Survivor 45 | Ep. 3
LULU - NIGHT 5
Post Tribal Council at LULU with Brandon no longer being the dead weight of the tribe and Emily working her way back into the fray like a rabid dog that has been tamed…sort of. Now we hear the “LULU 4” and “4 Strong” song and dance and kumbaya until…
Emily figures out that only 2 votes was enough to knock out Brandon, yet 4 people were supposed to be voting, because Brandon wasn’t able to do anything including vote and he told everyone. It’s funny how this situation presents itself, Emily knows something is up, Sabiyah, Sean, and Kaleb know the truth, yet they are still hush hush about it and playing dumb. The awkwardness can be felt through the TV, so I can’t imagine how awkward it is in real life on the island.
The real question is how does Emily, someone on the bottom, confront this situation? If she plays it off it could just let the lies from the rest of LULU become truth or if she confronts the lie, it could rub people the wrong way. Or, it could go her way. We shall see…
BELO - DAY 6
Did Jake just have a seizure? He was blowing air into the embers and nearly pulls a “Skudin” (not in that way), but in the scary “falling into the fire and possibly burning himself badly” way. Where is medical???
This event actually brings Kendra and Jake together. What’s interesting is that it appears that if not for this incident, they may have never “broke bread” and communicated.
REBA - DAY 6
Austin and his new best friend Drew are now in search of the “Fallen Palm Tree X” and trying to find the Immunity Idol buried there. These brainiacs aren’t covering their tracks from the rest of REBA, including Dee and Mama Julie. Then, Drew really get caught with his pants down when the ladies see him digging and confront him because all his brilliant Ivy League brain could do was - LITERALLY walk the other way and not speak.
HAHAHAHA.
So much for the “smartest guy in the history of Survivor”. Now, he did lower his heart rate from 741 to 579 beats per minute by blaming the digging on the Tai Chi instructor himself, Sifu, who clearly is on the bottom of this tribe. However, Dee and Julie weren’t born yesterday.
I’m wondering why that scene was put into the episode. It could easily be for the entertainment and thrill of the idol hunt or maybe it’s setting us up for a REBA loss at an Immunity Challenge and the “REBA 4” of Austin, Drew, Julie, and Dee are really put to the test. My spidey sense is telling me that this incident with Drew and Austin isn’t going to serve them well. If the ladies are smart, they would target the diggers.
REWARD CHALLENGE
REWARD
1st Place - Large Fruit Platter
2nd Place - Small Fruit Platter
WINNING TRIBE - Sends 1 tribe member to another tribe to raid another camp for 1 item.
What I love about the challenge…
Starting in the water. It’s so beautiful. The backdrop of it is breathtaking.
The fragile athleticism seeing people hop over the ropes to catch the ball.
Kaleb’s Rick Barry like underhand ring tosses to lock down 1st place for LULU. (Yes I typed that correctly!!!)
The giant Survivor 45 stage/platform that you see in the drone shots.
The upcoming RAID
THE RAID
After putting up a LeBron like performance in the Reward Challenge and leading his tribe to their first victory, King Kaleb is selected to be the one to raid the other camp based on him wanting to go and the unanimous support of him as the most social player. That’s right folks, LULU has its alpha both in challenges and in the social game in Kaleb.
Now, Kaleb is given the chance to play hero again and raid another tribe and back…maybe a flint? Would be nice considering they haven’t had a fire for the entire 6 days due to their total suckfest in the challenges to this point. Plus, Kaleb gets to spend time with the other tribe that he is raiding and extend his olive branch elsewhere. Advantage Kaleb. Disadvantage, rest of LULU.
BUT WAIT THERE’S MORE…
Kaleb is awarded the chance to build a relationship with one player by giving them the “Goodwill Advantage” which allows them to RESTORE ONE LOST VOTE.
AND THE UNLUCKY TRIBE IS…
REBA!!!
