Redemption Island Duel! Edna puts up a good fight, but Ozzy wins the duel.
After the duel, Albert continues his strategic talks and tells Brandon that he plans to go to the end with him and Coach. Brandon thinks they're voting out Sophie. Coach goes off on Brandon for acting like Russell with the sneaking up and inserting himself into conversations. The best part is, right after that, Coach is trying to do an interview and Brandon just walks up and interrupts it. Meanwhile, Sophie wants to put Ozzy and Brandon together on Redemption Island so that at least one of them is gone, since she thinks they are the two most dangerous people to go against in front of a jury.
Immunity Challenge: They have to climb a wall and collect bags full of puzzle pieces. Once they have collected all five bags, they have to sort the pieces into pairs. They'll have three pieces left over, and those three pieces have numbers on the back that reveal a combination. Then it's up the wall again to the top, where they will put in the combination to unlock a box and raise a flag. Coach, Brandon, and Rick get their pieces first, and then Brandon is like a pair-matching savant and wins Immunity. He also wins a pizza dinner and chooses Rick to share it with him.
Once they get back to camp, Sophie tells Coach that they should get rid of Albert, since Brandon is off the table. She shares this with Rick and Brandon and everyone seems to be on the same page. Brandon gets Albert to say that he never made any promises to Rick about the finals (which he did, and we saw it in the opening scene). And then Brandon gets everyone together and tries to get to the truth, and Albert's lies are exposed (though he denies them).
So THEN! Albert talks and talks and talks to Brandon and Brandon suddenly says that not only is he not going to vote out Albert, but he will give Albert his Immunity Necklace if need be. Because God told him to. Brandon reveals his plan to Coach, who says he has to pray on what to do. Then there's a lot of prayer and God talk and then they head to Tribal Council.
They aren't at Tribal Council five seconds before Brandon hands his Immunity Necklace to Albert. Brandon talks about how, in the past, his loyalties haven't been rewarded, but he feels fairly safe tonight because he thinks Coach and Albert have his back. Albert gives a long speech about how he has a bond with Brandon and he doesn't feel like he should give the necklace back because he doesn't think Brandon is in trouble. Probst keeps probing and Brandon realizes that he may be in trouble. Albert still doesn't give the necklace back. Coach says that he prayed over his decision, and he also doesn't play his Hidden Immunity Idol. And then Coach, Rick, and Sophie vote Brandon out. And Coach has the balls to tell Brandon on the way out that this is God's will and he has to win Redemption. The jury's expressions reflect exactly what I'm thinking. WTF? Probst tells them that there will be one final duel between Ozzy and Brandon and the winner will rejoin the tribe, and the final five will duke it out.
Te Tuna. Night 32. The final five return from Tribal Council after ditching Edna and celebrate that they did what they said they would do in the very beginning -- become the last five left. None of them seem to have figured out that now they have to turn on one another. They all hug and then Brandon makes them pray. Oy with the prayer already. I mean, if Brandon wants to pray, rock on. But this forced prayer is gross and, I believe, a form of bullying. I don't know. Maybe they do all want to pray this much. I just know that if I were on that island, I'd be joining in the prayers so as not to cause waves and set myself apart, but I'd be inwardly rolling my eyes because that's not my belief system.
Sophie and Albert lie down in the shelter while the other three sit by the fire. Sophie asks what their move is, and Albert says that they should vote out Brandon or Rick, depending on who wins immunity. Sophie gets up and walks away and Albert tells the camera, "If only she knew she's ." Wow, I totally thought Albert and Sophie had a sub-alliance. Then again, I don't know why I thought that, other than that we see them hanging out a lot. But maybe we only see that because they happen to be hanging out when important things happen?
