In the last episode, we saw how a blindside was avoided due to a non-elimination twist, which Australian Survivor is notorious for. Fortunately, the audience wasn’t starved for too long, as there was an extra spicy one in this episode with so many layers that it was incredibly gratifying once we got to see it. But first things first.
The episode begins at the Brawn tribe, as newly arrived Rich feels right at home. As the self-proclaimed latest popular kid, Rich shares he’s highly social and an open book, much to the chagrin of the OG Brawn members, as they don’t trust Rich isn’t a mole and are simultaneously planning his demise in case they lose immunity. However, Rich has an advantage that he intends to use to save himself. This advantage allows Rich to choose two people to leave at the next tribal, taking their vote with them while also providing them the security of not being voted out.
Meanwhile, peace and calm can be felt at the Brains camp due to Rich’s absence, but so does what seems to be the remains of the Coven’s alliance. Karin and Zara move ahead to make their separate alliance with Myles and AJ, as they feel that Laura and Logan can’t be trusted. Myles also shares he has his sights on Max, as he feels the latter is a show-off who only likes to create chaos for chaos’s sake. On the other side of the Coven’s ashes, Logan and Laura decide to work with Kaelan and Max, as they don’t want to move ahead with Zara, who they deem too inflexible. Logan then sets AJ as their primary target, as he previously tried to go against her with catastrophic results.
When it’s time for the reward challenge, Rich comes in bearing the Brawn’s flag, much to the annoyance of his former Brains tribe members. Though the Brains try to give their shot at a physical matchup, particularly Karin, who throws Rich under the bus to Ursula mid-battle, it’s the Brawn tribe who are victorious and win luxuries for the betterment of their camp. While basking over their latest triumph, the Brawn team enjoyed a lovely time by sharing tea, biscuits, and letters from home.
In the meantime, Myles wants to bring Kaelan into his alliance and talks to him about targeting Max without noticing that Ally overhears them. Ally, being Ally, wastes no time in telling Max about him being on the chopping block. Max publicly proclaims that whoever tries to take him down will get the proverbial horns in return.
Before the immunity challenge begins, the Brawn tribe sits Rich out due to having one extra tribe member, primarily due to their fear of Rich trying to sabotage the challenge to help his former team. Rich takes advantage of being on the bench, telling his former Bomb Squad members to use his advantage to save themselves against the Coven, not realising these particular alliances are no longer in effect. Just as the Brawn tribe wins immunity, Rich gives Max his advantage and tells him to save Laura and Logan.
Back at the Brains camp, Max reads the advantage note in front of everyone and publicly announces he will use it to eliminate the pest problem currently inhabiting the camp, aka Myles, aka the jungle rat. Max also announces he will send himself and AJ out of tribal, leaving the matter of who goes home to the rest of the tribe. This particular cast operates on a new set of Survivor rules, as secrecy and stealth are seemingly unknown concepts to these players.
Rightly so, Logan is pissed off at Max for being a Nash 2.0., but ultimately agrees to target Myles. As Max is apparently off the table, the newly called Graduates alliance (AJ, Myles, Karin, Zara, and a plus-one, Kaelan) opts for Ally, as she can’t keep a secret to save her life. Without the Graduate’s knowledge, Max tells his alliance of Laura, Logan, and a plus-one Kaelan to go for Ally, as his real plan is to send Karin and Zara to camp instead.
Laura brings a third option: to go after Zara instead, as she and Logan don’t want Ally to go home yet. Laura and Logan tell Max they’re uncomfortable with his Ally plan, and Max also brings up Zara as a backup, prompting him to say he plans to send Karin and Myles to camp instead. Kaelan realises he’s in the coveted middle position and acknowledges the power he currently has to side with either Brains faction. For her part, Ally is finally told to vote for Zara, cementing the Coven’s demise. At this point, whoever goes home depends on the people Max ultimately decides to remove from tribal before the vote.
Finally, the Brains get to tribal and retell JLP about the chaos brought upon them by Rich’s advantage and how several plans emerged due to this twist. Ultimately, Max decides to send Karin to camp, and in faithful Max’s fashion, he also surprisingly decides to send Laura as well, even though Laura was supposed to work with Max at the upcoming vote. Nerves, panic, and even nausea are palpable through the screen as no one knows who will go home between Myles, Zara, and Ally.
Ultimately, Kaelan is the key player in this move, and he decides to graduate from the Brains tribe by siding with this coalition and sending Ally home in a 4-3 vote. With a mischievous triumphant grin, Myles the rat lives to see another day alongside his Graduates alliance while sending Logan, Max, and Laura to the bottom end of the totem pole.
Now, that’s how a blindside is done, not only to its victim (sorry, Ally) but to its apparent creator (not too sorry, Max) as well. While it is sad to see the Coven is no longer, the new Brains factions are far more riveting, and with an upcoming tribe swap, who knows what chaos is heading to us like a bullet train? Here’s hoping for more blindsides, upheaval, and unending turmoil until the end of this mayhem of a season.
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