Blog Entry, 02/10/2008
Authored by: Derek Forrest, bigblueclassof2009Well, here's the good news at this point: My dad won't be the first or the second person voted off. And here's the bad news: Paula might be.
Paula seems to be in some measure of control on her tribe. If not for her, Rafe would be out, not Sandra. Well played, Paula; Sandra's trouble if you let her get far. Then again, so is Ami, and she's in with the king of Ta'aroa.
But then again, being king, queen, or emperor at Ta'aroa is a little like being the ruler of an overmatched nation about to go to war with England. The leaders have targets, and Ozzy has the biggest. He's also overmatched. Ozzy can't do it all himself, and my dad has help.
But I have just one thing to say: Dad, keep your distance from Terry. People already think you're weird enough. Your little four-person alliance is good, but it's no good if Terry makes a power play. And he could do it, too.
Also, someone needs to issue a tribe switch pronto so Dad can be tribemates with Paula again and maybe even get out of those gaudy silver buffs. Seriously. Who the hell thought silver was a good color for a tribal buff? It's as if they stole the buffs from a private collection of a crazed Oakland Raiders fan. Makes me glad hockey's my sport and that my team wears respectable colors and, unlike Ami's team, is in first place. Too bad Nashville's still on our tail.
Back from commercial.
Angakauital Island, neutral camp, Day 6. The Ta'aroa tribe arrives defeated on the neutral beach with a half-constructed shelter.
Jonathan: I hate it here.
Maria: Relax; this will be the last time we see it for a while.
Rafe: We need to win. We're down three challenges already and we don't even have fire. Not even here.
(confessional) Paula: In my season, one tribe lost two challenges right off. Thankfully, that wasn't my tribe, and thankfully, they at least won a reward in the middle so they got fire. We need something like that.
Ozzy: Anyone here crazy enough to drink the camp water?
Ian: I'll pass, thanks.
Ami: Hey, we got another idol clue. Anyone know what the last one was?
Danielle (from clue): Like an actor turned real estate mogul, I have two Hotels and an Oscar. Between me and a cross one, count halfway and dig.
Ami: Huh? Is this clue even written in English?
(confessional) Paula: I solved it right away. Charlie and I did a lot of talking when we went out, and he explained the whole military alphabet. Two Hotels and one Oscar is really two H's and an O, meaning a water source. It took me a second to get the rest of it, but I did.
The camera shows Paula with a small digging implement between the water source, which looks a little like an underground well with a round lid, and two trees that cross in the middle.
She digs for a minute in the dirt and uncovers something wrapped in fabric. Upon untying it, she unearths the idol, which is in the form of a Panamanian voodoo doll not unlike the one found in Exile Island.
Paula (from clue): Congratulations. You have found the hidden immunity idol. You can use this at Tribal Council to save yourself from the vote.
Paula kisses the idol and puts it into what appears to be a pocket.
Paula: Hello, final four.
Paula replaces the fabric in the ground and covers it back up; she hears shouting from camp.
Maria (shouting): I don't have a problem writing your name down at all! To hell with strategy and all - I flat-out want you gone!
Ami (shouting back): The feeling's mutual! One of us is going, and you know it!
Maria (shouting): What do you want to do, round up your little posse and get me out? Oh sure, Ozzy is on your side, and what he wants, he gets! I suppose he told you to throw the challenge, too!
Ami (shouting): What the hell would you know about that?
(confessional) Maria: At that point, I had a wonderful, awful idea.
Maria (to Paula): I just overheard Ozzy and Ami talking, and the two of them threw the challenge to get rid of me.
Paula: I have bigger news.
Paula takes out the idol and shows Maria.
Maria: Get out of town.
Paula: It's a backup plan for right now. Now that I've shown you, I want an alliance.
Maria: Do you have anyone else?
Paula: You and Sandra were two votes for Ami--
Maria: Rafe was the third, and I almost had Jonathan.
Paula: That's five. Ami's history. Have you spread the rumor about them throwing the challenge?
Maria: Just to you.
Paula: Don't say a word about it. I will get Jonathan.
Maria: I will get Rafe.
The camera switches to Ozzy talking to Ami and Danielle.
Ozzy: So the plan is to get Maria out?
Ami: It's about damn time.
Danielle: I'll talk to Ian about it.
(confessional) Ozzy: At the last minute, I hope to switch things up a bit. I want Jonathan gone, not Maria. Frankly, that scrambling little minority of Rafe and Maria is nothing to us; we have seven people, and we can afford to cut a potential troublemaker loose. My plan is to convince Ian that this is what we need to do, and since they need our votes, they will go along with it.
Paula (to Jonathan): So we want Ami out.
