied for last place during the quiz, but Raul answered five seconds faster than Heather. As a result, Heather was executed.

We (and the contestants) see Heather's execution. Raul seemed stunned when he realized how close he came to execution.

Abby (voice-over): Violet knew Raul had voted for Fern, so she had a choice to make: should she inform Raul that Tom was the Mole? Or should she let him think Fern was the Mole, giving her a better chance to reach the finals? Things became clearer when Fern tried to warn Raul about Violet after the fourth execution.

We see a clip with Fern and Raul.

Fern: I tell you, Violet's the Mole! You're making a huge mistake in sticking with her!

Raul (disbelieving): And I wouldn't make a worse mistake by joining forces with *you*?

Fern: Well, at least you'd be in a better spot than Mark. He thinks you could be the Mole, although he thinks Violet's more likely than you.

Raul (confessional): Fern tried to warn me not to trust Violet. But Fern's probably the Mole, so why should I believe her?

Abby (voice-over): Though Fern didn't know it, she'd inadvertently sentenced Mark to an early exit, for Raul told Violet the first chance he could of what Fern told him. Because Violet wound up sharing a room with Daria that night, she talked to Daria before going to breakfast the next morning, where she learned of one of Daria's strategies.

Daria (interview): Every time we took a quiz, the first thing I did was go straight to my room and write down as many of the questions as I could remember. Usually I remembered all the questions, and I never forgot more than one of them. After the fourth round, I wrote down all the questions. So when Violet told me about what Raul told her, I was able to write down the answers that each person would've given to the question as best I could -- I had to guess with Mark.

Violet (interview): Once Daria showed me how the others would've answered, I realized that Heather had tied with Raul because Daria had roomed with Heather earlier and Heather had told her that she would probably go with Fern all the way. I considered telling Raul that Tom was the Mole, but I quickly decided against it, realizing that I had a better chance getting into the finals if I didn't tell Raul. But Mark's confusion gave me a way to keep Raul around in such a way that nobody else would figure out that Tom was the Mole.

We see Daria and Violet talking in the car they were sitting in.

Daria: How can we completely confuse Mark while getting an exemption for Raul?

Violet: The first exemption that comes up, we get Raul in position for it. And if there's a chance that somebody else can get an exemption, we should put Fern in an opportunity to get it. And get Raul to deliberately sabotage a challenge so that Mark thinks there's a chance that he's the Mole.

Abby (voice-over): So in the next challenge, Daria and Violet made sure Raul was running for an exemption, and that Fern would have an opportunity to go for any other exemptions that might be there along the way. (We see the clip of Raul being chosen, then Fern.) When Fern got the first exemption, they made certain Tom went up against Raul, thinking that Tom would sabotage this challenge. (We see the second run, especially the parts where Daria fails to say that she spotted a piece of paper was missing, and Tom's failure to respond to Violet right away.) They were right, although Daria helped a bit by not letting others know she noticed that one of the green pieces was missing.

Daria (confessional): I decided on the spur of the moment not to inform the others that I was certain Raul had grabbed a piece of paper. That might help Raul get his exemption, although I was certain Tom would do most of the work.

Abby (voice-over): With Raul and Fern having their exemptions, Violet got Raul to agree to deliberately sabotage the next challenge. (We see Raul deliberately overlook Elsie before picking another girl.) As a result, Mark split his answers between Raul and Violet on the fifth quiz but because Daria and Violet both went with Tom, Mark was eliminated. (We see Mark's execution. Mark shook his head as he watched.) With Mark out of the way, Daria and Violet both realized they no longer needed Raul, especially Violet.

Violet (confessional): Unfortunately, for me to make the finals for certain, Raul's going to have to go this round. I hate having to do this to him, but it's all part of the game.

Abby (voice-over): So when the next opportunity came for an exemption, Violet allowed Raul to take himself out of the running for it for her sake; then since she knew she didn't need it, she allowed Fern to get the exemption. (We see Violet allowing herself to be seen by the sniper.) During the sixth quiz, Raul voted for Fern, while Daria and Violet voted for Tom, though Raul didn't know that -- until he was executed. (We see Raul's execution.) With Raul gone, only Fern was left. And Violet had one last trick up her sleeve to convince Fern that she was the Mole.

