Episode Five

And now, the State of the Spoiling! But first, a conversation that didn’t take place, but could have.

Misto:
What have you been posting?

Dweezil:
Well, there's pelican temptation island, pelican Amazing Race, pelican OT and, uh, Episode Five State of the Spoiling.

Misto:
Episode Five State of the Spoiling?

Dweezil:
Well, uh, it's got some pelican in it.

Misto:
How much?

Dweezil:
Four. Rather a lot really.

Misto:
I'll have a slice without so much pelican in it.

ONE SLICE OF EPISODE FIVE STATE OF THE SPOILING WITHOUT SO MUCH PELICAN IN IT LATER

Misto:
Apalling!

Last Week’s Twist

There was a great deal of discussion about how stealing a player from the other tribe would play out. (See here.) Some felt Rupert was permanently a Morgan, others thought he was a Drake competing on Morgan. The matter was seemingly settled when IC vidcaps showed Rupert leaving with Drake after RC and sitting with Drake at IC. (See links below in discussion of RC and IC.) One question still remaining is whether or not the option to take another player will stay in effect for the next IC and, if so, and if Morgan wins again, can they take Rupert again. (See discussion here, where Cowboyroo gives this twist the designation “Red Rover”. Thus it was, thus it shall be.) See bootee discussion for more on how the twist could affect the boots.

Episode Title

“Everybody’s Hero” seems to be a clear reference to Rupert. If Drake wins RC without Rupert, and Morgan wins IC without Rupert, it will be an ironic title. However, it is probably more likely to do with the things Rupert does around camp for Morgan than anything else.

Reward Challenge

First, CBS would like us to know that Tempers flare in one tribe when the men decide to build a shower that requires everyone to bathe out in the open.

So far, no posters have posited theories about how a dead pelican fits into this week’s RC. The RC itself appears to be YET another type of relay, where castaways have to run from the beach, do something in the water, do something on the beach, and then, in an unusual twist, run through the jungle. (See here.) Krautboy speculates that the reward is the shower or the materials to make a shower.

Many seem to think the episode title, “Everybody’s Hero”, is an indication that Rupert helps Morgan win the challenge. There are some vid caps of Rupert and Rhino hugging, although it is unclear if that is the end of the challenge, the end of the water leg of the challenge, or just two guys who are quite fond of each other.

However, another vid cap appears to show Rupert walking away after the RC with Sandra back to Drake. Later vidcaps from the IC seem to indicate that members of Drake have had the opportunity to clean up. (See IC vidcaps below; also see here – scroll to post 1 to see a very refreshed and clean looking Sandra.)

Immunity Challenge

First, CBS would like us to know that One castaway’s failure to follow through with the tribe’s Immunity Challenge strategy leads to a very close, tense, gut-wrenching finish.

So far, no posters have posited theories about how a dead pelican fits into this week’s IC. However, we do have an excellent discussion of the IC. (See here.) It’s the return of the gross food challenge, or as we called it back in my dorm days, Wednesday. Given the nature of the challenge, gut-wrenching probably equals vomit. Vidcaps show us Michelle confidently tossing back a salmon slushie and Darrah choking on whatever was offered to her. (See above and scroll down to Posts 1 and Posts 16.) Many think this is indicative of a Drake win. However, as Krautboy points out in Post 16, this may all be misdirection to divert us from a Morgan win. Further caps show a dejected Jon and Christa (although Jon could be dejected cause he didn’t get any off Christa and Christa could be dejected because she’s sitting next to Jon). This is also the interpretation of True Dork Times.

Bootee

CBS would like us to know that While looting the losing tribe’s camp after the Reward Challenge, one castaway bonds with the opposing tribe. This may be how Darrah or Michelle end up not being booted (by being taken by the opposing tribe after IC) or it may be just a little nothing to whet our appetites.

Finally, CBS is dying for us to know that - Though acting out of loyalty to the tribe, one Survivor fears being seen as disloyal. Uh, Rupert? CBS is giving us Rupert so heavily as the bootee (the opinion expressed is the opinion of Dweezil and is not reflective of the Blows opinion as a whole) that he can’t possibly be the boot. So watch him be the boot.

Seriously, we have two nice threads discussing bootees. (See OT for a discussion of booty.) There’s this one from Cowboyroo and this one from Krautboy.

