Episode 5 - Pride Before the Fall
By Car84
70's Flashback: April 1976, Dan Aykroyd introduces the Super Bass-O-Matic 76. It works "without scaling, cutting or gutting." Your drink is "blended just the way you like it."
Flashback to last week: At Drake, being undefeated weighed heavily on their nerves. At Morgan, the tide was up, and spirits were down. Osten almost drowned during the Reward Challenge, and Morgan lost again. Burton approached Rupert with a plan to oust Christa. An overconfident Drake tribe, sitting never-say-lose Rupert, threw the Immunity Challenge. The winning tribe (Morgan) got to choose an opposing tribe member (Rupert) to live with them for three days. Jon bragged about his alliances. At Tribal Council, Burton was snuffed. Twelve are left. In an hour you will find out who does the round of talk shows tomorrow.
Returning from Tribal Council, Jon feels pretty good about himself and the situation. The Puppetmaster explains that he told Shawn on the way to Tribal Council to "vote however you want. I suggest you write Burton." He needles Shawn for voting to be rid of Burton.
Shawn engages in damage control. "I've always been a bit weary of Burton." He had to go, and now was a good time. Out of my way and let me dance on his grave. Trish would have nothing to do with that, noting that Shawn seemed to just start trashing Burton. Shawn points out that Michelle was the only one remaining who voted for Burton to stay. Jon insists to Michelle that it doesn't matter. Michelle slinks off to bed, feeling like a pair of sandals in a closet of tuxedos.
On Day 13, we visit Morgan. Rupert is beside himself when he considers Morgan's foolish actions against the waves that are troubling their hovel. "They're using logs to try and stop the tide from taking their shelter away. It's not going to work." With little effort, he convinces Ryan that the shelter must be moved. Osten isn't convinced: "We haven't actually got hit by the water yet, so my thought is wait 'til it becomes a problem and then deal with it."
A site closer to the jungle, about 40 feet inland, was discussed. Osten didn't want to be too close to the jungle because of the "mosquitoes (a), and a potential you'd get lit up by a snake (b)." Osten suggests that the shelter could be moved to the current site of their fire pit. The Morgans bicker. Rupert remarks: "These guys work very hard at not working." He understands why have they lost so many challenges.
With a vote of everyone against Osten, the location for their jungalow was selected. And they all set out to move the rickety frame of their shelter, with little success.
Trish and Michelle stand in knee-deep water, and consider cracking open a can of food. Some Spam™ sure sounds good! But they decide to wait for Rupert, and then proceed to worry about what he is up to these three days. Trish is troubled about Rupert hanging out with the enemy, "giving away too much information." Jon and Sandra are also concerned. Shawn thinks three days is a long time to have Rupert in enemy hands.
Rupert declares, "I've been dying of thirst since I've been here, I've been hungry since I've been here!" His attention is directed at ripples in the water, and the prospect of fish. Rupert explains that he decided to be Ryan's "buddy," and wanted to show him how to be a provider. Rupert demonstrates how the rubber loop on the spear is used to propel the spear at its target. The Morgan tribe is stunned by the exhibition. Evidently, none of these folks served hard time in detention in their early grade school years for playing with rubber bands.
"Ryan [age 31] is a nice young kid," says Rupert (39), in a voice-over as we see an eager and impressionable Ryan observing on the shore as Rupert models his provider skills in the water. "I'm comfortable with him," he adds. During the fishing trip, Rupert spears a rather large fish. While Ryan is in the process of bagging it, the fish gets away. Rupert let out a growl, and then later says he feels bad for Ryan. But, no fear, Rupert comes in with a stringer of fish after all, to shouts of "Well done!"
Andrew describes Rupert as a godsend. Ryan's assessment is that getting ahold of Rupert is "probably the smartest thing this tribe ever did."
The next day, Rupert gets tree mail. The riddle, which is scrawled on an oar, hinted that the reward had to do with getting a chance to clean themselves. Tijuana seems to like that idea a lot. Rupert assures his temporary tribemates that he's going to give it his all for them. "I want to beat 'em bad and show 'em, ya know, the reason they've been winning may have something to do with me."
The two tribes are welcomed by Jeff. When he points out that Burton is missing, Rupert nods and smiles.
This, Jeff explains, is a three-part challenge. First, each tribe paddles along a line of four wooden crates. At each crate, one tribe member dives to the sea floor, and brings up two ladder pieces. Once the tribe retrieves all the pieces, they return to shore in their boat and assemble the ladder. The ends of the rungs are formed in different shapes, with corresponding shapes in the ladder sides. While five tribe members work on the ladder, the sixth runs into the jungle to a Spanish well, from which a bucket containing an idol is pulled. The idol is then returned to the ladder assembly area, and carried up the ladder to a pedestal. The first team to place their idol on the pedestal wins the challenge.
For the reward, the winning tribe would receive an assortment of bathing supplies, rain gear, a boiling pot, some nifty water containers, a piece of their treasure map (Morgan only), and an opportunity to pillage the other tribe's camp.
The race begins. Drake, with Michelle in front, starts off well. Rupert, donning the mask, powers at the front of the Morgan boat, taking time off only to dive in and boat ladder pieces. Drake has trouble keeping the boat straight. Jon - seated in the very back of the boat - tries to use the steering paddle as an oar, which causes the boat to go wildly off course. The race, which was never close, gives Jeff an opportunity to chide Drake upon their late arrival at the beach. "Drake. Glad you could join us." By that time, Andrew is well on his way to producing the idol. He climbs the ladder that his tribemates had assembled, and places the idol on the pedestal. Two in a row for Morgan!
