In the aftermath of the Ally boot, the Brains are scrambled. Everyone is trying to count the votes. That’s “everyone” except The Graduates, who know exactly where the four votes for Ally came from. Covering beautifully, Zara pretends to have been confused and voted incorrectly. She begs forgiveness from Logan, calling back to Cara on the original Brains v Brawn by declaring she “cooked it.”
Karin, who admires her alliance mate’s acting from afar, tells us The Graduates are in control and can pick off the others one by one. So that’s going to be the story of the episode, right? Not so much.
At the Reward Challenge (triple-decker sandwiches), Rich is happy that “the lads” took out Ally. Ah, Rich, seldom right and wrong again. Then it’s “drop your buffs” and the swap is on. Staying as Brains are Laura (“I am screwed”), Myles (“This is a disaster”), Zara and Max, joined by ex-Brawns Ben, Kate, Morgan, Jesse and PD. Meanwhile, New Brawn is old Brawns Ursula, Paulie, Kristin and Noonan, joined by ex-Brains AJ, Logan, Karin and Kaelan, with Brain-turned-Brawn Rich.
Each of the new tribes has a 5/4 split along old tribal lines (if you count Rich as a Brain, which…). Noonan hopes against hope she will not be joining the Brain-heavy-plus-Ursula New Brawn but no such luck. In return, Ursula feels she is “stuck with” Noonan and Paulie. She doesn’t trust them.
New Brawn wins the sandwiches in a swim-plus-memory challenge, and, as JLP is feeling generous, both tribes get flint. Brawn beach has the superior shelter, and the newcomers are as excited by that as by the sandwiches. Noonan thinks she can’t rely on the ex-Brains eating each other, and realises she needs to build a bridge with Ursula.
On New Brain beach, Zara is concerned about being in a minority against a “tight five” ex-Brawn. She and Myles hunt for an idol while discussing pushing Max in front of them for a vote-out, but it’s Max who finds the idol. He can feel the idol’s power surging through him and corrupting him.
At the very brawny Immunity Challenge, which nonetheless has some brainy strategy at the finish, New Brains win by a squeaker. Afterwards, the New Brawn scatter and reform like scurrying ants, alike in determination but with multiple names thrown out for the coming ouster. With four ex-Brains and four ex-Brawn, the outcome rests on whether Rich returns to his roots in Brains or sticks with his new pals in Brawn.
Paulie, Kristen, Noonan and Ursula hold a summit at the well to discuss holding firm and only having to swing one vote over. Their chosen target is Logan. But Noonan and Ursula can’t get on the same page, the argument devolving into who respects and/or disrespects whom, with Paulie and Kristen begging them to vote together, come what may. Paulie sets off to find a crack in the ex-Brains. He’s good at looking for cracks, he tells us.
Meanwhile, the ex-Brains are floating Noonan as a possible target. Bu AJ has other plans as he suggests to Logan and Karin that they sacrifice Rich. When they pull Kaelan into the confab, he asks the perfect question. “What is the long-term plan?”
Paulie tests out Rich on a Logan vote, and AJ pitches to Paulie, also for a Logan vote. AJ and Rich bro out while also discussing a Logan vote. But AJ is reluctant to write Logan’s name down. He’s happy to “support” Rich’s vote while keeping his hands clean. Rich threatens he will come after AJ if he doesn’t vote with him. There’s no going to the party without blowing up some balloons.
But the marvellous Australian Survivor editors are playing with us again. The tide begins to swing towards another possible name. Rich. It’s a matter of distrust within and between old tribes. AJ has a busy afternoon on the beach. He tells Karin that Rich is flipping on Logan and, therefore, the ex-Brains. Would she consider a Rich vote? With her agreement, he pitches Rich to Kristen and Ursula. Worried about an Ursula flip, Paulie also thinks that Rich may not be a solid number for them.
Rich gloats to us that with this vote, he will have his revenge, while Logan, in common with many women castaways before her, is furious that her fate “is controlled by an erratic man.”
At Tribal Council, JLP digs around for cracks himself, and these players run a good line in statements with double meanings. Everyone, including us, just wants to get to the vote. In a 7-1-1 landslide, the vote is on Rich, who goes out with good humour. He voted for Logan, and Ursula slipped in a vote for Noonan. We could speculate it was to protect against an idol from Rich, but it was probably just because she wanted to.
After the previous incredible episode, it was unlikely that we would get two bangers in a row. However, this episode had its charms. It was nicely told, we got a swap, and the considerable to-and-fro of the pre-Tribal scramble was never confusing. Swapping to two tribes, both with 5/4 on old tribe lines, created intrigue as to the outcome of either going to Tribal Council. And Rich was the perfect sacrifice.
Next time on! AJ has a plan to take hostages!
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