Monsters come in many different shapes and sizes. Some are menacing and powerful while others…are soft, creamy delights. Such a monster that has defeated many challengers before can be found at a Ben and Jerry’s: The Vermonster.

The Vermonster is a bucket of 20 scoops of ice cream with five flavors (four scoops per flavor) for $44.99. On top of the scoops, four whole bananas are cut into wheels, which are then sprinkled with home-made cookies and brownies. Next, Ben & Jerry’s offers a choice between hot fudge, caramel, or even both. To add crunchiness, Ben & Jerry’s adds ten spoonfuls of chopped walnuts with a choice of whipped cream. Finally, there is the option of four toppings with two spoonfuls of each. It would take a massive amount of willpower to conquer this beast.

The Lance took on this monstrous challenge and deployed its first team: junior Ryan Lee and NVD freshman Michelle Yoo. Even after hearing the description of The Vermonster, Lee was still able to say with full confidence that he would, “wreck this challenge with the help of my friend. Me and Michelle Yoo. That’s all we need in order to finish this.”

If only that were the case.

It was not surprising that Yoo and Lee finished only half of this behemoth of an ice cream meal. Lee described his condition after being defeated by the Vermonster as  “having my stomach pumped up with air like a basketball.”

After the first team failed terribly, The Lance mustered a seemingly more formidable squadron that consisted of sophomore Joon Paik, freshman Konner Paik, junior Chloe Kim, and Don Bosco sophomores Brian Park and Kudana Ubeten. Together, they ordered a twenty-scoop Vermonster with strawberry, chocolate, Chunky Monkey, Milk ‘n Cookies, and mint chocolate chip. Their Vermonster had whipped cream on top of the banana slices, freshly-baked cookies and brownies, and hot fudge. Excluding the walnuts, the four toppings were rainbow sprinkles, white chocolate, Reese’s Pieces, and Oreos. With each member equipped with a spoon and a growling stomach, the team began to dig in.

“It tasted so good, I just couldn’t stop,” stated Konner. Everyone started out strong, but Konner outperformed the rest of the group. Most of them took their time eating the ice cream, careful not to hurt their stomachs in any way. However, their stomachs did not last long.

The first to drop out was Joon, saying that he “[felt] like throwing up.” A couple of bites later and satisfied with her fill, Chloe Kim threw in the towel.

Park, soon after, slumped onto his chair, claiming that the ice cream “was too sweet for [him].” Ubeten and Konner, on the contrary, did not seem full whatsoever.

“It was kind of amazing watching them,” Park commented as he watched the two slowly ingest more and more ice cream. Finally, Ubeten gave up as well, with Konner quickly following suit, and the challenge was over.

“It was pretty disappointing that even after all that, we barely got to half of the bucket,” said Ubeten. Even the second team failed miserably and performed worse than the first team. The Lance would scurry away, with its tail between its legs. The victor of the challenge? the ever-imposing Vermonster of Ben & Jerry’s.