New at BOP: Review: Matrix Resurrections Movie Review: Moonfall Movie Reviews: Scream The #1 Movie in America November Forecast The Many Saints of Newark October Forecast New Trivia Question All site updates Share & Save   Tweet Print this column

Previously on Survivor, the returnees dominated their loved ones. Who saw that coming? But after 13 days, Tadhana finally won a challenge thanks in part due to Brad not being there and keeping everyone so wired up they couldn’t think straight. Rupert’s Laura looked like being an easy vote for Galang, as they all think she is weird, but Aras shifted the vote to Laura?, on the chance that her puzzle savancy might knock Brad out from Exile Island.

The Galangs arrive back at camp and commiserate about how “brutal” Tribal Council was. Rupert’s Laura is thrilled that the rest of the tribe didn’t get their Lauras mixed up and that she is still here as a result. She says that Rupert gave up his spot so she could stay in the game, and she doesn’t want to go out like a chump.

They all discuss whether they made eye contact with Laura? before she left. Aras says she gave him a look that means “you’re a jerk.” In interview, he says he is crossing his fingers that there will be none of the now-traditional Redemption Island blowback, and now that he has dug himself into the ring-leader role, he is wondering how to get out of it. Why didn’t he think of this before?

The next morning, Tyson and Gervase have a conversation about what their options are for getting rid of Aras. Tyson says he feels “OK with him right now,” but if they lose their next challenge it might be their last opportunity to get rid of him before the merge. Which begs the question “why not wait until the merge?” Everyone likes Aras, he’s an immunity challenge threat, he’s a strategic threat, and no one really wants to go to the end with him. Leave it until then.

But Tyson’s concern is that Aras will become more dangerous after the merge because he will pair up with Vytas. Gervase says that he has no problem writing Aras’s name down, but he’s clearly not as enthusiastic about the idea as Tyson is – though in interview he says that “Tyson raises some good points” and “this may be our last chance to get rid of Aras.”

Back with Gervase, Tyson backs off, saying “just something to think about” and “I want to do what you want to do.” And Gervase’s interview continues with him saying that he “screwed up in my first season being a chess piece,” and he doesn’t want to go down in Survivor history as “a player who played it twice and didn’t play.”

The pirate-theme music goes into overdrive as we check into Redemption Island arena where Tadhana gets their first look at the new Galang tribe, with Laura? voted out. Probst must feel bad for Ciera getting stomped by her mother at every challenge, so he points out that Ciera “the rookie” survived four tribal Councils while Laura? couldn’t even make it through one.

Ciera claims that she had this “weird feeling” that the vote was for Laura? and Probst asks Laura if it surprises her that Ciera “felt some energy?” Laura? is not surprised because it’s all part of the mystical power of motherhood, and of course they have a psychic connection. Probst starts the next part of his spiel about the Redemption Island twist, but Laura? thankfully cuts him off, saying she would “not even hear of” swapping with Ciera.

Continued:       1       2       3       4       5       6       7