Violet (confessional): Tom called me and asked me to come to his room -- after hours. He said he had some information that would help me identify the Mole for certain. I suspected it was a trap, and I wouldn't have gone if I didn't realize that doing so would throw Fern so far off the trail that she'd never know it was Tom. (We then see Fern accuse Violet of being the Mole.)

Abby (voice-over): Violet's scheme to convince Fern that she was the Mole worked perfectly -- Fern went with Violet for all the questions on the quiz and was executed. Only then did she realize that she might've been wrong the whole time. (We see Fern's execution.) However, once Fern was gone, the coalition ended, and both girls knew that they were in for a struggle.

Violet (confessional): I've just gotta do my best, and maybe I'll win! Though with Daria up against me, somehow I doubt I will win.

Daria (confessional): I think I could win, but Violet's a tough opponent. She's very strategic, and almost as observant as I am. It might come down to a tie, since I don't think either one of us can successfully convince the other that Tom isn't the Mole.

Abby (voice-over): Realizing that they knew too much about each other to be fooled by any misdirection, they didn't try to mislead each other, instead preferring to duke it out in the final quiz. (We see the three finalists taking the final quiz, then we see a retrospective of Violet as Abby continues.) Violet played with her heart and with her brain. She helped to win $208,000 for the pot, some of it along with Daria. She followed her strategy perfectly, ensuring that she would make the finals, and contributing to the executions of three other players. (We then see a retrospective of Daria as Abby continues.) Daria was perhaps the smartest and most observant player in the finals. She helped to earn $220,000 for the pot, some of it with Violet. And it was her intelligence and her powers of observation that earned her the win. Violet got 19 out of 20 questions correct, and Daria got all 20 correct, beating Violet by one question and earning the jackpot of $550,000! (During the last part we hear the James-Bond music playing.)

Abby turns off the VCR, then turns to Violet, who's sitting between Fern and Daria. Violet is shaking her head at the close call she had.

Violet: One question! I knew it would come down to one or two questions!

Abby: Violet, do you have any regrets about the way you played the game or about the outcome?

Violet: I have no regrets about getting Daria to form the coalition with me. If I'd realized Tom was the Mole before the second round, that would've been a different story. I wouldn't have formed the coalition then. But hitching my wagon to Daria for the finals was the right move to do. However, I do have small regrets that I used then dumped Raul to advance myself in the game. (To Raul,) If I hurt your feelings, I'm really sorry for it. I didn't like doing it to you, but I felt I had to.

Raul: I'm not mad at you, Violet. I probably would've done the same thing if I'd been in your shoes. No hard feelings. (The two hug as Abby turns to Daria.)

Abby: Daria, what did you think about your chances of winning the game when it came down to you and Violet?

Daria: I thought I had a chance to win, but I knew Violet was a tough opponent, and we both knew a lot about Tom. I thought it would come down to a tiebreaker, and I didn't know how that one would come out.

Abby: Incidentally, the final quiz was timed, and Tom had the fastest time, of course. However, Daria finished a couple of seconds faster than Violet did, so even if there was a tie, Daria would've won.

Violet: I'm kind of glad it didn't come down to a tie.

Daria: Me either, although I would've still won.

Abby: Now for our next retrospective. We've put down all the moments that Daria and Keith fought into a big retrospective. We call it "The Misery Chick vs. the Jerk." Take a look.

She turned on the VCR again, and this time we see all the arguments between Daria and Keith. Keith looks like he'd rather be anywhere else, but is putting up with the tape, while Daria alternately frowns and smiles slightly. The other contestants are grinning every time Keith gets discomfited. The retrospective ends with Keith's execution.

Keith: Before you go on, Abby, there's something I have to say to Daria. (He turns to Daria.) Daria, I'm really sorry I acted like such a jerk to you. I suspected you from the beginning, and I just went overboard on it. I shouldn't have done that. I hope you can forgive me for putting you through so much grief.

Daria (looking closely at Keith): Well, you certainly seem chastened, and I guess even jerks can learn from their mistakes. Besides, I've been a jerk myself at times. (2) I forgive you.

Keith happily hugs Daria as the other contestants and Abby smile.

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Scene 6: Back at Raft University

Abby (on TV): When we come back, we'll see how Tom managed to sabotage the games, and we'll show you the hidden clues that pointed to him.

