It’s day six, and on the Brawn tribe, Zen contemplates the food options. Rice itself. Beans itself. Rice and beans. Beans and rice. But in short order, there is a Reward Challenge that requires pure brawn, and wouldn’t you know it, Brawn wins. Loaded fries are on the menu, and Brawn feasts on toppings the way they feasted on the tears of the Brains tribe in their 5-0 drubbing.
“Why are the napkins under the chips?” someone muses too late, as Paulie has already used his napkin to blot his mouth politely and to lead him to an idol. It’s a map-kin, you see. Noonan (may she reign forever) searches for a clue under serving plates, assisted by PD, while the rest of the tribe groans with greasy contentment, then lurch to the sea to have an underwater holding-your-breath contest.
When Paulie returns from his successful hunt, Noonan asks him if he has a clue. Paulie tells us his dilemma. Noonan is his closest ally, yet he’d like to keep the idol for himself. He compromises by telling her he did get a clue and that they should search for the idol together. Apparently, that is the first lie that Paulie has ever told. Ever. It makes him feel funny in his tummy, though that might be the ocean of fixins he laid onto his chips. He utters the dreaded phrase “moral compass” but at least it’s in the context of abandoning said compass to play Survivor.
Over on Brains, “that little weasel” Kent (per Max) is getting on everyone’s last nerve. The Coven meets at the well to breathe out their annoyance and breathe in gratitude. This is, surprisingly, not even slightly irritating to the viewer. They agree on Kent as their next target, and when Max strolls up to join what looks like a fun party (he’s not wrong), they recruit him to the vote with no need of persuasion. Meanwhile, AJ crowns himself The Smartest of the Brains and takes Kaelan for a bro-walk to discuss keeping “the ladies” in the minority.
It’s Day 7, and Brawn arrives one down to the mat at the Immunity Challenge (climb over things, throw things). Zen emerges from the greenery, his hand and forearm in a cast. In his clash of gleaming muscle with Kaelan at the Reward Challenge the day before, his finger was fractured “down to the bone”, and medical has pulled him from the game. This is no way to go, and everyone is sad. Whatever his rating as a player, this is not the way any of us wants to see a Survivor go out.
The last we see of the Brawn tribe is their now-familiar victory celebration, and Brains begin the scramble. Kent intends to “finish the job” on Myles, while The Coven reconfirms that the vote is Kent. They bring in Myles while keeping him up their various sleeves as the split vote. Rich, Max, AJ and Kaelan are also gathered in.
But AJ thinks it’s a stupid move. He declares that no one else is playing, a common cry on Survivor. AJ, they are playing; they’re just not playing with you. A “big move” just for the sake of it is a poor strategy. According to AJ, Logan is in a position of power. He notes her social game, which is stellar. As a WAG, Logan is very keyed into complex social structures and sniffing out hierarchies. He’s right, Logan is impressive.
AJ cryptically floats “a plan” to Ally, with a nod and a wink, but without naming a name. She agrees to whatever the plan might be, and she is happy to find out later. Ally excitedly brings the plan to Logan, saying she has already guessed the name, and that name is Rich. Ally is ready to jump to that plan, and Logan agrees to vote for Rich too.
Logan and Laura are in the VB Alliance with Rich, which is no longer a secret, as Rich openly proclaimed it at the previous Tribal Council, the Night Where Everything Got Spilled. Logan confers with Laura about the Rich vote. Laura (may she also reign forever) needs to duck and weave once more to save Rich, who, as we know, was never the target. Please let him go, lady.
Once AJ reveals to Ally and Max that his Big Move is to target Logan, Ally lays down an absolute no, while Max manfully restrains himself from rolling his eyes. After assuring AJ she won’t tell anyone of his plan, Ally naturally strides to Logan to fill her in. Logan is very taken aback that someone could dare to say her name and turns on instant revenge mode. But it’s too late in the scramble to switch all the Kent votes to AJ before Tribal.
So, despite some whispering among The Coven and a veiled conversation between Logan and AJ masterfully directed by JLP, it is Kent who cops eight votes, with three splitting on Myles. This is as the Coven originally planned, and Kent goes out of the game with no more self-knowledge, self-reflection or humility than he arrived with.
Next time on! Brains have a secret weapon! Nash is in tears! And Rich has a Bomb Squad. Watch out, ladies!
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