SURVIVOR: BRAINS VS BRAWN VS BEAUTY FINALE – 5/21/14

At Tribal, Jeff reveals to the jury Kass’s amazing comeback in the challenge and how the loved ones visit inspired all the players. Some of the jury members seem moved (or annoyed) that they weren’t able to see their loved ones, but that’s the breaks, suckers… Jeff asks Kass, Tony and Spencer about their emotional state, to which they all relate how inspired they were to see their loved ones. Spencer then reveals to everyone the big argument he made to Tony today to stay in the game. He even takes it a bit farther and says (to the jury) that if he stays in the game and is taken by Tony to the final 2, he will request that the jury give Tony the win, since he played the better game. Seems a bet far-fetched and unlikely that he’d make good on that, but a neurotic man’s gotta do what a neurotic man’s gotta do…

Woo is asked about his gameplay, and he admits that while he’s been inconspicuous, he has played a part in many big decisions. Jeff then asks Kass about her position, since it’s been an interesting ride, and she just loves the fact that she has options. When pressed to reveal who she’d be more comfortable in a final 2 against, she says, “Woo.” Much to Tony’s surprise…

So everything that Spencer told him today is coming to fruition, and now Tony’s radar is firmly set to “On” as Chaos Kass has, once again, reared her ugly head. And with that, “it’s time to vote…”

Kass does as expected and votes for Spencer
Spencer does as he said and votes for Woo

Just before Jeff reads the other votes, Tony speaks up and reveals the power of the Tyler Perry idol and shocks everyone when he reads that it can be played, “after the votes are cast.” However, it can only be played until final 5, so go suck eggs… He played it like a champ… Jeff continues.

Spencer, Woo…Spencer…Spencer.

And a million people on Twitter just s**t in their pants! Aside from Tony (or LJ!) I can’t recall a player getting so much Twitter love than Spencer has been receiving lately. Surprising to me, considering he’s been scrambling most of the game and not actually controlling anything. I guess Tony figured that he didn’t like anything dictated to him (meaning Spencer’s “offer” to the jury) and that he’d have a better chance to win against Woo than Spencer. Not sure about that, but so be it.

As the final 3 return to camp (Night 37) the mood is more somber than celebratory. They all thought they’d be going to Final Tribal together and not have to still go at each other one more time. Kass is confident that she’ll be taken to the final 2 regardless, so she’ll bask in the knowledge that Tony and Woo will have to fight each other for survival in the game. So while Tony is away, Woo and Kass agree to take each other to the final 2, knowing they’d have no shot against Tony.

“I’d be the stupidest Survivor player, taking Tony to the end,” Woo admits.

Day 38 and what can only be described as the most incredible challenge/maze John Kirhoffer has ever constructed awaits the final 3. A massive maze with posts and turnstiles where players have to weave their way around to find 4 medallions. Those medallions are then used to unlock a chest that contains cogs. Those cogs must then be arranged in the correct order to allow them to spin via a handle that will release a flag. Sounds easy, right…?

Jeff says “Go!” and everyone gets their first medallion rather quickly. Tony and Woo are sticking together while Kass works alone. She collects her 2nd as Tony and Woo struggle to find the path to their 2nd. They catch up as Kass makes her way to the 3rd station. As she collects that one, the guys reach their 3rd station. Everyone brings their 3rd back and heads out to collect the final medallion. Kass is heading to the station that gave Tony and Woo so much trouble, and the guys are getting the easy one Kass collected 1st. Woo is the first to reach the 4th station and then Tony gets there next. Kass is struggling to find the correct path as the guys start heading back. Woo unlocks his chest first, followed by Tony.

As Woo and Tony work to put the cogs in order, Kass finally brings the last medallion. She unlocks her chest as Jeff provides play-by-play on everyone’s status:

Kass knows how to come from behind!
Woo has only won one immunity!
Tony has never won immunity!

And as Kass starts to make her typical slow and steady progress, the guys are placing and removing countless cogs. With only 2 pieces left to place for both Woo and Kass, Woo has the tiniest advantage as he cranks his flag up one second before Kass. Woo wins final immunity!!! See ya, Tony!

They return to camp and Tony knows he has to make his final play to stay alive. He grabs Woo and the two men head off down the beach to talk turkey. Tony’s argument to Woo is that his whole game has been about loyalty and integrity, and if he takes Kass to the final 2, all that is out the window. Kass, on the other had, has “stories” to tell, Tony says. She made the big moves, and while they may have been the wrong moves, they were big nonetheless. Woo tells Tony that he’ll consider everything he said, but he won’t make him any promises. Tony confesses it’d be stupid for Woo to take him to the final 2, but he’ll leave that decision up to Woo. That’s now 2 people thinking it’d be stupid to take Tony to the end…

Kass presents the other side, which is “take me, you dumbass, and you’ll win.”

But Woo needs to think it over, since he’s dimmer than a 15 watt light bulb… In his final confessional to us, he says he’d be the biggest hypocrite if he didn’t take Tony to Final Tribal. Ok, whatever. You have to be misleading us. You’re not that stupid, right…?

At Tribal Council, Jeff asks a number of questions that don’t really matter until he gets to the ones that does. “When you got back to camp, what were Tony and Kass’s basic pitches?”

Woo foregoes his one chance to make a bold statement in front of the jury and just says he wants to vote.

Jeff reads it and it’s: Kass.

RUFKM!

In what can only be described as…I don’t know…a Colby/Erik level of stupidity produced in a Fabio way, Woo voted out the one person he could beat. Maybe the starvation and sleep deprivation finally got to him, but he just made himself…wait, let me scroll up a page or so…

“…the stupidest Survivor player, taking Tony to the end.”

And as they return to camp on Night 38, Woo finally reveals why he made his decision. First, he feels he can exploit this decision to the jury: that he finally made a “big decision” before their eyes.” But more importantly, from his martial arts background, going up against a weaker opponent would not be honorable, and taking Kass to the end just wouldn’t sit right with him.

Ok, can someone please inform Woo that this isn’t a martial arts competition…?

As they head off for their final Treemail where they’ll obviously get a final reward basket of food, the guys are floored at the spread they’re given. And while neither are a chef, they both know how to eat, so they toss everything in the frying pan and go to town. I hope they enjoyed their bacon, peaches, sugar, coconut omelets…

While digging inside the basket, Tony finds what he thinks is a clue to…something…so he sticks it in his pocket and waits for the right moment to read it. With Woo’s back turned, Tony reads that there’s a surprise waiting behind their camp, next to the stream. It’s just a scale and mirror, but Tony still feels the need to play the game like he’s the only one that matters. Has he seen how Final Tribal goes…? He finally calls Woo over and shows him the mirror like he just stumbled onto it. And despite all his insane decisions, it’s still fun to watch Woo as he checks himself out in the mirror and likes what he sees. And as the two guys prep for Final Tribal, Woo reveals to us the 5 codes of Tae Kwon Do which is how he played the game. He also tells us about the ways he could improve his and his parents’ lives, and he’s confident that he made the right decision.