Please post all comments regarding tonight's episode, It's Merge Time, in this thread until the episode has aired in its entirety on the West Coast and no siggies, please! (Took me three times to type that in without it autocorrecting to PIGGIES! )

• Part 1...,tribephyl, 08:08 PM, 03-30-16
• Previously, On Survivor...,Flowerpower1, 08:11 PM, 03-30-16
• Part 2...,tribephyl, 08:16 PM, 03-30-16
• Merge...,Flowerpower1, 08:22 PM, 03-30-16
• Part 3...,tribephyl, 08:25 PM, 03-30-16
• Pre Challenge,Flowerpower1, 08:28 PM, 03-30-16
• Part 4...,tribephyl, 08:37 PM, 03-30-16
  • RE: Part 4...,Sheldor, 08:39 PM, 03-30-16
    • RE: Part 4...,PepeLePew13, 09:00 PM, 03-30-16
      • RE: Part 4...,SquidProQuo, 10:11 PM, 03-30-16
  • RE: Part 4...,PepeLePew13, 08:39 PM, 03-30-16
• Great scrambling at the merge!,Flowerpower1, 08:39 PM, 03-30-16
• Post IC...,Flowerpower1, 08:59 PM, 03-30-16
  • RE: Post IC...,Sheldor, 09:04 PM, 03-30-16
    • RE: Post IC...,tribephyl, 09:13 PM, 03-30-16
      • RE: Post IC...,Sheldor, 09:33 PM, 03-30-16
        • RE: Post IC...,PepeLePew13, 10:23 PM, 03-30-16
      • RE: Post IC...,Flowerpower1, 09:38 PM, 03-30-16
  • RE: Post IC...,Sheldor, 10:26 PM, 03-30-16
• Next time on Survivor....,Flowerpower1, 09:10 PM, 03-30-16
  • RE: Next time on Survivor....,SquidProQuo, 10:17 PM, 03-30-16
    • RE: Next time on Survivor....,Flowerpower1, 08:47 AM, 03-31-16
• RE: S32|Ep 7|East Coast Spoiler Thread|ECST,SquidProQuo, 10:09 PM, 03-30-16

Aubry admits the brains game is over and it's likely her fault.

Scot will have to decide whom between Aubry or Joe will go first.

The chicken is "attacking" Tai who is making lunch.

Joe sees that Scot, Tai and Julia are together. He's in trouble.

Neal on beach with a bulge in his pocket.
Cydney noticed and tells Jason they need to flush it out.

Jason wants to plant the seeds to remove Neal. Jason says he holds all the power.

Boat arrives at Chanloh.
They have 5 minutes to grab there stuff and get a ride to Gondol.

Michele is happy to have made merge.

Debbie knew she would make merge. Loves change. She's goonna pull people in and lock them down.

LAST EDITED ON 03-30-16 AT 09:14 PM (EST)

This season has a been a test of will, with perseverance, Neal, Tai and Jason each found an idol, but Scot knew about bot Tai's and Jasons.
At the chanloh tribe beauty was making allies with both brain and brawn but they were torn about which way to go

At the last IC, Gondol lost, facing TC, Tai Julia and Scot had a plan to get rid of peter, but Aubry was conflicted...at TC, Aubry was still so uncertain about the vote that she changed hers at the last second. And, now every thing is up in the air, 11 left, who's next

At Gondol, night 16...Joe and Scot talking, Joe was confused about the original tribe,
Scot: I am absolutely going to pick of the brains tribe now because I cannot trust them

Aubry: Peter went home, which is what I thought would happen, but I crossed out Julia, and I ended up putting a target on my back and Joes, future of the brains tribe we are done and I think it's every man for himself
Scot: if I have to go to another TC, I will vote for Aubry Joe, aubry, joe, and I will just cross them out until I decide which one has to go.

see the thunder storm

Next AM, chicken is really hungry and jumps on Tai...OMG....This is people food, you can share later...

Joe: Tais relationship with the chicken is like a father and son, he likes it better than us...he does everything with the bird, after TC, Tai scot and Julia threesome, and then there is us, at least Aubry changed her vote to Peter, not me, bye bye brains. Joe's done because I broke ranks, at this stage of the game the chicken is doing better than me.