Kaleb the Schmoozer is giving a lesson on how to conduct a raid. Build REBA up, make them feel comfortable, and get them to let their guard down so they can give him the real item of value at camp - information. Kaleb meets with each member of REBA individually and plays it off as “hey guys, I have to do this raid so let’s make this work for everybody” and he plays it beautifully. Now, REBA isn’t a bunch of Brandons. They know he’s putting them on, but they engage in the dance with him. The moonwalk moment comes when Kaleb gains information from Drew about his “SAFETY WITHOUT POWER”, (BINGO!!!) and then Kaleb decides to give the GOODWILL ADVANTAGE to Drew.
He’s in!!!
Kaleb selected the guy - Drew - who’s number 1 ally - Austin - doesn’t have a vote. PLUS, Drew proves his savvy in the game by taking this gift from Kaleb, sharing it with Dee and restoring trust lost in the botched digging situation from earlier in the episode.
Thank you Kaleb Claus!!!
LULU - DAY 6
The LULULosers are finally riding high with their large fruit plate and soon to be joining them, a large fishing gear. Emily’s mood and demeanor has shifted and Sean is ready to win. It’s amazing what winning can do. In sports and Survivor, winning cures everything.
All isn’t quiet on the LULU front however. Kaleb’s hero tour is going to be bearing gifts, but perhaps the greatest gift to Sabiyah, Sean, and Emily is the chance to strategize about the strength of Kaleb in the game and the chance to target him if another Tribal comes their way. Sabiyah and Sean actually bring Emily into the fold but as a result position Emily, yes Emily, the most dynamic character of 45, now finds herself in a position of strength with information and trust that says Kaleb is the next target.
WOW!!! How the tides turn in Survivor! Total 180 and I LOVE IT!!!! Hey Kaleb, we love you and you’re the best guy to go do the raid, but we actually are going to take this time to plot against you. Mwah ha ha. Insane. I love Survivor.
BELO - DAY 7
The boys go out on the raft to fish and the girls stay back at camp to talk strategy. Katurah is making no secrets about targeting Bruce. Kendra is in with Jake. Kellie and Brando are right in the middle and they seem ready to strike if they lose at the Immunity Challenge.
REBA - DAY 7
The trust fest is soaring at REBA. Austin and Drew are continuing to reveal the details about the Beware Advantage. Austin, Drew, Dee, and Julie are working together to find the idol and keep Sifu and Jay on the outs and the four of them strong.
THE HUNT HEATS UP…
Dee and Julie dig up a rope under the palm tree x and when they pull up the rope there is a hammer attached that has “BREAK A ROCK BY THE WATER WELL” etched onto it.
Really great design. The rope is dramatic. The rope is long. The rope was well hidden, yet makes it that much harder to remain hidden from possible onlookers. I loved how they were pulling it up and it just kept going. I love that the rope didn’t lead to the idol, but to a hammer. I loved that the hammer carried a message etched in the wood because that message is permanent. In other words, you can’t use the hammer or introduce it to everyone without answering to the message on it. Brilliant design again!
Then, Austin and Drew smash open the rocks at the water well to reveal the Hidden Immunity Idol…with a twist.
HIDDEN IMMUNITY IDOL…WITH A TWIST
Twist #1 - The idol is only good for one Tribal.
Twist #2 - The idol can extend to the merge if you sacrifice your vote at that first Tribal Council.
Twist #3 - The idol can extend to the final 5 if you sacrifice your vote again at the second Tribal Council.
TWIST #4 - DEE & JULIE COULD HAVE TAKEN THE IDOL FOR THEMSELVES
Dee and Julie were the ones to dig up the rope, not Austin and Drew. Dee and Julie were the ones to dig up the hammer, not Austin and Drew. Dee and Julie could have smashed the rock at the water well, not Austin and Drew. Dee and Julie could have found the Hidden Immunity Idol with a twist not Austin and Julie.
Instead, they are playing the trust game, the “REBA 4 Strong” game in this stage and keeping Sifu and Jay on the outside.
IMMUNITY CHALLENGE
FIRST - Race out with cart, release 2 keys that release heavy puzzle pieces and load puzzle pieces on cart.
NEXT - Take cart apart, put it through a barricade, put it back together and wheel it through 3 dirt ditch bumps.
LAST - Caller calls out directions to put massive cube puzzle together.
