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Planning on spending the Friday after Thanksgiving fighting your way through traffic and crowds to find the perfect gifts for the holidays? Nope. Neither do we.
Really, what shopping do you need to do aside from just buying everyone in your life American Ninja Warrior merch? (Grandma would LOVE a new water bottle.)
Maybe you plan on spending the long weekend avoiding the crush of people and taking in some of those delightful made-for-tv holiday movies where everyone seems to have endless sets of matching hats and scarves. If that’s the case, we have a suggestion. If you’re looking for the fuzzy holiday feels, there are some American Ninja Warrior episodes that can help you out with that.
(If you need help figuring out how to watch these episodes, this guide can help.)
Disclaimer: In every single episode there are multiple competitors who move and inspire us. This is not a complete list by a LONG shot. You should probably just watch the whole season again. Seems like the safest bet.
Red Nose Day’s Celebrity Ninja Warrior
The whole episode is a fun romp as celebrities like Nikki Bella and Ne-Yo attempt the course for a great cause. But the cherry on top is watching host Akbar Gbajabiamila yank off his suit and display his Ninja powers, raising $30,000 for children in need. Your heart will swell two sizes.
Okay, you know how we all secretly love those movies where the regular guy/gal turns out to be an unlikely secret member of the monarchy of a made up country? (Stop it. You know you love it.) Bootie Cothran will give you those feelings. After years of hard work, he reaches his first buzzer, which is way better than a crown anyway.
Enedina Stanger experiences something unforgettable right in front of our eyes. Inspired to Ninja train by her husband, Enedina goes from a wheelchair, to standing and walking, and in this episode, stepping on the course herself. It’s clutch-a-blanket-to-your-face-to-muffle-your-sobs kind of moment. Read more about Enedina’s journey here.
Jeremiah Morgan qualified for the National Finals in season nine, but never appeared in Las Vegas. That’s because he endured an accident while camping that left him in a coma. After facing the very real possibility of death, Jeremiah return in season 10 to prove just how strong he is. It’s a story that will make your jaw drop.
Craving the story of a holiday miracle? Look no further than Jamie Rahn’s run on Stage One. You’ll gasp, you’ll laugh, you’ll cheer. You’ll probably make sure your shoelaces are tied nice and tight.
Happy holiday viewing!