Jonathan: Who's 'we'?
Paula: Me, Maria, Rafe, and my fourth.
Jonathan: You have a fourth? Who?
Paula shows Jonathan the idol.
Jonathan: Well, I'll be damned.
(confessional) Jonathan: The last time out, I aligned with Yul because he had the idol. This time, I have an even better thought. I need to blindside Paula.
Jonathan (to Yau-Man): Paula has the idol.
Yau-Man: Don't play games with me.
Jonathan: No, she really has the idol.
Yau-Man: No, really, don't play games with me. All you're doing is making yourself look bad by blabbing.
(confessional) Yau-Man: I know Paula, and I know she told Jonathan in confidence, and pretty soon, it will be all over camp.
Yau-Man (to Paula): Jonathan spilled the beans.
Paula: That son of a bitch.
Yau-Man: He's unreliable. But I'm in. You have four, right?
Paula: You, me, Rafe, and Maria. Rafe doesn't know anything yet as far as I know.
(confessional) Paula: Well, guess who's all-powerful now? On one side, we have Ami, Ozzy, Jonathan, and Danielle, and on the good side, we have me, Yau-Man, Rafe, and Maria. I wonder where Ian falls.
Ozzy (to Ian): The plan is to get Jonathan out.
Jonathan (to Ozzy and Ian): Hey guys. Come here a second.
Ozzy and Ian go to Jonathan.
Jonathan (quietly): Paula has the idol.
Ian: Well, that's all I need to know.
(confessional) Ian: It looks like Jonathan's with us. We could vote out Jonathan, sure, or we could vote out Maria like we planned. But now we need to blindside Paula.
The camera shows the sun setting and the Ta'aroa tribe's silhouettes walking into Tribal Council. Each of them gets a flame and takes a seat.
Jeff: Ozzy, what's it like to be on a losing tribe?
Ozzy: We're not a losing tribe. We're just a hard-luck tribe.
Jeff: By a 'hard-luck tribe,' you mean--
Ozzy: We lost all three challenges by very close margins. We almost win, but we never seal it.
Jeff: Jonathan, is that a fair assessment?
Jonathan: It might be fairer if we won, but yes, that's pretty fair.
Jeff: Is there any reason you guys can't get a break?
Maria: I can tell you why, Jeff. Someone in our tribe who shall remain nameless **sneeze**Ami**sneeze** Sorry, I seem to be catching a cold here...
Jeff: That's pretty bold, Maria. Why the accusation?
Maria: The first challenge, we lost because Ami forgot to unhook the raft. The next one we lost because Ami wouldn't touch the cow's blood. And now we lose--
Ami: You can shut your damn mouth anytime now. You lost to a woman in her fifties eating pig snouts. I could have beaten her with one hand tied behind my back.
Maria: At least I tried. I lost with an effort. You lost pitifully. You even threw that last challenge just to get rid of me!
Ami: OK, I don't know what the hell you're talking about. Besides, we all know you're buddying up to Paula ever since she found the idol.
Jeff's expression turns to one of shock.
Jeff: Paula, is that true?
Paula: First off, leave me the hell out of your squabbles; you're worse than my kids. Second off, I didn't have time to look for the idol, let alone find it. What the hell does an Oscar and two crosses mean to us out there?
Jeff: An Oscar and two Hotels.
Paula: Whatever the hell they were.
Jeff: So you're telling me you don't have the idol.
Jonathan: She has it. It's a little voodoo doll.
Paula: How the hell would you know? No one here knows what the idol looks like. It could be a coconut for all we know.
Yau-Man: Maybe someone finally found my fake idol.
The tribe, with the exception of Ami, chuckles at that.
Yau-Man: For what it's worth, if Paula found the idol, she hasn't told me. And I couldn't help but notice Ami's dead-serious tone when I said that. I think someone has a guilty conscience.
Ami: Maybe you're just not funny, Yau-Man.
Yau-Man: Maybe you left your sense of humor back at camp.
Maria: Ami wouldn't know what to do with a sense of humor or a hidden immunity idol, so I have no reason to believe she has either.
Ami: Shut your damn mouth or I'll shut it for you.
Maria: What? You want a piece of me, bitch?
Paula: OK, both of you, take it easy.
Ami: Big words from someone who's lying about the idol.
Jonathan: I'm sorry Paula, but I'm with Ami. You showed it to me, and then I described it to Yau-Man.
Yau-Man: Apparently I was sleeping when he described it to me, because I don't remember that conversation at all.
Jonathan: What, did you black out or something?
Yau-Man: I have a perfect memory, and you're full of crap.
