Season 2, Episode 5 - "The Gloves Come Off"
“12 are left. Who will be voted out tonight?” - Probst
Day 13
At Ogakor, day 13 begins with an eerie feeling as a result of the forest fires raging across the Herbert River just outside of camp. That’s right, forest fires. Smoke filling the air, the sounds of trees exploding and crashing to the ground, and eyes watering not out of anxiety from the game but rather from the toll nature is taking on the tribe.
Forest fires outside Ogakor. All screenshots via Hulu.
Speaking of things crashing, Jerri finds her plans severely ruffled after Colby sided with Tina and Keith to vote Mitchell off. Jerri and Amber are on one side and Tina and Keith are on the other, so Colby finds himself right in the middle. And oh by the way, that is the perfect place for Colby, the strongest and most athletic competitor in the game, to be at this point. He can sway the tribe anyway he wants including off his back because he is the swing vote. He proved at the last Tribal Council that he wanted a strong team and so his vote got him the version of the tribe he wanted. He plays to win and right now, Colby is doing just that.
“I mean, it’s basically the end of any alliance, pretty much.” - Jerri
Colby sets the record straight to Jerri. All screenshots via Hulu.
Jerri is a student of Richard Hatch and the Tagi Alliance. Her strategy was to sure up a voting alliance and control who gets voted off and when. The problem for that strategy is when you start the game losing 3 of 4 Immunity Challenges, have to vote 3 members of the tribe out, and your strongest player has a “winning is the only thing” attitude.
Colby follows up Jerri’s defeated plea by saying “Jerri, I don’t care. I don’t care about that stage of it. I mean, all I care about is doing everything we can to win the next two immunity challenges. That’s the only thing I can focus on right now.” Colby’s position completely disarms Jerri. She can’t get her way and as a result, combined with her attraction to Colby, Jerri is a very different Jerri to Colby. She can express herself and her disappointment with the voting alliance she envisioned, now being a hopeless pursuit, but Colby can wipe his hands clean because from the beginning his focus was to win and so long as they keep losing immunity challenges, a voting alliance is pretty useless anyway.
KIMMI TALKS TO THE CHICKENS
After relocating the fire further away from camp and moving on from the pig roast it’s time for round 2 of chicken slaughter at Kucha. Rodger is elected to dismember the chicken and everyone else pitches in to help roast the next meal. Everyone that is, except Kimmi. Being a vegetarian has distanced her from the rest of Kucha. She didn’t eat chicken #1, the pig, or chicken #2. Instead, the only connection to any of the meat eating for the viewer to see is Kimmi crouching over the chicken coop before they went off to slaughter. There’s almost something ceremonial about it. Kimmi does some talking to the chickens and then exits camp before the destruction begins. However, it seems that the real destruction will be to Kimmi should Kucha lose an immunity challenge. Inevitably, the Kucha tribe is full of 6 meat eaters and 1 vegetarian and thus, Kimmi is alienated because of that and the way she handles the process. She stands out and gives people like Mike a reason to write her name down, should it come to that.
Is it fair to use this against Kimmi? Maybe, maybe not. If nothing else, there is a sense of an “us and them” situation that could arise. Kimmi doesn’t eat meat and everyone else does and the people who do probably don’t want to hear any protest or issue taken every time they want to eat. Overall, the tribe has been courteous and sensitive to Kimmi being a vegetarian. The pats on the back after she couldn’t eat the cow brain, the hugs after she won the eating challenge by downing a mangrove worm, and Nick’s first inclination after witnessing Mike kill the pig being “I’m glad Kimmi wasn’t here” are examples of support where each of those examples could easily have turned out differently.
The food situation at Kucha has been a huge advantage for them. At Ogakor, they are starving. Lot of rice, rice, and more rice. They haven’t caught many fish at all and the fish they have caught and filleted are the next point of tension between Keith and Jerri. Jerri wants the dead fish buried at the edge of camp and she asks Keith to do it, so he agrees.
“I don’t stand up to her that often, ‘cause I don’t find it necessary because it’s more exhausting to argue with her than anything.” - Keith
Spoken like a husband would. Keith continues to play the “game” and not engage with Jerri. But, the bigger point here is how opposite the food situation at Ogakor is than at Kucha. One tribe is eating well (minus Kimmi) and the other is starving, but in both camps food continues to bring conflicts or the potential of conflicts to both camps.
KIMMI AND ALICIA
Speaking of conflict.
