LAST EDITED ON 11-27-07 AT 09:33 AM (EST)

Ready to Bite the Apple

It has been two weeks since the last real episode of Survivor, though I have to admit, that was the best recap ever. Lots of new footage and some interesting editing changes! It is pretty clear that MB loves him some James and wants to ride that workhorse til the tail falls off. If you missed last episodes SOTS you should take a looksee as Catty Chat hit it out of the park and in a very humorous way!

The Episode title was brought to us by Michel and he astutely notices that we have had alot of apples lately. Since James spoke the last apple title and was referring to the garden of Eden and temptation between Frosti and Courtney, I believe that this title refers to James' own innocence. He is ready to bite the apple and will lose his naivety, but more on that later.

At the end of the last tribal council Jeff made the announcement that there was some "unfinished business" to attend to. This has created much speculation. In that same thread FlowerPower brings us the voiceover text:

Would they stay and have a double boot? Nope, the episodes remaining and it being a final 4 at the finale episode plus vidcaps of all 7 remaining survivors in the next IC shoot that theory down.

What about having the survivors stick around for a reward challenge to be played right then and there? Well, that theory sounds good but the latest vidcaps of the reward challenge during the daylight debunk that idea.

Jeff speaks of "the ability to adapt", Michel speculates that this picture of Todd, Amanda, James, and Courtney huddled in a cave indicates that they are forced to change camps. In the recap we hear James reference "moving into the cave", so I believe that the cave is already at Fei Long, but maybe they are told that they will get back to camp and find that their shelter has been removed. According to Vern on another site the forecast for the next 3 game days is rain, rain, and more rain. So maybe they don't get a chance to work on a new shelter.

That picture can be found in the vidcap thread brought to us by Samboohoo.

Two other possibilities is that they stick around for another vote but it isn't to boot someone. Since there is a 7 person jury and a final 3, maybe they need to place a secret ballot for either Jaime or JR to be the tie breaking ballot in case there is a tie at the finale. This would avoid drawing a purple rock during the live finale, and it would really make the survivors have to think fast and decide who would be best to vote for. The other possible vote is to see who sits out at the next reward challenge, since from vidcaps it appears that they have 3 teams of 2 and 1 person will have to sit out.

Is the cliffhanger much ado about nothing? Or will it really blindside the tribe as SeeBS is teasing?

SeeBS Misdirection

Also found with the vidcaps and courtesy of Chez in post 2 are the teasers:

One Castaway grows anxious and threatens to change things up by blindsiding her best friend.

Many believe that this refers to either Amanda turning on Todd, or Denise turning on James. Later a new teaser says that "Amanda turns on her alliance", which could technically mean that she turns on James especially since it appears that the two of them will be spending some time together on the reward trip.

Also, an alliance considers blindsiding one of their own.

The sledgehammer of editing: James

And all the castaways are blindsided by a surprise announcement from Jeff.

See discussion above.

Reward Challenge- Not sure yet

ETA: These pictures were originally thought to be of the RC because of Todd's green headband. However, we have a couple new caps that I show below and make it definate that the Weapons of Steel is the IC.

Who wins? SeeBS is giving us the winners in two ways. First, look at this vidcap of the lineup at IC:

Amanda and James each have their bags with them and they are standing on the end of the lineup, which occurs when the tribe walks in and then Jeff calls for the RC winners to join the rest. Also, this blurb from Jeff Probst in a preview (FlowerPower brought it to us from Skills):

Alright in this episode we have one of our coolest rewards. People get to go to the Shaolin Temple, and that's where Kung Fu was born. It is something you wouldn't normally see it's some...it's, one of the things that makes this season so fun for us, is to able to bring rewards like this.

But the flip side sometimes of winning a reward, is the people you leave back behind get very bitter that they aren't with you, and that happens in this next episode, and a plan is hatched to get rid of a key person in this game, and they may, or may not see it coming.

So while James and Amanda are off having fun, Todd and Denise especially have time to be bitter and plan a blindside of James.

The Immunity Challenge

In the picture of the lineup above we see the players standing in front of several benches, and one looks to be set higher than the other with 2 smaller benches on the side. I don't think that this is the same challenge as the green and yellow boxes that can be seen in this thread post 17 brought to us by whoami, I think those are future caps.

ETA: New caps surfaced and prove that "Weapons of Steel" is the IC and they are playing individually, but it looks as if Denise might sit out the IC? Maybe that is part of the unfinished business. Maybe they vote one person to sit out the RC and the IC but that they get immunity of sorts anyway.

Here they are walking in to IC while Jeff waits we see PG with necklace on, James and Amanda bring up the rear:

Now the lineup with no Denise. Each person has a different color headband weaing them in alternate spots: Amanda purple on head, James red as a tail, Courtney yellow as a cumberbund, Erik black/gray as a headband, Todd green as a headband, and PG white as a headband. All but James seems to be looking at the direction of the benches and PG is smiling. Did Denise just throw star and look like an idiot? Did Denise just win immunity? Why is James scowling?