Jane: I can't believe you forgave Keith!

Daria: I almost can't believe it myself. But he was sincere in his apology, and as I said before, I have acted like a jerk in the past.

Violet: Keith would've been a better player if he hadn't gone overboard. I didn't, and I think that's why I got as far as I did. I'm just glad Raul didn't have any hard feelings.

Mrs. Donovan: Raul probably realized it was just a game, and that you did what you had to do in order to stay alive in it. It was nothing personal, just strategy on your part.

Jane: Yeah, Violet. You would've probably won if Tom and I hadn't gotten Daria into the game. So blame us for your loss.

Violet: I probably won't. I got a friend, and I probably got some money as well, just not as much as Daria.

Daria: Hey, Jane, if I gave you some of the money I won, would you accept it to pay for your college expenses?

Jane: I really appreciate your offer, but I don't really need the money. My parents have plenty of money -- how else would they go on those long trips? And my maternal grandmother put money in a trust fund for me to use if and when I went to college. So I don't need your money. You keep it for a rainy day.

Daria: All right. Just thought I'd give you the opportunity to take it if you had to do so.

Violet: I'm glad you asked Jane if she'd take some of your money, considering that she tricked you into getting on the show, thereby helping you win the jackpot.

Mrs. Donovan: I agree. That was the right thing to do. (The phone rings then, and she answers it.) Daria, it's for you.

Daria: I'll get it. (Answering the phone,) Hello?

Tom (on phone): Hey, Daria. Congraulations on a well-deserved win.

Daria: Hey, Tom. How are things going at Bromwell?

Tom: Oh, they're going fine. I'm studying a lot. My grades aren't quite as good as they were at Fielding, but I'm still getting A's and B's. How about you?

Daria: I'm doing quite well. So is Violet. She's my roommate, and we both concentrate on our studies and on our jobs. She's got a babysitting job on the weekends, and I'm working in the library. We're both getting A's and B's as well, but I think I'm doing better than she is, though not by much.

Tom: I'm glad. Oh, I'd better get going. There's a party for me to celebrate my getting into the finals, and they need me. I just wanted to congraulate you.

Daria: And I want to congraulate you on being a fine Mole. See you sometime soon. (She hangs up.) That was Tom. He's doing fine.

Violet: That's good. I heard part of your conversation, and I want to say that I'm not quite as naturally intelligent as you are, but I work hard and that makes up for that disadavantage.

Mrs. Donovan: Sometimes hard work makes you more successful than natural intelligence, Violet. If a person who's really intelligent but doesn't study is compared to a less intellectual but hard-working person, the hard worker will probably do better because they study more.

Jane: That's true. Oh, the commercials will be over soon. Let's watch.

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Scene 7: The Entrance Hall in the Schloss Neuschwanstein

Abby: So who is the Mole? Tom. And the person who figured it out and won the jackpot? Daria. While Daria and Keith were providing the early fireworks, Tom was able to lay low and wait for suitable opportunities to strike. Let's see how Tom did as the Mole.

She put the video back in the VCR.

Abby (voice-over): Tom was a very stealthy Mole. He managed to avoid detection from seven of the players, and wasn't recognized as the Mole until the fourth round.

Tom (confessional): Going in, I knew that I couldn't stand out. I had to act like a player, and the two challenges in the first round simply weren't easy to sabotage without being detected. In fact, I realized they'd be impossible to sabotage that way. So I simply lay low that round.

Abby (voice-over): However, Tom had a close call when he ran into a problem while doing the go-karts at Nevers. (We see Tom's near-mishap on the go-kart track.) That wasn't intentional sabotage, just Tom having some difficulty. Fortunately for him, Keith had even worse problems, and that enabled Tom to escape back into the shadows. But the second round was when Tom began to sabotage things.

We see Tom having Daria and Violet pick categories ahead of them, then Tom deciding to go fifth at the Golfing Challenge.

Tom (confessional): The producers told me that the Golfing Challenge would be the easiest one to sabotage. They also told me which questions we'd be getting, and since I'm not a fan of sports, I decided to maneuver myself into getting the sports question, and in having myself go either fourth, fifth, or last that round. It worked.

We then see Tom being asked the sports question, and not knowing it.

