Previously on The Real World, Justin told Annoying that he didn't want her sleeping in his bedroom anymore. I remember this clip. Then Annoying cried. Yep, remember that too. Then Colin said that Justin was vindictive and that he got really happy after being mean to Annoying. I don't remember that clip! Have they showed that one before? Anyway, they are also off to India. So we know that the gang (minus Ruthie) is going to India and that Justin is going to be vindictive and happy about it.
They all arrive in India and I'm not going to make fun of how they look or what they say because they're coming off a twenty-four-hour plane trip, and God knows I would not be at my best under those circumstances. They all get some sort of Indian lei as they arrive. Wonder Bread tells us that Annoying and Colin have been very affectionate thus far. They all get on a bus and Annoying says that she and Colin are "enjoying each other's company." Does anyone else think they joined the Mile-High Club? Although, if they had, the producers probably would have filmed it, right? An Indian woman gives Teck some sort of blessing on his forehead and he asks what that's called. She tells him it's an atika. He handled this really well, and I think, "Maybe Teck can be tolerant and not embarrass his country while traveling abroad." We'll see what happens.
The group meets Ramish, their guide for the trip. He tells them they are going on a train trip for seven days. They will spend each day in a different place doing tours, and then sleep on the train at night. Colin says that this is the biggest and best trip ever in his life. What's weird is that the captioning identifies Colin as Trevor. What was that about? I mean, I know Trevor is Colin's best friend, and was on the casting special, but there is no one on the show named Trevor.
Annoying is giving out Blow Pops ™ to all the children in India. Is it some sort of custom to give the children in India little treats and such? I profess ignorance in such matters. I guess Blow Pops ™ are fun and all, but I think I would have bought some little trinkets or something. Or I would just not give them anything, which is what the rest of the roommates appear to be doing. Justin tells us in an interview that he finds Annoying to be conventional and shallow. Tell me something I don't know.
Justin says that Annoying makes him sick. He tells his new best friend Tetanus Girl -- the innoculation shot last week appears to have failed; she still talks with clenched jaw -- that he can't take it anymore. About Annoying, he says, "You're that lame, and it's not even interesting," which is funny. At this point in the episode, I think it's all harmless, and that if this is what they meant by Justin's true colors, bring it on. So he bitches about how annoying everyone is. Isn't that what I do every week? Anyway, he goes on to say that he wants to make it more interesting by trying to manipulate Colin and Amaya's relationship.
Justin then gives a speech that pretty much sums up the season for me. He says, "True colors come clean when you're traveling. Matt, for all his kindness, is fundamentally weak," and they show Wonder Bread writing a letter to Ruthie. I tried to pause the tape and read it, but all I got was "Dearest Ruthie," and "I promise to think of you every day." What a lame-ass. Justin continues, "Amaya is pitiable and pathetic," as we see Annoying braying at a camel. "Colin maintains a consistent inconsequentialness," and I don't think inconsequentialness is a word, and I think he's been spending too much time with Tet Girl, because that doesn't really make sense, but anyway we see Colin handing out nutrition bars to the kids, because turn those kids' lives around. Justin goes on, "Kaia exhibits a certain kind of intense self-centeredness," as we see her try on piece of Indian jewelry and strike a pose for a photo. "Teck's shtick has become so tired, it's comatose," as Teck dances and generally acts idiotic. I find it amusing that the producers had no trouble finding video clips to illustrate Justin's points, and while I think he's right, I also think perhaps he might have turned his focus inward and realized that he is not better than anyone else. He concludes, "I've never been in forced confinement with a group of people that were [sic] as intensely self-centered and thoughtless as the group in our house." I think the problem is that Justin is a smart kid, and he has gone to a lot of schools with lots of other really smart people, and somewhere along the line he got the idea that this made him better than everyone else somehow. In some ways, maybe it does. But in other ways, he is a big, huge snob who needs to get off his high horse. Just because what he said about his castmates is true, it doesn't excuse his behavior. Then again, maybe the whole Ruthie incident just disgusted him -- remember when he told Matt the whole thing was just dirty? -- and he became completely disillusioned. But I think the right thing would have been either to ignore everyone completely, or to tell them how he felt. To sneak around behind their backs is not just wrong -- it's incredibly third grade.
Justin talks to Colin about Colin's relationship with Annoying. Colin says he's just having a good time on the trip. Justin says that they're dependent on one another and that Annoying is messed up in the head, and that she has repeatedly shown that she is a nester. He tells Colin that he doesn't have to confront her, but that he shouldn't be a part of that behavior, and should make a clean break. Colin says, "So I should expose her insecurity of being independent?" which is more syllables than Colin has ever attempted before. I purposely left out of this conversation the constant confessionals from Tet Girl that the producers throw in, because they totally alter the conversation. If you just read the above paragraph, you see Justin trying to tell Colin to get out of an unhealthy relationship. Interject after each sentence Tet Girl saying, "Justin likes to manipulate people. He is playing around. He doesn't care about Amaya's well-being," and it's a whole different conversation. I DO think that Justin was trying to be manipulative -- since he said so earlier -- but it's interesting how much editing can change things.