By Andy Sloan

 

Welcome back to Reality Wanted's Survivor: World's Apart recap destination, where like Dan, we have no real influence on how this game plays out. Survivor fans were blessed with yet another eventful tribal council last night, but before we get to that, lets break down the latest episode's highlights.

 

Dan Talks Shirin & Will:
The beginning of the episode kicks off with Dan approaching Shirin and apologizing for Shirin crying at last episode's tribal. He doesn't apologize for Will's treatment of Shirin, but it's an apology nonetheless. However, in his interview, Dan calls Shirin "the victim," "hypocritical" and she got was she deserved because of karma.

 

Revisit Reality Wanted's exclusive interviews with the current jury because they comment on this current situation. Dan acts one way to the contestants and another to the camera. Therefore, it's hard to decipher Dan's actual gameplay and true character. Is it because he has a master strategy, or no strategy at all? I'll leave that one for you to decide.

 

Rolling to Rewards:
This week's reward challenge is to transport your 4 member team across an arena, using only 3 planks and 4 barrels. The Red Team consists of Carolyn, Tyler, Will and Dan, while the Blue Team consists of Mike, Rodney, Shirin and Sierra.

 

Mike rolls his way to an early Blue Team lead, however, it's the steadiness of the Red Team that ultimately secures them an afternoon of sailing and burgers.

 

On the reward, Dan remains clueless to the tight 4 that is Carolyn, Rodney, Tyler and Will. Tyler offers some truthful commentary, saying, "Dan doesn't get it. Mike was correct. Our group was going to target him... all [Dan] can see is top 6 and that's a perfect place for his mind to stop." Dan's loyalty to his alliance and inability to see the bonds may cost him the game.

 

Double Immunity:
In the immunity challenge, castaways must hold onto 25% of the their body weight. The winner guarantees themselves a spot in the top 7. However, before the game begins, Jeff adds a new twist to the challenge: a second immunity necklace. The last standing male and female will both win immunity. Although this twist has been done before, it's always in the first individual immunity challenge of the season. Having two immunity necklaces in the top 8 ups the anti for the remaining 6 at tribal.

 

The first to fall are Sierra, Will, Tyler, Dan and finally Shirin, meaning Carolyn is awarded the first immunity of the night. In a showdown between Mike and Rodney, Mike remains motionless, while Dan roots on a struggling Rodney. Ultimately Rodney drops, making Mike the 2nd individual immunity winner.

 

Shirin's Last Ditch Effort:
In an attempt to persuade Dan and Sierra to flip sides, Shirin approaches both of them with the argument that Tyler is a much bigger threat than she is to win the game. Although Sierra seems open to the flip, Dan ultimately refuses to do so, but acknowledges her accuracy in the argument.

 

If anything Mike said did not get through to Dan, what Shirin said should've. She said, "If you had any power in this game, if you were truly strategic, than you'd figure out a way to not vote me out." Dan and Sierra's inability to persuade their alliance in making moves is proof of where they stand in that alliance. Can they truthfully see it? Maybe, but they don't do anything about it.

 

Meanwhile, Tyler sneaks into Dan's bag and finds out that his hidden advantage is an extra vote at an upcoming tribal council. Therefore, if Dan and Sierra were to flip, he could use his vote and eliminate one of the four. That's a BIG "if" though.

 

"Survivor Roulette"
At Tribal, Shirin and Mike openly target Tyler as the top threat to win the season. However, once again Dan refuses to hear the opposing side and we hear little from Sierra. Right before the vote, Mike drops a hidden immunity bomb.

 

Mike stands and says he will give his hidden immunity idol to Shirin, meaning someone in the 6 will be voted off and the tribe will see who is actually on the bottom.

 

When Jeff goes to read the votes, Mike DOES NOT play the idol and the votes are as follows:

 

Shirin- Tyler
Mike- Tyler
Tyler- Dan
Will- Dan
Carolyn- Shirin
Dan- Shirin
Rodney- Shirin
Sierra- Shirin

 

Although Mike's plan did not save Shirin, it did expose who the solid 6 are ready to drop first.

 

Keep an eye out for my interview with Shirin to see her take on last night's episode. But for now, keep on Survivin' and I'll see you back here next week.

 

Photo credit: CBS