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Episode 7 - “Who’s the Boss Now?”

Nowhere Left to Hide

With only three members of their tribe remaining in the game, the Ometepe tribe consisting only of Andrea, Grant, and Krista return back to camp after voting out Matt in a shocking blindside. “That just like hurt my soul,” Krista half-jokes. “But like, it just had to be done, you know?” Andrea rationalizes to an obviously distraught Krista. “Right after I wrote down Matt’s name down on that paper, I regretted it right away,” Krista admits. “But I mean it was either vote for Matt or force a tie. But regardless of the situation, I made my bed so now I’m gonna have to lay in it.”

Grant then grabs both of the girls’ torches and sets them down with his own. “Girls, like I know that was a hard one for you guys, but I really from the bottom of my heart appreciate you keeping me off Redemption…” Grant thanks Krista and Andrea. Krista doesn’t respond as Andrea merely says “mhm.” Surveying the ever-changing dynamics in the tribe, Andrea realizes that she is now caught in the middle of her two alliances: “I’ve been making really big moves in this game,” she recaps. “But it’s like... now there’s only three of us left on Ometepe, and god forbid we have to go to Tribal again, I couldn’t bring myself to ever vote out Krista… so as much as it would like, kill me on a game and personal level, there’s really no way around the fact that Grant would be the next one to go if we have to go back to Tribal Council,” she reveals to the camera, unbeknownst to Grant, confirming his biggest fear.

Moving Forward

Trudging through the jungle, a shaken up Matt makes his way to Redemption Island, setting his torch down next to Ashley’s on one of the makeshift pre-Columbian statues. “I’m just completely speechless right now, man,” Matt tells the camera, almost at a loss for words. “I had complete trust in Andrea and Krista, and they both voted for me tonight,” he recaps, shaking his head. “I just… I don’t get it… I don’t get it at all.” Matt approaches the shelter, where he awakens a sleeping Ashley. “It’s Matt…” he mumbles. “What?!” Ashley exclaims, shooting upwards. “How did that happen?” “I’d like to know too…” Matt comments. “I might have been a little naive to think that I could play one-hundred percent honest all the way to the end,” Matt realizes. “I’m disappointed, but if this is what god intended, I must be here for a reason, I guess,” he half-heartedly believes. Settling into the shelter, Matt is forced to show Ashley his tightly wrapped hand. “Sliced it with the machete…” he says, answering Ashley’s shocked look. “Oh my gosh, Matty you just need a hug!” Ashley jokes, embracing him while laughing. “Seeing Matt with the whole hand thing, like I feel bad for him, but in a weird way it kind of made me feel a little more confident,” Ashley admits. “In a really sick way, if he’s injured and we have a physical duel tomorrow, that’s gonna really hurt him and give me like, a leg up,”

Messages From Above

The next morning  on Day 17, Krista sits on Ometepe’s beach, momentarily disconnected from Grant and Andrea, who float around camp picking up the slack of the work load. “Lord, please give Matt the strength to pull through…” Krista whispers to herself. “What me and Matt bonded with was our love of the Bible,” Krista tells the camera. “And I feel like by me just taking some time to just say a few words to god, he could really speak to Matt and really give him the encouragement he needs in this duel.” Glumly but serenely sitting on the beach, Grant approaches her cautiously. “You okay, Krista?” “Yeah, I’ll just be one more minute,” she promises. “I’m just hoping that Matt goes into the duel having faith in himself that he has a real good shot of getting the redemption and coming back into this game,” Krista continues. “Because if he doesn’t believe in his self, I don’t know if he can, and if Matt doesn’t come back, I don’t know how long I can last…” she says nervously.

