These were the intense tests Wisconsin native, 'Bachelor' star Nick Viall faced on Monday's episode of 'Special Forces'
Hannah Kirby
Warning: Spoilers from Season 2 Episode 3 of "Special Forces: World's Toughest Test" ahead.
1. Save yourself.
2. Risk your life to save the person you were told to protect at all costs.
When presented with this simulation on Monday night's episode of Fox's "Special Forces: World's Toughest Test," Waukesha native and "Bachelor" franchise veteran Nick Viall instantly put the mission he was given before himself.
"A key element of what we do as Special Forces operators is to protect life," Directing Staff agent Jason Fox, who was formerly a part of the elite Special Boat Services, said on the show. "That means you have to put yourself in harms way. You have to take those risks."
On the show, celebrities take on "grueling challenges from the playbook of the actual Special Forces selection process" while battling the harsh elements of winter in New Zealand, according to Fox. The Directing Staff, made up of an elite team of ex-Special Forces operatives, lead the recruits through the course's demanding training exercises.
Season 2 started with 14 celeb recruits. By the end of night 3, eight remained.
Here's a look at how Viall did on Episode 3:
Protect person during surprise attack
"For most people who experience extreme stress, they collapse or they panic," chief instructor Rudy Reyes, a former recon marine, told the recruits on the morning of Day 3. "On the battlefield, if you panic, people die. Now in the Special Forces, we risk our lives for mission success."
The recruits were taken to a remote forest with simulated battlefield conditions. They were instructed to protect and safeguard a high-value national asset, called a principal, at all costs.
One at a time, the recruits were told to drive the lead vehicle of a two-vehicle convoy through enemy territory. The principal, who in this case was a person, was riding in the vehicle following behind.
Partway through the drive, the convoy came under surprise attack and the vehicle carrying the principal became immobilized. That's when the recruit had to instinctively decide what to do next and jump into action.
Viall — referred to as No. 12 by the Directing Staff — was called on to attempt the mission first.
"Your mission: Keep him alive, keep you alive and get him across the border," Billy Billingham, formerly of the British Army's Special Air Service, told Viall from the passenger seat of the lead vehicle.
When met with the surprise attack, Billingham rapidly fired off a series of questions at Viall: "What are you going to do? Your decision. What are we going to do?"
"Get the principal," Viall answered, jumping out of the vehicle.
Viall dashed to the immobilized vehicle and guided the principal back to the lead vehicle. Then, drove him past the border to safety.
When Billingham asked Viall if it was smart to go back into gunfire, Viall responded: "I had to protect the principal."
That response wasn't good enough for Billingham. "I'm asking a question," Billingham said. Viall's answer? "Yes, Staff."
"The right decision," Billingham told Viall. "Pass."
And, not only did Viall pass, he also got a "well done."
A backwards dive into icy waters at night
Back at base, the recruits were handed wetsuits to place in their Bergens and were told forget about them.
That sure didn't last long. Before they knew it, they were being taken 20 miles away to Lake Wakatipu.
When they arrived, Reyes demonstrated a backwards dive off of a platform into the icy waters. That's what the recruits would be facing next.
"If you can keep a calm mind and focus on the instruction, you will pass this test," Reyes said. "If you panic and you break position, you will fail and absolutely body flop in that water."
Viall passed the test.
Did Viall make it through Day 3?
On the show, there are no votes or eliminations — just survival, according to a Fox news release. The only way for the celebrity recruits to leave the show is to "give up on their own accord." That could be through failure, potential injury or by the agents' force.
Viall was one of the eight recruits who made it through Day 3.