Senior Assassin is a game where students get targets to shoot with a water gun. There are various rounds to the game, and if someone does not get their guy out before the end of the round, then they are out. Malvern also has implemented a rule where, after the first round is over, any player who wants to buy back into the game can do so. Malvern has participated in this long-standing tradition for many years, and this year is no different. The discussion started up in mid-March, with talks throughout the senior class. Many students were asking when the game was going to start and who was going to run it. One senior volunteered: Landen Mathias. He decided he would start up the Instagram account and create all the rules.
There were certainly some troubles; there were many disagreements with the ruling and uncertainty about the clarity of the rules. Since Landen stepped up to run the game, he had to make the decisions on these rulings. Additionally, the immunity item that was selected for the first round was too simple. This caused many people to not get their target out in time. There was definitely some backlash on the rules, so after the first round, it was a reset.
“Initially, I was really excited to run Senior Assassin. As someone who lives on the further side from Malvern (about an hour), I knew getting targets would be difficult for me and I would spend too many late nights waiting for my target. So I decided to run the game. During the first round, I realized it wasn’t as easy as it looks. Multiple texts and calls every day from players asking questions, most of them after 9 pm. Questions I didn’t really know the answer to because a lot of them were about loopholes that didn’t necessarily go against the rules, but I knew they were controversial. Many people trying to buy in late also added to stress as I wanted everyone to be able to play, as this is it for them, but it made getting them targets difficult. Now, I have ironed out rules and made them pretty straightforward, which eliminated most of the questions and was easier to control and explain to players. If you are to run it next year, I suggest preparing yourself for all of the things listed above” Mathias said.
The game involves a lot of failed attempts to get your guy, as well as many blindsides, betrayals, and triumphs. When I received my target for the first round, I was immediately worried. I knew it was going to be tough to get him out. He lived a long way from me, and I also realised I did not know where to find him. I knew I had to talk to one of his friends and see if I could get some information. There was a lot of risk with this, though, because you never know whom you can trust in this game. On the first day in school, after everyone got their targets, word got around fast. There were basically no secrets left, which complicated the game even more. I knew I had to try to make a move, so I put together a plan. I went to his house one morning before school and camped out, waiting for him to come to his car. Unfortunately for me, his sister got a ride to school that day, and my plan was shot. My cover was blown; it was time to figure out a new plan. Later that night, I got a tip on where he might be, so I went for a drive to try to get him. I drove 30 minutes and had a plan. I was going to run up behind him and shoot him. I started running, sneaking up behind him, but then at the last second, he turned around. After that, he leaped away and started sprinting. He got away, yet another failed attempt. The round was about to be over, and I still had not gotten him, but neither did he, so I decided to cut a deal. I gave him 10 dollars to let me get him out, then he would be able to buy back in before the second round.
During my adventures, there were many other very interesting attempts. Another notable player who had some pretty bad fails was fellow Friar’s Lantern Editor Michael Guardiola. His first round target was a roller coaster. He originally told everybody that he had another student, and when he went away for the weekend, that student felt that he was safe, so he got lenient. As it turned out, Michael did not have him, and that student got out while Michael was away.
“In the first round, I was tasked to eliminate Phoenix Keller. I texted Phoenix and many of his friends that I had Phoenix’s close friend Nino [Sindoni] in hopes of tricking Phoenix to feel safe around me. The mind games I played went far beyond a couple of text messages. When I left the state for an admitted students’ day [in South Bend, IN], Nino felt safe. My made-up mission to eliminate Nino Sindoni led to his demise, as he was assassinated by Anthony Addis at Chipotle.”
Additionally, Michael had a few failed kill attempts, including several stakeouts outside his house as well as a failed attempt at Wawa. There were hours spent on a search for him, which ultimately ended in failure. At the end of the first round, Michael had to buy back in the game, where the second round ended much better than the first. He was able to successfully get his kill early in the round so that he could just cruise through to the third round.
“I spent around eight hours trying to eliminate Phoenix. The most grueling attempt was when I sat outside of his house in the freezing cold for about four hours. I received a tip that Phoenix would be arriving home from his girlfriend’s house, so I spent my night waiting for him to get home. Another ridiculous, failed attempt was when I tracked him down at Wawa. He had a miraculous escape in which he ran about a mile from the Malvern Wawa to campus in order to escape being eliminated by me.”
The game also involves a lot of people selling out their friends. One student, Peter Hicks, took advantage of a good opportunity to sell out one of his friends. It involved luring a student to his house, then he proceeded to invite his assassin to come get him.
“I learned that my good friend Harrison Kershner was being hunted by another friend of mine, Declan Abromavage. On top of all of that, another friend of mine, Ben Donohue, had Declan. So with some not-so-great deception, I got Declan to come to my house to kill Harrison, but secretly I had Ben Donohue hide in my basement ready to kill him.” Hicks said.
Another one of the rules is that if there is a disagreement about whether someone is hit with water or not, then the two participants must play rock, paper, scissors for the decision. This happened in the second round between two participants, Chase Ecker and Connor Krein. Connor went and shot at Chase, but there was some disagreement, so they played rock, paper, scissors. Connor won and was able to get Chase out.
“During the last day of the second senior assassin round, another student set up Chase. Abe Utecht had contacted Chase for me, saying that he could come get him out at Rylan Arata’s house, but instead, I was waiting there for him. We sprayed each other at the same time, and according to the rules, you decide by playing Rock, Paper, Scissors. I ended up winning this, and I moved on to the next round.” Krein said.
At the time of this publication, the game is still ongoing and intensifying with seven students left. Currently, one student has moved on to the next round, Rylan Arata. How this ends, no one knows and isn’t that kind of the whole point?