Forgiveness

On Redemption Island, both Matt and Ashley sit around the fire, waiting for their duel to begin. “I had to start a fire myself after that insane storm,” Ashley proudly tells Matt, as she cooks up a pot of rice. However, unaware to Ashley, Matt’s mind weighs heavy. “You know being here, on Redemption Island, it gave me a lot of time to reflect on the game so far,” Matt philosophizes. “I feel in the bottom of my heart, and my gut, that voting out Ashley, someone I trusted over someone like Grant, was my fatal flaw in the game and why I’m sitting here right now. And honestly, I feel pretty awful about it, man,” he admits, distressed. “God told me it wasn’t here time to go.” Feeling he needs to get it off of his chest, Matt sincerely apologizes Ashley for sealing her fate on the Ometepe tribe six days back. “It was like, ‘man, I knew I shouldn’t have done it.’” He explains. “Seriously, god even told me that it wasn’t meant to be…” “Matty, don’t even get into that,” Ashley interrupts. “Like it’s a game, it’s really not a big deal. I would’ve been voted out next anyway. It’s fine.” With this validation, Matt lets out a sigh of relief, his conscience cleared. “I appreciate that so much, like honestly…” “Ashley actually being really receptive to my apology, it feels like this great weight has been lifted right off of my shoulders,” Matt admits. “I didn’t want to come into this game and not be able to make promises I couldn’t come through on. So to just be forgiven by Ashley and by God for doing that, feels incredible.” Ashley and Matt both then gather their stuff and begin their walk to their next duel at Redemption Island Arena. “I feel like my mind is cleared for the duel,” Matt continues. “Whatever happens today, yeah, it’s god’s will and I’m okay with that, but bottom line, I want to be here.”

Redemption Island Duel— Concentration

Ashley and Matt arrive at Redemption Island Arena, where they are greeted by hose Jeff Probst. Lining the center of the arena are a series of unturned tiles. Ashley gulps, knowing that this is a duel where physicality will not come into play, meaning Matt’s injury will not hurt him and give her an advantage. Jeff then explains the rules of the duel: One at a time, Ashley and Matt will make their way onto the course, flipping over two tiles hoping to reveal two matching symbols. The first person to uncover five matching pairs stays on Redemption Island and continues their pursuit of the million dollar prize while the loser is out of the game for good.

After winning the rock-paper-scissors, Matt opts for Ashley to take her turn first. On her first turn out, Ashley turns over the War Clubs as well as the Canoe, resulting in no match. Matt is up next, turning over second War Clubs miraculously, and easily matching it up, earning his first point easily. “Matt takes an early one point lead,” Jeff narrates. Ashley is unsuccessful once again when she flips over Fire and the Crocodile. Matt then extends his lead after he finds the second Fire, matching it up with the one Ashley recently unearthed. “Crap,” Ashley mutters to herself. “Matt has not missed yet,” Jeff admires. “Amazing.” Ashley and Matt are then both unsuccessful on their next turns, with Ashley flipping the Head Dress and Skull, while Matt flips the Eagle and Calendar. Ashley is then out on the course again, making her first match when she reveals both Skull tiles. “Thank god,” Ashley says, laughing. Matt is next up, bursting Ashley’s bubble as he once again makes a match, this time with the Head Dress icons. “Matt is on fire,” Jeff narrates. “Ashley really needs to pick it up.” Stomping out on the course, Ashley reveals both Crocodile tiles, closing the gap by one point. Matt reveals a Canoe, but is unsuccessful in remembering where the other was, instead flipping over a Warrior. Ashley then takes her next turn, once again making another match, this time with the Calendar tiles. “Ashley has made up all of her ground,” Jeff narrates. “She is back in this duel.” With renewed fight, Matt returns to the course, matching up both Warrior tiles. “Thank you, Jesus,” Matt preaches as he returns to his pedestal. With only three tiles left, Ashley makes her next turn and flips over both Temples. “Ashley ties it up! We’re at 4-4,” Jeff reminds them. “With only two pairs left, if Matt can find the final pair, Matt will win the duel.” As Matt sets out on the course, Ashley clenches her hands together over her mouth, looking on intensely and nervously. Out on the course, Matt flips over a Canoe tile, the first tile revealed in the duel. Matt looks around, anxious as he talks outloud. “Please, lord,” he begs as he looks around at the remaining three tiles. “Can he remember where the first Canoe was?” Jeff says aloud. Unsure, Matt walks over and flips over a tile that in fact says Eagle, failing to make a matching pair. Ashley can hardly even hold her enthusiasm, not even waiting for Matt to step back on his pedestal before she flips over one Canoe, and then the other, winning her second Redemption Island duel and earning her right to remain on Redemption Island.

