Episode 8- No Fury Like a Woman Scorned
By Car84
Previously, on Survivor: Morgan and Drake arrive at a "reward" challenge, and are surprised by a big twist. The six "outcast" contestants were back for, in Michelle's words, "Revenge baby!" After an all-out battle, the Outcasts clawed their way to an unbelievable triumph over both Morgan and Drake. This meant that both tribes would need to vote off one person, and that two "misfits," as Andrew called them, would be voted back in. At Drake, Jon defeated Shawn in a beg-off that was orchestrated by Rupert, Christa and Sandra. For Morgan, Osten threw in the towel, fell on his sword, cashed in his chips, and ended his extended bad dream of showing up for work in his underwear.
Eight are left. Two will be added. One will be sent home.
It is a dark and stormy night … Jeff gleefully watches as a Survivor first unfolds before him. Those who would be the silent back-benchers in the grand finale show take center stage. "Look at all these smiling faces," he beams. Jeff reckons that this was the first tribe ever to be excited about coming to tribal council.
Jeff asks Michelle what her reaction was "when I told you" that she had a chance to get back into the game. "I almost wet my pants," she says. Ryan's reaction was further removed from incontinence. He was looking for revenge because he felt like an outcast. And how sweet it was to look at the Drakes and Morgans after they were defeated. Burton attributes the Outcast's win to an "internal drive" and the fact that they were determined to win. Jeff explains the voting rules. Everyone will get to plead his or her case before the vote.
Nicole wants to continue with the bad apple approach that served her so poorly the first time around. Lillian is rather direct: "I still want to prove to the sons of bitches that I am tough. I wanna go back in, guys. And I wanna go back in hard." Trish is the first to evoke Outcast team spirit by pledging her support for an Outcast to win it all. Michelle observes that they're "all deserving," and then touts herself as a tough, but sweet little girl. Ryan professes his love for the game to five others who have love for the game. Burton pledges to never lie to any one of them in this game. NEVER!
Jeff explains that each person will get two parchments, and two votes. You can't vote for yourself, though. Simple enough. Ryan sends a vote Lillian's way. "If it's not me I hope it's you." Trish gives a nod to Burton because of his strength. "If I can't win, I want another Outcast member to win." Lillian writes down Ryan's name. "I want you in almost as much as I want to be in." Michelle gives Nicole a vote and a compliment. "I know you're one bad bitch, and I know you'll go and get 'em."
With two votes left to tally, it was still possible to have a six-way tie. "I'll make you proud," Burton says as he saw his clinching vote. At her magic moment, Lillian grasps her chest and declares, "Oh my God. I am a nice person."
The resurrection is completed at Jeff's command: "Lillian, Burton. Grab your torches. Get fire." And Michelle, Nicole, Trish, and Ryan file out, with Ryan stopping to offer a hug and kiss to Lillian. Jeff picks up a round container that contains a buff for each tribe. Lillian offers to make the fateful decision. Both she and Burton want to go to a new tribe. But it wasn't to be. Jeff advises them to "make the most of" their new opportunity with their old tribes.
It is still a dark and stormy night … Sandra is wishing for Ryan or Lillian, but certainly not Burton. Lightning flashes illuminate Burton's features as he timidly approaches Camp Drake on foot. He predicts "mixed emotions" and "resentment." After he gently wakes his new old tribemates, and receives a decent welcome and a few spoons full of food, he turns in for the night. Sandra is now happy Burton is back.
Elsewhere, on that dark and stormy night … Strong boat lights pierce through to the collection of weak Morgan members, as they awaken and head to shore to greet their new addition. Andrew comments that, "we welcomed Lill with open arms," adding "I don't know if she bought any of that." For her part, Lill reminds us that Andrew "said he to me he would get back to me" on the day she was booted. She stares quietly at a haggard Andrew, as he does his best to make nice.
As morning broke at Drake, Rupert asks Burton if he could ask him "a couple of questions away from these guys." Burton assents, not knowing what to expect. After asking Burton to look him in the eye, Rupert levels with him. Recalling for Burton the butt-crack comment, and the big kid in a sandbox comment, he tells Burton that he did not like being treated like he was beneath Burton. For this, Burton apologizes. "I have a lot of respect for Rupert. I hurt his feelings." At the end of this chat, Burton asks what will happen at the next tribal council. Rupert immediately shoots back, "Jon's out, guaranteed." They remind each other that Jon had voted against both of them already, and agreed that Drake will be a stronger team now.
Similarly, at Morgan, old foes meet. Andrew talks to Lillian - and of Lillian - as though she weren't standing there. He's clearly upset that she's back. He marvels how things were going so well for Morgan, "and THIS happens. What the hell?!" Lillian tells us that the tribe "needs some help. These people, they're becoming like dead weight."
At Drake, they puzzle over a mystery citrus fruit that they found. The consensus was that a) it was a lemon, and b) they'd like to get more. At Jon's request, Sandra offered to stay behind as Christa, Burton, and Rupert went in search of the magic citrus tree. Of Jon, Rupert says, "He's paranoid." They agree that he should be. Burton tells the others "my lying's done with." Christa observes that Jon, on the other hand, "will play 500 games." In Burton's mind, this doesn't necessarily doom Jon's torch. The Morgans may take Jon because they have no choice.
Same day, at Morgan, Lill ceremoniously pours a small portion of rice into a large pot. This is the end of the rice that they looted from Drake. Andrew downgrades the food situation from "critical" to "dire." It's Day 21. He doesn't know what they are going to do.
