Survivor: Cook Islands - Episode 8 Summary

'Big Black Horse and a Cherry Tree' By Snidget

Last week on Survivor DC... see Kircon’s summary

You may have already noticed that I’m not OutfrontGirl. She has a sore hand and can’t type so I’m filling in for her. Hope you feel better soon! Especially since if you aren’t the poor people of RTVW will have to put up with me two weeks in a row.

Jonathan tells his alliance how strong they are and exactly how everything will happen for the next couple of shows. So why are we bothering airing this show, it’s all set, the die is cast we can all just tune back in after Thanksgiving. Aitu will win the challenge go into the merge with 6 to Raro’s 4 and they will keep Ozzy long enough to get him on the jury, if they lose which he knows they won’t, they get rid of Ozzy sooner rather than later.

Well that was easy. Surely nothing will happen to screw up that plan, I mean all the polls with the real math say that there is no way the Democrats Raro or EPMB could do anything that would change the status quo. Although in the confessional behind closed doors Jonathan does worry about what could happen. Don’t do it Jonathan! Stay.The.Course!. Howard Dean Candice tells us that she really wants to get back with Parvati and Adam and isn’t planning on just going along with the plan. This is just the calm before the storm.

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Candice and Jonathan in contrast to what is said in front of the rest of the tribe plot to get back together with Pavarti and Adam to have something unusual in Survivor History, and all white final four. Candice thinks Jonathan is just out for himself, so she would like to see him go. Uh-Oh trouble in paradise.

Over on Raro they discuss that the merge is coming soon and that they are even at 6-6. Brad makes the comment that it is every man for himself, which only makes his tribemates paranoid. Is he going to go along with the primary results for the good of the party, or will he run as an independent and win the election anyway? This makes Nate and Parvati very nervous. Has he just marked himself for elimination with a thirty minute penalty? Oops sorry, wrong show.

Off to the tree mail free Reward Challenge. Whatever happened to tree mail? Before we get to the challenge Jeff says we’re going to something a little different. How different Jeff? Hopefully not so different it upsets the base so they don’t show up to vote. Each person is given a chance to Mutiny and join the other side. Surely there will be some sort of dramatic method for doing this. I mean this could be great stuff. Whatever will they do??? Um…wow…step off the mat. That’s it?!? Step off the mat. No exploding bags of paint or anything? Darn.

They have 10 seconds to decide.

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2
Candice steps off the mat.
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One.. .and Jonathan steps off at the last second.

Wow, the plans from the start of the show didn’t even survive the set up for the Reward Challenge, that has to be some kinda record. Jonathan and Candice go over to Raro and get new buffs. Jeff looks over to the now much smaller Aitu and notices that Yul isn’t happy. Yul is stunned by this development. Ozzy, not so much.

For this challenge, two will start the challenge inside a barrel. The two other people in the challenge will push the barrelridees through a series of obstacles collecting 4 buoys along the way. These buoys will be used to float the barrel to the center of the lagoon, where they will swim down and get 4 flags. Then they will float to the other side of the lagoon where they will attach the flags to cross bar. They will then dig down to find and axe that will be used to cut a rope that will raise the crossbar with the flags up a pole. First tribe to raise the flags wins reward. The winning tribe will go a relaxing environment where there will be coffee. Just what I want to relax. A major caffeine buzz from drinking a pot of coffee after no caffeine for a couple of weeks. That just takes the edge right off of me. With the coffee will be muffins, Danishes and letters from home.

