Survivor 42, Episode 6/7 (2 HOUR) - You Can't Hide on Survivor; The Devil You Do or the Devil You Don't
JEFF SPEAKS TO THE CAMERA
He reminds us about Erika changing the game in 41 and how she eventually went on to win. It makes me wonder immediately how this twist has been affected because Erika went on to win 41 and would they have even kept it had the result of 41 been different? Either way I think this twist (which isn’t a twist because it’s a total screw job) will continue to be reinvented going forward in 43, 44… but I hate it. It’s stupid. I can’t get past a team of people winning immunity and then having that just stripped away from them because of a gray Rocksroy.
Power over instant gratification and perceived safety in the game.
I don’t remember the winning team having a choice to give up reward to go to exile being part of 41. Nonetheless, that would be the smartest move of all. Power is most important and by doing exile we know that someone will be given power. This makes me wonder what Tony would do. Would he go to exile in exchange for power (because this is like the Survivor Auction with a twist) or would he lay low at this point in the game? I think you sacrifice reward and go for the power. Seize the camera time and the moment of power and make your move.
CHALLENGE
Dig up boulder, push it along collecting keys, unlock puzzle pieces, put 75 piece puzzle together.
REWARD - Applebees food reward
Really a shameless advertisement for all things Applebees.
The looks on their faces, the saliva spewing out of their mouth is real. They are hungry and everything that Jeff is advertising to them is like crack to a junkie.
Losers - no buff, no food, compete in challenge for immunity.
DRAWING ROCKS
BLUE - Chanelle, Romeo, Omar, Drea, Mike
ORANGE - Lydia, Hai, Tori, Jonathan, Maryanne
GRAY - Lindsay, Rocksroy (Not competing. Will have their fate decided by winning tribe.)
The challenge begins and a big early lead for ORANGE aka Jonathan’s team. BLUE isn’t out of it early but 57 year old Mike can only have Romeo climb up him to retrieve the keys. Looks like he’s out of retirement. ORANGE gets to the platform and one by one throws everyone up onto the platform and then Spiderman’s up onto the boulder and pulls himself up. SUPER IMPRESSIVE!!! Jeff is impressed. Rocks is impressed from the sit out bench. We are impressed at home.
Maryanne and Lydia have a nice head start on the puzzle as Drea struggles to climb up Mike. Drea, the athlete is completely gassed and Mike’s leadership takes over. WOW! He commands his troops to send Romeo down and help Drea up and then climb up Mike because he is lighter. Mike totally sacrifices his body and literally lays it all on the line to help his tribe advance. SUPER IMPRESSIVE!!! If I was in trouble and Mike the firefighter showed up, I would 100% be in good hands.
CBS
ORANGE earns Applebee’s, their merge buffs, and DON’T have to compete in the Immunity Challenge. Now, they have to decide who they bring with them and who they let go. Lindsay is chosen to join ORANGE and instead of sacrificing themselves, they decide to send Rocksroy off to exile for 2 days and nights BUT also grant him POWER TO CHANGE THE GAME.
ROCKSROY WILL HAVE POWER TO CHANGE THE GAME
Sooooooo interesting that Rocks is the one chosen to have the power to change the game. The guy with the most limited social game is going to spend 2 days thinking about what social strategy advantage/power is coming his way and then how he will play it. If anyone needed a crash course in how to impact the game socially, it was Rocks. Now, he is going to be flung like a missile into a power position that will completely change the game for everyone, including himself. Hopefully it doesn’t blow up his game.
APPLEBEE’S FEAST
First off, let me just say that since the episode has aired, I have thought about going to Applebee’s. God damn advertising and product placement!
At the feast, Jonathan discloses that he considered going to exile because of the power, but he was lured in by the all you can eat feast to feed his 6’4” frame. For Tori, she’s the lone IKA member to be on the feast aka she is able to air the dirty laundry of the tribe that didn’t get along with her. Tori’s game has taken a 180 in her favor. The merge couldn’t have come at a more perfect time.
On the other side, the losers are struggling as you would expect. They are desperate and their merge feast of rice is nothing to write home about. The major advantage for the losing group is Mike and Drea bonding over having their idols. They know each other have it and they use this opportunity to connect through their position. This lines up well for the two of them in this next phase. I would have liked to see someone seize the moment of struggle like Xander did at this moment in 41. Mike sort of did, but didn’t acknowledge the moment like Xander. Maybe that’s what I wanted.
ROCKS ON EXILE
Rocks has his Lou Gehrig retirement speech moment on exile. He’s alone. No kids. No slackers. Work to be done. Beautiful location. Power coming. Unique opportunity. We’ve only got one narrative for Rocks through 5 episodes and exile is opening up a different version of him, one filled with gratitude. The challenges of the game overall and being sent to exile are obvious, but the growth and blessing of exile are both a joy to watch and imagine yourself being put in. When life gives you a situation you have a decision to make about how to handle it. Rocks decided to own it, embrace it, and soak it in. Now, hopefully he doesn’t drop this ice cream sundae of a pendulum swing for his game on the floor and ruin it once he gets the unique power.