The opposites attract at the Immunity Challenge. Jeff cuts right to the issue of food, asking Sandra what the food issue is at Drake. In front of a food-strapped Morgan tribe, Sandra declares, "there is no food issue." She went on to list what they've enjoyed, including 12 to 15 pounds of fish. "Everyone went to sleep with full tummies." Andrew describes the condition at Morgan. "We're surviving right now on mussels and coconut." When Jeff asks if anyone expected a merge, no one admits to it. Andrew says he's not expecting a merge and some big buffet.
With that as a lead-in, Jeff requests that everyone drop their buffs. It's time to merge. He pulls out the new buffs. "They're black, baby!" says an excited Jon. Tijuana is almost overcome with emotion. Jeff tells them that they will have to come up with a new name and a new flag. And "based on what I have just heard, you are going to be living on Drake's beach," Jeff decides.
From now on, the players are told, rewards and immunity are individual prizes. Jeff unveils the Immunity Idol - a sheathed pirate sword. He then directs their attention to the challenge at hand, and explains what it is all about.
The challenge is patterned after keel-hauling - a form of punishment practiced by pirates. What this involved was some unfortunate soul being pulled by ropes under the keel of the ship, from one side to the other, at the mercy of barnacles, and even sharks. Keel-hauling Survivor-style entails pulling yourself along a rope that is strung under a floating dock-like structure, climbing back onto the structure, running back to the starting point. The structure has a span without boards, so it is necessary to run along the outside rails. In the two preliminary heats - each with five randomly selected players - the race involves two laps. The first two players to complete the course and dive into the water goes on to a four-player run-off.
Tijuana, Christa, Rupert, Jon, and Sandra get the first taste of keel-hauling. Rupert easily wins the heat, and Jon narrowly bests Christa. Sandra has the most trouble with the course. In the second heat, Burton and Ryan make rather easy work of the others, while Andrew met with difficulties.
The rules for the run-off were different. The race was increased to five laps. Also, each player had to transfer gold medallions, one at a time, from the back of the dock to the front. These medallions were hung on pegs on a cross-like structure. The first player to complete five laps, move the medallions, and dive in, wins immunity.
In the race, Rupert pulls out to a lead, which shrinks as the end (and Burton) nears. The two were going at about the same speed. But Rupert chose to take and hang the medallions starting with the closest ones, while Burton got the tough work out of the way first. As Rupert fumbles with hanging the final medallion, Burton was diving in for the win. Jeff awards the Immunity Idol to Burton, and explains that he has the option to assign it to someone else. The players are told that the boat they were in is theirs, to bring to future challenges. "And Savage," Jeff says, "that buffet you referred to is waiting for you back at camp!"
On the way to camp, the players decide to name themselves the Balboa tribe. Rupert approves because that was the name of his now-departed snake. Tijuana wonders if the tribe will be unified or separate. While the Balboas enjoy a wonderful feast, Sandra is heard telling Tijuana, Darrah, and Ryan "I depend on Rupert for my meals."
Jon is busy observing Lillian, whom he refers to as the "golden goddess." He pitches the idea to Rupert that Lillian is ripe for the picking, that she doesn't feel part of the Morgan clique, and that she could be the one person they need to turn the tide. Fellow Outcast Burton tells Lillian, "I talked to these guys and they like you even though they don't know you." Lillian is impressed by this.
Ryan and Darrah discuss the fact that Lillian is talking to Burton. This is significant, because it's the only peep we hear of Darrah the entire show. Ryan assesses the situation: "If Lill goes to the bad guys, we're in serious trouble."
Andrew moves in for damage control with Lill. She tells him, "you guys were ready to ditch me off again." Attorney Andrew refers to that as "very naïve," and asks if she has decided how she was going to vote. Lillian says she hadn't decided yet. In response to that, Andrew asks that she let him know before she votes. This was just too irresistible for Lillian, who points out that he said he would give her a heads-up before her heave-ho. Lillian rests her case. Andrew walks away.
Burton declares, "I think we go for Savage." He reasons that Andrew is the head, and must be removed to defeat the Morgan clan. Tijuana describes Lillian as the swing vote, and senses Andrew is on the chopping block.
At Tribal Council, Jeff is curious about the players' reaction to the merge. Tijuana says she was shocked by it, but that it could be a benefit, or it could hurt. Lillian is feeling thrilled, and glad to be part of "a larger family." Ryan is a bit uneasy about writing down the name of someone he hardly knows. Jeff explains that the decision to keep or to assign immunity this time is "a little unusual," since Burton is doubly immune, by virtue of his resurrection, and through winning it outright. Burton decides to bestow immunity on Rupert, saying "such a close fight, I couldn't NOT give it to you."
During the vote, Andrew is seen voting for Jon, and Jon is seen returning the favor. Christa opts to oust Andrew, describing him as "the biggest threat out here." Tijuana votes to cut "trouble maker" Jon free. After Jeff reveals the first six votes, Andrew has five to Jon's one vote. As it turns out, Lillian's vote for Andrew is read last.
Earlier in the show, Andrew said, "We welcome the curve balls. Bring 'em on. Let's see where we're going to go next." As he leaves the Tribal Council area, he tells Ryan, "D," and "T" to hang tough. He is gone.
Car84 can be contacted by email at car84@survivorskills.com
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