SPOILER alert: This story contains spoilers from the Oct. 4 episode of “Survivor.”
The latest episode of “Survivor” showed just how much people love this game — and will do just about anything to continue, even if they’re not physically thriving . (With the exception, of course, of Hannah, who quit at the first tribal.)
The episode kicks off with Emily continuing to upset the Lulu tribe. After Hannah’s surprise exit, Kaleb and Sabiyah voice how upsetting it is that she’s continuously calling them out. Emily claims that she’s doing what she thinks is best for her game, and feels she’s being gaslit. She later spirals, and starts very obviously digging for an idol. Since the whole tribe knows she’s looking, they then decide to partner up and look together; when Sabiyah tries to join Emily, she tells her she’d rather look alone.
Unfortunately for Emily, Sabiyah ends up getting the advantage; Brandon is the one to find it, but knows if he opens it, he’ll lose his vote, so he decides it’s better he passes it along. Sabiyah shares it with Kaleb and Shawn for help —meaning the entire tribe knows about it except Emily. Unfortunately, since it’s a bit of a scavenger hunt, it takes quite a bit of time to actually get to the idol part of the advangtage, and when Sabiyah gets there, it’s inside a candle. To actually get it, she must burn the candle and Lulu, having lost every challenge thus far, has no fire. So, Sabiyah has lost her vote.
Later, Emily gets honest with Kaleb about how much she wants to be in the game, and he sees potential in her. He explains to her that she needs to soften up and connect with the people on the tribe as humans. This pays off in the long run.
Later in the episode, three players are given the chance to get another advantage on a boat trip. Brandon takes the trip for Lulu, while the other tribes chose via rock, paper, scissors. Bruce — much to Katurah’s frustration — is chosen for Belo and and Drew is sent for Reba. (While not important in this particular episode, Katurah makes many comments about how her entire tribe is obsessed with “Uncle Bruce,” while she is sick of his antics. It’s likely that storyline will come back around.)
On the separate island, the men are faced with a puzzle. If they choose to try the puzzle and complete it in three minutes, they win an advantage. If they don’t, they lose their vote. Bruce chooses to skip the puzzle, while Brandon and Drew chose to play. Brandon isn’t able to complete it —ultimately losing his vote — while Drew wins the Safety Without Power advantage, which he could use at a tribal. The advantage allows him to give up his vote at one tribal in exchange for his safety. After he shares that news with his tribe, Austin reveals to him that he found the other advantage, creating a bond between the two.
After Brandon shares with Lulu that he couldn’t do the puzzle, the team is a bit concerned, since this was his second time failing to complete a puzzle, which he’d said he was good at. Still, when it comes time for the immunity challenge, they choose him and Sabiyah to complete the puzzle portion. While their team tries to assist in directing them, they seemingly don’t listen and come in last place.
Back at camp, Brandon and Emily admit they know they’re on the bottom — especially since Brandon has no vote. Since Sabiyah also can’t vote, it comes down to Emily, Kaleb and Sean. While everyone is unsure they can win with Brandon, they also don’t feel that they can trust Emily. In a Hail Mary, Emily hands over her Shot in the Dark to show she’s not playing it, trying to earn that trust. Emily, in her interviews, admits that this game comes down to attitude —and she’s really been trying to change her very negative one around.
In the end, that seems to work, and Brandon is voted off the island. His elimination may be one of the happiest yet, since he seems truly grateful that he was able to spend five days on the show he’d dreamed of being part of.
Meanwhile, will Lulu ever win a single challenge?
