Survivor Redemption Island - April 20/11

As we rejoin our trusty pack of Survivors, Ralph, Julie and Steve are the last remnants of Zapatera. Mike and David have gone off to co-habitate with Matt (my guy) on Redemption Island. And speaking of Redemption Island, Matt is having a one-on-one dialogue with God about whether he should be there. He is, by his own admission, a broken man (Matt, not God...God is fine...I guess). David and Mike are confused too, but not about God's devine purpose. They are more concerned about what Mark Burnett has up his sleeve regarding this latest twist in the game. They are also trying to answer that age old question "can you have a dual with three people?"

At the main camp, Steve is just grateful that he is still around. But it isn't long before the good vibes are gone. Zapatera and Ometepe each arrived at the merge with their own rice. Because there are only 3 Zaps left, they have lots of rice to eat. Ometepe, because they keep insisting on voting the other guys out, have more mouths to feed. Phillip takes exception to the amount of rice Zapatera is eating. Apparently, even though Ometepe won't even talk to Zapatera, they expect them to share their rice. The rice situation really goes to pot (hehehe) when Ometepe discovers maggots in their rice. They spread the rice on a blanket to pick out the maggots, then have no container to return it to. Phillip demands that Steve let them put all the rice in Zapatera's container. Steve says he doesn't think so. Phillip goes off on a rant during which Steve calls him crazy (an idea probably reinforced by the fact that Phillip was muttering in some made-up language earlier in the show). Phillip's rant then goes down a dark path where he accuses Steve of racism and equates the word crazy with the "n" word. Rob and the other Ometepites are cringing. Phillip is so agitated that violence seems like a very real probability.

But I'm getting ahead of myself. First we have to deal with the dual at Redemption Island. Everyone is present to watch as all three castaways attempt to assemble an 8 foot tower out of wooden tiles. The last one to do so will become the first member of the jury. Mike and Matt (my guy) finish their towers first and David is sent off to clean himself up for jury duty. With David goes Mitzie from the pool.

After the rice debacle, even Rob is thinking it might be a good idea to get rid of Phillip. Many of his tribe mates agree. In Rob's words, "Phillip has become public enemy #1, the only question is who will be public enemy #2?".

The immunity challenge involves a puzzle done in two stages. In stage one Survivors must lean on a circular board screwed into a post and spin on it until it comes loose. This circle then becomes the base for the puzzle. The first six to complete the inner circle of the puzzle move on to round two. Rob, Julie, Ralph, Andrea, Steve, and Grant all move on to the second stage where they must complete the exterior ring of the puzzle. Rob wins this round and immunity.

Zapatera may not have immunity but they do have that rice and they are stuffing themselves as they discuss a strategy. They need to sway two of the Ometepes to vote for Phillip. Steve even broaches the subject with Rob who doesn't really say anything one way or the other. Meanwhile, Julie decides to have a little fun at Phillip's expense. She takes his swim trunks and buries them. This provokes another rant from Phillip. Now I would be mad too, but this man is as nutty as an Oh Henry Bar. He threatens, then says he doesn't threaten. He tells Steve he can "go off just like that". So off to Tribal Council they go with Phillip's words ringing in their ears. Of course Dimples sets Phillip off again at Tribal Council. Phillip says he knows (because of his training in the CIA) that Steve took his swim trunks and that Steve is a racist (I am paraphrasing here). Julie confesses that it was actually she who took the trunks, thus proving Phillip's training was....well...flawed. Phillip looks a little sheepish and actually shuts up. When Dimples tabulates the votes, Ometepe has stayed true to Phillip and it is Julie who is going to Redemption Island, taking our own Jan with her. There are now 11 Survivors left (including the two on Redemption Island). Will Matt survive anothe duel? Will the rest of the tribe survive Phillip? Should they have cooked those maggots with the rice for additional protein (I'm just sayin'!)?

Until next week,
Outwit, Outplay, Outlast
Pat aka (Matt I didn't know God was so into this game Elrod)