So who wins? I still believe Erik is the winner. If PG is definately the next to go for the old Zhan Hu because Erik has immunity, then Amanda asking PG to get in a fake fight with Courtney to distract James and keep him from suspecting that he needs to use an idol, she would of course be excited to play along. In fact, it would be in her best interest...

The Boot

Danieubleau at Skills has said for quite some time that James should have gone alot farther in the game but makes a grave mistake. FlowerPower brings us this from Dani:

Right on the mark, it's manipulation to the finest degree, because the way the story unfolds...

James has the two powerful game saving Hidden Immunity Idols's in his possession, and his situation in the game looks great! He felt secure in his alliance, and safe in the game.

Unfortunately for him, his position turns bleak when he should use a Hidden Idol, but doesn't. He never sees the blindside coming when he's led into snuffination, like a lamb to slaughter.

Oh, The Gravest of Mistakes!

And this exerpt from Georgiana in post 21

And that may have been the telltale evidence of the extent of his vulnerability that culminated in his “grave”/”huge” mistake:

At Final 8 the facts were that , in addition to playing two Hidden Immunity Idols, James needed to win three Immunity Challenges to guarantee himself a place in the Final Three. But, by choosing to pass on the opportunity to capitalize on his considerable advantages in the Game by winning one of those three Individual Immunities or by – strategically – playing one of the two Idols, he made it crystal clear to every other competitor in it that if, at Final 7, James could again be made to feel that he didn’t need to either win (and keep) Individual Immunity or to play an Idol, he wouldn’t.

Kircon gave us the text from The Art of War and in it are some key elements to Todd and Amanda's game:

All warfare is based on deception.

Hence, when able to attack, we must seem unable; when using our forces, we must seem inactive; when we are near, we must make the enemy believe we are far away; when far away, we must make him believe we are near

Attack him where he is unprepared, appear where you are not expected.

These military devices, leading to victory, must not be divulged beforehand.

Irony of all irony: James was considered the biggest threat to go on an individual immunity run. Who wins the first 4 immunity challenges? Courtney, Frosti, PG, and Erik

PG and Courtney stage a fight, James thinks that PG is the definate boot or at the very least Courtney. James feels very secure in his place. He is a wonderful grave digger, he digs his own grave, digs it deep with nice smooth walls, and then Todd, Amanda and all the others shove the knife deep into his back and then twist. After one of the stupidest moves in Survivor history, James still gets an invite and will be seen again shortly on ASS2 being filmed in Palau as we speak!

The title of next episode is Going for the Oscar which most likely will be uttered about the great acting done at the previous TC!

Recap

RC: Amanda and James win the trip to Shaolin Temple with the Kung Fu

IC: Erik

Boot: James - a grave mistake!!!!!

I'm not sure who came first hosting games, you or Tribe, but you are both nefarious! - CTGirl

• RE: S15 Episode 10 State of the Spoiling,Flowerpower, 06:49 AM, 11-27-07
• RE: S15 Episode 10 State of the Spoiling,CTgirl, 08:41 AM, 11-27-07
• RE: S15 Episode 10 State of the Spoiling,Max Headroom, 08:51 AM, 11-27-07
• RE: S15 Episode 10 State of the Spoiling,CattyChat, 08:57 AM, 11-27-07
• RE: S15 Episode 10 State of the Spoiling,KObrien_fan, 09:32 AM, 11-27-07
• RE: S15 Episode 10 State of the Spoiling,Georgianna, 10:38 AM, 11-27-07
  • RE: S15 Episode 10 State of the Spoiling,KObrien_fan, 11:11 AM, 11-27-07
    • RE: S15 Episode 10 State of the Spoiling,Georgianna, 01:36 PM, 11-27-07
      • RE: S15 Episode 10 State of the Spoiling,KObrien_fan, 02:46 PM, 11-27-07
        • RE: S15 Episode 10 State of the Spoiling,Georgianna, 03:33 PM, 11-27-07
• RE: S15 Episode 10 State of the Spoiling,redbeard103152, 01:22 PM, 11-27-07
• RE: S15 Episode 10 State of the Spoiling,Scarlett O Hara, 10:11 PM, 11-27-07
• RE: S15 Episode 10 State of the Spoiling,Wallflower66, 08:28 AM, 11-28-07
• RE: S15 Episode 10 State of the Spoiling,RudyRules, 06:08 PM, 11-28-07
• RE: S15 Episode 10 State of the Spoiling,whoami, 09:18 PM, 11-28-07
• RE: S15 Episode 10 State of the Spoiling,Puffy, 09:56 PM, 11-28-07

Great job, as always, KO! You are the master at the SOTS! Can not WAIT to see this episode, the big guy is going down! Thanks, Fp

Awesome job KO!

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