EVERYONE IS TOGETHER AT VATI CAMP
CBS
Connections are being made all over the beach. The amulet crew is all together again. Work together or take each other out? Hai has proven his ability to strike first to the likes that would make John Kreese proud. Mike and Maryanne connect over their 3-way idols. The winners of this segment are Mike and Jonathan. Mike and Jonathan connect on a real level over being judged like a book cover. They both are stigmatized as the “big guy” “the big dummy” and Mike pledges how nice it would be to have a physically strong guy win for once. I agree with Mike. It would be nice. It’s insanely difficult for someone like Jonathan to win Survivor, hence my ranking him in the “Needs a Miracle” category of chances to win. I’m rooting for these two.
DAY 13
Jonathan continues taking a page out of Hatch’s Borneo plan of being the provider, but like we’ve said on this blog before, Jonathan may be too easily seen as everyone’s meat shield in the game. Everyone likes having him there to allow them to hide behind. Again, Jonathan wins if he can win Immunity Challenges like Terry Deitz on steroids. Which Jonathan is. However, individual challenges are not like the group challenges. There won’t be a swim and physical strength will be more likely a hinderance in individual challenges. If anyone can do it, it’s Jonathan, but I don’t see it. If he doesn’t win and his alliance can’t protect him, I’d love to see him go Hulk on idol hunting and playing this lone wolf game.
Another memorable moment happens when Hai opens up about his sexuality and it connects with Romeo. Romeo isn’t able to open up the same way. Romeo hasn’t opened up to his entire family in South Central, LA or in El Salvador, but Hai’s strength and openness allows Romeo to push through his fear of coming out on Survivor and disappointing people. Hai encourages Romeo to be proud and upfront with the person he truly is. This is a defining moment for Romeo. I know he is in it to win it, but this moment proves he is already winning through being on Survivor.
The connections continue as Hai and Omar communicate on Chanelle. Omar had the journey with her and Hai was with her on VATI. Hai clues Omar in on how he and Lydia were targeted but Chanelle not having a vote was part of what kept Hai around and allowed him to flip the situation. However, the important info this unveils to Omar is that HE TOO WILL NOT HAVE A VOTE at Tribal Council. Omar also RISKED his vote on the journey with Chanelle, but she didn’t disclose any of the info to him. Chanelle makes another mistake. She seems dead in the water.
Other Connections
Omar and Mike. Omar’s dating life and virginity comes up. Fist pound.
Maryanne and Lydia. Connect over their grandma’s name.
Hai and Jonathan. “What I did for Lydia, I will do for you.”
Then, the big moves start to gain traction. Hai takes the first turn to establish his “agency”. Hai and Lydia, Drea and Rocks, and Jonathan and Lindsay. They are trying to establish the group that will control the game. Hai throws Chanelle under the bus, Drea throws Tori under the bus, and Jonathan throws out Maryanne’s name out there. All in all, Hai is making his move and asserting himself into a power position. I was confident in Hai’s ability after strong arming Daniel, but now he is really pushing to position himself into a winning position like Ricard was with Shan last season.
The group of Hai, Lydia, Drea, Omar, Jonathan, and Mike are ready to take control of the game. They are ready to take out Chanelle or Tori at the Tribal but the uncertainty of Rocksroy lingers over the whole path of their plan.
ROCKSROY’S DECISION
Here is the decision for Rocksroy.
Here is his decision.
Rocksroy CHANGES HISTORY! No surprise here. You have to do it. I stated earlier how I hate this “twist” but I think I hated more how Tori, my preseason pick to win, reacted to Rocks. Tori, aren’t you a therapist? Don’t therapists keep their mouths closed to let others speak? They do, I’m not crazy, but Tori is the therapist at home. The therapist at home doesn’t know how to shut the hell up and let others speak. Makes sense considering their job is A LOT of listening. If Tori doesn’t relearn the two ears and one mouth lesson she may be needing to find her own therapist to talk out the mistakes she made on Survivor that cost her $1M.
IMMUNITY CHALLENGE
Lydia, Jonathan, Maryanne, Hai, Lindsay, and Tori were just safe and are now competing with their life on the line in the game. In the early stages, unsurprisingly, Jonathan is leading with Tori right on his heels. 6 letters in, Hai is in first.
Lydia drops. Hai drops. Devastating.
Tori leads. Jonathan drops. Tori in the lead ALL ALONE. Tori is one block away from winning a MUCH needed immunity. Lindsay is the only one on her level, but Tori is leading.
Tori places her 8th and final block. Lindsay DROPS EVERYTHING. It’s Tori’s challenge to lose. Maryanne is 6 blocks in and the only one close.
Tori is 2 steps away from a win, AND SHE DOES IT!!!
CBS
PRE-TRIBAL SCRAMBLE
Let’s recap. The previous challenge losers - Romeo, Drea, Mike, Omar, and Chanelle were going to compete in the Immunity challenge. Then, Rocksroy changes the game and reverses history. Now, Lydia, Jonathan, Maryanne, Hai, Lindsay, and Tori, who were safe, now had to compete at the Immunity Challenge. The others are safe and merged.
