by Gina Scarpa

 

Well, Zapatera, you gave it a good run on Survivor but you were no match for the Ometepe alliance of six. Last night, both Ralph and Steve showed up at Redemption Island and will have to face Mike and Matt, two worthy competitors, in order to stay in the game. Back at Murlonio, Natalie broke down after tribal council after realizing the double edged sword when you have a strong alliance that dominates the game. Eventually, you have no other moves but to cut the throats of the people who helped you get this far.

 

Tree mail arrives with a box marked with the Sprint logo and that means: messages from home. Murlonio finds out that they'll be attending the next duel at Redemption Island and may be seeing their loved ones soon. A video preview shows each loved one sending a message of love and hope to their player in the game. The guys at Redemption also get video messages. How is this going to work?

 

At the duel, the four players have to throw a ball and break four tiles. The first one to finish is obviously still in the game but will also get to see their loved one. The next two that complete the challenge will also be safe and the one to finish last will be eliminated and sent to the jury. Mike finishes first, followed by Matt and Ralph. It doesn't even seem that Steve put out any effort whatsoever. If you're gonna play, get out of the game. Have fun at Ponderosa.

 

Jeff Probst then morphs into the devil and makes a proposition to Mike. He can forego spending time with his mother and give that time instead to Matt and Ralph and their brothers... OR he can make all three of them give up their time and give it to the six Murlonio members. Mike decides that God would want him to make as many people happy as he could so he chose to let Murlonio spend time with their loved ones, which really pisses Ralph off. Back at their camp, Ralph says he would've kept his family member for himself - well that's why you wouldn't be a contender to win.

 

At Murlonio's camp, the time with family was exactly what the players needed to lift their spirits and give them some much needed drive to make it through the last few days of the game.

 

This week's immunity challenge was killer. Players had to place planks down on step in order to climb a very large staircase. Each plank was like a puzzle piece, which indicates that Rob would be a serious contender here. Andrea and Grant both get off to a great start, along with Rob, while the others quickly fall out of it. In the 110 degree heat, Rob literally crawled and dragged himself up the giant staircase to finish first and win individual immunity, then collapsed out of sheer exhaustion and dehydration. He recovered quickly enough to get that necklace and continue his domination of Survivor this season.

 

Back at camp, my theory about Phillip being a smarter player than he seems is given a little credibility. In his interview, Phillip says that he's purposely trying to be the villain so that everyone will want to bring him to the end. I mean, so far, it's working right? Rob is even starting to wonder himself and debates between blindsiding him or Andrea at tribal council.

 

The amazing thing at tribal council is that no one is concerned that they're going home. Andrea specifically states that she's content with her group and trusts them wholeheartedly. Well, that'll make you think twice next time, won't it? Andrea is sent to be reunited with Matt at Redemption Island as her entire tribe votes her out of the game. "Tricky, tricky..."

 

 

Survivor: Redemption Island airs Wednesdays at 8/7c on CBS.

 

(Image courtesy of CBS)

 

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