After the nail biting duel and extremely close duel, Matt Elrod becomes the fifth person officially eliminated from Survivor: Redemption Island. “Good job,” Matt half-heartedly congratulates Ashley as he hugs her. Composing himself, Matt and Ashley turn to face Jeff. “Matt, how is it for you right now?” he asks. “Seventeen days you spent out here and now it’s over,” he reminds Matt. “I’m… I’m A-okay Jeff,” he says after hesitating. “If it’s not me going on, I’m glad it’s Ashley.” “Disappointed?” Jeff further asks, still not convinced. “Well… this whole game, I know that god has been carrying me,” Matt starts. “And if this is god’s will, then this is what he had in store for me, and I’m fine with it, Jeff,” he concludes, half-smiling. With this, Matt leaves the arena, dropping his Ometepe buff in the fire, signifying his permanent departure. Ashley then leaves the arena, returning back to her camp at Redemption Island where she will wait for yet another opponent to join her.   

Matt’s Final Words

Though half-disappointed and half-content with the outcome, a calm Matt leaves behind his final words: “Well hasn’t this been one heck of a ride. I mean seriously man, from being in a great position, to thinking I was in a great position to being blindsides by my own alliance and almost chopping my own hand off, I’d say it was a pretty eventful 17 days. I feel incredibly blessed by god to have had the opportunity and to have him by my side the entire time, so I’m leaving with my head held high,” he says, cracking a smile.

A True Growing Experience

At Ometepe, the three remaining tribe-members begin to realize the lack of slack in the camp life. “As the numbers start to really dwindle around here, it becomes very apparent how much the workload really picks up,” Grant says. “I mean, there really isn’t any room anymore for slacking off or how Krista puts it, ‘conserving energy’.” As Krista lays out on the beach sun tanning, Grant and Andrea get ready to head off to go crabbing. Grabbing all the supplies, Andrea wonders whether Krista should join in. “Do you think we should invite her?” Andrea asks Grant. Shifting his expression, Grant remains leery. “I mean, do we really think she’s up to the job?” Andrea shrugs. “It might be good for her.” Giving in, Grant and Andrea approach Krista and ask her to tag along. “Like… what do we do?” Krista cautiously asks. Grant informs her that the process involves hiking across the stream and using wither the hammer, Grant’s homemade spear or other tools to kill crab. Even though she isn’t fully into the idea, Andrea is able to convince her to come along. “I’m not really the outdoorsy type,” Krista admits to the camera. “I’d say I’m definitely a girly girl. I like to get my nails done, my hair done, so when Grant and Andrea wanted me to go hunting for crabs, I wasn’t that excited for it,” she discloses.

After making it across the stream, Grant and Andrea run about, chasing after the crabs as Krista watches on, cheering. “You guys are awesome!” she cheers. “Yay!” “You like being the cheerleader, huh?” Grant asks, with a little bit of an annoyed ting. “It’s what I’m good at!” Krista says, citing her background as cheer captain at Auburn University. “You wanna give it a go, Krista?” Grant asks, holding out the spear, to which Krista stares at it, her expression dropping. “I feel like Krista hasn’t really you know, been living up to her potential out here,” Grant reveals. “So I kinda was just like, “here’s the spear, your turn’,” he laughs. Taking the spear Krista is initially freaked out by the crabs but eventually, to her surprise, is able to spear one. “Oh my gosh, you guys!” she exclaims, holding up the crab by its pincer. “I actually did it!” she says, jumping up and down. “I knew you could!” Grant says. “Like wow, who would’ve thought I would ever spear a crab by myself,” Krista excitingly rhetorically asks. “Because definitely not me.” With her mood uplifted from her previously glum outlook, Krista returns to camp with Grant and Andrea with a smile. “This really is an amazing growing experience for me,” Krista continues. “Like, words cannot describe it. Just… moments like that just confirm to me that ‘wow, you can do it’, and I’m so thankful for that.”

