‘Face Off’ Season 10 Episode 12 Recap: Melissa Ebbe Crushes The Reign Of Kong Challenge

The final four artists drive through a jungle to find their spotlight challenge for the semifinals.

Their challenge is to choose one species from the upcoming Universal Studios Orlando attraction, Skull Island: Reign Of Kong. The artist’s job is to pick a species and imagine its evolution into an intelligent being. The winner of this challenge will not only be part of the finale, but will win a trip for two to Universal Studios Resort.

Walter Welsh picks a multi-animal hybrid that looks like a bat, rat and pterodactyl combined. He plans on moving his creature’s wings to its back so it can develop hands. He starts his creature with a cracked and wrinkly skin texture. Welsh struggles to create the wings and it takes up more time than expected.

The judges appreciated Welsh’s paint work. Judge Glenn Hatrick thought the wings would have been better folded on the back of his creature rather than towering high in the air.

Mel Licata chooses a creature that has a lot of insect features. She wants to incorporate more human anatomy in her creature’s evolution. Licata doesn’t like her concept and keeps second guessing herself in the sculpting process. It takes her a few times to create a concept that she likes.

Judge Ve Neill thought Licata’s fabrications were well done and elegant.

Rob Seal selects a dinosaur hybrid that is the largest creature on the island among King Kong. He describes his creature as a “t-rex caveman person” and plans to create bigger pieces. He puts a lot of work into his sculpture but doesn’t leave enough time to paint and is concerned that the judges will notice.

Hatrick thought he had “delicious sculptural detail” but the judges weren’t pleased with the creature’s bare chest.

Melissa Ebbe’s creature is a crab-like arachnid. In her design process, she pushes herself to do something different to get her into the finale.

The judges were impressed with the amount of work she completed and the quality of her paint job. Judge Neville Page thought she created a complete character that was aesthetically pleasing.

The judges declare Ebbe as the winner of the challenge and Welsh follows close behind. The judges decide Seal will go through to the finale and Licata is eliminated.

Although Seal was unsure of his paint job, Hatrick said he has a gift for sculpting.

Stay tuned to the Face Off finale where the artists will create a character to star in a horror film next Wednesday 9/8c on Syfy.