Survivor Recap: Double Agent or Traitor?

When we left off last week Ozzy’s plan was in motion. He had by request, been voted off to Redemption Island. In anticipation of the tribal merge Ozzy felt he should go to Redemption Island and use his challenge prowess to finally beat Christine in the duel so that the Savaii and Upolu tribes would enter the merge with equal numbers. In Ozzy’s words “It’s either the stupidest thing I’ve ever done or the craziest, ballsiest thing i ever could have thought of doing.”

Redemption Island Duel:

All tribe members are present at the Redemption Island arena. Christine and Ozzy appear for the challenge. Coach looks surprised to see Ozzy. Ozzy explains his eviction by telling the fraudulent story of Cochran blindsiding him with the idol. His acting is less than stellar. Albert and other members of Upolu are not buying the story. The duel begins.
Each person must build a pole long enough and strong enough to reach key rings hanging from posts many feet from the bamboo gate they stand behind. There are 3 key rings. Whoever retrieves them first and uses the keys to unlock their gate goes back in the game not to Redemption Island! The loser goes home. How can I root for Ozzy and Christine at the same time? I was hoping for a Survivor twist that allowed the loser to stay on Redemption Island. Christine deserves a shot at coming back into the game, but then again, Ozzy is also great at challenges and made a big move. In an anticlimactic challenge Ozzy retrieves all three keys before Christine even has a chance to get one and wins the duel. After nineteen days, most of them spent on Redemption Island, Christine’s Survivor life is over. She said it was a great fortieth birthday present. Jeff surprises everyone by telling them to drop their buffs! They are now merged as one tribe. So Ozzy’s big move paid off exactly as he had planned. He went to Redemption, won the duel, the merge happened and now the new tribe of TeTuna includes six former members of Savaii and six former members of Upolu.

Savaii’s plan is to have Cochran infiltrate the Upolu tribe and act as a spy. Savaii doesn’t know that the Upolu tribe has not swallowed the Ozzy eviction story so they think they have a shot at Cochran seemingly gathering information and indicating that he’s willing to flip, while all the while gathering information for Savaii. Ozzy is elated about his win and the merge and hopes that Cochrane can infiltrate Upolu in order to bring his tribe to victory. Jim says “It’s six on six, everybody’s looking for an in!”
The tribes are given their merge feast and everyone gobbles up the food and drink making small talk and introductions. Cochrane decides to talk with Coach alone. Cochrane starts by telling Coach how badly his Savaii tribe has treated him. Coach says, “Let me tell you how it is. Our tribe isn’t budging and I feel like you are trying to play us. Okay you guys came up with a story. You guys sent Ozzy to Redemption. You’ve got an idol in your pocket and knowing Ozzy would win redemption.” Coach pretty much nails the entire scenario. Cochrane looks stunned. Coach works his magic on Cochrane who is an easy target. Coach tells Cochrane that he is an incredibly intelligent guy. He says he knows what it’s like to be picked on and made fun of. Sure, he’s the dragonslayer now but when you are superior in one way to people and they know it, they find ways that you’re inferior to cut you down. Cochrane immediately joins Coachtown and spills the beans to the entire Upolu tribe. Cochrane lets hope you never get a job in government espionage. Cochrane says that he considers himself a mastermind but not an evil mastermind. Wow, I must have a misconception of what a mastermind is. He says he finds the Upolu members solid and completely honest. This is Survivor! No one is completely honest. He finds it exciting that he gets to decide how Survivor South Pacific takes shape and possibly ends. I think it’s apparent at this point that Cochrane’s agenda is to be remembered on Survivor, not to win the game. Cochran talks to Dawn about the possibility of him slipping. He tells her that he feels trust and safety with the Upolu tribe. Dawn cries (again) and says that she feels she should have protected Cochran while Savaii was showing him no respect. They discuss the possibility of drawing rocks and leaving the game to chance. Neither of them are comfortable drawing rocks to decide their fate.

Immunity challenge:

The challenge is to balance on a small perch while holding a coconut between 2 ropes. At intervals the rope will get longer. If you drop your coconut or step off of your perch you are out. Round one starts and immediately Edna and then Cochran are out. Round 2 starts and Whitney and Sophie are out leaving Dawn winning immunity for the women.
Round 3, Coach is first out followed by Rick, Jim, Keith, Brandon and Albert. Ozzy wins immunity for the men. So two former Savaii members win immunity Dawn and Ozzy.

Back at camp former Savaii decides to vote for Rick. Ozzy makes sure to ask if everyone is solid and if everyone is prepared to stay the course and pick rocks. Savaii feels like they have the odds. Only 4 of them will pick rocks and if they give Whitney the immunity idol, only 3 of them are in jeopardy of leaving. All 6 former Upolu are in jeopardy of leaving. Cochran immediately goes to Sophie and tells her what Savaii is doing and that they will give the immunity idol to Whitney and that they are going to vote for Rick. Sophie will not tell Cochran who Upolu is voting for. Sophie and Coach are confident that Cochran will flip and they will bring him into the fold which is full of unicorns and rainbows where he will be honored and respected. (Did that sound sarcastic?) Cochran tells Coach he’s going to get eaten alive after tribal council and asks where he will sleep tonight. Coach said you can sleep between me and Edna. Gee that sounds fun….Dawn talks to Cochran. After winning immunity she’s changed her mind about the loyalty to her tribe. She says she cares about them and has experienced wonderful things with them. She urges Cochran not to flip but swears she will not out him to her alliance of former Savaii. She is hoping he won’t flip. Cochran is in a dilemma. Does he stay with people he feels are rude or flip to Coachtown?

Tribal Council:

Jeff immediately asks if there is a strong possibility of a tie at tonights tribal. Yes, everyone agrees there will probably, initially be a tie. Jim is asked if anyone from his tribe would flip. Absolutely not he says. “There’s no point to it, we have the numbers.” Smirky smiles abound from former Upolu tribemates. Former Upolu members cast doubt on Ozzy’s story of his vote out and wonder if they’re going to see an idol tonight. Ozzy immediately admits that yes he has an idol and that it might get played tonight. At this point they are positive that Cochran has told Upolu the truth. It’s time to vote.

Ozzy decides to play the idol for Whitney so no votes for Whitney will count. Because of Cochran, Upolu already knew this, so they decide to vote for Keith. All former Savaii including Cochran vote for Rick. No one has given Rick an idol to play. This would have immediately sent home Keith but why should Coach waste an idol when he’s got Cochran right? The second vote is taken. If this results in a tie, rocks will be drawn. When the votes are counted it is 5 votes for Rick and 7 votes for Keith. Before Keith’s torch is even snuffed out Cochran turns to Jim and Ozzy and says “I swapped, I’ll explain it.” Keith is sent to Redemption Island. Jim calls Cochran a coward twice. Brandon, now Cochran’s crazy bodyguard tells Jim not to talk to Cochran that way. He says that’s what you get for talking to him like that. The tribes get up to leave and Brandon says to Cochran “Stay close to me.”

Well that’s it Survivor fans. Whether you’re a fan of Coach or not, he has his own little cult following. The kumbaya tribe can’t hold out forever. Does this make Cochran the 7th in an alliance of 7? Wouldn’t he have been better off being 6th in an alliance of 6? Did you love the drama and want Cochran to prevail or do you want Cochran to be beaten up when he gets back to camp? Just KIDDING people!!

Until next week. The tribe has spoken….!!