Survivor Paranoia

Over at Zapatera, the tribe is going about their normal routines on Day 17. While the men and Julie go about doing the manual labor of camp life, Stephanie and Kristina sit on the beach doing what they usually do, nothing at all. “It’s so overcast today,” Stephanie complains. “It’s bumming me out,” she adds. “Being on a team with Ralph bums me out,” Kristina mumbles, making both of them laugh. “Thank god you’re stuck in this hell with me, or I’d be going out of my [censored] mind,” Stephanie says, through her laughter. “It’s so weird what happens when you’re put in these like, crappy situations,” Stephanie tells the camera. “Like, I would’ve never ever thought that I’d become friends with the 46 year old cougar,” she admits, chuckling. Stephanie and Kristina continue to go on, venting about their tribe-mates as they wait for the sun to break through the clouds. “Like, I’m a waitress from Long Beach, how the hell did I get stuck living with a farmer from Hicksville, and a crazy person who claims he was a Former Special Agent?” Stephanie rhetorically adds. “If he worked for our government, I’ve officially lost all hope for this country,” Kristina banters. “Because there’s seriously no friggin’ way. No friggin’ way.” “I feel like out of everybody on my tribe, I’m drawn to Kristina just because she’s real, I mean except the boobs,” Stephanie clarifies. “I kinda hate everyone else, so I feel like even though her name is being tossed around a lot, I wanna see her stick around for a long time.”

Nervous to see Stephanie stray off once again, David watches restlessly from the shelter at the two girls on the beach. “I feel like this game is making me go clinically insane,” David anxiously laughs. “It’s just little things that are making me really on edge all the time,” David stirs up some rice in the pot, his eyes still darting to the two girls. “I thought I came into this new Zapatera tribe with two really close allies, Phillip and um, Stephanie. But now I’m starting to see the two of them kind of drifiting a little bit. Phillip has been getting really weird buddy-buddy with Ralph for a while now, but now Stephanie has lately been spending a lot of time with Kristina, and it’s freaking me out,” he admits. “So now I feel like I need to make a side alliance of my own, just to protect myself.”

Later in the day, David asks Julie to go with him to the water well. As they walk down the path, getting away from camp, David lays out a desperate alliance proposal. “Right now, it’s all about who you can trust,” David begins. “Because when we go into the merge, we need to make sure we’re going in with a group of people we can trust,” Julie remains receptive and agrees with him. “Like, I want to see you and me go really far because I think, well especially you, you deserve it,” David continues. “So I want to protect you for as long as I can,” “I appreciate that a lot,” Julie says, extending her hand, which David shakes. “I think we could do some damage,” she tells him. “Honestly, I really don’t know if what David told me was a bunch of bologna,” Julie wonders. “But in all fairness, I really don’t have a bunch going for me right now, because I don’t really trust anyone on my tribe. So if Dave is gonna throw me a bone, I’m definitely gonna take it for now,” she admits.

Do or Die

The next day, Ometepe gears up for the upcoming Immunity Challenge. “Are you ladies ready for this?” Grant asks the other two. “Please, I was born ready,” Andrea jokes. “We have our challenge today, and it’s like a really big deal for us,” Andrea recaps. “I mean, there’s only three of us left, so it really is a do or die situation, because if we lose another challenge, we’re going to be down to two and that’s pathetic.” Meanwhile, Grant is also aware that there is a lot on the line for this challenge. “I cannot even describe to you how important winning this challenge is,” Grant intensely tells the camera. “I know if we go to Tribal Council, it’s probably going to be curtains for me. So I’m going into this challenge so amped up and so ready but I am really nervous because I really am at the end of my rope.”