The plans being put in place were targeting Chanelle, but Rocksroy’s decision kept her safe. The other target was Tori. She wins immunity. HOW CAN YOU NOT LOVE THE DRAMA!?! This couldn’t have worked out better for the fans.
So, Lydia, Jonathan, Maryanne, Hai and Lindsay are on the chopping block. Everyone can vote (except those who lost theirs on the journey) and so who’s the target? Seems pretty simple and Romeo brings it up to Tori. Romeo’s target is Jonathan, but that throws Hai’s plan to be the one in control overboard. Plus, Lindsay likes Jonathan and trusts Jonathan. She turns the table again by bringing Maryanne’s name and her extra powers up to Chanelle and Lydia. Chanelle isn’t stupid though. She sees through Lindsay’s protection of Jonathan.
“If I were them, I’d vote me out.” - Jonathan
Jonathan knows that he is vulnerable. He’s depending on Omar to help keep the heat off of him even though he doesn’t have a vote and should just shut his mouth. Then, Lydia sways from the “8” that would vote together. Bingo! Omar is using this opening to shift the vote away from Maryanne and Jonathan and target Lydia. He takes that slither of information and drives a Mack Truck through it.
Omar was doing so well and then tells Hai about his Lydia plan. Uh oh. Hai is not about that life. Lydia is his teammate, his #1. Hai doesn’t want that.
“Moments like this are where good players fold and great players prevail.” - Hai
I knew that Hai was not going to sit back and let others run this 1/2 merged tribe at the first vote. Hai turns to targeting Maryanne and the fact that she has actual tangible power in the game. Maryanne has an idol and an EXTRA VOTE, and since she’s so green and lets everyone in on her secrets, Hai sees the opportunity to save Lydia, keep the “8” somewhat going, steer it away from Jonathan, and remove an idol and EXTRA VOTE from the game.
Phew.
Deep breath. This game just went nuclear. As I type, the vote hasn’t come out. Heading into Tribal, my prediction is that the whispering will unleash at Tribal and the tribe will divide and Maryanne will play her idol. If I were her, I would. My guess, Jonathan goes.
TRIBAL COUNCIL
CBS
Drivers or Passengers. There are those who will play a confident game and those who will play a fearful game. The ability to transform yourself is available in this game, at camp, and at Tribal.
Theme of the vote. Hard to say. Theme of Tribal. Embrace yourself, be yourself, and be true to yourself. 42ers are all prepared to play this game in such a way that they are true to themselves. I don’t know how that will last or who will be voted out.
Tribal Council is amazing. Life lessons being thrown out all over the place. Players are empowering viewers around the globe with important and impactful messages. But wait, someone has to be voted out…
VOTES
Lydia 6 (Hai, Jonathan, Lindsay, Drea, Maryanne, Mike)
Jonathan 2 (Chanelle, Tori)
Maryanne 2 (Romeo, Lydia)
Lynze 1 (come on Rocks)
Just like that, Omar goes from the guy with no vote to the guy behind breaking up a strong pair in Hai and Lydia, likely eviscerating the “8”, and knocking Hai off his Hai-horse back to earth. The lesson Omar teaches us in taking the smallest piece of information/distrust/wavering and exploiting it full throttle! Plus, you can do all of this without even having a vote yourself.
👏
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However, the votes reveal a different tune than I expected.
Hai voted for Lydia? Something up here or something we didn’t see. Hai was ride or die with Lydia two episodes ago and was literally willing to go to rocks to keep his “ally” here. Now, he votes her out? Only explanation is Hai is playing for himself first and foremost and he must have seen the writing on the parchment and knew Lydia was going to be voted out and his only move was to join this voting block. Hai is a good player but it will be interesting to see how his game will change.
NO CHANCE
Plain and simple, they won’t win.
12. Lydia
11. Rocksroy
10. Maryanne
NEEDS A MIRACLE BUT IT’S POSSIBLE
9. Chanelle - No alliance. Goat possibility?
8. Tori (My preseason pick to win) - Stuck her foot in her mouth after Rocks’ decision.
7. Jonathan - Survived to merge. Still needs a challenge win streak or he’s done.
SLEEPERS
6. Lindsay - has a solid alliance, a meat shield, and the amulet advantage. Don’t know anything about her.
5. . Mike - Growing on me. I see the path for him to win. Still needs to plan/make a move. Idols help.
CONTENDERS
4. Drea - Survivor rich. Has to be taken seriously.
3. Romeo - Tried to make the move on Jonathan. Didn’t happen. Should have. He was right.
FAVORITES
2. Hai - Loses Lydia. But will bounce back.
1. Omar - super likeable and a non threat. Made move to oust Lydia without a vote!
Thanks for reading. Until the next time, be sure to outlike, outcomment, and outshare the rest all season long. If you like the blog be sure to follow us on Instagram, Facebook, and Twitter, and subscribe to the YouTube channel.
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