Survivor: Cagayan - Episode 12
Straw That Broke the Camel's Back
By Jim Van Nest
May 15, 2014
BoxOfficeProphets.com
One other thing I'm wondering about...we're at Final Five, right? Where's the family visit? Is this seriously going to be the first Survivor season without a family visit? They have to have one and it surprises me it's this late in the season. Nothing seems to suggest we'll get it tonight, which means we could be looking at a Final Four family visit during the finale next week. Either way, tonight is the night where some million dollar decisions can be made. I can't wait to see who makes the good ones.
We begin the show at camp after Tribal. It's pouring down rain, so it's even more miserable for Spencer. He asks Woo and Kass what the point of their "final three" deal. If they never planned to go through with it, why play him like that when there was nothing he could do? Woo tells him he already has a final three deal and Kass told him it's because that's what you do in Survivor. Tony tells him it's because they're loyal. Spencer's only hope is that he's still in the game and he's in it with a bunch of people who know very little about how to play it.
The next morning, Woo and Tony are out on the water. They discuss how Spencer can't win the immunity so he can go. They say that Kass would be the perfect person to take to the end. Woo tells us that he chose to stay with Tony because he wanted to show his loyalty and sit with Tony at the end, since they started the game together. He then tells Tony all about the final three from the last reward and about how Kass was totally on board with trying to take him out. Tony tells us that Woo showed his loyalty and that he's good and genuine. He hates that he'll have to blindside Woo before all is said and done. He says that you can't take someone like Woo to the end. His wife told him before he left not to do something stupid. And taking Woo to the end will be stupid. So he's listening to his wife on this one.
Wow, right after the credits: Probst sighting! Today's challenge is a mud pit challenge. They have to cover themselves in mud and then bring it back to a bucket and rub it off. After 10 minutes, the person with the most mud in their bucket wins reward. Reward this time will be a delivery of nice hot pizza delivered to camp. The best part of these kinds of challenges is the end, where the winner has to choose who else gets pizza and who doesn't. It's pretty hard to get any kind of gauge as to who's winning. Probst seems to think the guys are leading, but I'm not sure how he could possibly tell. And after 10 minutes, the challenge is over. And when it's all said and done, Tony's bucket is overflowing and no one else's is even close. Tony wins reward! And now the choice. Tony has to choose one person to enjoy pizza. "Anorexia, come on over." And Trish will get to put some meat back on her bones.
After the break, they all have fun talking about the challenge. Kass tells us that she is happy that Tony chose Trish for the reward. That should show everyone how joined they are. She feels that no one should have that much power in the game. Spencer tells us that the pizza is like a metaphor for the game. People are just handing everything to Tony without any thought or question. As Tony wolfs down an entire pizza, Trish finally just asks him if he really has the special powers idol. He tells her that he does and that he actually has two idols right now. She asks about only being able to use them tonight, but right off the bat, he lies to her. He tells her he can use the normal one at five and the Tyler Perry idol at four. She falls for it, hook line and sinker. He tells us that the plan is to make everyone think the special idol can go to four, so no one will vote for him then either. Talk now turns to who the final three should be. They both agree that Spencer has to go next and then probably Woo. Kass has pissed off everyone and is the perfect goat to take to the end. Tony tells us that Trish and Kass are his plan for the final three. He says Trish is solid, but he needs to work something out with Kass.
He pulls Kass aside and tells her that he knows she went behind his back. He tells her that Woo told him everything. He says that he's not worried about that, though. He still wants to go to the end with her. He tells her he can't beat Woo and he thinks he'll have a 50/50 shot against her. Kass tells us that she thinks it was dumb for Woo to tell Tony, but it was even dumber for Tony to tell her. Chaos Kass is back. Um...yay? Back at the fire, she asks Woo why he told Tony everything. Woo, naturally, denies everything. As Tony walks up, Kass tells Tony that Woo said he didn't tell him anything. Tony asks her what she's doing and why she came right back to camp and started stuff with Woo. Kass tells Woo that he shook her hand and promised on his family to take her to the end. This is pretty much all Tony can take. He tells her that she wasn't supposed to come back and start talking all that and that now he's done with her. Somewhere in his diatribe, he speaks llama a little and I think he coughed up a hairball. He tells us that Kass is an insult to this game and because of that, she needs to go. Kass, meanwhile, loves all the trouble she's causing...not realizing at all that she's losing one jury vote after another.