Note to self, if you’re on Survivor with a personal trainer, don’t suggest taking protein out of their diet and mouth and if someone on your tribe is a vegetarian, let them implode. In the end, the differences between Kimmi and Alicia was a ticking time bomb waiting to go off. Food is a foundational concern in the game of Survivor and Kimmi and Alicia are on total opposite ends. Plus, you can’t help but notice the foreshadowing here. Kimmi is driving herself away from the rest of the tribe and the blowout with Alicia likely guaranteed another vote against Kimmi should they go to Tribal Council.
SURVIVAL CATALOG
For the upcoming challenge the tribes receive tree mail with a Survivor catalog. They have to build a travois to carry a tribe member for the challenge. A version of this challenge was also in season 1. Anyway, each tribe has to choose two items from the catalog to play for. Some items mentioned were boxers and slippers, toilet paper, spices, and blankets. Kucha chose blankets and spices. Ogakor chose spices and soup mix.
REWARD CHALLENGE - Rescue Mission
On top of the chosen catalog rewards the winning tribe wins a Target “care package” with shampoo and soap. To win it, tribes have to use the travois they built to “rescue” their tribe mates one by one from designated areas and bring them back to the start line before rescuing the next. This race has a lot at stake especially for Ogakor who has quite the losing streak going and is lacking team morale big time as a result.
Kucha wins. Again. This time they win blankets, spices, and Ogakor’s catalog selection too.
“I am getting very frustrated with losing. If we don’t turn up the heat and turn this runaway train around, then it may be a meltdown for the Colbster.” - Colby
“It’s not the things you lose, it’s just losing.” - Tina
Ogakor’s spirit is broken. They haven’t much food, little success catching fish, and a severe losing streak. The losing is sinking them further and further psychologically. The spirit couldn’t be more opposite at Kucha and they just won the Target package including soap, shampoo, and toothpaste. They are living large and very much in charge!
IMMUNITY CHALLENGE
Props to Ogakor. They bounced back from the loss at the reward challenge and gave themselves a nice pep talk to get ready for the opportunity at hand. Hearing Jeff say “Immunity is back up for grabs” is exactly what they need to hear because it’s more important than any reward.
Immunity Challenge maze. All screenshots via Hulu.
The challenge is a giant maze that took “two weeks to build” (Probst). Each tribe has to navigate their own maze. Each maze is identical. The task for the tribes is to find the 5 totem poles and collect 5 medallions in order and exit the maze. I love this challenge. I love the idea of having the tribes run through a maze. I love that the challenge took two weeks to build. I love that this challenge doesn’t force someone to sit out for Kucha. I love that the medallions are spread out and that will create an obstacle for the tribes. I love that they have to carry their tribe flag as they go. I love this challenge and it hasn’t even started! Let’s go!
And just like that, Ogakor gets a MUCH needed win! Kucha is off to Tribal Council for the second time.
PRE TRIBAL COUNCIL
Alicia and Jeff are targeting Kimmi but Rodger and Elisabeth may be looking to write Alicia’s name down. What can’t be lost from the Alicia and Kimmi blowout is what it revealed about Alicia. Kimmi’s issues at Kucha were obvious and even us the viewer knew what they were, but Alicia showed the rest of the tribe how irritable she can be and although it may have been unintentional, Alicia put a target on herself.
TRIBAL COUNCIL
Kucha goes to Tribal Council for the 2nd time. All screenshots via Hulu.
Kucha hasn’t been to Tribal Council since Debb was voted out day 3.
“What’s your biggest contribution?” - Probst to Alicia
Alicia is a personal trainer. Her physique matches that and so does her answer. She talks about her motivation of the tribe.
“Kimmi, where are you feeling in the tribe right now as we come to a vote?” - Probst to Kimmi
Kimmi talks about feeling close to people and then feeling separated. I know that more is discussed at Tribal Council than we see as viewers but the picture they painted this episode was clear. It’s either Kimmi or Alicia and the storytellers producing the show do a great job telling that story this episode.
Voting
Kimmi - JEFF
“This really should be Alicia, but I hear other people are voting for Jeff.”
Kimmi votes Jeff. All screenshots via Hulu.
Huh? Come on Kimmi. I know it’s season 2 and the show hasn’t become cutthroat but did you do any digging and campaigning around camp? It feels like she missed an opportunity to take how Alicia reacted to her and use it against her at Tribal.
Alicia - KIMMY
Alicia votes Kimmi. All screenshots via Hulu.