Abby (voice-over): It was the perfect sabotage and cost the group $5,000. Another thing the Mole must do is cause tension within the group, and the note was a perfect way to create tension.

Tom (confessional): Just before I went to my bedroom after the first execution, the producers gave me that note so I could put it up on whatever room I chose. I waited until I saw nobody was in the hallway, then taped the piece of paper to the bedroom door I shared with Keith before going downstairs for breakfast. Keith was in the bathroom and didn't see me. Sure enough, he thought Daria was responsible. (We see Keith accuse Daria at breakfast that round.)

Abby: After Keith accused Daria and Tom sabotaged the golfing challenge, Tom lay low the rest of the round, even going so far as to help Heather reach Ann in the Maze Challenge. His next opportunity to strike lay in the Balloon to Albertville Challenge.

Tom (confessional): I knew that the ballooning challenge would be easier to sabotage without detection than the skiing one. So I was given a small device that would alter the gas mixture in the balloon, and a remote control to activate it. While Violet was waiting for the starter's signal, I simply attached the device to the fuel tank, then activated it so that we would have difficulty getting into the air. Later on, when we neared the finish line, I used the remote control again, so that the balloon would fail to reach the finish line.

We see Tom and Violet's balloon crash-land short of the finish line.

Tom (confessional): What I didn't take into account was the possibility that Violet would notice the device before I could get rid of it, or that she would quickly suspect me of having sabotaged the balloon.

Violet (confessional): I realized the Mole must be responsible. I then remembered Tom being near the balloon before we took off. He also was the one that was checking the fuel. He could easily have been behind the sabotage. All he had to do was attach the device to the fuel tank while we were all distracted, then use a remote control so he can sabotage the balloon at his own convenience. It would've been so easy.

Abby (voice-over): Although Violet was beginning to be suspicious of Tom, his actions still cost the group $10,000! Tom's next move was in the Museum Challenge, where he and Daria had to steal the jewelry.

Tom (confessional): I decided to let Daria struggle with answering the questions, simply to waste time, then decided to let her sneak in first, hoping she'd trip and alert security. However, she didn't trip, so I knew I had to trip.

We see Tom near the vault as Daria is ready to do the third and final question. Immediately Tom deliberately trips, setting off the alarm. Daria glares at him.

Tom (confessional): The guards got to us before we could get out of the museum, but I didn't realize that Violet had begun to suspect me or that she had relayed her misgivings about me to Daria, although I had begun to suspect they'd formed a coalition. If I had known that, I might've realized that Daria's attack on me was a signal to Violet that she'd found me out.

We see Daria attack Tom, then stomp off, and we see Violet's thoughtful reaction.

Abby (voice-over): Even though Tom could no longer fool Daria and Violet, he'd still prevented $20,000 from going into the pot. Tom's next opportunity came in the fifth round.

Tom (confessional): I was told to be the runner people thought most needed an exemption. However, things didn't go as the producers planned, and Raul was chosen, so I had to adapt. When Fern was chosen to stop Raul, that's when I first began to realize that Daria and Violet knew I was the Mole. I thought they were going to prevent me from sabotaging the game, until they chose me to be the second runner going up against Raul. By then, I knew what I had to do to take money from the pot.

Violet (through walkie-talkie): Raul's got at least two pieces of paper! (However, Tom had turned off his walkie-talkie, so that he didn't hear Violet at first. He turned it on by the time Raul got the fifth piece of paper, however. This enabled Raul to have the opportunity to get the exemption.)

Abby (voice-over): It was a clever scheme and it cost the group $20,000. Tom next struck in the Sniper Challenge.

Tom (confessional): I didn't need the exemption, and I figured that there was a good chance that they all would be taken out before they could reach the cathedral, so I decided to get myself taken out early by "tripping." That tactic worked before, after all.

We see Tom's trip before he could reach safety, and his being taken out of the game.

Abby (voice-over): While money was still added to the pot, Tom prevented more money from being added through his sabotage. However, Tom's finest moments were in the seventh round.

Tom (confessional): I knew that the final exemption would involve luring someone out of their room, thereby taking money from the pot. So I made certain that I grabbed the one piece of pie without whip cream on it; for if I did, I'd be certain to try to get the exemption. By this point, I suspected that either Daria or Violet would play along with my scheme so they could fool Fern, but I wasn't certain. I chose Violet because she was more likely to be suspected than Daria at this point.

