Survivor 46 | Ep. 9
NUINUI - Night 16
The post-Tribal “What the hell did Q do?” begins. Q’s I want to quit and everybody vote me out has people wondering what happened. It’s hard to tell whether or not Q really wanted to be voted out because it’s impossible to believe that anyone would do what he did with the intent of actually getting that result. It’s so stupid.
On top of that, Q blew up Tiff’s idol when he told Charlie and Maria about it and when Q set off fireworks at Tribal, Charlie told her that Q told him and Maria about it.
Next, we learn that Liz is so pissed and upset to the point of tears because she feels that Q “stole her thunder” with his antics. Instead of people singing Liz’s praises, everyone has forgotten about Tevin being blindsided and Liz’s orchestration and instead the focus is still on Q. All I can say is Liz, I understand your hurt, but you realize that this is actually a tremendous benefit to your move. Liz’s threat level remains minimal (as far as we can tell) while keeping the target on Q.
NUINUI - Day 17
Venus is still playing with an edge and I feel two things - one, I would be dying to vote her out just like anyone at NUINUI, and two, it would be eating me alive if I were in Q or Hunter’s position meaning Venus feels she has any level of an upper hand on me. Based on Venus’ convo with Q and Hunter, she is thinking she knows best and can’t understand why Hunter wrote her name down. I guess it’s not entirely clear to me what her game strategy is. It feels like she thinks she knows best and is in control of the game because she has been on the right side of the Tevin and Soda votes, yet she has absolutely no control in the game and no say.
Hunter reveals his three biggest allies were Q, Tevin, and Liz and now all 3 of them have taken a turn in his game. The only teammate Hunter has is his Hidden Immunity Idol. Speaking of no friends, Q joins Venus as the person in the game who has no friends when tree-mail forces the final 9 to split into three teams for the next challenge.
Now, Q has admitted his antics were a mistake and has turned his sights on Hunter. Hunter’s challenge threat is the target of Q’s next infomercial but nobody wants to hear from Q, nor listen to him. Q isn’t wrong to target Hunter, but Q has no credibility in anyone’s eyes anymore. After Q’s non-influential conversation with Charlie it feels like Q has broken a code within the game of Survivor and that code is talking about quitting. Now, people have lost all respect and desire to work with him. Feels like his actions will get him voted out.
But, this is Survivor. Nothing is ever so simple. Though Q has totally shot his game in the foot despite not actually getting voted out, he has been voted out. Nobody will ever award him the million dollars and title of Sole Survivor, so maybe…it’s best to keep him around.
IMMUNITY CHALLENGE - Day 17
Everyone’s attitude has been influenced by Q’s antics and Tiff calls it out as people just wanting to avoid chaotic energy.
Stages
Up and over a see saw and then balance a buoy between two sticks as you walk over a balance beam.
Use rope rungs to build rope bridge and then after crossing each player must land a ball on a
Balance on narrow perch with hands overhead.
Last person on their perch wins immunity and guaranteed final 8.
We see “Sassy Jeff” when he calls out Q, Liz, and Venus for having no chance and acknowledging what everyone at home will be thiniking. It’s like the guy has been around the show for 46 seasons or something. I love sassy Jeff.
Groups
Ben, Tiff, Kenzie
Maria, Charlie, Hunter
Q, Liz, Venus
Stage 1 -
Hunter, Maria, and Charlie win by an absolute landslide. Jeff was wrong about Q, Liz, and Venus being the first one’s out. Ben, Tiff, and Kenzie are out first because Kenzie sucked on the balance beam. She totally ruined their chances of winning.
Stage 2
Hunter, Maria, and Charlie vs. Q, Liz, and Venus
Everyone is building their rope bridge. Hunter throws all the ropes over his shoulders and marches out to being the first one to finish his rope bridge and now he walks back to try and help Charlie who is falling behind. This leads Hunter’s team to being crossed the rope bridge before Q and company.
Hunter lands the first buoy and Q isn’t far behind to tie it. But, Charlie easily lands the second buoy and Maria closes the deal moments later by landing the lowest buoy, eliminating Q, Liz, and Venus.
Stage 3 - Individual Immunity Challenge
Hunter vs. Maria vs. Charlie
This challenge is a Survivor throwback as well. We have seen the standing on a small perch while holding on above your head in 42 and pre-new era.
The challenge begins and it looks painful. Their butt and shoulders have to remain against the flat board and clearly Jeff and production have reworked this to include the rule of no squatting to gain relief.
Maria seemed the most focus but before I can even type that, Maria comes off the platform unexpectedly and is out. It’s down to Charlie vs. Hunter, again.
After 10 minutes, Hunter and Charlie are dealing with the heat, the flies on their feet, and the discomfort. They are eyeing each other and the editing is marvelous cutting back to the intensely shaking feet coupled with the music.
The music crescendos and Hunter bows out leaving Charlie the winner, guaranteed final 8.