“My vote is for Kimmy. She and I have not along from the beginning, and the whole food thing is really becoming an issue that separates her from the rest of the tribe, so I think it’s time to let her go.”
Called that one!
Votes - Kimmi (6), Jeff (1)
PROBST’S CLOSING THOUGHT
“Well, good news is, you survived Tribal Council. The bad news is this (downpour of rain) is what you get to sleep in. Have a good long walk home.”
Kimmi was the easiest vote. She was a layup. Sometimes you have to take the easy ones, make em, and move on.
KIMMI EXIT INTERVIEW
“I knew for a long time that my head was on the chopping block. It doesn’t surprise me at all.”
The tribe knew it. The viewers knew it. Kimmi knew it. In the end, Survivor at it’s core is a game of survival and in that game food is a major concern. For someone to come into the game with limitations/restrictions/convictions about eating meat of any kind was eventually going to become a major issue for them in the game. Kimmi was given a longer chance in the game thanks to Kucha’s winning streak, but as soon as the streak was snapped so was Kimmi’s chances at staying in the game. Her game didn’t have enough meat on its bones.
CATEGORIES AND AWARDS
1 - Biggest Move
All screenshots via Hulu.
Alicia letting Kimmi have it. The most memorable scene of the episode finds Alicia and Kimmi arguing about protein intake and Alicia, the personal trainer, reached her breaking point. This altercation sealed Kimmi’s fate in the game but also put Alicia on people’s radar.
2 - Biggest Mistake
Kimmi not letting the “chicken thing” go. She talked to them, she made a big deal about leaving camp when the slaughtering and meat eating was happening. What she really was doing was distancing herself from the tribe. It was inevitable.
3 - Challenge Corner
All screenshots via Hulu.
Rescue Mission vs. Medallion Maze. I liked both challenges but the maze wins by a landslide here. I mean whenever Jeff gives out the stats of two weeks to build and the x amount of lumber used, you know that a great challenge will be the result. It also makes me think about how much planning must go into all of the challenges. Also, did they have to clear that area to build the mazes? Do they have to ask Australia for permission to clear an area like that? haha. So many questions and curiosities about the maze and all that must have went into making that happen.
4 - Trending Up
Could say Ogakor’s morale, but I’ll say Rodger. He has perhaps been the largest beneficiary of Kucha’s 3 straight Immunity Challenges followed by Kimmi’s actions after the winning streak was snapped. Rodger got to sit out of the reward challenge because of Kucha’s numbers advantage and that helped Kucha win the reward challenge. Rodger is a liability in challenges and we’ve known that from the beginning, but he has been able to hide behind Immunity Challenge wins and his value in beheading and preparing the chickens. Plus, he has a partner in the game in Elisabeth.
5 - Trending Down
Jerri and Alicia. Jerri thought she had a great alliance all figured out to carry her deep into the game, but Colby’s vote at the last Tribal Council trickled into the beginning of episode 5 and set a tone at Ogakor that Jerri’s plans are NOT the plans for the tribe. Alicia also gets a co-trending down nod here because blowing up at Kimmi revealed a lot. Rodger mentioned it on the boat that him and Elisabeth were considering Alicia as their votes at Tribal. Alicia is a New Yorker and her “New York” feistiness came out which could spell disaster later on at a future Tribal Council.
6 - Hatch Award (strategy)
Keith. Keith didn’t engage in arguing with Jerri and wasting energy when she asked if he would bury the fish waste. Good move. Keeping your cool is always a wise move in Survivor, just ask Kimmi.
7 - Best Screenshot
When you finally win an Immunity Challenge and your tears are tears of joy.
A double winner for Best Screenshot and Quote. You earned it Amber! All screenshots via Hulu.
8 - Best Quote
“Do you see any tears right now? If they were, they’d be tears of joy.” - Amber
After losing the reward challenge and the losing streak continuing to beat Ogakor down, Amber was brought to tears. But, after winning the maze Immunity Challenge Amber relays the message to Probst how happy she is to get a win and shed a tear of joy! Amber and Ogakor got a much needed win and shot in the arm of morale boost.
9 - Who won the episode?
Since I gave the last episode win to Kucha for all their success, I think it is appropriate to give this episode to Ogakor. They took a tough loss at the reward challenge but they recovered, pumped themselves up for the next one, and they got a win at the Immunity Challenge, sending Kucha to Tribal Council for the first time since day 3. Things may be turning around.
Thanks for reading. Be sure to outlike, outcomment, and outshare the rest and spread the word. I hope you will join me for episode 6!
The blog has spoken!
