by Gina Scarpa

For as rough as Abi-Maria has been throughout this season of Survivor: Philippines, she really did take a beating at tribal council last week and perhaps she really wasn't aware just how much people didn't like her. Skupin checks in the next morning, but she's still upset, which is driving Denise and Jonathan crazy. Look, I get it. She pissed you off. But if you lay her out and drive a bus over her in front of millions of people, you can understand she's not going to just immediately shake it off. Malcolm comforts her as well when the pair go off to get the clue for the next challenge, and he seems to genuinely feel bad for her.

Hooray, it's time for a food auction! This, and next week's "surprise" visits from family members, are my two favorite moments of any Survivor season and so far, Philippines is not disappointing. With $500 in their hands, and Abi sulking that she won't play because she's going home, the bidding begins. Pancakes, bacon, and orange juice go to do Denise for $500, then Michael grabs wine and cheese for $500. Within seconds, two people have already dropped all their cash. Malcolm pays $200 for donuts and iced coffee, Jonathan gets fried chicken and fries for just $100, then Carter finally wins some food by bidding $200 on a baked potato. Jeff presents a proposition that he can trade it for enough rice and beans for the tribe for the rest of their time out there, so what can Carter do?

Lisa wins a giant sandwich for $320, which leaves Abi as the only person with all of her money. When Jeff says he has an advantage in the group, she yells $500 before anyone can even react. How dumb can you be Dangrayne? Lastly, Carter finally gets a little bit of food when he pays $200 for a veal shank that he has to share with the entire tribe without any plates or utensils. Gross, but when you're that hungry, I'm pretty sure you don't care about being sanitary.

After the challenge, Jonathan and Abi-Maria try to talk things out but end up mostly arguing, which leaves the tribe silently sitting there feeling awkward. They hug it out but it's not like they're going to start working together or anything so it's just for show, basically. Abi heads off to read her clue, and finds out she'll advance to the final round in a multi-stage immunity challenge, but decides to lead Malcolm and the others to believe that she has a fourth idol. That seems like it would make no sense because she has to reveal the messages at the challenge, but she acts as if there are two parts to it, one that she didn't want to share.

In the immunity challenge, players must make their way through a series of obstacles while being tethered to a rope. In the final challenge, the three players race through several levels of a structure, untying knots as they go in order to move forward. Jonathan and Carter reach the end, to take on Abi-Maria, who's been sitting out of challenges all season long because her knee has been bothering her... or something. Let me tell you, she made a miraculous recovery because she flew through that challenge and not even Carter could catch her. As the title of the episode states, "Hell Hath Frozen Over" and Abi has won immunity.

At camp, the final four alliance (Skupin, Lisa, Malcolm, Denise) agree it's Penner who has to go so Lisa goes and talks to him, struggling with her decision. She's been right all season. She may love the game, but she's no good at it. She doesn't stand a chance in the end with that alliance, especially against Malcolm and/or Denise. Go to the end with Jonathan, Carter, and Abi, cut Jonathan loose if you can right before the final tribal, and you're the winner. Penner makes one last appeal to his fellow returning player Skupin before it's time to cast votes.

When they arrive at tribal, Denise tells Jeff that she doesn't feel the previous tribal council was brutal, but it was just a group of people out of tolerance for Abi-Maria's behavior. Jonathan defends not entering a final four alliance with Lisa, because she had previously voted twice against him, and wasn't completely sure he could trust her. Fair enough. He also passionately points out that Lisa cannot beat Malcolm or Denise in the end. THANK YOU. Oh, but Lisa didn't listen. She wrote Penner's name down, he's voted out 4-3, and tells everyone to suck it as he heads out. Man, I love that guy.

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

(Image courtesy of CBS)

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