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No Survivor recap this week can begin without an appeal for donations to support victims of Typhoon Haiyan, which blew across the Philippines earlier this week, causing widespread devastation and killing thousands. If you would like to support the relief effort, you can make a donation here through the Red Cross, or here through UNICEF. Please, give generously.

Previously on Survivor, there was a merge, reuniting the returnees with whatever loved ones were left. Aras and Tina were feeling so confident that their alliance would stick with them that they didn’t even seem to be looking out for trouble, even after Tina told Monica “never satisfied” Culpepper that she would be fifth.

Tyson executed his strategy with his new alliance, even bringing in Monica and finding the hidden immunity idol along the way, “and at Tribal Council, Aras was the victim of a vicious blind-side.” Who will be voted out tonight?

The castaways arrive back at camp on night 21. Vytas is quick to say “That was a great move, as a fan of the show. Aras did not see that coming, and neither did I, so congratulations. That’s was awesome.” In interview, Vytas declares that vengeance will be his, and even in aside to Tyson he says “Knives out, bro. Let’s get it on and we’ll see how bad I can get you.”

Tina is less charitable. “I can’t keep my mouth shut, so I’ve got to say something. Bravo to you. That was a great move. Monica and Tyson, you won the battle, but you didn’t win the war because you’ve got five jury votes that you’ll never get, for flipping.” Does Tina have her math straight? Or is she including Gervase, one of the flippers, in the five votes she is speaking for?

Tyson rebuts that Tina, Katie and Vytas “pushed us out.” Tina swears that she didn’t push anyone out, but Tyson recalls that getting rid of Tyson and Monica was part of Aras’ plan. Tina feigns innocence. “Plan? I don’t know what his plan was… You all were never in the alliance,” she protests, but Laura? says “That’s not true, I had an alliance with Aras”. So did Ciera. So did everyone.

There’s a scramble from everyone to get words in, but Tyson talks and everyone else shuts up. “We all thought we were in his top three. There is one person who was flipping on everyone and he’s out of the game right now. And you need to understand that because you’ve accused me of something I’m not guilty of.”

Of course everyone on Survivor has top three alliances with pretty much everyone else, and at some point they’re going to have to flip on them. There’s nothing inherently wrong with it, and it’s all part of the game. But no one wants to turn up at the final Tribal Council where they are seen as a sneaky “flipper”, because they prefer their own version of the narrative, which is invariably “I was loyal to my true alliance.” It’s all about perception, and Tyson is right to challenge that perception right away. Tina does not look satisfied with this argument.

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