Survivor Micronesia - Episode 2

The Faves return from tribal council somewhat confused by Fairplay’s choice to be evicted. As Eliza says, “I voted for him because he asked me too, but I kept expecting him to pull something out of his hat. I didn’t really believe him.” Oh - and Ozzy has a fish he caught with his hands on the way back.

Next morning at Airai the Fans split into two groups, 7 young versus 3 old, as they try to get it together to build a shelter and start a fire. Joel, a.k.a The Hulk, seems as stupid as he is strong. He practically wears away their flint without starting a fire. His solution to everything is strength, meaning his attention to things like technique and leverage is non-existent.

22 year old Jason makes no bones about his dislike for the older crew, Kathy, Tracy and Chet. “They haven’t accomplished a single productive thing all day.” Note that Jason’s big accomplishment for the day has been to clear a space big enough for himself, under a rock overhang and to then chase away others wanting to do the same thing, calling the overhang, which appears to run for yards along the cliff-face, his “cave.”

Over at Malakala the Faves are all sunshine and light; eating well, sleeping well, cooing well (the couples (Ozzy and Amanda, James and Pavarti), anyway). Remarkably, the couples have convinced themselves that the others are oblivious to the pairings, which hasn’t been true for at least two days.

The Airai oldsters build their own tent-shaped shelter, amazing the others. Mikey and Mary make a fire as a surly Joe watches. He notices Mikey and Mary are flirting, but the ones he really wants out are the oldsters.

Night at Malakala. Like Camp Airai, the Malakala beach is backed by a cliff that has a rock overhang at its base. Folks seem to be sleeping on the beach, in front of the overhang. Cirie (remember her? It was like she wasn’t even on the island last episode) and Jonathan sit around the campfire and discuss the couples to what Cirie calls the “sounds of jungle love.” Jonathan seems offended, muttering, “get a hotel.” You’re on a deserted island, Jonathan, remember? Without exposing his existing 4-person alliance (himself, Eliza, Yau-Man and Ami) alliance, Jonathan forges an alliance with swing-vote Cirie.

Like last week, there will only be a single challenge – immunity, fishing gear and a bamboo boat all go to the winners. This is a swimming challenge mostly – swim out to a tower, climb it, jump off and break a key lose as you do, dive down to retrieve the key, return to shore. The 5 keys go to the key-master who unlocks 5 locks on a chest of puzzle pieces which three puzzle-masters must assemble into a map of Micronesia.

Chet – a 48 year old beauty queen coach – blows it completely for the Fans. His swimming skills are limited to a dog paddle and he cannot dive to the bottom to retrieve the key once it hits the water. Finally Joel barks at him to get out and give someone else a shot. Chet is exhausted and walks the last ten yards back to the start line like a zombie, driving Joel crazy – “It’s a race! Run!” Chet could have been one of the puzzle-masters. What the hell was he thinking?

New twist – while the winners send one person from the losing tribe to exile island (Faves pick Fan Kathy), they also send one of their own. Circie volunteers.

Kathy and Circie find a clue to the hidden immunity idol. The clue sends them on a search and they find another clue. It sends them wading through waist deep water to another island, where they find another clue that sends them on another watery treck. They find 4 clues, but did they find the idol?

Back at Airai Mikey tries to explain the nuances of voting Chet off while Chet’s ally Kathy holds one immunity idol (from last week, it is only good for the first tribal council) and maybe two. Talk make Hulk head hurt so Hulk decide others vote off Mikey’s girlfriend to make Mikey shut up.

Hulk do good. He has the other’s scared. That works for one vote, Joel, but you have now guaranteed the others will align against you when they need to. And Joel suspects this himself – he tells the camera as much.

Mary gets blindsided at the tribal council, leaving Mikey shocked, Joel smirking, and everybody else plotting against the tyranny of the Hulk.