We see Tom call Violet, and Violet play along.

Abby (voice-over): That was Tom's most diabolical sabotage and it cost the group $20,000.

Tom (confessional): I was also asked to sabotage the Hildegardplatz Market Challenge, and I decided to do so if either Fern or Violet were selling with me. If Daria was the one selling with me, I wouldn't have to do a thing. And as things turned out, I didn't need to sabotage -- Daria drove people away with her sarcasm. (We see Daria and Tom trying to sell items.)

Abby (voice-over): Tom's final sabotage came in the Three Questions Challenge.

Tom (confessional): I knew the three questions that Daria and Violet would be asked. I figured Daria would be more likely to succeed than Violet if only because of ethnocentrism, but that question seemed the easiest to sabotage without detection, so I went for it. They still realized that I'd sabotaged it anyway.

We see Tom explain his reason for answering Violet.

Daria (confessional): It's possible that Tom simply failed to take into account the ethnocentrism Violet will probably have to face outside of college. But I doubt it.

Abby (voice-over): After that challenge, Tom did no more sabotage. (We then see a retrospective of Tom.) Tom was a great Mole. He singlehandely cost the group $135,000, and helped cost an additional $40,000! He calculated which challenges would be best to sabotage like a master, knowing when it would be wisest to lay off.

Tom (confessional): This was the best experience I've ever had. Sabotaging games, tricking people -- who could ask for anything more? I only wish I could do it all over again. (The James Bond music plays while Tom speaks.)

Abby turns off the VCR. Tom smirks.

Abby: You really were an excellent Mole. However, Daria and Violet both became suspicious in the third round, and caught on to you in the fourth round. If you could do it all over again, would you have tried to make yourself less suspicious to them until later?

Tom: Daria would've figured me out sooner or later anyway. If I could do it all over again, I probably wouldn't take Violet as my partner in the balloon challenge. She was very observant, and that helped her suspect me sooner than I would've wanted her or anyone else to suspect me. Still, I have no regrets, and they certainly helped hide me from the others.

Daria: Only because hiding you helped us. If we knew that hiding you wouldn't help us, we wouldn't have done so.

Tom (smirking): That's true.

Abby: There were also hidden clues, that pointed to the identity of the Mole. Let's take a look.

She turned the VCR back on again.

Abby (voice-over): Throughout the Mole, there's hidden clues that when explained, reveal the identity of the Mole -- in this case, Tom. The first clue was in Episode One. If you noticed, every time the contestants stood in a line, Tom stood sixth from the left. (We see a clip of the contestants standing at the airport, with Tom clearly shown standing sixth from the left.) Tom was the sixth person to arrive at the rendezvous for the Teen Mole contestants. (We see him arrive just after Daria does.) The next clue is the note Keith found on the door of the room he shared with Tom. (We see Daria read the note Keith shoved in her face.) Not only could Tom have had the best opportunity to put the note up, but there were seven letters capitalized. If the contestants had looked closely at the seven letters, they would've realized that the letters spelled "TOM MOLE." In Episode Three, the clue is when the contestants are shopping in Grenoble. (We see a clip of the contestants shopping.) Tom is the only person not shown either shopping or conversing with a shopper. In Episode 4, there is a brief shot of Tom looking up at the stars from his room in the Hotel d'Angleterre. (We see that clip.) Tom likes to look at the stars. In Episode 5, we have two clues in the newspaper clipping. (We see the clip of the waiter handing the clipping to Tom, and of the clipping itself.) The first clue is in the capitalized letters. Arranged correctly, they spell "SLOANE MOLE." Tom's last name is Sloane. Also, the waiter gave the clipping to Tom. In Episode 7, someone left a copy of "Rosencrantz and Guildenstern are Dead," written by TOM Stoppard. (We see the book being left on the stall Daria and Tom were at.) The title points to Tom. And in Episode 8, Tom is the one talking about Lohengrin the Swan-Knight, whom Ludwig II identified with. (We see Tom asking about Lohengrin.) The Mole would later be isolated in the Living-Room, which has paintings concerning Lohengrin.