Reward/Immunity Challenge— Swiss Cheese Please

Ometepe and Zapatera arrive on their respective colored mats where host Jeff Probst points out that Matt was voted out at Ometepe’s prior Tribal Council. “What the hell?” Kristina whispers as she brings up her hand to cover her unhinged jaw. Ralph can’t help but smile and nod gleefully while Andrea and Krista can hardly even make eye contact with Kristina. Jeff then explains the rules of the challenge: Two tribe-mates will race out onto a course of obstacles including a crawl through, net run, and balance beams to collect a large wooden board with various holes cut out of it. Once a tribe has all four boards, they will rearrange the boards so that when looking through all of them lined up, seven vowels are visible. They will then use those vowels and other letters to complete a word puzzle. The first tribe to complete the phrase wins tribal Immunity as well as reward, which is a ride on a helicopter to the top of the Cerro Negro, an active volcano where they will be treated to a picnic of assorted foods including furits and vegetables, cookies, candy, crackers, and alcoholic beverages. Because Zapatera has four extra members, Ralph, Kristina, Stephanie, and Phillip all choose to sit out.

As the challenge begins, Grant and Andrea race out for Ometepe while Mike and David head out for Zapatera. Neck-and-neck through the first two obstacles, Andrea and Grant gain a lead on Mike and David when David falls off the balance beam. “Let’s go, Ometepe!” Krista cheers, waiting for her turn. Grant single-handedly puts the board over his head as both he and Andrea head back. David and Mike are right on their tails, making up a lot of ground with their agility. Krista and David then take turns swapping out with Andrea and Julie as pars continue to race out onto the course, bringing back board after board. Bringing back their last board first, Zapatera begins to work on the puzzle, with David calling the shots. “Now flip that one, guys!” he instructs Mike and Julie. Not too long after, Grant and Krista return with the final board, which allows Ometepe to begin working on their puzzle. Krista automatically takes the control over the puzzle, telling Grant how to flip pieces while Andrea attempts to contribute. “Now turn it upside down!” Krista calls out. “This is anyone’s challenge at this point!” Jeff motivates. After a lot of movement, Zapatera still fails to make much leeway. “Pull it off, David, come on!” a frustrated Stephanie yells from the sidelines. Soon after, Ometepe miraculously has all of their pieces line up to reveal their vowels, and start on their puzzle. Before Zapatera can even finish, Krista and Andrea quickly spell out “Immune from the vote”. In a miraculous turn of events, the Ometepe tribe wins their first Immunity as well as reward after five former trips to Tribal Council while Zapatera finally feels the sting of defeat. Grant, Andrea, and Krista go wild as David hangs his head, embarrassed.”I wasn’t thrilled to find out to go to Tribal Council,” Kristina admits. “I know a lot of people want me gone, but I’m going to cut some people if it means staying in this game, that’s for damn sure.”

A Long Delayed Victory

Being flown to the Cerro Negro in the helicopter, Andrea, Grant, and Krista don’t even try to hide their excitement as they smile ear-to-ear, landing on top of the volcano. “Finally winning a challenge, a reward, an Immunity oh my goodness I was just stoked,” Krista glows. “Then getting out of that helicopter and seeing that food, it was like Christmas morning.” Piling out of the helicopter, Krista squeals as she and Andrea pull out jars of cookies and other treats out of the picnic basket. “I cannot believe this is happening right now,” Andrea mentions before shoving down a cracker. “Guys, we earned this one, totally,” Grant happily congratulates. “Thank god, the curse has been broken!” Grant exclaims. “It’s just like… we’ve been waiting for this moment for so long, man, just to celebrate and feast and not have to worry about going to Tribal. I’ll tell you what man, I feel like I’m on a cloud,”

