The schism in the Abi/RC alliance continues as Abi worries that RC is going to get the Idol and ditch her. RC tries to reaffirm their alliance but Abi is so paranoid and bitchy that RC has second thoughts. Abi shares the Idol clue with Pete, unbeknownst to RC. Pete makes a move to get Skupin out even though they are in an alliance, and gets Lisa and Abi on his side.
Over on Kalabaw, the other tribe members realize that the emblem from the top of the rice basket is gone and figure out that it was probably the Idol and Penner probably has it. They decide to try to blindside him anyway, if possible.
The sad sacks at Matsing lost their raft and they haven't quite figured out if Angie or Russell will be to go. They're leaning towards Angie because she doesn't contribute in challenges. Seems like Denise and Malcolm have the strongest alliance over there.
The Immunity Challenge involves swimming out to retrieve puzzle wheels which can be lined up to spell out a word. First place gets immunity and a fishing kit, including a canoe and paddles. Second place gets immunity and a smaller fishing kit. Third place gets to go to Tribal Council.
Matsing starts out ridiculously badly. Angie takes forever to get her piece and then Russell isn't much better when he can't climb up the ladder to get out of the water. On their second turn, Angie refuses to go and Russell goes out and comes back without a piece so then Denise and Malcolm have to carry the team the rest of the time. Skupin somehow shatters the scuba mask while it's on his face and is bleeding below the eyes. RC gets three pieces in a row and then goes back after a one-person break for another. She's a monster. If a dude had done that, Probst would never have shut up about it. All of the teams end up trying to solve at the same time, but Matsing is way behind. Kalabaw gets first and Tandang gets second.
After the challenge, Penner realizes that he needs an alliance and approaches Jeff Kent, telling Jeff that he has the Idol to try to gain his trust. Penner is aware that there is a tribal shakeup coming soon and says that he hopes he and Jeff Kent can hook up if they end up together again in the future. Jeff Kent gives him a "four-fingered handshake" which he interviews isn't a real man handshake so it doesn't count. Ugh, this guy. Probst will love him.
Everyone on Tandang is annoyed with Skupin for getting injured so much. Apparently, he dove into the water with the mask on after telling others not to, and that's why it broke. After the challenge, Abi finds the Immunity Idol and only Pete knows she has it.
The members of Matsing try to figure out their move. Angie tells Malcolm and Denise that she didn't refuse to go. Well, she said she didn't want to go, which I guess isn't the same as refusing.
At Tribal Council, Russell attacks Angie's physical prowess hard and she starts crying. Malcolm kind of defends her. Malcolm and Denise admit that this vote is a balancing act between creating a strong tribe and creating a loyal tribe. I guess they decided to go for a strong tribe, because they vote out Angie. I wonder how much the possibility of a tribal mix-up factored into their vote. One has to be coming, right?
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Matsing returns from Tribal Council after voting out Roxy. Russell says that Roxy did what she thought she had to do, but Angie thought it was unnecessary. Angie interviews that Roxy threw her and Malcolm under the bus and it didn't work. Denise counsels that Roxy had to find any potential threat that might keep them from voting her out, so that's what she did. Russell tries to give a little pep talk about how it's not great that they only have four people, but they have four reliable people who will work hard in the challenge, so now they just need to pull together. But then Russell interviews that he thinks the Malcolm/Angie threat is real and that they will always vote together and if Denise joins up with them, Russell's in real trouble. As they sleep in the shelter that night, Malcolm and Angie snuggle together. I don't know why they all don't snuggle together, just for some extra warmth. I'd snuggle up to my worst enemy if it was the difference between "freezing your ass off" and "warm enough to sleep."
The morning at Tandang, Abi and RC sun themselves on the beach. RC thinks they should look for the Immunity Idol, since they found the clue but don't have the Idol yet. Abi says that she just needs to relax for the day. Yeah, because Survivor is all about relaxing and getting a tan and gives days off as needed. Can you imagine having Abi as an employee? I feel like she'd take a lot of "me" days.
The problem seems to be that Abi twisted her knee a few times so she feels like she needs to rest it and get better. I don't know why RC can't just look for the Idol by herself. Abi feels like she is now a liability to her alliance, despite RC's reassurances to the contrary. RC interviews that her alliance with Abi is strong, but Abi is getting crazy paranoid. Here's the problem: Abi's a bitch. Or maybe it's a cultural difference, but she interrupts constantly and gets really defensive when called out on her bullshit and she always has to have the last word. So she and RC go at it a little bit and I'm not entirely sure what they're even fighting about until RC walks away, frustrated and then does the worst thing she could do in Abi's eyes: goes for a swim with Skupin.
