Australia has failed to crown its first ever "Ninja Warrior" after the debut season's grand final saw every single contestant run out of time or crash into the water.
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Just eight competitors made it through the first stage of the new and improved obstacle course, including hot favourites Ben and Lee Cossey and fellow rock climber Tom O'Halloran.
But one by one, each finalist failed the second leg of the course.
Even 23-year-old Ashlin Herbert, who recorded the fastest time in the heats, failed to complete all eight obstacles under the strict time limit.
Another fan favourite, "deadly ninja" Jack Wilson, was disqualified on the second obstacle.
"I never thought I would make it here tonight," he said after getting out of the water in his signature budgie smugglers. "I just want to send a message to all Indigenous and non-Indigenous people to make sure you live a healthy lifestyle."
By the end of the night, serial Ninja Warrior contestant Fred Dorrington – who came third in last year's UK version of the hit sports entertainment show – had gone the farthest through the course before the clock ran out.
No one, however, managed to have a crack at the notorious Mount Midoriyama.
Co-host Rebecca Maddern summed it up best when she said the turbo-charged obstacle course was a gruelling experience for everyone who made it into the grand final.
"We warned the second part of this course was going to be tough," she said. "But it was brutal – taking out our ninjas in the first few obstacles and leaving Mount Midoriyama untouched."
During the sign-off, fellow co-host Freddie Flintoff teased viewers with the possibility of a second season.
Either through a slip-up in the editing process, or a deliberate nod to the late stuntman, Johann Ofner's name appeared when the leaderboard flashed on the screen – to reveal he finished fifth in the first stage of the course.
The stuntman – who died while filming a music video in Brisbane at the start of the year – was also briefly seen during Flintoff's sign-off.
Channel Nine had previously honoured the life of the dead stuntman with an on-screen tribute, and said it would not show his runs in the program out of respect for his family.
Meanwhile, the show has, so far, smashed its ratings timeslot – with Monday night's episode even beating the MasterChef grand final.
"I bet they [the finalists] all wanna come back next season and do it again," Flintoff said.
Either way, Australia hasn't seen the last of Ninja Warrior.
It is the most successful reality TV format of the year and its popularity will no doubt encourage other networks to create copycat versions.
