Previously on Survivor, the game was heating up and the Opas weren’t in the mood for laughs.
Having sensed that the mood had changed, Greg decided to take a walk, probably looking for Colleen and simpler days.
The players were informed of the situation just before the challenge.The game went on though for the 8 remaining players and tension arose within the alliance.
Feeling in trouble some players started scrambling, making new offers in order to realign the game.
However, some players compared notes, saw…or thought they saw a better way to the end.
They decided to eliminate Mick who had been a strong member of their alliance,
The game has changed and only 7 remain. Who will be going home next?
Night 28
The tribe returned from the explosive tribal council and found themselves out of words. When you are trying to tell a story that isn’t very good so the crew kept them awake a long time, saying they’d need to do interviews one after the other. It clearly was an attempt to recreate some of the drama that Mick had awaken with his flamboyant exit.
The first player they got away from camp was Aras. They figured that he had been one of the two closest to Mick so, by taking him away from the others, they hoped it would encourage some game talk. Ian, Mike, Todd and Earl were either too tired or too confident to start a new discussion while Jenna, Mick's other close ally, was too discouraged.
She simply asked: “I’m going next, right?”
The others looked at her and Ian answered: “There’s still 3 days before the next Council. So many things can happen.”
So, with nothing brewing in camp, the interviewers worked hard on Aras, asking him if he regretted eliminating Mick.
Aras replied: “Guess it came down to over estimating Todd's strategy. I think it was paranoia that made me think Todd had turned Mick against me but Mick’s last words showed that he was still with me. I was really paranoid. But Todd still is playing a good game. Let's see where he goes from here. Jenna's next, then me, most likely and the goats – Sandra and Earl - make his path easier. I made a huge mistake with Mick not following up with him directly after Jenna knew he was a target. I knew I should have but I just didn't take the time! I am not playing this game well at all!"
The other players each had confessionals all the while complaining about the late hour but still nothing developed. Production gave up and finally turned off the cameras, letting the Survivors go to bed.
Day 29
As if to penalize the players for their lack of drama, the staff woke them up as soon as the sun came up, telling Jenna and Aras to go get tree mail.
Jenna asked if she stood a chance but Aras could only say that he thought they were both on the chopping block
“We can try to shake things up but I think Ian, Mike and Todd are running the show right now. Earl’s following them and they convinced Sandra that I am after her. It narrows our options.”
Coming back to camp, Jenna tried to put enthusiasm in her voice as she sang the message:
“Bruder bought a coconut, he bought it for a dime,
His sister had anudder one she paid it for de lime.
She put de lime in de coconut, she drank 'em bot' up
She put de lime in de coconut, she call de doctor, woke 'im up”
Todd let out: “Great! A coconut chop challenge! Awesome! I am so going to be the first one out, aren't I?
The Challenge
The players walked into the challenge arena, laughing at the dolls that represented each of them. Jenna liked the bikini her doll was wearing while Ian was slightly embarrassed to see the hair sticking out every which way on his doll’s head.
“Welcome to today’s challenge”, said Jeff. “You know what’s coming so I will proceed by asking you a series of questions. Get them right and you can chop the ropes holding up the doll of a competitor. Once someone gets 3 chops, the doll will fall into the fire behind it. The last standing Survivor wins immunity and will have a 1 in 6 chance of becoming the Sole Survivor.
Jeff’s question were aimed at making the players laugh but he got more eye rolls than laughter.
The game proceeded, revealing as usual, the pecking order as seen when Jeff recapped the first rounds:
“This is where we stand after Question 3:
Jenna, Earl and Aras are out of the game.
Todd and Sandra each have 1 rope left
Mike and Ian have only 1 hit.
For the 4th question Ian had it right and ended Sandra’s chances to win immunity.
Mike also figured it out and chopped Todd out of the game.
Now, only Mike and Ian were left with a chance to win immunity and they both had 2 ropes left
Jeff asked his 5th riddle:
“My first is loaded
My second is solid
My third is something you do to a scheme
My whole is someone you want to imitate…no really he is!”