Jeff: Well, we have a pretty heated exchange here. Let's see how it plays out. It is time to vote. Yau-Man, you're up.
Yau-Man gets up to vote; behind the curtain, he writes down a name that we do not see.
Next to vote is Ian; again, his vote is not seen.
After Ian, the next to vote is Jonathan; he votes Paula.
Jonathan (to voting camera): I don't like being made into a liar.
Jonathan goes and sits down; the next to vote is Rafe, whose vote is not shown.
After Rafe, Paula gets up to vote; her vote is not shown.
Next to vote is Maria, who writes down Ami's name.
Maria (to voting camera): Hopefully, this time it works. Bitch.
Maria walks back down and sits; Ami gets up to vote next, and she votes Paula.
Ami (to voting camera): You are serious trouble. I respect your gameplay, but that's why you have to go now.
After Ami sits down, Danielle gets up to vote, and her vote is not shown.
The last to vote is Ozzy, who votes Ami.
Ozzy (to voting camera): This vote is for you, Ami, not against you. I'm just stirring up trouble. The six is solid.
Ozzy goes and sits back down, and the camera focuses on Jeff.
Jeff: I'll go tally the votes.
Jeff walks off, and the camera shows a nervous Paula; Jeff returns with the voting urn.
Jeff: Once the votes are read, the decision is final; the person voted out will be asked to leave the Tribal Council area immediately, unless an idol is played on their behalf. I'll read the votes.
Jeff takes out a vote.
Jeff: First vote...Paula.
The vote is clearly in Ami's handwriting.
Jeff: ...Paula. Two votes Paula.
That vote is in Jonathan's handwriting.
Jeff: ...Paula. That's three votes for Paula.
That vote appears to be in the styling of Danielle.
Jeff: ...Ami. That's one vote Ami.
Ami: Figures.
The vote is in Maria's handwriting.
Jeff: ...Ami. Two votes Ami.
The vote is in Paula's handwriting.
Jeff: ...Ami. We're tied. Three votes Ami, three votes Paula.
That vote is clearly in disguised handwriting; it's Ozzy's.
Jeff: ...Paula. Four votes Paula.
It's unclear whose handwriting that's in; only Ian, Yau-Man, and Rafe have not had their votes revealed.
Jeff: ...Ami. We're tied at four votes apiece. One vote left.
Again, it's unclear who has that vote.
Jeff: ...the second person voted out of Survivor: All-Stars 2...
Jeff unfolds the vote.
He turns it around.
Jeff: ...Ami.
Ozzy (shouting): S---!
Ami: Are you for real?
Maria: So long, bitch. Don't let the door hit you on the way out.
Jeff: Hold on a sec. Let's see if there was an idol played.
Jeff opens the side pouch that is for idols...
...he turns it to the side...
...and lets the fold drop...
...and it's empty.
Paula: I told you I didn't have it.
Jeff: Ami, you need to bring me your torch.
Ami angrily grabs her torch and drops it in the holder.
Jeff: Ami, the tribe has spoken.
Jeff snuffs Ami's torch.
Ami (shouting): You will NEVER win, Maria. NEVER.
Maria (smiling): I beat you. That's good enough for me. And by the way, go Sabres.
Ami flips Maria off as she walks off.
Jeff (to the remaining Ta'aroa): This tribe has a lot of anger that came out tonight. Maybe Ami's dismissal will resolve some of that. Clearly she didn't expect to go. Maybe one of you is next in that regard. In addition, your torches will stay here until you earn fire or make it on your own. Head on back to camp; I'll see you tomorrow.
The eight remaining Ta'aroa file out of Tribal Council in the dark as the credits roll.
Jeff (voice-over): Stay tuned for scenes from our next episode.
The screen cuts to commercial.
SURVIVORS STRIKE BACK
Ethan: During the Cook Islands season, I commented on how unstoppable Ozzy was. It was as if there was an army of Ozzys in each challenge. No one could stop them. They were legion.
Well, that legion got the Ghost Rider treatment. Yau-Man planted that idea into Ozzy's head to vote Ami, pledged his vote for Paula in order to get the idol out, and then Ozzy committed the most boneheaded move in the history of the show. If he does what he's supposed to and doesn't get fancy, Paula goes home and there's no idol in Ta'aroa. Now, Paula can deny the existence of an idol until she's blue in the face, and an alliance of four is cemented into the game.
Ozzy's gotten out of worse, though. Remember the move that cemented him as a Survivor legend and showed the viewers that he does, in fact, have a lot to learn - he and his Aitu buddies lollygagged through the second Cook Islands challenge, read a book, climbed the obstacle course at a leisurely pace as if it were a playground swing set, stopped off to have tea, played a few games of bridge, wrote a Survivors Strike Back entry, booked a cruise to Hawaii, took that cruise, stopped off in Tokyo for sushi on the way back, did an interpretive dance of their experience on the show, and returned to lose the challenge...just a few seconds behind the Hiki tribe, I might add.