Later in the day, everyone is back at camp now. Kass tries to tells Tony that what she did was strategic. And that now one of his people doesn't think he's one of his people. Tony and Trish head off to grab coconuts and Kass makes a move to try to pull in Spencer and Woo to go against Tony and Trish. She says that as much as she'd like to get rid of Tony, Trish might be the better target because of Tony's idols. Kass also seems to think she can beat Tony in the finals. Spencer asks Woo what he's thinking. Woo says that he's thinking that he hasn't pissed off anyone on the jury and Tony probably won't want to take him to the end. They decide that it's time to take Trish out and Kass says it'll be good to take away the goat he wants to take to the end. As she's saying this, Trish comes around the corner and overhears. She tells us that she's pretty pissed hearing that since she's tried real hard to be nice to Kass. The fight is a-brewing. Hopefully it's everything we've hoped it will be! Before we get to that, Spencer tells us that when he woke up, immunity was really his only option. But now, there are some cracks he might be able to work with and stay in the game even if he doesn't win. And with that...
Probst sighting #2! Tonight's challenge is massive and looks to have many parts. First they will have to untangle a braided rope to release a key. They'll then need to put rungs in a ladder, steps in a staircase and then solve a Survivor slide puzzle. Winner gets immunity and is safe from the vote. Tony's the first one finished with the ropes and key. Trish is the next one finished, then Kass. As Tony begins placing ladder rungs, Spencer and Woo get their keys. Tony is still in the lead, but Spencer has now caught up and is right behind him. Tony takes a bigger lead now and climbs his ladder on his way to the staircase. Spencer is the only one challenging right now; the others have fallen out. Spencer completes his ladder, but Tony has completed his stairs and is on to the slide puzzle. Spencer is halfway done with his stairs now, while Tony is working on the slide puzzle. Oh yeah, Woo and Kass finally finish their ladders.
Spencer finally finishes his stairs and starts working on his puzzle. Tony has had A LOT of time on this puzzle. Let's see how well the brain fares here today. Spencer is taking a lot of time studying the puzzle, while Tony pushes pieces around furiously. And just like that, Spencer solves the puzzle and wins immunity! And the worst scenario for the alliance came true. They have to eat one of their own.
They come back to camp and Tony laments the fact that he could have been out there all day and would never have solved that puzzle. Spencer tells us that he can't be happier with the necklace on and that now he gets to sit back today and watch the show. As if on cue, Trish says, "Spencer I think you're a great guy, but I have a question for Kass. Do you think I'm stupid?" She calls Kass out for gunning for her and trying to take her out. Spencer, in a pretty good move, interrupts to tell Trish that he really likes her, but he had to do something. She wasn't worried about Spencer, but it was a very small move that may just earn a jury vote for Spence. Trish goes on to say that she wanted Spencer to see what type of person Kass is. That she's been playing both sides of every single situation and then been claiming to be the victim. Apparently this goes on for a while, because Trish keeps going. She believes Kass thinks she can win this game, but she can't. She goes on to tell Kass what a horrible person she is and how everyone else out there sees her for what she is. Tony takes Trish aside and takes her for a walk to cool off. Woo goes with them. Spencer tells Kass that the only hope for them is Woo right now. Their only chance in the game is now to get Woo on their side.
Tony takes this time away to try to clear things up with Woo. Woo asks him if he really swore on his kids to Kass. Tony admits that he did. Woo tells him that he's concerned because Tony never promised him Final Three. And for the first time this season, what we see here is Tony scrambling. He tells Woo that he has two idols and that they'll be the final three, guaranteed, for sure this time. He is clearly shaken up and trying to pull everything back together. Woo doesn't seem to be hearing it. He shakes Tony's hand on the NEW "promise on my wife and kids" but tells us that he can't trust Tony anymore as Tony is lying to everyone. He says now might be the time to make that big move he keeps talking about.
