Recap of Survivor S32E13

SPOILERS

Recap

• I don’t think Tai’s alliance turned on him really … I think that’s a harsh way of saying things, because Tai is technically still in the alliance. It’s not the first time this season that people have voted differently within the alliance and then rejoined the core alliance. I feel like it’s more like that. But with only five people left, the alliance is probably dead anyway – so it doesn’t really matter at this stage. The only twosome that probably wouldn’t ever turn on each other would be Aubry and Joe.

Dara

• “It was the power of the people. They didn’t want it” – Joe, to Tai, on the alliance voting out Jason instead of Michele.
• Tai is confused about what happened at the vote.
• “I was in the dark” – Tai, about the voting.
• Tai is upset that his extra vote – aka his advantage – was wasted in the game, as it made no difference in the vote.
• “Including you, Joe” – Tai, low blow to Joe – super nice to throw him a bone and say he’s included in the game. Funny!
• “Always confused where you sit” – Tai, on Michele being part of the alliance.
• “I was in the group before you!” – Michele, to Tai.
• “It’s kind of like a slap in the face” – Michele
• Michele doesn’t know where she stands in the alliance.
• “Still don’t know what happened” – Tai, on the vote.
• “My feelings are hurt” – Tai, on the vote.
• “(They) pull a fast one on me” – Tai, on the vote.
• “I should have told you” – Aubry, tries to make amends with Tai.
• Aubry says she voted the way she did because she wanted to regain some power, as Tai just had too much power in the game.
• Aubry is now confused.
• Just for the record. That makes Tai, Michele and Aubry all confused.
• “I made you sound unreasonable?” – Aubry, is outraged by Tai’s words, but she doesn’t show it. She’s a smart one. Playing the game very well.
• “I put all my eggs in their basket” – Tai, on Joe and Aubry, perhaps that was your mistake to make.

Reward Challenge

• “You’re down to five” – Jeff
• They must race to a wooden ladder and remove a bag of sandbags, then launch said sandbags into targets. First person to land all five targets wins reward.
• Reward includes staying overnight in a bed, where they will be treated to a bath, massage and food, of course.
• You could think Cydney, Tai or Michele would have the advantage in this game. But we shall see … I rule Joe out of every challenge.
• Wow. Cydney is fast!
• “That was fast” – Jeff, on Cydney, being back with her first bag.
• Michele, Aubry and Tai are next.
• Cydney scores one. Aubry scores one.
• “Last two get back. Can he land them all here?” – Jeff, on Joe.
• Joe is back when everyone is already going back for another bag. He’s just so slow.
• Aubry is on two. Cydney on two.
• Aubry is now on three. Michele lands one.
• Aubry is in the lead – she now has four. One more is needed.
• “Aubry is on her last bag – this is her last chance” – Jeff
• Aubry misses. Now she must wait until the end of the challenge. If no one gets all five, then something happens – but she must wait to see if anyone can finish first.
• Joe is on two.
• “Joe, back in this now!” – Jeff, on Joe having a chance in the game.
• “Everyone’s out of bags, except Joe” – Jeff
• Maybe he does have a chance then. Slow and steady sometimes wins the race, I guess.
• Joe is on three.
• “Joe has time on his side and could win it right here” – Jeff
• “This is yours to win right now” – Jeff, to Joe.
• “Joe down to two bags – could he pull it off right here?” – Jeff
• Joe is on four.
• “Joe gets it done. At 71!” – Jeff, on Joe scoring five and winning the challenge.
• Wow. Who saw that coming?! That was incredible!
• Also, incredible that I’ve never seen Joe feature so much in an episode yet to date.
• Jeff tells Joe he can pick one person to join him on the reward.
• “Gotta go with my brain partner” – Joe, picks Aubry.
• Jeff tells Joe that he can pick one more person to join he and Aubry.
• Aubry tells him to pick Cydney.
• “Already Aubry’s chatting you up” – Jeff, on Aubry telling him who to pick.
• Ouch. That’s a huge sign of who Aubry wants as the final three. It’s a bit of a dead giveaway to anyone playing/watching the game. Perhaps it wasn’t the best move. Although really, no one who they picked, it would have left someone feeling paranoid.
• “That’s maybe, final 3” – Michele, sees the picks as a sign.