Krautboy postulates that Snewser and TDT have already deduced the identity of the Episode Five boot and are simply waiting to post the name on Thursday. TDT lists Rupert, Christa, Jon, Michelle, and Ryan O. as being in trouble on their Survivometer. (See here.) TDT lists Shawn as Safe but with a question mark.

Snewser lists Christa as having potential suckitude. (See here.) As Krautboy points out, Snewser had previously listed Burton and Christa as safe but changed them at the same time he indicated that he knew who the bootee for Episodes Four and Five would be. Take it away, Krautboy

“SNN has had Jon and Rupert listed in the “Potential Suckitude” category of the “Scorecard” since before EP1. However, after EP3 SNN apparently received information resulting in the downgrade of both Burton and Christa. The Family Visit spoiler was questioned because it conflicted with, what must have been, a tip that Burton and Christa get booted pre-merge. Snewser “checked” his boot prediction table “correct” for both EP4 and EP5…Burton was predicted correctly.

Snewser has indirectly told us that he has reliable knowledge of the EP5 boot and is confident enough to pre-check his voting box. The curious thing was that two boxes were pre-checked at the same time, two players were downgraded at the same time and both players were downgraded for the same reason. I would conclude that the source of this information had knowledge about both players. The first was booted and correctly predicted…Burton. The second has yet to be booted, but appears to already be predicted (and pre-checked correct) as the EP5 boot…Christa.”

Cowboyroo lists the same six people as TDT. Cowboyroo concludes that Ryan O. and Christa are the most likely boots primarily because of their respective standings within their tribes, but also do to outside factors such as Snewser or Christa appearing in this week’s Star, with Rupert running third.

Alliances

Blow by Blow has a nice rundown of the likely alliances. (See here.) In short, they are:

Morgan:
Strong alliance: Osten - Tijuana - Andrew - Ryan O
Quasi-strong alliance: Osten - Andrew
Weak alliance: Osten - Tijuana
Terrible alliance: Ryan O - Darrah - others?
No Alliance: Dead Pelican

Drake:
Strong alliance: Jon - Shawn
Convenient alliance: Trish - Jon - Christa - Rupert - Sandra
UTR alliance: Trish - Christa - Rupert - Sandra
Weak/null alliance: Jon - Michelle - Shawn - Burton

Burton’s Chat

It should be noted that Burton said nothing about the Pelican. The silence is deafening. (See his comments from chat here, early show here, and TV Guide here.) There is some speculation that he and Rhino may have become friends, which could mean LL bonding. He also doesn’t have much favorable to say about Rupert or Christa, which could mean a lack of LL bonding with them. However, these are always tricky to interpret. For example, see Christy’s comments about Jenna and Heidi last season.

However, I think we know what CBS thinks of Burton, given that they allowed this question through: Q: I can't say I am sorry to see you go, you were rude and mean, you reminded me of a high school bully. Did you learn anything by seeing yourself on tv?

Omens, Auguries, and Portents

CBS would like us to know that A rising tide threatens to wash away one tribe’s shelter. I suppose washing away the tribe is out of the question.

Does a booted player return? That’s the big question of the season. (See here.) No conclusion yet, although various sources (Snewser primarily) seem to indicate that Lil, Burton, and Christa somehow make it back. Perhaps the competition to return is based on who can be the most annoying.

Don't forget Big Lie/Big Twist/Big Regret) by mistofleas. (See here.) Now in it's third big thread, Big Lie/Big Twist/Big Regret continues to amaze audiences. There is now some speculation that Shawn will lie about who he voted for and that this could be the big lie. Not much to go on here yet, though.

Due to some glitch, Rhino’s face showed up in Burton’s spot on the CBS Website. This was later corrected. (See here.) While some felt this was something significant, it probably means that CBS has hired the Dell interns to do Web work.

Episode Six Title: Me and My Snake. Really. I’m not kidding. Some speculation that Jon is the snake, and that Me is Shawn. (See here.) Or is that Me Am Shawn? I get confused about grammar sometimes.

Complaints? Updates?

Let me hear them, and I'll update as appropriate.

SOTS is provided by SurvivorBlows.com as a service to our readers. The purpose of this post is to consolidate the threads in the Spoiler Forum pertaining to this week's episode. Feel free to reply to this post if you feel that a theory you support was not adequately represented in this message... Please use this thread for unified discussion of all topics as we approach the next episode.