Two woman and two men from each tribe will participate. For Aitu Becky and Sundra are in the barrel, for Raro Jenny and Candice. Adam and Nate will be the men for Aitu, but that is nothing new. They roll the barrels down a ramp and at the bottom collect the first pair of buoys. The roll the barrels over to a set of logs they have to roll the barrels over. Aitu gets to the log roll first. Bumpity bump bump bumpity bump bump look at Frosty go. Riding inside that barrel looks like no fun at all to me. Aitu and Raro get to the water at the same time, but Aitu gets the barrel floating first and gets a good lead on getting to the flags. Ozzy gets all four flags while Raro fights the current trying to get to the flag spot. Becky hangs the flags for Aitu and starts digging for the axe while Raro still floats around out in the water. Aitu flags go up and a very happy group of 4 hugs. They send Candice to Exile Island. Jeff ask Sundra why she is crying. She replies, “I just wanted to stay true to my guys and we worked well together.” The relaxing location is right behind them on the challenge beach. Oh that would relax me alright. I mean did EPMB get caught taking bribes from Abramoff and they now don’t have the money to send them to a really relaxing place or what?

Yul is just amazingly proud of all of them. Sundra says in confessional about how scary it was seeing them with 4 and the other group being so big. They toast their victory with orange juice. They have a basket full of pictures of each of them growing up and their families. Sundra’s son wrote the letter. She says that teaches him that winners never quit and quitters never win, so she can’t quit the game. Ozzy gets all emotional and needs a group hug. Ozzy in in confessional says how this has solidifies them as a group.

Candice says in confessional that she really wanted to be with her old friends, but now she has four people in Raro really mad at her. She was surprised that Jonathan followed her out. She knows they have seemed tight the whole time, but she has never really trusted him. Back at Raro, Jonathan says he took a step into the unknown and decided to come meet some folks. He says if he made a mistake it was trusting Candice. Now he knows he needs to earn their trust by being and helpful and non-threatening. Nate in confessional said he knew Candice was coming over, but Jonathan must be smoking some good stuff. Nate says this makes Brad safe from the vote because he at least stood with them. Who would trust Jonathan after everyone saw him just sell out his tribe? Brad sure is lucky that Candice and Jonathan showed up in that tribe to ensure his safety.

Day 21 dawns on Raro with the chickens taking over the roost. Jonathan goes gets coconuts and makes fire while the rest of his new tribe rests. Jonathan tells Adam that he and Candice just really want to come back and be with Adam and Parvati. Adam thinks having someone that wants him in the final four with them like this is a good thing.

Both tribes come to the tree mail free Immunity Challenge, Candice is brought back from Exile Island and gets hugs from Parvati. For today’s challenge they will paddle out in glass bottom boats. When they get the crosshairs on the glass bottom lined up with one of the three targets they will release a cannonball to hit the target. Hitting the target will release a pair of buoys. When they have collected all the buoys they will paddle back to shore. The buoys are a word puzzle. This is one buoy centric episode. Was there a sale down at Buoys R Us? One Buoy will provide a clue. The other buoys have one letter on them and be used to spell out the answer. Raro has four extra members. They cannot sit out the same people in back to back challenges, so the four that lost yesterday will be the four that sit out today. So Jonathan, Rebecca, Parvati and Brad will compete, oh that sounds like a winning combination right there, doesn’t it?

Both tribes push the boats as far as they can out into the water. Aitu is first to start paddling, Raro immediately goes off course. Aitu releases a cannonball and misses. Raro gets to their first target, and misses. Can you feel the excitement *yawn* I sure can. Aitu tries again, and misses, again. Raro gets the first set of buoys. Aitu tries again, and third time is not the charm. Raro releases their second set of buoys, they lead 2 to 1. Aitu gets their first set of buoys as Raro drifts off course on the way to their third set. Aitu misses on the second set of buoys, and then gets them on the next shot. It is all tied up. Raro misses their try. Jonathan getting snippy about Jeff’s commentary on Raro’s incompetence. After all who wants to be reminded that he helped his old tribe get rid of all that dead weight the easy way. Aitu releases their third set of buoys and starts paddling back for shore. Raro tries again, and misses. Aitu heads back to the mat with their buoys. Parvati tells Jonathan to stop watching Aitu and pay attention to his paddling.

The clue says the most famous mutiny in history happened aboard this ship. What ever could that be? Guess what, it is the Bounty. Wow, they really want to challenge the heck out of these guys mentally. Parvati voices her frustration that Aitu won again. Jeff tells Aitu they had another big win today. Raro has another big loss and he will see them at tribal council tonight.