So Abi goes and tells Pete that they found the Immunity Idol clue and what the clue was, despite promising RC that she wouldn't tell anyone else. Now, RC, Abi, Pete and Skupin are supposed to be in an alliance. BUT RC and Abi did agree to keep the clue news to themselves. Anyway, Pete suggests some places they could look and says that now he doesn't trust RC, since she didn't share that information within her supposed alliance. Abi doesn't defend RC in anyway. Man, RC -- watch your back. Abi is the worst kind of frenemy.
Pete takes Lisa for a walk and tells her that everyone wants to vote her out first, but he might be able to keep her around if she will agree to help him get rid of someone else. Pete interviews that he doesn't have a problem with Lisa like some of the others and she'd be someone he could easily ditch when the time comes. Lisa has no choice really, so she agrees and interviews that she'd rather blindside RC, but she has to go with the group. She adds that it's like she'd playing cards and is dealt a new hand every day, and she has to play the hand she was given. That's exactly how to play the game. You have to look at the changing landscape every day and do the best you can with what you have instead of trying to force an alliance that's not working.
What's going on with Kalabaw is what you may be wondering. Penner is complaining that his ass hurts. Dana sits down on the rice bucket and notices that the emblem is missing. Penner plays innocent. Jeff Kent goes and talks to two other tribe members whose names I don't even know yet and they decide that the emblem was the Idol and Penner has it. Jeff Kent is pissed, but not at Penner -- at himself for not even wondering about the emblem. Anyway, Jeff Kent and the two nameless tribe members decide to pretend they don't have a clue so that they can potentially vote Penner out without him playing his Idol.
It's Day 7 at Matsing and things haven't been screwed up enough for them, so now Denise notices that their raft is missing. Production gets an awesome shot of their raft floating waaaaaaaaaaay out to sea. Apparently, they just left it on the beach and not tied to anything. Dummies. Anyway, Malcolm and Denise quietly discuss that they are still tight and Malcolm's primary alliance is with her. They discuss who should be to go home, Russell or Angie, and decide to make the decision when the time comes instead of now. Denise interviews that she wants to keep Russell for his strength in challenges. Yeah, because that's been working out so well for them thus far.
Speaking of Challenges, time for one! And the visual overview at the beginning shows a giant jellyfish in the water. I think the odds are high that if anyone gets stung, it will be Skupin, right?
Probst explains the challenge. Each tribe member dives from a platform and releases a puzzle wheel that is tied to a rope underwater. All of the wheels are tied to one rope, so people have to dive deeper and deeper to release them. Each wheel has eight sides with a letter on each side. Once all eight wheels are back on the platform, they go on a pole and the tribe has to spin them to form a word. The first tribe to form the correct word gets immunity and an elaborate fishing kit. The second tribe gets immunity and a basic fishing kit. The third tribe has to go to Tribal Council.
After determining who's sitting out for Tandang and Kalabaw, the competition begins. Angie is first to go for Matsing, but she can't figure out how to release the puzzle piece from the rope. The other tribes had no problems. I don't think Angie is a strong swimmer. The other tribes both have two puzzle pieces before Matsing even has one and then Russell goes out to get the second puzzle piece. Meanwhile, Skupin dove into the water with the mask on and it shattered on his face, so now he's bleeding from below both eyes. Man, that guy is a walking disaster. When Russell returns with his puzzle piece, he can't heft himself up out of the water and onto the platform, even though there's a ladder. I mean, he physically cannot climb up a ladder. Is he just exhausted? What's his deal?
RC follows Skupin out for Tandang and, once she realizes the mask is broken, tosses it aside. Probst is really impressed with how fast Denise gets her puzzle piece, although I don't know if she was that much faster than the competition; she was just the fastest on her tribe so far. Meanwhile, RC brings back her first piece and just immediately heads back out for another one. And then heads back for a third. On the one hand, maybe no one else on her tribe can swim and I'm impressed that she has the stamina to do this. On the other hand, she doesn't get out of the water and dive in, which has to rob her of a little momentum. For example, Jeff Kent uses his dive to not only gain distance, but also to propel him down far enough to reach the puzzle pieces.