“Can we check out the view of this volcano?” Krista asks aloud. Grant prods the girls to go ahead while he hangs back. “I’ll catch up, just give me a sec,” he promises. After seeing Andrea and Krista go off, Grant quickly grabs the jar of cylindrical candies, digs through it, finding the tiny rolled up idol and stuffing it in his pocket. “I remembered that there was definitely a clue somewhere in the reward,” Grant recaps. “So then it hit me that there were like crackers that were shaped just like the clue. So I just slipped it into my pocket when the girls weren’t looking,” he admits. “I mean, I don’t really know if there is still an idol at the Ometepe camp, but the clue is a good thing to have so… It’ll just be my little secret for now,” he says, winking.

The Decoy Boot

Coming back to camp reeling from their first loss as a swapped tribe, Phillip tries to give the Zapatera tribe a pep talk. “You know what guys, we need to keep our heads up, look Tribal Council dead in the eye, and let him know that we’re not scared of him,” he intensely suggests, prodding Stephanie and Kristina to exchange annoyed glances. “I tried to bring out the lion and the gorilla today,” Mike tells Phillip, glumly patting him on the back. “Losing the Immunity challenge is never fun, especially after being on such a roll,” Mike tells the camera. “But you have to look at every loss as somewhat of an opportunity,” he suggests. “David is the person who I hold responsible for dismantling my entire alliance on Ometepe. So I wouldn’t really say I’m a vengeful person, but I feel like this is the prime moment to take David out of the equation.”

Mike pulls Julie aside in the jungle and begins to campaign his idea to take out David. “If we do it tonight with us, Ralph, and Kristina, that’s the four votes we need,” he explains. Looking unsure, Julie can’t even look Mike straight in the eye. “Erm, well I just don’t know if this is the right time to vote Dave…” Julie feebly puts together. “Julie definitely does not have the greatest poker face,” Mike admits. “I could see it in her eyes that David has already had his hooks in her, and that definitely does not bode well.” Slightly deterred, Mike finds Ralph and once again pitches his idea. “He won’t expect it,” Mike explains. “I really just can’t think of a better move for tonight, I just can’t.” Ralph shakes his head. “Hey, do you know how long I been a waitin’ to take that bitch out? And you want me to work with her? Sheesh, man!” A frustrated Mike further reasons with Ralph, but his pleas fall on deaf ears as Ralph remains determined to take out Kristina, his nemesis. “Then to come to find out that Ralph has no intention of helping a brother out, it’s a shame, honestly,” Mike says. “So tonight, there ain’t much of a choice for me, I’m gonna have to play it safe, as much as it kills me, and vote off Kristina, unfortunately with the rest of the tribe.”

Confirming the vote for his alliance, David begins to make his rounds. “I feel like I’m starting to get my mojo back,” David admits. “You know, Kristina, bless her heart, she’s the only one I don’t have eating out of the palm of my hand, so sorry to say, she’s gotta go.” Appraoching Stephanie, he confirms the target: Kristina. “I know she’s your friend but...” David’s says  “No I get it.” Stephanie says. “But if she has the idol, we have to split the votes,” David strategizes. “It has to be three for Kristina, then we need to put three on Mike…” he says, his voice trailing off. “I know a thing or two about this game,” David confidently announces. “So naturally, the guy with the highest IQ comes up with the master plan. So tonight, we have six votes in my corner. Ralph has gone on an on about how Kristina has the idol, so we all know that she has it, and we need to make sure that if she plays it, which is likely, that it doesn’t come back to bite us. So I’m gonna have Ralph, Julie, and Mike to vote Kristina. But unbeknownst to Mike, I’m gonna then have Phillip, Stephanie, and I vote for Mike. That way, if Kristina ends up playing her idol, we get the next best thing, that being Mike going to Redemption Island.” “So just vote Mike, I’ll tell everybody else what we’re doing,” David informs Steph. With this, David leaves her. “The target for tonight is for Kristina to flush her idol,” Stephanie recaps. “But… I like Kristina! She’s the only one on this team I can actually bear to live with!” she exclaims. “She has an idol, and I personally know from experience how powerful those things can be. Seriously, I’m tired of David bossing me around. I came here to make big moves, so screw David, I’m officially jumping ship, and I’m a proud member of the S.S. Kristina.”