The morning, Sophie and Coach discuss how they spent the whole night spinning plans in their heads. Albert interviews that he previously planned on going to the end with Coach and Sophie, but now he's starting to question taking Sophie. He reasons that she's smart and well spoken and has won a few challenges, so he might not get votes from the jury if he's up against her. Albert walks up to where Brandon and Rick are chopping wood. As soon as Brandon leaves, Albert tells Rick, "The way I see it, man, you and me are still going to the end." Rick affirms that he's on board with that plan. Remember this -- it's important later. Albert just confirmed that A) he and Rick have had a plan to go to the end together for a while and B) Albert is still on board with that plan, at least as far as he's telling Rick. Albert interviews that he doesn't like Rick, but he thinks Rick isn't dangerous, strategically or in challenges. So Albert explains that his strategy is to go with Coach and Rick to the finals, because Coach is the Cult Leader (so why won't people vote for him?) and Rick is the follower. Albert thinks he can play the middle while pointing out the strategic moves he's made. I don't know if, "I had a strategy but I chose not to stick my neck out" is a great strategy, especially when going up against Coach, who did stick his neck out. Note that I don't want Coach to win or anything, but I'm trying to figure out what Albert is thinking here, and if it will work.
Duel time! Ozzy and Edna show up to learn about the challenge. They have to solve a sliding puzzle to obtain a hatchet, and then use the hatchet to chop a rope and release a bag of four cubes. The cubes have different colors on each side. Then they have to stack the cubes four high, and place them so that the colors do not repeat on a side. Winner sticks around, and loser goes to the jury. And... go!
Ozzy gets his hatchet fairly quickly, and then cuts the rope with one chop, so he's moving on to the cube puzzle while Edna is still trying to get her hatchet out. Albert starts calling out instructions to Edna, along with Sophie, while Ozzy is struggling with the cubes. Edna finally gets her hatchet and the cubes quickly, so now it's all about figuring out the puzzle. Sophie and Albert continue to call out advice, and Probst can't shut up about how they voted Edna out and now they're helping her, while Ozzy is alone. I mean, is it so crazy that they would rather see Edna come back than Ozzy? That said, I think people yelling advice would make me mental, and I would tell them to shut it. Edna thinks she's got it and starts placing the cubes quickly. She calls Probst over to check but she doesn't have it. Meanwhile, Ozzy has figured it out, and he wins. Edna gets her final speech and her speech pattern hasn't gotten any less annoying. Everyone bids her farewell and she burns her buff. At least Ozzy kept his trap shut this time and didn't have to publicly gloat about how awesome he is.
Everyone returns from watching the duel, and a few of them discuss how they are feeling drained and tired. Fatigue is setting in. Albert interviews that when they first formed their alliance, they talked about honor and integrity, but he doesn't care about honor and integrity at all in the game of Survivor. Am I supposed to think he's a villain because of this? Because I really don't. He's right. That's not what this game is about, unless it's the only way to win in the specific circumstances you're facing. Brandon and Albert discuss their endgame. Brandon thinks there's no way that he, Albert, and Coach aren't the final three. Albert adds that they'll vote out Sophie , and that they really need to win the three challenges so that they can get rid of Sophie, and then Ozzy if he returns, and then Rick. Brandon thinks that this outcome is fate and God's will. Albert interviews that he's been pretending that he won't vote out Brandon because he thinks it's his best option. Brandon interviews that he made an agreement with Albert and he thinks they're all set. Well, I'm sure that will totally work out. Nothing ever goes pear-shaped on this show. People always keep their word and act in completely predictable and sensible ways.
Sophie and Coach have a whispered strategy talk. Sophie lays out why she thinks Ozzy is the most dangerous player, with an interesting twist. She points out that Ozzy is the last person to talk to every single jury member. He gives them shelter and food, and then beats them by outplaying them and not backstabbing them. So Ozzy might get a lot of jury votes if he makes it to the finals. That's a really smart take, and one I haven't heard before. Sophie says that they have to send Brandon to Redemption Island and get rid of one of the two most dangerous players left in the game. Sophie interviews that she and Coach seem to be on the same page, and that Brandon is "superficially at least" the most trustworthy, loyal, and Godly man left in the game, so she doesn't want to go up against him in the finals. Sophie calls Rick over and explains the strategy, and Rick agrees to vote Brandon out. This is Rick's role in this tribe: "What do you want me to do? Done." Seriously. He just sits around and waits for someone to tell him how to vote.