As Malcolm heads out again for Matsing, Denise asks if she's going to go again or if Angie will take a turn. Angie says that she can't do it and Denise says that's fine. Keep that exchange in mind; it comes up again later. Russell takes his turn but when he dives down to get the piece, he apparently didn't have enough breath and had to come back up empty-handed, wasting time his tribe doesn't have to waste. And then he just swims back to the platform without a piece. I don't get him at all. And then he can't get up the ladder again. What is wrong with him? Is he going to be medically evacuated again?
Meanwhile, Skupin took another turn and then RC went back again. I don't think some of their teammates ever went in the water. I guess that makes sense as long as they're confident that a tired RC is still going to be faster than a fresh other tribe member. Note that Probst doesn't lavish praise on RC. If that were Ozzy, Probst would be practically licking him.
Kalabaw has all eight pieces and starts solving the puzzle. Shortly after, RC returns with her tribe's eighth piece so Tandang can start solving. Matsing still has to go get their final piece, but it doesn't seem like an impossible task. Kalabaw thinks the word is probably treasure, so they start trying to form it. Tandang has the same idea, but Kalabaw finishes first. Tandang finishes second. Matsing is going back to Tribal Council. Angie interviews that Russell was the weak link in the challenge with his poor performance. She doesn't mention the fact that she went first, did poorly, and then never went out again.
Kalabaw returns to their camp and they're psyched to see their new boat and fishing equipment. Penner takes Jeff Kent aside and confesses that he has the Idol and he hopes that telling him engenders some trust between them. Penner seems confident that there will be a tribal shakeup soon, since he says that he and Jeff Kent might come back together at some point, and they can work together. Jeff Kent is no dummy, at least in this respect, and he says that he's willing to ride with Penner for a while. Jeff Kent hopes that Penner will have a chance to prove his loyalty soon, and they shake hands before parting.
Or do they? Jeff Kent shakes, but uses his pointer finger to point at Penner at the same time, which I thought was just a weird athlete thing. Except Jeff Kent explains in an interview that what he did was a "four-finger handshake" and not a manly five-finger handshake. According to Jeff Kent, a handshake only counts if you use all five fingers. And also it's only manly with all five fingers. Is he fucking insane? First of all, who has spent this much time thinking about handshakes? Second of all, who appointed Jeff Kent the International Ruler of Handshakes and Fingers? And third of all, WHAT? I wish they could show Penner this footage and then I could watch Penner's face as Jeff Kent explains the handshake rules.
Tandang Skupin explains to his tribe how he shattered the face mask and they all chuckle indulgently. Artis (who?) interviews that Skupin wouldn't shut up, warning people about not diving with the mask on and then he did it like a buffoon and got hurt, so now Artis is mad at Skupin. Looks like someone is ripe for an alliance against Skupin, no?
So then RC, Skupin and Lisa go for a swim and possibly also to dig for clams. This leaves Abi, Pete and Artis alone in camp and Abi decides it's time to look for the Idol. She and Pete dig around for a while and then Abi thinks to check the emblem on top of the rice, which we know is the Idol. She yells, "I found it! I found it!" which seems like a bad idea even if her tribemates aren't nearby. She and Pete walk into the jungle to find a hiding place and discuss the best time to use the Idol. Pete thinks they have the numbers on their tribe right now, so they don't need it yet. Pete interviews an explanation that he thinks he can get Abi, Lisa and Artis to vote however he says, and he wants to get rid of Mike first and "neutralize RC." I feel like Pete might play a lot of video games. Meanwhile, Abi keeps saying, "I found it! I found it!" with the emphasis on "I." I fear for Pete if he ever suggests that someone else be allowed to play the Idol. Also, Abi is an asshole for stabbing RC in the back, but I guess RC should be more careful about who she trusts, right?
Poor Matsing sullenly walks back to their camp. Malcolm interviews that he's stuck out there with "the goon squad" and he puts blame equally on Angie and Russell. Malcolm and Denise walk into the woods and have a conversation that's basically like, "What the fuck? What is wrong with our useless tribe? We are carrying them on our backs!" Angie skips up and denies ever saying that she couldn't go during the challenge (she did say it). I mean, Angie looks fresh as a daisy and like she barely exerted herself; Denise and Malcolm look exhausted. That should tell you everything you need to know right there. Malcolm and Denise still don't know what they're going to do. Man, if Russell was smart, he'd try to team up with Angie and get rid of Denise or something.