Sitting in the shelter in their usual spot, Stephanie motions for Kristina to come closer. “Do you have the idol?” Stephanie asks. Kristina subtly nods. “They’re trying to flush it. Tonight.” She confirms. “But what if we shakes things up?” Stephanie then explains her own thought: if Stephanie switches her vote to David along with Kristina, and they get Mike onboard as well, then they will have enough votes to foil David’s plan and send him packing. “It would be the biggest blindside ever,” Stephanie excitedly motions. “As I’m moping around camp, ready to give my idol away tonight, Stephanie comes up to me and she has the amazing plan where… I can get rid of David and keep my idol!” Kristina tells the camera. “And of course, you know I’m all like, giddy now.” “This will be the one of the biggest moves in Survivor history if you can pull this one off,” Kristina says. Stephanie assures Kristina to work on Mike, as Tribal Council draws closer.

Finding a spot on the beach, Stephanie makes her final pitch. “Did Dave tell you it was Kristina?” she asks. Before he can even answer, Stephanie drops the bomb: “He lied, he’s splitting the votes so you’ll go home.” Awestruck, Stephanie explains David’s hare-brained scheme. “We need to get together, with Kristina, and just cut him off, now,” Mike is all smiles at the proposal. “Oh my god, I’m just... is this really happening?” Mike laughs. “Just vote David, just do it, I’ll leave you with that,” she says, walking away, back to camp. “I feel like… everything… man it’s just too good to be true!” Mike apprehensively admits. “Of all people to trust, is it the best idea to trust Stephanie, I don’t know, but… I’ve been circling this target for a while, and I’m ready to go in for the kill,” he admits. As the tribe grabs their torches to head to Tribal Council, Stephanie gleefully anticipates the coming events: “I just cannot wait to see the look on David’s face if this all works out,” Stephanie eagerly tells the camera. “Like, he wants to see feisty, I’ll show him feisty. Who’s the boss now, David?”

Tribal Council #7 — Zapatera Tribe

At Tribal Council, Jeff starts the line of questioning directed at the Zapatera members. “Mike, for a while, you guys were on this amazing roll. What happened?” Jeff asks. “I don’t think it was necessarily based out of a lack of effort why we lost,” Mike answers. “It just comes down to the fact that you win some, you lose some. And we lost today.” Jeff then turns to Kristina. “Kristina, do you agree with what Mike said? Was it just a bad day for Zapatera?” he follows up. “Well you know, we did have a nice lead until David kind of floundered with the puzzle-“ Kristina observes. David jerks his head up instinctively. “It’s funny to me how you sit there saying that, when you didn’t even compete in the challenge today,” David defends. “In fact, you’ve sat out the past two challenges.” Kristina rolls her eyes. “I just feel like since you wanted to be dubbed the ‘puzzle guy’, you should deliver in the puzzles!” she argues. “Well if you weren’t in my position, you really, really shouldn’t speak for me.” David scolds. “Just because the hands aren’t moving doesn’t mean the mind’s not working.” “David, what’s going on between you and Kristina?” Jeff then follows up. “Ever since this tribe has been formed, she has been the odd-person out,” David explains. Kristina raises her eyebrows, smiling slightly. “I mean, let’s just face facts here,” he continues. “Actually, I’d like to put in my own two cents,” Kristina interrupts, raising her hand. “Go ahead,” Jeff prompts. “I’m just you know, sayin’, maybe it has more to do with the fact that David does walk around with a clear superiority complex,” Kristina adds. “So sorry, Dave, oh I mean Jesus if I hurt your feelings a little bit.” David sits shocked, and signs for Jeff to go on.