Now Albert approaches Coach for some strategy talk. He claims that Sophie is a huge threat in the finals, because she's been saying some interesting things at Tribal Council and the jury might respect her. He begs Coach to vote out Sophie and keep Brandon for the finals. Coach interviews that Albert "just blows whatever way the wind goes" and it's unsettling. Well, some might call that being flexible, and I think in other seasons, that may have been a good strategy. But this season, with all the talk about loyalty and integrity, it doesn't seem to be working as well. Coach interviews that he's in a tight alliance with Sophie, and he thinks Albert is scared of Sophie's intelligence and the fact that she has agency. That might be ascribing a little more depth to Albert's feelings than exists; I think he just sees that the jury likes her and he's scared.
Anyway, Coach and Albert try to continue to discuss the merits of Brandon vs. Sophie for the finals and Brandon wanders up so they have to cut it short. Coach pretends like they were talking about how the jury works. Brandon doesn't have anything to add, so he just says seeing them talking together made him nervous. Coach gets overly defensive and tells Brandon not to act like Russell and to believe him when he says what they were talking about. I would empathize with Coach a lot more here if he weren't totally lying. He was just talking about voting out Brandon, Brandon busted him, and now he's all blustery and "How dare you?" No, how dare YOU, Coach.
Brandon says calmly that it hurt his feelings, and he's not acting like Russell, and he thinks Coach is blowing off steam and Brandon is the unwitting target. Coach claims to have PTSD from dealing with Russell. Okay, Russell was bad, but let's not go overboard, Mr. Drama. Brandon insists on a hug. Coach interviews that Brandon was "bullying" him, and he also rudely interrupted their conversation. They're not at a tea party, for crying out loud. They're in a game where it makes sense to interrupt strategy talk, if only to prevent people from ganging up on you. And I don't think Coach understands what bullying is. If anyone is a bully here, it's Coach. He's constantly making people pray, and telling them what to do and how to vote, with the threat that if they don't, they're disloyal and not part of the family. Anyway, the best part if that, right afterwards, Coach is trying to do an interview where he talks about how the Hantz is coming out in Brandon, and then Brandon walks up behind him and offers him a piece of coconut and Coach just has this look on his face like, "Are you SERIOUS with this?" That was weird. I've never seen anyone come up and interrupt an interview before.
Immunity Challenge! The contestants have to use a rope to climb a very steep wall. At various points along the rope, there are bags of puzzle pieces tied on. Once all five bags are collected, they have to sort the pieces into pairs. Three pieces won't have matches; those have numbers on the back. The contestant then has to climb up to the top of the wall and use the numbers as a combination to open a box which raises a flag. The winner gets immunity along with a pizza and garlic bread.
I feel like Sophie has a huge disadvantage in this challenge, due to women having less upper body strength, and the first part is all upper body strength. And then, you might think she could make it up by being better at puzzles for the second part, but it's not even a puzzle. It's matching. My toddler could do it, so that means even Brandon can handle it. I would be pissed if I were her. Brandon and Rick get their bags down first and start working the puzzle. Sophie actually has a lead on Albert, but they're both pretty far behind. As they start matching up pieces, Brandon and Coach do well and Rick does terribly, because he is useless. Brandon gets his three numbers and starts climbing the wall. Coach heads for the wall as well, but Brandon is at the top and enters in the combination, winning immunity. He shouts out a lot of thanks to Jesus and God.
Probst ties the Immunity Necklace around Brandon's neck, and then tells him that he gets to choose a friend to share his pizza, but they have to eat it back at camp in front of everyone, and they can't share. Brandon chooses Rick. Rick? Really? Why Rick? I have no idea. Trying for a jury vote? I don't think Brandon thinks that strategically. Coach interviews that he believes in divine intervention, and it wasn't Brandon's time to go home tonight. Coach admits that he's pissed, but he's also at peace. Can you be both? I guess Coach can. He's complicated.
Hey, the pizza delivery guy is driving a jet ski! Because this show has to do everything in the corniest and also flashiest way possible! Sophie interviews that Brandon getting immunity was the worst possible outcome, so now they have to switch it up, and she wants to vote out Albert because he's getting more and more annoying and thinks he is the Strategy King. Sophie quickly asks Coach what he thinks and he just says, "Albert." So they're on the same page. I guess they are tight. I always thought Sophie was tighter with Albert than Coach.