As we head to Raro what is wildlife shot? Is that an albatross? For some reason Jonathan thinks that Raro knowing that he and Candice trust each other is a good thing? Will every sentence in this paragraph be a question? Candice goes off with Pavarti and says that she is not tight with Jonathan at all, and she was shocked he followed her. She explains how he keeps working it with her after having long talks with Yul. Nate and Adam discuss Brad vs. Jonathan. Brad didn’t leave when he had the chance but Jonathan has nowhere to go. They are scared that Brad will go with Becky and Yul. Nate goes to Brad to convince him that Jonathan is the one who will be going so he won’t suspect that he is in trouble.

While shucking oysters Candice starts working on tossing Jonathan under the bus by telling Adam all about Jonathan being the one behind sending Adam to Exile Island. Adam finds it funny how much Jonathan is kissing his butt given what all Candice is saying he said over on the other tribe. Nate and Adam talk about how Adam wants to get that punk Jonathan, but Nate knows they have to play smart.

Tribal council begins with Jeff asking Brad what his initial thought was when Candice and then Jonathan stepped off the mat. He thinks Candice was one gutsy girl. He ask Jenny if she is thinking that the two new Raros are the bottom of the totem pole. Objection…leading the witness, oops wrong show. She replies that now even if they are the bottom of the totem pole Raro now has the advantage over Aitu and they can pick them off like zits. Ewww, are all the metaphors going to be this gross all evening? I hope not. Jeff asks Candice if it bothers her that here they are at tribal council, someone is going home and the old Raros are all just laughing and joking. She replies that girls just wanna to have fun-un o-oh girls just wanna have fun. When Jeff asks her if she stepped off the mat because all she wants to do is have some fun until the sun comes up over Santa Monica Boulevard. She replies that that wasn’t the only reason, after Raro wins when it counts. Jeff asks Jonathan if he is concerned and he says it would be silly to think that he is safe tonight.

Jeff asks Nate about Raro as a unit or family. He replies he was good with everyone but he is still adapting to the new people and reading them. Jeff asks him about Candice, and he says that she’s the only girl who has been to Exile Island and she comes back with her head held high. Jeff asks Nate about Jonathan, and Nate replies that Jonathan has that wannabe leader thing going on and over here they chop the heads off leaders. Jeff asks Jonathan if that is a fair assessment. Jonathan says he is just trying to fit in and get along. Jeff asks Brad about the new people and he says they are coming in late to the game. Jeff asks Brad if he trust the people on his tribe now, and he replies, “No.” Jeff says, “Wow.” Based on Jenny’s reaction shot she wasn’t expecting that. When will these people learn that unbridled honesty during tribal council is not a good thing, even if you know for sure you are safe. Brad explains that trust is a big thing for him.

Candice goes to vote first. Jonathan votes for Brad, and says it is nothing personal. Rebecca goes next. Brad than votes for Jonathan with you came in way too late but you are a good guy. Jenny then votes, followed by Parvati. Nate votes, then Adam. We get a close up of the fire. Who is going to get burned?

Jeff reads the votes

First vote Jonathan
Second vote Brad
Third vote Brad
Fourth vote Brad
Fifth vote Brad
The ninth person voted out and the first member of our jury is Brad.

Huh? Pre-merge jury members? That’s new isn’t it?

Jeff snuffs the torch and remarks to Raro that they are surprised the jury starts with tonight’s vote. Ok, I’m not crazy. Well I am crazy, but I haven’t totally lost my memory.

Next time on Survivor. Adam and Candice reconnect and Jenny is concerned about keeping Adam true to Raro. In a Never.Before.Seen.Twist, patent pending, Jeff shows them the bottle of doom.

Brad’s final words. It was the Best/Worst experience of his life. He didn’t know he was going, and anything can happen.  Him being on the jury proves that.

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