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Probst, who can see how boring this challenge is going to look on television, says that if they come up with an alternate plan and everyone agrees to it, he is open. Since everyone on Tandang is booing Michael, and Michael is protesting “Hey, we’re just talking,” can this really go anywhere?

Jonathan cheerleads the deal for Kalabaw. He doesn’t say it, but he knows that a merge – with a new bag of rice – has to be coming soon. He believes that he is awesome enough at catching fish to make up the difference for the whole tribe. He likes this idea because it makes him indispensable to his own tribe. So he’s for it. Carter is all “I don’t know, man.”

Lisa calls out for Artis to weigh in because it's his birthday, and Artis threatens that “You don’t want to know what I got to say about it.” Even though he isn’t competing – he wants to win the challenge. Some birthday

Probst explains the deal. Lisa says that she will vote with the majority. Carter says that if Jonathan thinks he can catch fish, then he’ll agree. Pete is agreeing to the deal, and Abi leaves it up to the three Tandangs who have been sitting out in the mud pit for an hour so she can blame them later.

Probst declares the challenge over and announces the deal – Kalabaw wins reward, Tandang gets Kalabaw’s rice. “They’re all just not seeing the big picture,” grumbles Artis to RC, who looks worried as usual. “I’m pretty sure this is unprecedented,” Probst says and I want to punch him in the face for his Survivor preview lies. Such an anti-climax. Why not end next challenge with an unprecedented debate?

This deal is trouble for Jonathan. What a bunch of dummies Kalabaw are for taking it. Of course, we know that Tandang is low on rice, even if Kalabaw doesn’t. But rice is your Survivor safety net. You make sure you have enough to last because if you don't have it, you have nothing. Trading the rice for reward is the move Rupert would have made.

Kalabaw is gambling that they won’t need rice for a few days because there will be a merge soon – but what if there isn’t? They are going to be hungry and weak and divided, and everyone who didn’t want to speak up when the deal was being made is going to disavow it as soon as they get back to camp and realize they are going to starve to death.

After the break, Kalabaw arrives at the reward, and Jonathan loudly talks up the great deal and the sandwiches and the enormous schools of fish they will all be eating when they get back to camp. We also get an interview with Carter, who says “Those... sandwiches... were... great…” So we know why they always go to Jonathan for interviews. Jeff Kent is more apprehensive about what will happen after a few days with no rice.

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