When Soko returns to camp, the need for everyone to “play big or go home” is on the forefront of everyone’s mind. Chrissy asks Roark to take a walk with her, so they can finally talk strategy, and when Chrissy suggests an “all girls” alliance, of course Roark says she’s on board. But Chrissy confesses Roark is not believable and is not what she’s looking for, and thinks working with the girls is a failed approach. But…it may tighten the screws around J.P.
That angle is kiboshed when she lies and tells J.P. that Roark is gunning for an All Girls Alliance, and he immediately says, “she needs to go home,” no question about it. That Chrissy knows how to play this game!
With two votes for Roark, Chrissy knows she’s gonna need at least one more, so she finds Ryan, with the hope their Secret Advantage connection is still in play. He believes Roark is gunning for him or Ali, and once Chrissy reveals the “All Girl Alliance” ruse, he agrees Roark can be blindsided by the Teeth/Firehose/Bellhop alliance.
Later, when Ali and Roark are at the well, they discuss Chrissy’s inability to step aside during the challenge, and agree they want her gone. Roark’s master plan is to keep targeting Heroes, and Ali is more than willing to target Chrissy because it’ll keep Soko stronger.
Ryan and Ali head off to discuss what THEY want to do, and Ali reveals Roark’s plan to go after the Heroes, starting with Chrissy. Ryan claims to be down with that, and says he trusts Roark, but he trusts Ali THE MOST. He’s realizing he’s become the swing vote tonight, and confesses that while he may be breaking a bond with someone he’s been aligned with, the choice he makes tonight will inevitably strengthen his game.
When Soko arrives at Tribal, Roark finally gets to light her torch – being a Tribal virgin – and takes her seat. Jeff addresses the group:
-Ali: Are the original (fake) tribe designations holding weight? Are they playing differently?
She tells him about Chrissy’s inability to step aside in the challenge, which is what she would have done. But Chrissy isn’t going to let her get away with that and defiantly says she asked “several times” whether someone wanted to take her place. Apparently, no one did, so she kept shooting. And we’ve got a bit of drama at Tribal Council. Whodathunk?
Jeff is particularly pleased at this little disagreement…
“Wow!”
-Ryan: These are the kinds of arguments that can decide a vote, right?
He offers a philosophical comment on the truth and says, “This tribe is not fighting, we’re existing…”
-Chrissy: When you got back to camp, did you start scrambling?
She tells him that since she had never had a conversation with Roark, she’d better have one because “that b*tch is going home tonight instead of me.” (maybe she didn’t say that, exactly, it’s the vodka talking…)
I guess this tribe’s “thing” is to not let a moment go by without standing up for yourself, as Roark informs Chrissy,
“The day you needed me is the day you spoke to me, so maybe you shouldn’t have done it that way. Moving forward, I am woman, hear me roar(k)” Chrissy’s startled look is all the reaction I need to see to understand how being put in one’s place feels.
“That’s two strikes against you,” Jeff tells Chrissy as he suddenly has a chalkboard behind him with the word “Chrissy” and “X X” underneath it. Nice job, Prop department for getting that in there so quickly…
But, Chrissy still won’t let someone burn her – those actuaries are hard core! – as she spins around and says to Jeff, “It’s a two-way street, Buster Brown, she coulda come talked to me. Everyone else did…”
Which motivates Roark to say,
“She just admitted she talked to Ali. She never talked to me.”
Which elicits one of the best eye-rolls in Survivor history. You see, this is why women can’t be friends…!
“I have no comment,” Chrissy replies.
-Ryan: What did you see?
He tells Jeff he saw these two women talk. And it only takes 3 votes tonight, so he’s gonna Taylor Swift this because he knows, “players gonna play.”
-J.P.: What did you see?
Forget that eye-roll, J.P. produces the greatest hockey player interview in Survivor history.
“You know, the other team is working it, you know, and me and Ryan are here, you know, and the ice is cold, you know, and there’s 3 of them and 2 of us, you know. And I think my Zamboni is double-parked, you know…”
-Chrissy: Are the original tribes still intact? Or have the lines been blurred?
“I don’t know. Can we just vote? If I say anything, I’ll probably just piss someone else off…”
-Roark: How cumforble is you?
“I am exactly the same as before Tribal. I’m good enough, I’m smart enough, and doggone it, people like me.”
Ali adds that you can’t really build trust with anyone ‘til you vote with them, so let’s see how the virgin is going to fare tonight…
“I think I’m the swing vote,” Roark admits, and hopes she’s not wrong.
Chrissy says there are no original tribe designations any more. They’re all free agents…
It’s time to vote.
Roark obviously writes down Chrissy’s name,
“Next time, don’t come for me.”
Chrissy retorts with another Survivor classic,
“I’m outsmarting Miss Smarty-pants.”
Seriously? Maybe actuaries aren’t all that hardcore…
Jeff grabs the urn and asks for idols, none appear… Jeff reads the votes.
Chrissy (by Roark)
Roark (by Chrissy)
Chrissy (by Ali)
Roark (by Ryan)
“The 5th person voted out of Survivor is”…
The word “Zamboni” is scratched out and “Rorke” is written underneath it. Nice try, J.P…
And Boom goes another snobbish Trojan… I love it when Trojans get their s**t handed to them. Not everything is life is yours for the taking, bi*ches… (Go UCLA!). Thankfully, Tattoo leaves gracefully, with a meek, “good luck, guys” and a wave.
The smug look on Chrissy’s face is all I’m focusing on because she knows she just dodged a bullet. And from the quixotic look on Ali’s face and the lack of eye-contact from Ryan, you know things are gonna get interesting back at camp. Jeff sends them off…
Next time on…Survivor!
Sparks fly (literally) as Ali attacks Ryan for lying to her. Then she cries about it… Wah!
Cole pulls a Skupin (too soon?) and collapses…
…and Jessica doesn’t want to lose Little Cole just yet.
In her final words, Roark owns the fact she didn’t do enough to stay in the game. Maybe try to be a little less standoffish next time…? Oh wait, there won’t be a next time, back row seat at the Reunion Show contestant…
Good night…
Fish
Email: bryan.fish.fischer@gmail.com
Twitter: @BF_TheFish
AIM: bryan.fish.fischer@gmail.com or Bryan Fischer