Albert and Brandon have moved down the beach a bit to eat their pizza, which is nice. Sophie walks over, cool as a cucumber, and says that she just wants to smell their pizza, and after taking a whiff, she lies down and chats. Albert tells Coach that Sophie is doing some game-playing and trying to garner votes to get Albert out. Well, he's not wrong. Sophie tells Brandon and Rick that she's voting out Albert. But she doesn't have to do much selling; Rick says he was voting out Albert anyway, and then tells them about the scene we saw at the opening of the episode where Albert tried to convince Rick that they were going to the finals together. Rick knew it was bullshit, but went along. Brandon seems shocked to hear this, and interviews that there's a lot of lying going on at camp, and he needs to talk to Albert and see if he comes clean or tries to cover it up. Albert's reaction will determine Brandon's vote.
So Brandon goes to Albert and relays Rick's story about the two of them going to the finals. Albert says he's never turned his back on Brandon and Coach. Brandon specifically asks, "You've never promised anyone but me and Coach final three, final two, anything?" Albert says he has no reason to lie. He didn't say no, but I don't think Brandon counts technicalities like that.
So Brandon, bless his heart, decides to get everyone together and see what's what. I kind of love him for this. He gathers Albert, Sophie, and Rick and relays the story once again about Albert and Rick going to the finals. Albert just LIES and says that he never said anything of the sort. Rick reminds him of their conversation, which we SAW, so we know that Albert is lying here. BUSTED! Albert goes into spin mode and claims it's his word against Rick's, and he doesn't know why Brandon would believe Rick and not him. And then they get into the fact that Albert tried to use Dawn and Whitney to get rid of Rick earlier, which you'd think would be evidence that Rick and Albert didn't have a deal for the finals, but everyone is too worked up to think logically. Sophie just listens, kind of gleefully, and when she tries to interject, Albert talks over her. Albert interviews that he's in a shitstorm and he has a lot of damage control to do, but he's hoping to get Brandon back on his side. It's smart of him to target Brandon, who is dumb enough to believe his bullshit.
So Albert somehow gets Brandon alone to talk to him. I feel like these people did not learn about Boston Rob's buddy system and take it to heart. It works! Don't let people go off in pairs! They get ideas! Anyway, Albert's argument is that Rick was mean and called him Princess Albert, so Albert would NEVER take him to the finals. Brandon doesn't say much, so Albert starts playing the Christian angle and says that he feels like Brandon's heart is closed and unforgiving right now. That's a good angle. Brandon interviews that he's not perfect, and he has to forgive Albert. So now Albert's tactic is that his bond with Brandon is stronger than any other one. Brandon interviews that everyone has lied in this game, even him. So Albert keeps talking and finally Brandon just says, "I'm not voting for you. I've made up my mind." Did he just want Albert to stop talking? Because I kind of did.
AND THEN! Brandon says the dumbest thing he's ever said, and that's saying a lot. He tells Albert, "If I have to, I'll give you my immunity necklace." The look on Albert's face is a mix of shocked, dumbfounded, and glee. I thought Albert might burst out laughing because WHY WOULD YOU DO THAT? Brandon interviews that he knows Coach and Albert won't vote for him, so he thinks he'll be safe. Brandon goes to talk to Coach about it. Brandon explains that God speaks to him and apparently told him to forgive Albert and keep him, even if it means giving up his necklace. Brandon lays on the guilt trip by saying that he knows Coach would never vote against him or do anything that might lead to Brandon getting voted out.
Coach interviews that it seemed black and white before -- Albert lied to everyone, so he should go. But then Brandon had to bring up forgiveness, and now Coach is very confused. Hey, let me tell them all what God wants. God wants you all to shut up because he doesn't give a shit about this stupid game. It is NOT possible to win this game and follow Christian tenets, because it's a competition, dumbos. You could make a case why it's not Christian to get rid of any one of those people. I guess the only Christian thing to do would be to volunteer to be voted out first? I don't know. I'm no theologian. I just know a lot of really smart Christians, and these people are making Christians look dumb. Brandon reiterates that this is what God wants them to do, to get rid of Sophie. Coach says that's what God wants Brandon to do, but might not be what he wants Coach to do. So Coach is going to pray on it. Brandon is sure that God doesn't want Coach to write his name down. Isn't it interesting how God always wants people to do what's in their own self-interest? A more cynical person might conclude that it's not God speaking to them at all. So Coach does this bizarre yoga pose/praying posture and prays REAL HARD and claims that he got an answer very clearly. This is such a weird season.