Ozzy had all this careful planning going into throwing the challenge, and it didn't blow up in his face until the final vote, when an extra friendly juror would have won it for him. Now he carefully plans to create a distraction after the vote and send the minority alliance on a wild goose chase, and lo and behold, the investment on his return happens right away. I've seen bold moves to get back into the game. I've seen good fortune get teams back in the game. But the Ta'aroa alliance of Maria, Paula, Rafe, and Yau-Man has Ozzy to thank for his massive stupidity. Seriously. What the hell was he thinking?
Jenna: Ozzy's move will have massive ramifications on the rest of the game. I am reminded of a time when I was in the Amazon. I was in an alliance of four, and we had control of the game. Not a care in the world. We were guaranteed to go to the end, and I pretty much had Final Two wrapped up as long as either Heidi or I outlasted Alex in the final immunity. That was the plan.
Then Alex went and blew it and told Rob he was out at the Final Four. Rob flipped, Alex went home, and we had to scramble to get back into it. That's not to say that we didn't; I mean, I won, didn't I? But we had to catch a break from Christy, and I had to put on an Oscar-winning performance at the final five, not to mention win two immunities. But the fast track to the end wasn't there, and the fast track to the merge is no longer there for Ozzy. His entire game is shot. He even wrecked it for Danielle, Ian, and Jonathan. Jonathan's probably the next Ta'aroa boot if they keep losing.
Ozzy needs to prove me wrong again to keep going, but he did it before. Last time, I didn't think he had a chance to make the final four. Well, he did. He could do it again, but he has to watch the target on his back.
Amy: My fellow bloggers have already tackled the insane move by Ozzy here, so I am off to a different topic - what's with all the rivalries out here? Terry and Charlie over politics, Charlie and Yau-Man over fire-building, Ami and Maria over...hockey? I would think they would argue over something a little more pressing, like, say, baseball, but I guess they're from the wrong part of the country for that, since neither Buffalo nor Denver has a major-league team. And no, I don't count the Rockies. Sorry.
This many personal rivalries didn't come out in the first All-Stars or any other season. I saw Jamie and Bobby Jon in my season. I saw Judd and Margaret. They didn't really last past the vote, though. The ones I see here may have potential to last past the game. With Ami and Maria, all that was really missing was a tirade about ADD. With Terry and Charlie, it's a shame we don't have luxury items, because I just know Terry would try to get Charlie to burn an American flag. The fallout of that would be, shall we say, insane.
Catharine: I feel a little left out of this; just because I didn't get far on my season, I don't make All-Stars. So it goes, I guess. Anyway, what is with the dominance of Fati? The producers drew these tribes up, and they haven't done such a bad job of it since...oh, say, the first All-Stars, when Saboga was the whipping boy for the other two tribes. At least the mismatches of Palau and Fiji were with tribes the players picked themselves. This is ludicrous. But at least it's mildly amusing to see the poor saps from Ta'aroa tear each other apart.
At this point, Ta'aroa is an underdog. They are overmatched. Three strong males and two that hold their own against two strong males, an unorthodox male, one male who holds his own...and Jonathan. On the female side, Danni, Twila, and Parvati are far better than Danielle, Maria, and Paula. Yes, the Ta'aroa females had a shot with Ami, but they just had to vote her off. Not smart, guys. And not smart on Ozzy's part, though I have to believe that the counter-alliance manipulated that. I have trouble believing Ozzy's as stupid as that vote made him look.
Back from commercial.
Jeff (voice-over): Next time on Survivor...the fire situation at Ta'aroa gets desperate.
Yau-Man: I hope this works like it did last time, and no damn clouds get in my way.
Jeff (voice-over): Things heat up at Fati.
Parvati: I'm a flirt, and I'll use that to my advantage any way I can.
Jeff (voice-over): And Ozzy gets tired of losing.
Ozzy (shouting, with tribe gathered): Today...is the day we end the losing and we go out and WIN!
Voice-over: Stay tuned for a new episode of CSI coming up next.
Ami (final words): I don't know what the hell happened. Either I got backstabbed or the plan didn't work. I'm not happy about being out this early. If I find out who did this to me, I'll hold them underwater for about two minutes. You're all just lucky I'm not on the jury, especially you, Maria.
5 votes Ami: Maria, Ozzy, Paula, Rafe, Yau-Man
4 votes Paula: Ami, Danielle, Ian, Jonathan