See a lot of fish under water

See Neal in the water in the AM, the rest are in the shelter
see Cydney

Neal has his saw, Cydney: confessional knows that Neal has the idol in his pocket, knows what it looks like...Cydney and Jason are laughing at it.

Jason: Neal has a bulge in his pocket and I know it's the idol because I have one, but I gotta wait, because I have one, I have a plan I will wait for he perfect time to sprout up, I am pleased as punch right now, I hold all the power

Michele sees the boat approaching camp

Jason: sitting on Chanloh beach, getting ready to blindside Neal, and this boat pulls up, and they read it, merge, pack your things...

Michele: I made the S merge, it was my dream as a kid, I don't know what is going on the other side it's tough

Debbie: I knew I would make the merge, I love change, make the change, all them in, everyone is dangling, I will pull them in and lock them down

The boat arrives...
Neal"We're saved"

Scot thinks it's awesome he's made merge. Very happy to be back with Cydney and Jason.
Aubry happy to see Neal and Debbie.

Lots of eating.

Tai is calculating numbers. Scot is his only ally.

Nick is concerned about Tai hanging with the Brawns.
Nick is aligned with Michele. He vows to lay back and let the info come to him.

Debbie vows to keep an eye on Aubry. Tries to assure her the Brains are strong.

Nick, with Neal and Aubry tries to target the Brawns.

Tribe name is Dara.

Nick then goes to the Brawn and strikes a deal to target Neal.
He also learns that both Neal and Tai both have idols.

Nick doesn't like Scot and Jason's confidence, which to him assures him that they will never see the blindside coming.

(Don't look good for Nick)

jFestive and happy music, they hear them coming....it's the merge, OMG...they hug, WHATTTT! Scot hugs Tai, I made it to the merge on S, that is awesome, huge deal. saw Cydney and Jason, that is huge, it's like the playoffs, hopefully my team is strong

Aubry: and just like that Me and Joe are saved and then to see Neal and Debbie iI was so relieved it was like being separated from your whacky family and then back together again

Tai: Br Beauty and Brawn back together.....how will we lone up, scot is my only ally right now, and he knows about the idol

Debbie and Aubry talk about how good looking Nick is...

Nick: during the merge feast people are getting tipsy, and I am listening, Brawn is arrogant like they are in charge and nobody can stop them

The brains are not going to want to work with them because they are the exact opposite because they want to be int he shadows

right now my true alliance is with michele, we are in a great spot with these 2 tribes, but I have learned slow it down and let them keep bringing you information and then you just slice them up

Aubry talking to BDEbbie: Peter went insane, debbie tells her she has her back, she and neal are like salt and pepper

Debbie cons: Aubry is guilty , no need we are still strong

Nick walking with Neal and Aubry...Nick asks, how are you guys right now? everyone is willing to stick together
Neal: the brawn are going to be super tight and they are bullies, physical threat, so makes sense to go with beauty/brain alliance...

Nick tells them that Tai is super tight with Scot and that julia was saved by scot last night

Nick: Neal and Aubry pitched we just need two more you your beauty, so they want it to be brains vs brawn...they just want to put to on one without an idol

Nick: it makes sense to go with the brains, but if you put yourself with your back against the wall, that is not good survivor...

See Scot and Nick talking...about how Julia is indebted to scot...they saved him

Jason says we need Nick, we think that Neal has an idol...talking with Nick and Scot

Nick: gotta wonder if Scot and Jason had too much Rum at the merge feast...they brought me into their group...

Scot tells Jason that Tai has an idol. Jason cons: about the super idol after the votes are read se we are literally unstoppable...
Nick: I don't like Scot and Jason's overconfidence, as much as it annoys me it's great for me cause they are never going to see a blindside coming...

Neal shows off his gross infection to Aubry.

Debbie wants Tai in an alliance. Tai agrees to it.

Tai thinks it was a bit aggressive. So does Aubry.

Scot drops to Michele and Julia that Neal has the idol.

Michele points out that Jason thinks that he's the boss and while she is nodding her head, she isn't going with the brawns.

Nick and Aubry get together and complain about Debbie. Well, Nick is really really hating on Debbie.