Jay (REBA), Emily (LULU), and Kendra (BELO) are the designated callers for the challenge. The pieces are gigantic, awkward to handle, and have similar images of a pelican on each side. The pictures have their subtle differences but ultimately make the puzzle manageable.
REBA and BELO both seem to put the puzzle together all of a sudden and win Immunity sending LULU back to Tribal Council again for the third time. They won reward and were riding high only to continue to not have flint and ultimately lose another member of their tribe. They are defeated and morale is in the gutter. REBA and BELO have not gone to Tribal yet. LULU is the only ones to go to Tribal and continue that trend.
PRE-TRIBAL COUNCIL SCRAMBLE
Here is what we know headed into Tribal Council.
There are only 4 LULU left - Kaleb, Emily, Sean, and Sabiyah.
LULU is the only tribe to go to Tribal. All 3 times.
Sabiyah doesn’t have a vote - Beware Advantage
There are only 3 votes at this Tribal - Kaleb, Emily, and Sean
Kaleb and Sean know that Sabiyah doesn’t have a vote.
Emily is suspicious of someone not having a vote.
Sabiyah’s Beware Advantage task was to melt a wax statue to obtain the Hidden Immunity Idol inside.
LULU doesn’t have a flint to make fire. Sabiyah can’t melt wax at camp, easily.
Tribal Council is FILLED WITH FIRE!!! Sabiyah could melt wax easily.
PREDICTION: Sabiyah will melt the wax at Tribal Council to gain the Hidden Immunity Idol.
Sabiyah is lurking. Sabiyah is ready to “drop the idol in the flames of the middle of Tribal and we sit there long enough to have that happen” (Prediction was correct) Next, Sabiyah brings Emily in on the Beware Advantage and the wax idol to cement trust.
Now, with Emily in on the true secrets of LULU, she finds herself in the power position to make a decision.
Join Sabiyah and Sean and vote out Kaleb.
Tell Kaleb about Sabiyah’s plan and convince Kaleb to vote out Sabiyah.
Emily tells Kaleb, but remember, Kaleb is the one who nursed Emily back to life, and he’s riding high from winning the reward, gaining trust from REBA, and all the while he has his alliance with Sabiyah and Sean, right? Well…Kaleb has two choices:
Listen to Emily and vote Sabiyah
Listen to Sabiyah and vote Emily
TRIBAL COUNCIL
This is a really exciting Tribal Council. Immediately, Sabiyah places the wax into the fire in the middle of Tribal and instantly create the strangest Tribal Council yet. Sabiyah has to keep getting up, use her tool from camp and keep flipping the idol that is literally burning in the fire.
Jeff is trying to ask questions but I can’t focus until the wax is melted and the idol is out of the fire.
The important piece of all of this scene is that Sabiyah is seeking to gain the idol but more importantly, especially at this stage, she wants to gain her vote back. With only 4 people at this Tribal Council and LULU literally going to every Tribal, the vote becomes even more important than ever.
Now, Sabiyah has her cooled off idol but hasn’t opened it. Not opening it is the smartest thing that Sabiyah could have done. The threat of the idol is all she needs. Now, Sabiyah gets her vote back and when she votes, she decides to open the idol and learns of the many twists of the idol.
Will she vote?
VOTES
Sabiyah 2
Kaleb 1
No Vote - Sabiyah
Bravo! Bravo! Bravo! I’m sitting here amped up after the way that Tribal Council played out. See what happens when you get rid of the fat at LULU? This Tribal had it all. Drama, melting wax to gain idols, secrecy, and ultimately, a game altering decision by Sabiyah to sacrifice her vote in order to extend the power of the idol, but by doing so, she got herself voted out 2-1.
Kaleb listened to Emily and they took their shot at Sabiyah. Kaleb nursing Emily back to life allowed Emily to return the favor to Kaleb after Sabiyah was ready to take her shot at the big dog. Instead, Emily, the once sure fire vote out, now finds herself the ring leader of a vote at LULU that widdles them down to 3 and in the process solidifies, as much as it can, her alliance with Kaleb. The old adage is true, anything can happen on Survivor, including a resuscitation of this season!!!
The blog has spoken!!!
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