Abby: So Daria walks away with $550,000. Tom, the Mole, walks away with the satisfaction of deceiving seven contestants, and most likely many of the viewers. Violet walks away with the satisfaction of possibly having made a friend in Daria. And for the rest of the contestants, they have the satisfaction of fun memories. This is Abby Carmichael, saying good-night.

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Scene 8: Back at Raft University

Mrs. Donovan: So that's that. Congraulations Daria and Violet! You both played a tremendous game.

Jane: I agree. Congraulations to you both.

That's when the phone rings. Violet goes to get it. She soon returns.

Violet: Daria, it's for you. It's Trent, Jane's brother.

Daria: Trent?! (She takes the phone from Violet.) Trent?

Trent (on phone): Hey, Daria. I saw you win Teen Mole. Congraulations. I knew you'd win.

Daria (surprised): You did?

Trent: I did. I know you very well, Daria. And I hope you gain a friend for life in Violet. She seems like the type of girl that you might get along with.

Daria: Actually, I am getting along quite well with her. We've already shared pizza with Jane.

Trent: That's good. Well, see you soon, Daria.

Daria: Bye, Trent. (She hangs up.) I think I remember telling you that I once had a crush on Trent, but that I'm over it now, Violet. We're just good friends now, and it's for the best. He's nice but just not reliable enough for me.

Violet: It's good to have friends. That's why I'm glad I stuck with trying to form that coalition with you, Daria. I gained more than just a good partner out of it.

Daria: So did I, Violet. So did I. And if I hadn't been tricked by Jane, I never would've met you until much later, so I should thank Jane.

Jane (smirking): You're welcome, Daria. And I'm looking forward to more adventures with you and Violet.

The three teenagers raise their glasses of soda in a toast.

Daria: To Teen Mole!

Violet and Jane: To Teen Mole!

All three clink their glasses.

The End

1. A reference to "Is it College Yet?"

2. A reference to "Jane's Addition," "Partner's Complaint," and "The Story of D."

Final notes --

I did take many of the challenges from some of the Mole shows around the world, especially the American ones. However, I did get a couple of ideas from other places. The Ski for Life Challenge and the Geography Challenge were my ideas. And I took the idea of the Balloon to Albertville Challenge from a Fantasy Mole story I read where the Mole, a woman named Sheila McIntire, blatantly sabotaged that challenge in such a way that several people were thrown off her trail. I should thank Jonathan Katalenic, the writer of that story, for inspiring my own ballooning challenge, although my Mole was more subtle in sabotaging that challenge. And the Race through Lyon Challenge was inspired by the Amazing Race reality show; as well as by a challenge in Jonathan's second Fantasy Mole story, where the Mole; a woman named Holly Troy, and another contestant had to get to their destination by figuring out clues in sealed envelopes, although I don't think there was a Detour in that one.

Also, I surfed the Internet to find good locations for my characters to be in, usually by using the Yahoo! website. However, my decision to go to Fussen and eventually go to the Schloss Neuschwanstein was inspired by a comic book called "Veronica's Christmas in Germany," where Veronica Lodge actually is taken to that castle by her cousin Elke and Elke's then-fiance, Wolf. I just couldn't resist sending my characters there. As for the bit about Tom liking to look at the stars, that's from my fanfic "Inner Demons."

It's not specifically mentioned whether Jane's family is really wealthy or not, but since travelling to places such as Death Valley or Greece definitely is expensive, I decided to make the Lanes wealthy enough that they could afford to travel a lot. That also explains my decision to have Jane's maternal grandmother set up a trust fund for her, especially since I didn't think her parents would be thoughtful enough to do that, and I saw how her paternal grandmother treated Jane in "The Teachings of Don Jake"!

Some of my decisions concerning characterization and where certain characters would finish were made before I wrote any of it down. For example, I had Daria winning and Tom being the Mole from the beginning, as well as having Violet join them in the finals, and much of the order of finish. But some of my decisions were made after I began writing the story. For example, I decided to make Heather a track star instead of a swimming one and I originally had a different challenge in mind instead of the Race through Lyon one that I created. But most of my decisions that were made after writing the story down involved Violet. I decided to put her and Daria in a coalition, which led to my decision to have Violet also go to Raft University, and to my ultimate decision to develop a friendship between her and Daria.

In conclusion, I hope you enjoyed my story! I had a lot of fun writing it, and tried to make the characters as real as I possibly could.