Survivor: Gabon Episode Recap: Apple in the Garden of Eden
This week on Survivor: Gabon, a second immunity idol comes into play, the tribes unite, but find themselves divided and tribal council results in another blindside for a player.
We were treated only to an immunity challenge this week because the castaways spent the first part of the house eating. They were called together for the ceremonial feast that ordinarily signals a switch in the game. Everyone rejoiced because they had made it to the merge. While eating Kenny discovered a clue for another immunity idol which Charlie outed to the group and they all pretended that they didn't care about it in hopes of throwing each other off. Yeah, I don't think anyone suspected that anyone else really did want that idol! Marcus, deciding he would call everyone's bluff suggested that they take the idol out of the game and since no one would fess up that they wanted to be its guardian, they all agreed.
In a Survivor first, the whole tribe hunted, found and at the behest of that crafty Marcus, tossed the immunity idol into the ocean! You have to give it to Marcus for convincing everyone to do that. Genius...for him, but can you imagine being one of the castaways and being held hostage by social convention against looking greedy and let a get out of jail card slip through your fingers? The irony is that Marcus could have really used that idol later on.
That done, the survivors opened the chest that they were not to touch until after they ate and received news that they would be divided, yet again, into two new tribes. Ha! They didn't see that one coming. Now the new Kota (Bob, Marcus, Susie, Kenny and Crystal) and the new Fang (Charlie, Corinne, Randy, Matty and Sugar) had to return to their camps and once again figure out just who was sticking with whom.
Interestingly enough, Marcus, king of the Kota Six was the first to switch things up once he realized that he was best friends with Crystal's cousin back home. Immediately his game plan changed to drop Susie and insert Crystal. Crystal agreed with a wink and a nod that she would be in it to the end with Marcus. Poor thing believed her too.
Meanwhile, Matty was on the chopping block at Fang should they end up at tribal. Who would have thought that of all people Randy would consider that Sugar may actually "be a rocket scientist" and may have found the idol and so therefore should not be targeted. Whether or not Randy is the king of Gabon he is playing the game hard. Is anyone else is noticing that?
The Immunity Challenge was of the awkward position balance and endurance genre that had folk balancing posts on the backs of their outstretched hands. A split second into the challenge and Crystal was out. Followed closely by Sugar, the woman who poses for a living. Susie next then Randy and Corrine simultaneously leaving Kenny Marcus and then eventually just Bob and Matty.
Bob put up a fight, but it seems that physical fitness counts for something in these challenges and physical trainer Matty outlasted them all. His position of last man standing saved himself and his whole tribe from tribal council.
Now it was time for Kota to face the music. Marcus tried to convince Crystal to vote out Kenny by promising to drop Susie next and bring Crystal along to the end, but Crystal had no plans to cut loose her most solid ally. Along with Kenny, she clued Susie into her real position in the Kota Six alliance and as the votes show, Crystal was able to sway Susie to her side and bring about the season's second blindside against Marcus.
So, what did Marcus do wrong? He didn't keep to the plan. Keep to the plan man and vote with your group. Buck convention and take the idol. Don't set it afloat.
Matty, stop farting around, you could so easily have dropped your posts and lost that challenge. You've had to power through the last what, heck all of the challenges to stay in this game! Don't mess it up.
Susie the power player. I had to laugh every time she said she had the power even though, as the swing vote, she did have it.
Corinne loving being "extremely vindictive" makes me wonder if she's idolizing Natalie from the Fans vs. Favorites season. It wasn't pretty then and it's not now.
What's Charlie going to do now that "Marc-Ace" is gone? At least he can see Marcus on the jury during tribal councils.
Lastly, what about Bob? Why is he ignored? Why didn't Crystal try to flip Bob? Is this physics going to slide on through to the final two?
What are your thoughts about this episode?