Reward

• Ooh the picnic looks nice!
• “This looks fantastic!” – Joe, on seeing the picnic.
• “It’s like heaven” – Aubry, on the beach and food.
• “I was running out of fuel, guys” – Joe, on the challenge.
• Joe can’t believe he won. Nor can anyone else watching.
• Joe seems to be eating a lot of meat!
• “Mr Joe wasn’t going to be in a good place later on” – Cydney, on Joe eating so many beef kebabs.
• Joe starts talking strategy and the final three.
• “Are you good with that?” – Joe to Aubry, on the three of them being the final three.
• Joe mentions how Cydney is no threat and is just happy to sit idly at the end – which Aubry says is absolute crap. She says they all have a good shot at the money.
• Cydney says she has been downplaying her game. Sitting and smiling, so that no one sees her as a threat.
• “Happy to win $1 million when I get there” – Cydney, happy to play along until she makes it to the end.
• Joe says Aubry is the only threat left. Aubry now sees Cydney as a huge threat.

Dara

• “I kind of figured it would be the three of them no matter what” – Michele, on Joe, Aubry and Cydney going on the reward.
• “I’m genuinely hurt by Aubry” – Tai, is still not over the vote.
• Tai has to spend the next 24 hours with Michele – aka that person he wanted to vote out. Awkward.
• “I knew you had it out for me” – Michele, on why she fought so hard last tribal.
• Tai says that he thinks he didn’t click with Michele because she was a “beautiful girl” and that maybe makes him feel uncomfortable – considering they started the game together as part of the beauty tribe.
• Tai says he puts his guard up around some people – and that’s how he’s felt with Michele.
• Tai says he forms relationships based on chemistry, otherwise he shuts down.
• “We have different perceptions of the game” – Michele, on her game play, meaning she knows you have to connect with everyone to go further in the game.
• Tai gives Michele a massage back at camp.
• “Kind of feels like a Thai massage” – Michele
  “It is a Tai massage” – Tai
• ^ see what they did there …
• Tai says he will feed Michele mangoes later too.
• “We’re having a poor man’s spa” – Michele. “Bonding massage and dinner date”
• “We’re kind of both on the outs right now” – Michele, on Tai.
• “My door’s always open” – Michele, is open to working with Tai.
• Tai says he still feels betrayed so he’s open to working with Michele.
• They mention trying to come up with a plan to make sure they get to the end.
• ^ I was thinking about that. Tai says they would have to try and get Cydney over to work with them – but I don’t think that’s true. The best thing would be in Tai was to win immunity and then he gives his idol to Michele to use. And they vote out one of the biggest threats in the game – Aubry would be ideal – because that way no one would see it coming. If they went to Cydney, she could go to Aubry. But this way – no one would suspect that Michele and Tai are working together. It’s kind of a great plan – if it worked. Obviously though if Michele won the necklace and Tai played his idol, then it would work the same way but without the added surprise.
• Tai says that being on Survivor has been the hardest thing he’s ever done in his life. He says he loves the psychical side of things and being out in nature – but having to trust people has been the hardest part.
• “Hardest thing I’ve ever done in my life” – Tai, on the game.
• Joe, Aubry and Cydney return to camp.
• “You look clean and fresh” – Tai.
• “My final three is Tai and Joe” – Aubry
• Aubry is worried Tai could go in another direction.
• “I need to talk to Tai and make things right” – Aubry.
• “I need Tai to trust me” – Aubry.
• “Joe will go with what I think the right decision is” – Aubry, tells Tai that Joe will just follow the crowd.
• Aubry says she needs a powerful three to make it to the end.
• “This game is so crazy” – Tai, to Aubry.
• “We need each other” – Tai, to Aubry.
• Tai breaks down in tears because talking to Aubry has made him feel comfortable and good in the game again. All he needed was a hug. Aww so emotional.
• “Break down a bit” – Tai, on Aubry’s words.
• “I had a tender spot with her from the beginning” – Tai, on Aubry.
• Tai and Aubry come back to camp with a big pot of water. Cydney reads their body language as very comfortable – or too comfortable – with each other.
• Cydney and Michele are solid.
• Cydney wants Michele around.
• “We’re gonna have to make a move again” – Michele, to Cydney.
• “That will be a crazy twist in this game” – Michele, on working with Cydney and Tai.
• ^ Although, I think at this stage, Tai is back in Aubry’s pocket.
• Joe’s having terrible stomach pain. And he feels the need to tell everyone.
• “Hoping what I have going on now is not serious” – Joe, doesn’t want to be pulled from the game.
• Aubry’s dancing is tragic.
• “It’s really unpleasant” – Joe, is having bladder problems, and once again feels the need to tell everyone.
• “Joe’s the anchor to my entire game” – Aubry.
• “I feel bad but it’s also positive” – Michele, doesn’t like that Joe is sick but it’s good for her game plan if he gets sent home too.
• “I’m still constipated” – Joe, TMI, mate!
• Joe sees medical and they give him some medication to help the pain.
• “If Joe goes home, it’ll screw up the plan we had for final three” – Tai, is worried.
• “But I’m in pain all the time. At the point where I feel nauseous” – Joe.
• “You hope that it’s gonna be okay” – Michele, on Joe’s condition.
• “Every hour it seemed to get worse and worse” – Michele
• Michele thinks Joe is “masking the pain” so that he can stay in the game.
• Tai is crying again.
• Joe says the medicine isn’t working.
• “It happened so quickly” – Joe
• Tai is kissing, always kissing, now he’s making his move on Joe.
• “You made my booboo go away” – Joe jokes.
• “I wish, when I was 72, that I’m as strong as you are” – Tai, to Joe.
• Joe is definitely gone. I mean, there’s only ten minutes left of this episode. There’s no way they’re doing a challenge and tribal in ten minutes! I’m calling this.
• Jeff and Doctor Joe make a visit to camp!
• “Age is definitely a factor here” – Doc
• Joe says he ate a lot of meat and he doesn’t normally eat meat.
• That’s really bad. I didn’t eat meat for a long time and then I was at a place where all that was available was a cheeseburger – and I got so so sick! It was bad. Really bad. It is something I will never forget. So I know how he’s feeling right now – maybe not to that extreme, of course, as I didn’t need a hospital or medicine, but gosh it was bad!
• “I’m at that point where I need something” – Joe, is in a bad way.
• Doc says he thinks it’s best to pull Joe from the game.
• “You’re not surprised he’s pulling you?” – Jeff, to Joe.
• Joe says he’s not. He knew it was coming.
• “You gotta lot of life to live” – Jeff, to Joe.
• “Getting it done at 71” – Jeff, on Joe’s motto.
• “This adventure on Survivor has come to an end” – Jeff, on Joe’s game.
• “You be well. All of you” – Joe, on his parting words.
• “We’re gonna burn this forest down for you” – Aubry, to Joe.
• That’s three evacuations this season. Wow! Most ever!
• “I feel bad for Joe, but this just changes everything” – Aubry’s game plan is screwed!
• “Can I do it? And I did” – Joe, on his ability to play the game. Although I think he’s a bit of a liar, as he didn’t really play the game all too well. To be honest now. Like, really. Did he really play the game? He kind of was just there for most of the time.

