For some reason, though, it looks like we get a little bit of Palau here this season, because it appears that the villains are going to either trade in their red buffs for Hero blue buffs, or the merge color just happens to be a darker blue..........

I'm thinking the merge color will be purple.

The merge buff color is black

Thanks, ging.

LAST EDITED ON 04-17-10 AT 07:00 AM (EST)

It sure looks purple in the vidcaps of Danielle and Russhole above - unless the magic Buff-O-Matic colorizator is back once again.

ETA: pics to compare colors...

From the Survivorfever website: (credited to Missyea)

Tribe Colors:

Blue = Heroes Tribe
Red = Villains Tribe
Black - Merged Tribe

Credit to missyae for the tribal color spoilers

What happened to Colby's leg here?

Looks like gauze or an ace bandage...could he have scraped it up in the last challenge or maybe fishing?

LAST EDITED ON 04-17-10 AT 10:10 PM (EST)

Edited to add: Thank you Survivor Phoenix!

Looks like that is another endurance challenge....... I think this type you can save yourself if you start falling from the top, but if you do save yourself, wherever you stop your fall is your new position...... you can't climb back up, probably........

Isn't this the same challenge from Tocantins where Debbi almost outlasted Tyson? (Sure seems like a lot of Tocantins repeats this season.) Similar to the last episode's RC/peg challenge, this seems to be the sort of challenge that favors the women (or skinny men). I don't think people like Rupert have a chance at this one.

Parv sure is giving the impression that it's a piece of cake for her! Meanwhile it looks like Colby is struggling.

The challenge was also in Vanuatu and Cook Islands.

Twila and Ozzy won.

Candice did really well in CI's version, being the last one to compete with Ozzy.

Here is the transcript, as well as a few more new merge vidcaps, that go with the new IC vidcaps posted above.

(Didn't bring over the same IC vidcaps, which go here)

(Didn't bring over the same vidcaps of JT/Russell/Rupert in shelter, which go here)

Transcript, thanks to Survivor Fever:

Announcer: When the Survivor tribes merge, paranoia runs wild.

Sandra : If they catch me talking, I'm gone next.

Russell : Don't even worry.

Rupert : Russell is on the Villains side for a reason.

Here is the full web promo transcript, courtesy of Survivor Phoenix, as well as a couple more new/different vidcaps:

VO: They've been waiting for it.
VO: Now, the Survivor Heroes and Villains will get it.

VO: The merge!
Colby: "This is a whole new ball game."

VO: And with two secret Immunity Idols in play...
Danielle: "Shhhh."
Rupert: "This is where the game gets crazy."
VO: ... paranoia runs wild.
Sandra: "If they catch me talking, I'm gone next."
Amanda: "They want you gone. If you trust me, I trust you."
Russell: "Don't even worry."
Rupert: "Don't trust Russell. He's on the Villains side for a reason."
J.T.: "Do I believe it? Not a chance."
Russell: "Hook, line and sinker."
Jerri: "This is the biggest Tribal Council in the game so far."
VO: New Survivor, Thursday, only CBS.

Here is the link to the video: http://www.cbs.com/primetime/survivor/video/?pid=SkWxV501oaNjd2NHQ_RsyUDAYm3kWUoW&vs=homepage&play=true

P.S. Survivor Phoenix created a special "composite" vidcap of Russell. I think they must be trying to figure out what is the key he's wearing around his neck on a rope/string. (I know the cross is the one that Coach gave him in the secret scene a couple weeks ago.)

Any ideas on the key? Did he have this before?

They are opening a chest of some type to take out those merge buffs, so I'm assuming Russell has the key to that chest. Maybe he opened the tree mail with the key, dunno.

Good eye, Cat! That would make sense, because Russell's wearing the key when the Villains walk over for the merge -- it must have been part of their tree mail telling them to pack up.

P.S. LOL about Rupert warning Candice that there's a reason Russell's on the Villains tribe. A little too late to be realizing that!

I think this is the key to the season:

Amanda: "They want you gone. If you trust me, I trust you."

I don't. I think the Parmanda ship has sailed, and will go "down in flames" this epi.