“Phillip, clearly this is a tribe that is not united.” Jeff observes. “I’d beg to differ on that, Jeff,” Phillip disagrees. “I feel like this is a tribe that is one strong unit.” Jeff sits, confused and flabbergasted. “Phillip, from what I’ve heard tonight, I don’t even know how it’s possible that this tribe is one strong, cohesive unit!” Jeff argues. “Well maybe it’s a little easier for Phillip to say because he’s in the majority,” Kristina pipes in. “Hey, don’t you dare speak for me!” Phillip yells and points to Kristina. Phillip begins to spew out a rant at Kristina, but she firmly brushes him off. “This is just how he is,” she clarifies. “He’s a crazy person. Like military job my ass,” This comment from Kristina prompts Phillip to yell more. “That’s right, special agent Sheppard, Defense Investigative Services!” he yells. “But when you act like this, how do you expect people to even take you seriously?” Stephanie interrupts. “Don’t you get involved, now,” Phillip warns. “Hey, ‘special agent’, I’ll get involved in whatever the hell I want I’m a grown woman,” Stephanie fires back, shutting Phillip up.

“Stephanie, give us some insight on this,” Jeff segways. “Not only Phillip, but Ralph also will walk around and will look down on the women, it’s like a chauvinistic thing that I can’t stand for the life of me.” Stephanie airs out. Ralph then raises his hand, and Jeff lets him speak. “Stephanie, she don’t do nothing; around the campsite!” Ralph exclaims. “She never gone fishin’ but she be the first one to eat the fish we bring back.” Stephanie simply shakes her head. “Mike, I’ve heard so much tonight, and I still don’t have any idea what’s going to happen,” Jeff prompts. “For the last what is it, nine days we’ve been coasting,” Mike says. “So this is the time where everybody needs to start playing the game, and I guarantee you, alliances that you didn’t know about, they’re gonna creep through.” With Mike’s eerie answer, the seven Zapatera members cast their votes.

Stephanie casts her vote for David: “I may have saved Francesca, but there’s no way in hell I’d ever save you,” she says with venom. Ralph casts his vote for Kristina, simply holding it out to the camera, while Kristina chooses to also cast her vote for David, with her confessional also not being shown. David then casts his vote for Mike: “Let’s go back to day 2,” he starts. “You picked the wrong side of the line, my man. Now it’s time to pay the price.” Julie’s vote remains a mystery, with Mike being the last to vote, placing his vote in the urn.

Returning after tallying the votes, Jeff asks the tribe if anybody has a Hidden Immunity Idol and they’d like to play it, to stand up. While all eyes dart to Kristina, she simply shrugs. Julie raises her eyebrows while David smirks. Jeff then reveals the votes one at a time to the castaways:

DAVID.

David remains unfazed, knowing this was Kristina’s vote.

KRISTINA.

MIKE.

Expecting his name to come up, Mike subtly nods and turns to David.

KRISTINA.

MIKE.

DAVID.

With a second vote for him being revealed, David’s look of smugness quickly turns to concern as Jeff turns over the last vote.

DAVID.

Shell-shocked after an unanticipated 3-2-2 blindside, David Murphy, the 31 year old defense attorney from West Hollywood, California becomes the seventh person voted out of Survivor: Redemption Island and is banished to Redemption Island, where unbeknownst to him or his tribe, Ashley awaits him, after Stephanie, with some help from Mike and Kristina pull off the biggest blindside/coup of the game so far. “Should have figured it would’ve been you,” David angrily directs at Stephanie as he grabs his torch. Stephanie grins from ear-to-ear along with Kristina while Ralph is left unsure of what just happened as Phillip has a look of distress on his face. With the game flipped on its head once again, the Zapatera tribe heads back to camp not knowing what to expect in the coming days.

Episode 8 Preview

The Zapatera tribe erupts after one of the most heated Tribal Council’s ever.

David and Ashley face off in an imperative duel to get back in the game.

With the merge finally here, how will the Redemption Island returnee affect the game?