Aubry and Neal get together and discuss how others don't want to work with Debbie.
Neal admits to Aubry he has an idol.
Aubry: The game is on, let's go!

LAST EDITED ON 03-30-16 AT 09:25 PM (EST)

Dara: at night....in AM, Day 18....Neal shows Aubry his infected knee...Debbie approaches Tai, I really like you, I want to get in to an alliance

Debbie: I seem to be one of the people that plays offense, it's a battle of power and I am playing to win...She asks him about strategy...I have to go in an alliance with somebody, you just did. Talks about how aggressive Debbie is, Tai says he is not buying it I am not a fool...Debbie is going after Nick now too, don't worry about going home because you are not, Aubry says she is trying too hard, double and triple teaming them is showing desperation...see Julia and Jason and Cydny in the shelter with Michele

Jason: beauty always goes with the jocks, they don't date the brains, we are just shoving geeks in lockers right now. we want to go after Neal but he has the idol, so Aubry, she won't see it coming

Michele: Jason thinks he's on top, he's the one constantly saying what this person is saying, it looks like brawn and beauty are together but Hey, I never counted out working with brain...

Nick and Aubry walking together
Aubry says they need to start talking to people like human beings, they are irritated by Debbie...I want to work with you, but Nick says Debbie is aggravating see at this point, she takes strategy in her own hands and I don't want anyone having more control than I do....

Aubry and Neal talk, she thinks Nick is offended by debbie, it's really bad.

Neal says we need 2 beauty's right now, it's a bad situation, he tells her that he has the idol...some one will be voted out tomorrow, we find out and we use it.

The game is on let's go, says Aubry in confessional

IC

Neal admits to an infection.
Joe then admits too.
Aubry has some and Tai also says he has two.

On to the challenge...

It's individual.
Stand on a log and balance a ball on a plate. continuing to add balls at time intervals. Winner gets immunity, everyone else is in danger of being voted out.

JP: "Don't let your hand touch your ball."

Joe is out.

Debbie is out.

Jason is out.

Time has elapsed, add a 2nd ball and... go.

Michele is out.

Neal is out.

Scot is out.

Cydney is out.

Aubry is out.

Down to Nick, Julia or Tai.

JP: "Tai's balls banging into each other."

JP: "Nick's balls are bouncing all over the place"

Time has elapsed... time to add the third ball and... go.

Nick, Julia or Tai?

Julia is out.

Tai is out.

Nick wins Immunity!

ARGHHHHhhhhhh...

How the heck did *NICK* win that?!

Well 7 people's pick to get voted out (including mine) are wrong!

Well, technically, we could still be correct ... next week! There was no boot, so I'm still going with Nick as my next boot. For now.

Agreed re Nick. Seems like he could be caught in the middle.

Greetings from D.C., folks!

Ahh, it just wouldn't be a ball-related challenge without innuendo from Jiffy, and he sure didn't disappoint tonight.

Jason acts way too cocky and confident and bossy
Debbie is straight out aggressively making alliances with them
Michele is turned off by brawn
Nick is turned off by debbie
Neal and Aubry talk, and will use the idol on the one that the brawn/beauty target.

Come on in, guys!

See the challenge arena, and it's the balancing ball on the tray challenge

Talking to medical, you are pretty banged up...Neal has a volcano on his knee, puss on his knee for 4 or 5 days, I'm okay....Scot has one, Aubry has one, Tai has two....scraps...Jason says the elements have not been easy on them, they embrace the suck and move on...

Shows the IN...garentee your security you need this, see Julia...more balls more difficult, fall off perch, or ball drop, out

see Nick when they say someone will be voted off!

stepping up on perch, see Nicks feet shaking

first ball on disc...challenge is on...Joe is out...down to 10...Debbie is out
Scot is having a hard time, and so is Nick....stay in control of it, first interval is 5 minutes...Jason is out...slams the tray down, see Julia...they all make to round 2....2 balls...Michele is out, and so is Neal, and Scot is out....down to 5...Cydney is out, Aubry is out, 3 original beauty members....Nick, Tai, and Julia...Nick with a lot of movement....Julia is absolutely steady like a statue...see the hot sun....Nicks are moving...safe

Round 3, 3 balls....now go until the end...Nick is doing well, Julia is out....she was the most steady....between Nick and Tai...Tai is out, and Nick wins first IC!