Russell wanders the beach and feels sorry for himself. He interviews that his teammates might make "a bold move" and "get rid of a strong player." He was hardly a strong player in today's challenge. It's cute that he still thinks that he is, though. Russell sits and prays to God for... strength? Help? Guidance? Comfort? Something. If Russell were smart, he would use this praying time to find the Immunity Idol. He's got the clue. No one seems to be in camp. I don't know why he hasn't been looking.
Russell once again seems to be alone in camp, so I still don't get why he's not looking for the Idol. Malcolm and Angie sit looking out at the water. Angie is still trying to sell her story about how she would have gone again if needed, and Malcolm doesn't say much. Malcolm interviews that he hasn't talked strategy with Russell since the first day, and he knows Angie will do whatever he tells her to do, so he's having a hard time deciding whom to keep. Angie kind of ruins her strategy, because Malcolm seems to be on her side when she points out how badly Russell wants to be there so badly. Russell gives an interview where he points out that his ancestors overcame slavery and Jim Crow laws and he draws strength from them to help him endure. On a reality show. Because marching for civil rights and arguing to stay on a reality show are pretty much the same thing, right? Shut it, Russell and get over yourself.
Tribal Council. Probst opens by asking Denise what she gave up to come on the show. She explains about her family and work and how it will suffer in her absence, so she wants to make it worth leaving. Malcolm talks about how he's dreamed of being on the show since he was twelve and it's just not going how he had hoped. He calls it "heartbreaking," and says he's moved past frustration. Malcolm adds that Angie and Russell struggled in the challenge, and he and Denise should have stepped up earlier instead of assuming everyone needed to take a turn no matter what.
Probst asks Angie if she's worried she'll be sent home. Angie says that she is, but she wants her tribe to know that she would have gone again if needed, but she thought it made more sense to let Denise go in her place instead of slowing them down herself for no reason. Angie also adds that she would never quit and Russell did (presumably when he returned without a puzzle piece).
Probst points out to Russell that Angie just called him out. Russell says that he didn't quit; he made an executive decision not to keep trying when he knew he would fail. So, he quit. Russell adds that he's stronger, smarter and more motivated than Angie anyway, so the choice for Malcolm and Denise is clear. Angie defends herself by saying that she thinks she can fight more than Russell. Russell chuckles and says that he almost died last time he played and he doesn't think Angie's willing to lay down her life. The smart reply here would be for Angie to say that she's not going to put herself in a position where she will get medically evacuated, because she's smarter than that. Instead, Angie just says she would fight to the death or whatever. Russell calls her "little girl," like that's not condescending and Angie says she feels small and starts crying, then denies that she usually cries.
Probst tells her that it seems like she did give her all, but Russell's saying that's not enough. Thanks for putting words into everyone's mouths, Probst. Angie admits that she can't compete with Russell. Malcolm speaks up for his girlfriend and says that every tribe has young girls but they haven't been pushed the way that Angie has and it's not fair. I guess. He's kind of assuming that the other young girls would be as useless as Angie, and I don't know if that's true. Dawson seems pretty sharp and Dana was good in the puzzle challenge. Abi is useless but RC was a challenge monster. Then there are the ones whose names I don't know yet, like Katie I think?
Probst asks Denise is tonight's vote is a balancing act between strength and loyalty. In other words, do you keep someone who you like or made an alliance with or do you keep the person you think will make your tribe stronger? Denise says that she's now looking forward to a merge at some point and she wants to keep alliance members around, since she'll need them if they go into a merge short on numbers. Of course, we know that Denise's only alliance is with Malcolm, so that's not really affecting her vote. Malcolm agrees that loyalty is important in the finals, but without some strength, they aren't going to make it to the finals.
Time to vote! Russell votes for Angie and apologizes for making her cry, but he needs to play hard or he's going home. Angie votes for Russell and claims once again that she never gives up. She's got a good case for herself in terms of refusing to go again to increase their chances of winning the challenge, but she didn't make it during Tribal Council, so she's in big trouble.
Probst tallies the votes and no one plays an Idol. The first two votes are the ones we saw: Russ voting for Angie and Angie voting for Russell. The one is for Angie, so she's going home and sure enough the final vote is also for Angie. She kind of knew it was coming, so she smiles at her tribe and tells them to kick some ass. Probst says that he hopes now they have the right combination to turn the tribe around. Look at it this way: Russell certainly now owes his Survivor life to Malcolm and Denise, and that could come in handy if there's a merge or shakeup coming. That said, Russell should REALLY start looking for the Idol... like, right now.
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