As Morgan celebrates, Jeff reminded Rupert that he is entitled to indulge in the bounty - perhaps take a chance to defunkify - before he has to go back to the Drake tribe. Or, he could return to camp with Drake now. Without hesitation, he chooses the latter course. "I love you guys, but I wanna go home." As Drake left, Rupert turns to Morgan, waves, and pumps his fist.
Andrew comments on Morgan's success. "A lot of it was Rupert." But Andrew insists Morgan is now in sync, and that they have confidence now. Tijuana wants to rinse off that nasty dirty feeling. Ryan admits that he's not much into fragrances and stuff like that, but it's time for a scrub-down. Darrah points out that the men of the tribe keep their distance and show her respect when it's her time to shower.
Trish consoles Jon for his pathetic efforts at rudder. "None of us knew how to steer, but you stepped up to the plate." The tribe pumps Rupert for information on Morgan. He tells them how desperately short of food they are, and how desperately useless Osten was. Referring to Morgan as a whole, Rupert tells them that "they know that a Drake is gonna win this whole damn thing." As the raiding boat appears, Rupert comments, "This should be very interesting."
Andrew comes ashore, and is greeted by Jon, and then Rupert. Rupert, in his gentle way, insists to Andrew that "You can take whatever the ---- you want. But I'm gonna show you what I want you to take." They converse over Drake's store of rice. Rupert makes it clear that Andrew could take a little, or take it all. As for the second option, Rupert says, "Of course, I'll kill you." Andrew knows his place, and he gratefully accepts more than Rupert knows he probably would have asked for. Rupert describes the event as something other than a looting. It was "friends helping friends." He also recognizes that he may seem too much in control of both tribes. Andrew concludes, "This speaks volumes of diplomacy." He looks forward to that day when he's "part of their tribe."
Jon and Shawn get "sea-mail," and Trish sums up her prediction of what lies ahead. "It looks like for this Immunity Challenge they're going to blender up all kinds of crazy stuff from the ocean and we're going to have to drink it." She doesn't like that idea. In contrast, Michelle reveals that she has a strong stomach. Puppetmaster Jon says that Michelle "seems pretty darned prepared." Trish explains that they plan to use Michelle as a decoy in case someone has to be chosen for an extra turn.
At the Immunity Challenge, Trish's worst fears are repeated in Jeff's words, "Welcome to Survivor's Smoothie Bar!" The twelve selections on the ingredient wheel are: sardines, red shellfish, mango, octopus, razor clams, rock oyster, squid, conch, coconut juice, sea water, bleeding clam, and "Jeff's Special." (Jeff explains that he gets to freelance on that one.) In each round, two opposing tribe members each roll a ball into the wheel as it spins. The two ingredients are then blended. Each tribe gets a point if their member drinks the whole smoothie. It is not a race. They just have to get it all down.
The second pairing is Michelle versus Ryan. Their smoothie consists of razor clams and Jeff's Special (octopus). Michelle looks rather repulsed by the whole procedure, until … Until she drinks it all down like she was in a guzzling contest. Shawn, Jon, and Christa look disappointed. Dainty Michelle lets go with a rather excellent burp, and giggles. Other memorable events include Jon trying unsuccessfully to hit on Darrah, and Ryan and Rupert toasting each other before their effort. Round one ended in a tie. Now it was time for each tribe to choose an opponent for a head-to-head slurp-off.
Morgan chose Sandra, who loses to Drake's choice (Darrah) in a difficult finale. Darrah carries the Immunity Idol back to her tribe.
Sandra is very worried because she lost the challenge for Drake. Michelle offers, "I don't know, man. I should have played it up more." Jon is furious at both, especially Michelle, whose ego got in the way. Trish, too, was critical of Michelle for not faking it.
Shawn approached Rupert to pitch Michelle's demise. Rupert gives him the cold shoulder and says, as Shawn leaves, "He better watch out, or it'll be him." Later, Michelle tells Rupert that it bothers her that Shawn could go farther in the game than her. Michelle abruptly leaves and pukes her razor clam and octopus smoothie into the sand. Rupert joins her at this indelicate moment and consoles her while he scoops sand over her puke. (This guy is something else, isn't he?) He'll discuss Michelle's point with the tribe. Of Shawn, he says, "It's Day 15. He was our first pick on Day 2."
At Tribal Council, Jeff assesses the past four days. Three challenges lost, and soon two tribe members gone. He asks Sandra if she's worried about her fate. She replies that she'll know why she's gone if she's vote off. When confronted about their performance at the more recent challenges, Jon says that the Reward Challenge was the first one the REALLY lost. Jeff asks if that meant they threw the Immunity Challenge three days ago. Jon replies, "Yeah. Absolutely." Jeff tells them that throwing a challenge can make the other side feel like a powerhouse. Michelle describes that theory as "a load of crap." Rupert forcefully states that he did not agree with throwing that challenge, but that something good may end up coming from it. He might have some knowledge about Morgan that could help Drake.
Michelle votes to be rid of Shawn: "If anybody was going to jump ship buddy, I think it's you." She adds, mysteriously, "Hope you don't." Jon votes to oust Michelle: "Good girl. But say hello to bad guy."
The votes are read. Michelle. Shawn. Michelle. Michelle. Michelle. That's enough.
Flashback to Michelle, at the start of this episode: "I'm in trouble. I'm out here completely by myself."
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