Nick is safe! Wow! Didn't see that coming! See Neal, then Tai...

Neal: tonight it will be the 4 brains going up against the brawns, I may need to play my idol, I can play it on myself or for Aubry...we'll see!

Dara day 19, good job Nick.... Cool Necklace...Nick: tonight is the first TC after the merge, it's about where will the dominos fall...it's brawn vs brains and I am in the middle along with beauty, we are like the pretty girl at the dance, go home with the jocks or the valedictorian....I like being the pretty girl

Nick and Jason and Scot go to get water, and they talk about who to vote out...everybody is voting for Aubry, 7 to 4...
Scot: the brains are screwed pick them of one by one, hopefully neal plays the idol and abubry goes home anyway, feel comfortable with my alliance, let's get the brains out now, and later, when we get down to 7 we will figure iit out although me and jasonalready have it figured out.
Nick: right now I am thinking of voting out a brain but Scot and Jason are always going to be over confident so when everybody feels safe is when you do your damage.

See Neal, Joe and Nick, those 3 will be a dominant force, will use those girls, with us, there will be a lot better chance...
Neal: Nick wants to go with us, now we have to convince Michele to come with us,
Neal: in a moment of desperation, all I have to do is reach in the family jewels and pull this out, the idol

see Debbie, Aubry and Michele in the water

Aubry: the brains need Nick and Michele...if we don't get them, we are playing the idol
They are so tight...
Michele: I would love to work with Aubry and Debbie and I don't know if strategically it is my best option, I will figure out what is best for me.
Nick and Michel talk...Nicke tells her to go with brawn...Michele says Aubry, nick thinks he can manipulate the brawn and beat them in puzzles. he likes Aubry, he would hang out with her....Nick says we will tell the brains we are going with them. Nick tells her we are in the swing position....Michele says, sounds good.

here comes the boat....with Jiffy

Scot: getting ready for TC, the doctor is going, the red flags are coming up, they don't do this, this is serious that they are coming to us...

Jiffy says he thought they looked sick, we want to assess what is going on...it's the real deal, Starting with Tai...healing nicely, this is good...no redness, swelling, he's good...Scot has a couple...shows him some red marks, painful...nastily infected, small cuts turn nasty quickly, will keep an eye on it...Aubry has one....firm up to here...
Debbie: it's brutal out here and a little thing blows up to a huge deal..., 2 options, ices cut it open, antibiotic...also a route for infection to go in....assessment...start her antibiotics...if gets worse can go to step two...next....Neal: Mt. St Neal, huge chunk of puss...not pleasant...shows him his back...it's bad...finding a spot to sit him down

Neal: the infection on his back looks really bad, but if they try to pull me from this game, i will not go...

Dr. tells him this is a big nasty spot, but it's not life threatening...

Nick says He thinks he is out

Now they assess the knee, the knee is more serious, if the infection in a joint can destroy it in a matter of hours...these can affect you years from now, this has the potential to become very bad, Neal is crying...hes pulling him from the game...what is the feeling: a huge amount of work to come out here, tells him about his life, had the journey through the last 15 years, dream, it's been a great 19 days...jury member...will say goodbye..

They are pulling me from the game, it has been an honor and a privilege to play with each and every one of you

Aubry has confessional: crying, my number one ally gone...it's on the tip of my tongue...what about the idol...Neal's bad news is good news for you, no one going home no TC...

Nick: Aubry was going home thanks to a lucky evacuation, she has a few more days

Aubry: confessional...thinking to myself with Neal gone
that son of a #####, he took the idol, you have to forge every river, sometimes you get dysentary and die, you have to pave your own way!

the show ends with the Medical team removing Neal...

CONGRATULATIONS FlowerPower!

You were the ONLY one to correctly predict that Neal would be Medically Evacuated and there would most likely not be a Tribal Council. Great job!

Don't forget SuperGr0ver !

Congrats, FP and SG!

Oops sorry about that SuperGr0ver!