Tribal Council. Probst welcomes them in and says that Brandon is sitting in a very powerful spot right now. Brandon immediately says, "I want to give my immunity necklace up." Cut to some awesome reaction shots. Probst: jaw dropped. Dawn: eyes wide. Rick: eyes rolling. Coach: strokes his beard, exhausted. Jim: Are you fucking kidding me? Probst says okay, and Brandon hands the necklace to Albert. The jury members are confused and giggling. Probst points out that Brandon is no longer safe. Brandon says that he's always said that he would be true to his commitments. Probst asks if he made a commitment to sacrifice himself for Albert if needed. Brandon says yes, but Coach shakes his head no. Coach says that Brandon intended to vote for Albert, but then prayed on it, and decided to give up his necklace.
Probst asks Brandon what he's thinking, and Brandon says that he knew Albert would get voted out if he didn't get the necklace. Brandon talks about how when he was in a gang at home, his so-called friends would tell him they had his back and he was intensely loyal to them, and would take a bullet for them. But, he admits, they would have a huge brawl and Brandon would be the only one who showed up, and his friend would leave him hanging. Did he grow up in West Side Story? Who has brawls against rival gangs? Probst asks if that's what's going to happen tonight, and Brandon says that he hopes not, and he feels a strong connection with both Coach and Albert. Throughout all this, the jury members are giggling and rolling eyes. As you do. Albert says that his bond with Brandon is real and spiritual. Sophie rolls her eyes.
Probst has to be the poop in the punch bowl by asking if there's any part of Albert that, as a Christian, would think about giving the necklace back. Albert says he would if he thought Brandon was in danger of being voted out. Coach gives him a look like, "Um, he's in danger." Rick is trying not to laugh and give it away. Sophie diplomatically says that she doesn't know what to believe from Albert anymore because he's sneaky, and she's relying on her other bonds to help her.
Rick finally speaks! He says that he was just enjoying his pizza when the bomb hit, and mentions in passing that one of them has the Hidden Immunity Idol. Sophie jokes that "it's out" but then tells Probst that they all know Coach has it. Remember when they found it "as a tribe" (which was a lie, since Coach already had it)? Why did Coach get to keep it? Brandon needs to ask a lot more questions. Maybe God told Coach to keep it for himself. That sure would be convenient.
Throughout all this conversation, Brandon sinks deeper and deeper into himself. He's obviously figuring out that he's not as safe as he thought. Rick mentions that he was curious to see if Albert would give back the necklace, but Albert stays mute. Brandon tells Probst that he's realizing that tonight might be his night, with tears in his eyes. Probst asks if he wants the necklace back, and Brandon says sadly that it's up to Albert. Albert says that he and Coach have Brandon's back, so he knows Brandon is staying, and he's keeping the necklace. That was a nice try by Albert to pin the blame for Brandon potentially leaving on Coach there. And Albert's screwed either way. If he keeps the necklace, he looks like a dick. If he gives it up, they'll vote him out. So why not keep it but try to make it look like there was no reason to think he should give it back? I guess. Coach says that he prayed for an answer and he's at peace that everything will be as it was meant to be. Sophie rolls her eyes again. Brandon says he's not at peace, and he knows that Coach is going to do what God wants him to do, which might be to vote him out. Brandon seriously looks like he's going to puke.
Everyone votes. Rick votes for Brandon. Brandon and Albert vote for Sophie. Sophie votes for Brandon. So now it's all up to Coach, whose vote we don't see. Probst asks if anyone wants to play the Idol, but Coach doesn't. He knows he's not getting any votes. As the votes are read, they all realize that it comes down to Coach's vote, and he voted for Brandon. Albert tries to pretend like he's shocked. He had to have known, right? The jury members are like, "OH SHIT!" Coach hugs Brandon and tells him it's God's will and now he should go win redemption. Coach just ruined any chance he had at getting jury votes, because I don't think they're going to buy that it was God's will. As they sit there, the necklace falls off Albert's neck. Ha! Good one, God. Probst tells them that there will be one more Redemption Island duel, and the winner will rejoin their tribe. We're getting close to the end!
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