Survivor Micronesia - Episode 8

Malakala, night 20. The tribe returns from its 3rd straight tribal council, where Tracy, who thought she had the support of Erik, Cirie and Ami to blindside Ozzy, was herself blindsided. Erik addresses the camera. He’s aware he’s the last remaining Fan on Malakala and knows he is the prime target to be the next to go.

The tribe gathers round the campfire. The debate that started at tribal council over whether or not Ozzy is the leader of Malakala continues. He tells the camera, “Tracy said I was the leader and I really don’t think I’m the leader. I’ve just got a lot of good opinions and a lot of know-how when it comes to surviving out here.” His insistence on denying what is clearly true is starting to annoy me. It’s the camera, Ozzy. Don’t bullshit a bullshitter. Admit you don’t want to be known as the leader because you don't care for the ceremonial robes of the office.

And he does admit it – kind of: “Even though I think I’m a valuable asset, I’m going to have a giant target on my back, and that’s the kind of situation I want to avoid.”

Next morning; Ami and Cirie in the dawn-gray jungle. The scene is edited like a clip from The Blair Witch Project. They hear something and freeze, listening. What the hell are they hunting? They continue on. Cirie shouts, “Big ass one,” and Ami scrambles up an embankment. And it is a big ass one. A big ass crab that Ami stabs with a pointy stick. Jungle crabs. Who knew?

Amanda and Ozzy come upon Ami and Cirie and their haul of really nice big crabs. Or maybe they’re just average. What’s the norm for jungle crabs? Ami says, “We’re crab warriors.” Where I grew up girls who called themselves crab warriors ran the risk of going home alone.

Ozzy whining to Ami about how he’s not the leader. Ami tells him to let it go. I tell him, Shut the F up, guy. Ami smartly admits she discussed sending Ozzy home with Tracy, but phrases it as, “I was approached and said no way.” ‘Smartly’ because she knows Erik is going to tell Ozzy soon if he hasn’t already. Later Ozzy tells the camera he found Ami suspiciously adamant in her reassurances that she would never turn on him.

We cut to Airai. Did you know they have these two members named Alexis and Natalie? I have never known two players to get this far in the game and have so little face time. The tribe is indulging in that odd Survivor masochistic pastime – talking about food. A rat scurries around the perimeter of the camp. Alexis says she wishes they could kill it and eat. Jason takes her at her word. For some reason the dead rat makes the girls scream like, well, girls. Men like me only scream at the sight of live ones.

They discuss shish kabobing the rat. (What do friends call Robert, the Jewish Lothario with a preference for gentile women? Shiksa Bob.) Jason says no one has eaten a rat on Survivor since season 1, so he can “revive that tradition.” Well, actually, Jase, something that was only done once before isn’t really a tradition, so you can’t revive it. But, hey – chowing down on a second rat kabob is the next step in creating a tradition, so go for it.

James and Parvati are on the Airia beach. James complains that the beach faces the open ocean, not a quiet cove like Malakala. He points to the choppy surf and says, “Popeye wouldn’t go out in that. Not even Jacques Cousteau.” They discuss the merge. They plan on resuming their alliance with Ozzy, Amanda and Cirie. James is concerned that if Alexis and Natalie make it to the merge, “Ami and Eliza are going to scoop them up.” And both understand they can’t count on resuming the previous alliance. Parvati tells the camera they want to forge an alliance with 2 of their current tribe members as a back up, so they go into the merge strong no matter what.

A transition shot of a large spider tending her dew-drop laden web.

Parvati pitches a 4-person alliance of her, James, Natalie and Alexis to Natalie, who is happy to throw in with them. Parvati makes the telling observation that “big guys” Ozzy and James will likely be the first to go after the merge. She says, “I wouldn’t see anything wrong with it being y’all two and me and Amanda in the final 4.” Natalie doesn’t see anything wrong with that either.

Nice game play. Pavarti went to James first and set it up so that he thinks she is setting up an alliance to benefit him. Spider’s web indeed.

Twist time. The luxury challenge will also be the immunity challenge. Before the challenge each tribe has to send someone from the other tribe to Exile Island. Because these two will not compete in the challenge, each has immunity should their tribe lose the luxury/immunity challenge. There’s also a hint that the challenge will involve balancing.

The challenge consists of a pool of water that must be crossed using a connected series of devices that require balance, while members of the other tribe swing heavy canvass bags at them. First team to cross the pool, grab a flag and get back 5 times without falling wins pizza and beer. Amanda and Erik go for Malakala, Jason and Eliza for Airia.

It’s close, but Malakala loses its 4th immunity challenge in a row, leaving Airia undefeated since the re-alignment. Erik busted his butt, but to no avail. Ami tells the camera he seems like a really nice guy, but this is it for him – he’s the last remaining Fan on Malakala and he has no way to avoid eviction.

Jason tells the camera he was the star of the day (and he was). He knows his position in Airia is tenuous should they ever lose, but at least he’s got the hidden immunity idol (the peeled stick Ozzy left after taking the real hidden immunity idol). Poor sap. The pizza and beer arrives. Superman James opens the beers with his teeth.

On Exile Island Ozzy wants to see if someone has picked up the fake idol he left. He searches with Alexis (nice chance to bond) and discovers someone has indeed fallen for the trick.

Erik isn’t going down without a fight. He tells Cirie and Amanda about Tracy and Ami working him to evict Ozzy. Snake in the grass Cirie, who worked with Tracy as much as Ami did, keeps quiet. Ami breaks up the conference. “Are you telling them everything since day 1?” she asks Erik. Cirie smiles. Cut to commercial.

Ami takes Amanda and Cirie aside and tries to undo whatever damage Erik may have done. To explain her consorting with Tracy she tells them she was never approached by either of them to forge an alliance when they were the Fave tribe. Amanda and Cirie tell her they thought she was part of the Eliza/Yau-Man/Jonathan alliance. She says well, yeah. Amanda asks, “Then why would we approach you?” Deafening silence. Ami realizes she has made her position weaker than if she’d just kept her mouth shut. In desperation she says that “since then” (i.e., the reconfiguration) none of the other Faves has approached her about allying. “I really want to be part of you,” she begs. Amanda and Cirie nod noncommittally. Ami sees her chance and says, “Oh thank you. I feel so much better. I feel like a group hug.” The three Faves hug, Cirie rolling her eyes.

Ami, in a move designed to discourage Erik from even trying, approaches the boy in private and thanks him for forcing her to work out things with the other Faves. It is creepy – her telling him he is totally screwed with a smile on her face and a thank you on her lips. Creepy.

Erik stakes out the beach. When the boat returns Ozzy from Exile Island Erik wades out and fills him in on Ami’s work with Tracy before Ozzy has even made it to dry land. Ozzy talks with Amanda. She trusts Ami more than Erik. Ozzy is the opposite.

Tribal Council. Jeff questions everybody but Cirie, who has really slipped back under the radar since her confrontation with Jonathan. Ozzy says one of the Faves has been playing both sides and Ami tears up. She totally denies what we all know – that her dalliance with the Fans was more than a diversionary tactic. Amanda calls Ami a really good person – the kiss of death. Ami is voted out 3-1.

Next week – merge!