The answer was Rich-Hard-Hatch => Richard Hatch.
Ian had it right and chopped Mike’s second rope.
Jeff went to the 6th round, saying that Mike needed this one but that Ian could win it with the right answer.
The riddle was:
“My first is a type of meat
My second is cold
My third is also cold
My fourth is a tasteless copy
My whole: “It’s so good!”
The answer was Ham-Brrr Brrr-Kitsch => Amber Brkich
Mike didn’t actually get it right but the viewers on TV saw what was supposed to be his answer pad with the right answer on it. Of course, it was a dream teamer’s answer but, for drama, the camera showed an arm chopping what looked like Ian’s second rope.
Jeff was then heard saying: “Ian needs to have it right also to win immunity…Ian has it right!”
Ian chopped Mike’s last rope.
Jeff raised his hand and said: “With that: Ian wins immunity!”
Day 30
We were back in camp and it was once more time for confessionals.
Ian’s confessional was shown first: “At the moment, I think there are a few people I could lose to: Mike, Todd, and Aras. They are more popular than me. All three are in my alliance, but I think that if I win a couple more immunities, that I can prove to the jury that I'm a strong player.
Of course, I need to get to the end first. Earl is likely to be the swing vote at the F5, and it will probably be he who will determine which of Mike and Todd or Aras and myself will be in the FTC.
During the challenge, I noticed that no one went for Mike and had I not had the sense to chop him early on, I likely wouldn't have won this immunity. To me, that means I could get to the end with him and lose the jury vote in a landslide.
The five of us are probably going to the F5--no sense trying to take each other out now, especially after the fallout of Mick's exit. I have an F3 deal with Todd and Mike, and a separate F2 deal with Aras, so I'm just trying to decide which alliance to honor. I'm pretty sure I can't win against either Todd or Mike at the end, but Earl, who I need if I go with Aras, is a bit of a wildcard right now.”
Jenna: “I think this is my last Tribal Council. I’ll be voting for Todd and everyone knows it so, if they want to vote with me, we could get him out.”
Todd also had a confessional: “I think I've lost control of the game. Ian is plotting against me. He plans to go to the end with Mike and probably Aras. This week, he told me it would be Jenna. Next week, he'll push for Sandra and if I push back, he could turn the vote on me. Best I could do is a tie and that's only if Mike sticks with me instead of Ian. And he's been with Ian longer. I think this may be my last week.”
Tribal Council
Jeff wanted to go back to the challenge: “I hope you had fun playing this last challenge but what do you think it means?
Jenna, Aras and Earl were early targets while Mike and Ian weren't hit until late.
Is it a good sign for the ones that weren't targeted?
Does it mean this vote will eliminate one of the first three?”
Sandra was the first to answer: “It does sound like Jenna, Aras and Earl are the ones who are most in danger, but anything can happen. It's definitely a good sign for Mike and Ian at least.”
Jenna spoke up: “Everyone knows that I am leaving tonight.”
Todd said that she had given up so it made it an easy vote.
That angered Jenna who said she hadn’t given up but could read the writing on the wall.
Ian confirmed Jenna’s fear by saying: “Sorry, Jenna. You and Mick were serious competitors and huge jury threats. Either of you could have won this game in a landslide.”
Seeing that there was nothing to change the situation, Jeff asked if Ian was keeping immunity and then he sent them to vote.
The camera showed Jenna voting against Todd, Todd voting against Jenna and, somewhat surprisingly, Sandra voting against Aras.
As Jeff read the other votes however, it became clear they were all against Jenna.
Jeff then said: “Jenna, the tribe has spoken, time for you to go.”
After she left, he turned to the 6 remaining players and said: “You can head back to camp but don’t rest on your laurels: The game still has a surprise or two for you.”
Indeed, Jeff knew it was time to use the big twist that production had been preparing.
Email this topic to a friend
Printer-friendly version of this topic
Bookmark this topic (Registered users only)