Feels right to have Charlie be the winner to deliver the message of “no more talk of quitting, let’s play the game.” This combined with the beginning of the episode recap of who has idols in the game, plus, Tiff’s idol being public knowledge has me thinking that Hunter and Tiff will be coming to Tribal fully loaded and may even both play each other’s idols. Could be an exciting Tribal, I’m ready for it.
PRE-TRIBAL SCRAMBLE - Day 17
The awkward tension at camp reveals that Q is the one who is going home and has nothing to grab hold of. Seems like the perfect time to get rid of him and nobody would have an issue with it right?
Or…
Because of this, Venus sniffs out the potential blindside and Kenzie acts on it. Now, Kenzie goes to Maria, Charlie, and Hunter ready to blindside Tiff. Tiff doesn’t want the idol anymore and is likely to play the idol. Kenzie’s plan to blindside Tiff interferes with Maria’s desire to be the one to orchestrate that blindside. Tiff’s idol is making her feel like she wants to play it and move her game forward without the idol keeping her threat level sky high.
It feels like the new era of Survivor comes down to making your one move and having that one move be the one to accentuate your resume and be the difference maker at Final Tribal Council. Tevin made his move and it got him voted out. Liz made her move and it got overshadowed. Now, Kenzie wanted to make her move but Tiff playing her idol squashes it. That leaves the former SIGA trying to make their move and that puts the target on Hunter.
However, we must not forget that Hunter actually has an idol and it’s time for him to make his move. Hunter makes his move to tell his secret of having an idol. Hunter’s decision to drop this bomb last minute has two ripple effects.
Hunter is throwing a wrinkle into the voting plans and trying to use it as collateral to survive and possibly buy people’s cooperation in voting with him for Q.
Hunter’s idol falls flat with people like Venus, who isn’t going to go along with Hunter’s plan anyway and she takes Hunter’s reveal and all she can do is “run the numbers” in her head and give off the impression to Hunter that she is “unimpressed”.
Walking into Tribal Council, the major takeaway from the last minute scramble by Hunter is he would have been better off playing the idol with it being a 100% secret. It creates chaos and is a wow move infront of the jury and everyone else and would have kept all the power of it for tonight, to himself. Instead, he let the secret out and by doing so, he gave up some of its power.
TRIBAL COUNCIL - Night 17
Jeff admits that he was completely caught off guard by Q and won’t be caught again. Instead he pulls out a cushion and some popcorn and shares it with everyone. What just happened??? So much for sassy Jeff.
The drama at Tribal continues to spiral around Q with his former ally Tiff driving the boat. It feels like people are genuinely pissed at Q and don’t respect him. The whispers start and Liz and Kenzie mouthing to Hunter that Q is “nuts” and that’s why they are voting for him. Hunter is looking to Venus too.
Hunter is paranoid. He is clearly struggling with trusting everyone and keeping his idol for another day vs. playing the idol and ensuring his safety and avoiding looking foolish.
JUST PLAY THE IDOL HUNTER, JUST PLAY IT!!!!!!
Everyone is continuing to reassure him that Q is the vote. Hunter is well aware of the history of how voting goes and people looking stupid. (See Erik from season 16). Yet, he still is conflicted to the point that it looks as though he is going to scream at the top of his lungs his frustrations and nerves.
As Jeff walks down the stairs with the votes, the editing keeps us guessing, with Hunter reaching in his pocket, scratching his head, squirming in his seat, and now…the votes.
VOTES
Hunter - 4
Q - 4
Ben - 1 (HUH????)
Did Hunter not vote for Q???? Did he vote for Ben????
VOTES 2.0
Hunter - 3
Q - 1
WOW! NOTE TO SELF, IF YOU HAVE AN IMMUNITY IDOL, DO NOT BE AFRAID TO JUST PLAY IT. THE WORST THING THAT HAPPENS IS YOU SURVIVE TO LIVE ANOTHER DAY. THAT RESULT IS BETTER THAN NOT PLAYING YOUR IDOL AND GETTING VOTED OUT ON A RE-VOTE BETWEEN YOURSELF AND THE GUY WHO CLEARLY IS HATED BY EVERYONE!!!
Wow, really disappointed in this result for Hunter. Hunter had the potential to win the game and he blew it. Or he at least blew the opportunity to continue in the game. He becomes the third straight NAMI voted out and the first that I believed had a chance to win the game. I thought Hunter had the quiet underdog game combined with the dominating the challenges game going for him. I thought his intelligence, tree climbing/hiding ability, and low key game overall would allow him to go far in the game. Ultimately, he didn’t play a social game nearly enough because when the you know what hit the fan, he spilled all his beans and the vote still ended up being a tie and then everyone realized the chance to get Hunter out was too good to pass up. Hunter falls into that category of true challenge threats that needed to be taken out as soon as the snipers had a shot. Think Tyson in Tocantins. Lastly, I know all of this and the other thoughts I could have thrown out there about Hunter fails in comparison to the thoughts and disappointment he must feel in himself. Feels like Hunter had more in the tank and he failed to live up to Probst’s pledge to players to “play like it’s your second time playing” and hold nothing back. Instead, Hunter held back the idol and now all he can do is walk away with his head in his hands, disappointed in what could have been.
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