FP and SG both had Neal picked

However FlowerPower had it nailed:

FlowerPower wrote:
Neal found the idol last week and we didn't hear about it in the recap, and then we didn't hear one word from him the entire episode. I think he will be a hidden boot in that he'll be medivac'd out this episode. It's too bad, because Neal was a very smart player, imo, who was keeping a low profile.
I think that Neal will go before Joe, because we see Neal's knee, and the circumference of the redness around the knee is much larger, that is the infection spreading out.

For Jiffy to come in and bring medical with them, they had to be alerted by the medical staff that these people need to be examined now! For him to state that once again the game has changed, I think someone is removed. What could possibly change the game if they don't remove one?

I think Neal will go. They may not have a TC, but if they do, I think that Nick will be the next on voted out.

*raises paw* ... I also had Neal as the evacuee, and I even pointed out a few days ago that the entire Brains tribe was infected to some degree with staph infections due to their proximity to each other (and as it turns out, Aubry and Joe also had infections along with Neal, Peter and Liz, with only Debbie seemingly without any visible scabs). I wasn't sure if there was going to be a TC either, but did suggest in my SOTS that if there was only going to be one evacuee, the chances were more likely that there *would* be a boot - that's where I missed the boat.

Thanks guys! Lucky guess!

I bet they examined them all, but we didn't see it....bet they all got antibiotics too, at least Aubry and Scot, and perhaps Joe as well.

We also now know that this is definitely NOT Neal...

I still think it is someone on the Medical Staff or Production.

However this is probably the 3rd Medical Evacuation that Mark Burnett talked about.

They didn't even examine Joe! LOL!

Jiffy: the brains are on the outs and are hoping for a miracle,
Aubry: the jocks - see Scot - and the pretty people - see Julia - are not going to sit pretty forever
Jiffy: but just when things seem set in stone...see Jason, then Nick....see Jason and Cydney arguing...
Jason to Cydney: I just want us to be careful
Sydney replies to Jason: No, I asked a question
Jason: Paranoia is going to set in at a certain point
Jiffy: It all starts to crumble
Sydney to Jason mad...Don't check me....
Cydney in conf: irritated Cydney will blow the whole thing up!

I couldn't help but see Nick sandwiched right smack in the middle of this promo! CTGirl theory at it's finest! ha!

Neal: I am one of those people that think the journey is the reward, this has been an amazing experience, I will hold it dear and near to my heart, but that's the game have to outwit, outplay, and outlast...

Agreed, Nick was literally and figuratively sandwiched in the middle. We're supposed to think Aubry was the one who was given the reprieve this week, but I'm thinking it might turn out to be Nick.

Could be totally random but this bit was also very interesting in terms of foreshadowing for Scot vs. Julia: Aubry: the jocks - see Scot - and the pretty people - see Julia - are not going to sit pretty forever.

Great observation, Squid...

in terms of foreshadowing for Scot vs. Julia: Aubry: the jocks - see Scot - and the pretty people - see Julia - are not going to sit pretty forever.

And, it was spoken by Aubry, of all people! Aubry's edit taking a possible upturn!

Man, wish Neal had given Aubry his idol! Loved the drama of that whole scene. He is definitely a very interesting guy and would love to see him back.

Great episode for Aubry and Michelle. Thought that Aubry's final confessional was especially strong. Earlier in the season she gave us the theme of emotional intelligence, and this episode she really set up the need for perseverance against the odds (also in the recap). We are definitely meant to be rooting for her as underdog.

Michelle's confessional that there's no way Jason or Scott will get votes was very astute and perhaps foreshadowing. She continues to tie into the theme of letting the overconfident men think they're in charge. I'm sure this is what Cydney is counting on as well.

Cydney's edit is definitely picking up -- she continues to be portrayed as smart and shielded from the bullies and sounds like she might be fed up with Jason. Wouldn't count out Juiia yet either.

Bad episode / SPV for Debbie. She has no self awareness and appears to have overplayed her hand.

Jason and Scott have reemerged as bullies and were also called idiots by Nick. Seems no way either of them can win, although I could see one of them as the loser at FTC.

So next week we have 3 Brains vs. 3 Brawn vs. 4 Beauties who may or may not be on the same page.

P.S. Steven Fischbach had a funny tweet that this season should be called Brains vs. Brawn vs. Beauty vs. Bacteria.