So, we’ve got our final four: Cydney, Aubry, Tai and Michele.

The video they showed, says that Cydney has played the game with fire. Michele has played the loyalty card. Aubry, once again, has no alliances in this game. And Tai, now has no idol and no advantage, and is vulnerable for the first time in the game. I do think it’s very interesting that there’s no alliances left. Everyone is pretty much a lone wolf at this stage. You can look at it that Aubry and Tai will probably pair up. And Michele and Cydney will pair up. But that’ll depend, of course, who they want to sit next to at the end – but even then, they may just pair up because it’s better to have someone than be alone. Better to sit beside someone in the end with someone you don’t want to be there with, than not be at the finale at all.

Here’s who I think wins, if it gets to final three.
Cydney, Aubry and Michele: Aubry
Cydney, Aubry and Tai: Aubry
Cydney, Michele and Tai: Michele
Aubry, Michele and Tai: Aubry

Cydney, Michele and Tai is a tough call, but I’m choosing Michele, just because I think Cydney and Tai have made too many enemies – and I do believe that the winner can be determined if they are a good speaker, so I think that rules Tai out completely.

I do believe if Aubry makes it to the finale, she’s won. I truly believe that. I personally think she’s played the best game – both physically, mentally and has strong connections on the during. I think Neal, Debbie, Nick and Joe have her vote. Jason and Scot aren’t going to vote for Cydney – probably not Tai either, so their votes could easily go to Michele – they are wildcards though. I can’t say for sure who they will vote for – just who they won’t vote for. Julia will vote for Michele, and then I’m not too sure.