A little later, Woo approaches Kass and tells her that he is voting out Trish. He says that it's clear Tony isn't with him anymore. Spencer joins the conversation and the discussion is voting off Trish. Woo says he's totally on board with this. He wants to win this game and this is the way to do it. He asks Spencer and Kass for a final three pact (again). They all shake hands. Of course, while they're all talking, Tony is listening in. And knowing who they plan to vote for, this Tribal will be all too easy for Tony. Before we head to Tribal, though, Tony walks on the beach with Woo and asks him what's going on in his head. He tells us that he saw Woo talking to Spencer and Kass. He tells Woo that it's an injustice to take Kass to the end and he knows it. Tony tells us that he's hoping he kept Woo with him, but that he might have to change the plan tonight.
Probst starts with Tony at Tribal. He asks him about Spencer winning immunity and the alliance finally having to turn on itself. Kass tells Jeff that after the challenge, Trish completely blew up on her. For no reason and stuff. Typical Kass, she stirs the pot and then conveniently plays the victim when the results go like this. Trish actually chimes in to say something very similar. She says that Kass is running around trying to turn Woo against Tony and Tony against Woo and then when everyone gets together, she plays the "I didn't do anything and everyone's being so mean to me" card. Jeff asks Spencer about how good this is for him. He says that everything was pretty crazy today and that his win helped speed up this process.
I don't exactly know how to recap the next portion of Tribal. It starts with Woo saying that he's looking at it as three Brawn vs. two Brains and that Kass is in trouble. This brings up all the nonsense from earlier with Tony and all his promises. Naturally, Kass claims that her strategy worked PERFECTLY and that she's caused problems all over the place. Tony, of course, mocks her as the strategist. There's more mocking, Tony makes funny faces and speaks llama again. Kass has that same shit eating grin on her face that she always has, Tony talks with his hand, Spencer and the jury laughs and Jeff sits back and tries to figure out what kind of twist he can have in a later season that gets Tony back on the show.
Woo talks about how this is like a bad family. Tony and Trish are the parents. Spencer and Kass are the kids and he's the foreign exchange student. He wants to tell them to shut up and concentrate on the game. And then Tony retakes control. His vote tonight is not emotional, it's gameplay and he's not going home tonight. He says his bag of tricks is too heavy and he'll be playing his idol tonight. "Out with the old and in with the new" as he puts the Tyler Perry idol around his neck. Spencer says that this is the time when he would point out that Tony is the biggest threat and he would be throwing his vote at Tony, but the idols kinda throw a wrench in that.
And finally, the Survivor gods smile on us and it's time to vote. We see Spencer's vote for Trish saying that the cat fight needs to be settled somehow. Trish casts her vote for Kass suggesting she get a book on self-awareness. And that's all we're gonna get tonight. Now, the question is: Will Tony give Trish the idol? Jeff asks and Tony gets up to play the idol. FOR HIMSELF!!! Seriously, dude, what's the play there? So, okay. Any votes for Tony don't count. First vote: Trish. Second vote: Kass. Third vote: Trish. 13th person voted out of Survivor: Trish. Ahhhhhh, I see. Tony, for whatever reason, decided to jump ship on Trish and vote with the rest of the group. I'm not totally sure this was the move to make here. Give Trish the idol, vote for Kass and insure your people make it to the end. Or if you really want to win, tonight was the night to dump Woo and keep both of the unlikable women in the game. I guess he truly believes Kass is the best person to sit with at the end. This was a really risky move. Of course, it could also be because he knows he'll get Trish's vote in the end. She's shown time and time again that she will fall back in line with him. So why wouldn't she give him the vote for a million dollars?
Next time on the season finale of Survivor: a boat comes to the island. Spencer leaps off a tall tower into the water. Kass asks someone if they want her to be their mama or do they want her to come out here and win. Tony is sobbing big tears. And Woo, "If it comes down to me burning the whole place down, so be it!" I'll tell you what it looks like. It looks like there might just be a family visit, what with the weird boat coming to camp, Tony crying hard, and the fact that Kass might actually be talking to one of her kids. There's never been a Survivor without a loved ones visit, so I kinda expect to see some family members at the beginning of next week's episode. I could also be horribly wrong. I do know a couple things for sure. One, someone will win this thing next week. Two, the finale is now on Wednesday! Please do not tune in on Sunday, you'll be sadly disappointed! Check back at BOP soon for the final Power Rankings of the season and I'll see you back here next week as we crown a champion of Survivor: Cagayan! 'Til then, take care!