'Survivor: San Juan del Sur -- Blood vs. Water's merged Huyopa tribe blindsides Jon Misch

Survivor: San Juan del Sur -- Blood vs. Water's merged Huyopa tribe eliminated Jon Misch during Wednesday night's episode of the CBS reality competition's 29th season.


Jon, a 26-year-old financial assistant from Waterford, MI, was voted out of his Huyopa tribe on Night 35 at the season's twelfth Tribal Council session.

"I thought I was doing a really good job of putting my trust in the right people, but it ended up biting me in the butt. [Missy Payne] and [Natalie Anderson] really did a good job of gaining my trust. Honestly, I didn't feel this one coming. I definitely regret not playing my idol. [Jaclyn Schultz], I hope that you make it to the Final 3. Kick butt and I know you can do it, babe. You know you got my vote," Jon said following his ouster.

Survivor's broadcast began on Night 32 after Alec Nale was voted out of the game, and Jaclyn was confused about how that unfolded since she believed Keith Nale was the one going home instead. She asked her alliance sarcastically if Alec had voted for himself and then she asked Natalie, "Didn't you tell me that me, you and... Jon are voting Keith?"

"I thought me, you and him were voting Alec," Natalie replied, ultimately playing dumb.


Jaclyn said, "Oh," as if she had messed up.

Natalie intended to keep Keith around as a way to target Jon. However, she acted as if it was all a misunderstanding. Although a risky strategy, Natalie didn't want Jon to have all the power and control in the game, so she felt any repercussions would be worth it.

Natalie was convinced she sold her alliance on the fact they had made a voting mistake, and Baylor Wilson noted that if Jon and Jaclyn were smart, they'd know exactly what she's trying to do. Jon and Jaclyn appeared to believe Natalie's story, however, they blamed her for the error.

Jon said in a confessional there was clearly some confusion that probably resulted from a lack of communication and not talking things through. He knew Keith was a big threat in Individual Immunity Challenges, so he thought it was an unfortunate voting mistake. Jon feared Keith's presence could screw up his plans.

On Day 33, Natalie told Keith they needed to stay tight with Missy and her daughter Baylor. Keith loved how he kept slipping by in the game. Natalie believed Keith was "unpredictable," but she figured he'd have her back going forward -- while also telling him that she'd have his back.


The castaways then met Survivor host Jeff Probst for a Reward Challenge. They were divided into two teams and were required to race through a tunnel of hay, over and under a series of hitching posts, grab a bucket and fill it with water, climb over a giant teeter-totter, and then pour that water into a larger bucket all the while belted together. Once that large bucket filled up, it would lower a gate, allowing the team to try and solve a plank puzzle.

The winning team would receive a spa day complete with a hot shower, massage, and feast of seared steak, cookies and brownies.

Keith, Missy and Jon competed against Natalie, Baylor and Jaclyn. Missy hurt her ankle during the challenge, but her team still ended up winning.

Missy had a swollen foot but insisted it wasn't a big deal and not to worry. She said a spa day could make her last 16 more days in the game. After noticing Jaclyn was pissed off by Jon's celebration, Jon decided to give up his Reward to Baylor so that the mother and daughter could enjoy the day together. Jon called Baylor his "little sis" and later told the cameras his gesture would hopefully solidify his alliance even more. 

Keith, Missy and Baylor then came to the decision that Natalie must go to Exile Island. Natalie was okay with their choice and claimed she could handle it.


Although Baylor was apparently very grateful to Jon for giving up his Reward, she admitted it was still her No. 1 priority to get him out with Natalie. Missy's ankle was swelling badly at her spa day and she was in a lot of pain. She worried about future challenges but still intended to finish the game. 

Meanwhile, Jon and Jaclyn were alone at camp and devised a plan to talk about how Natalie screwed up the last vote if they made it to the Final 3 with her. But in the back of Jaclyn's mind, she worried Natalie voted Alec out on purpose and maybe something was going on between her and Keith because they trusted one another and were threatened by the two pairs of loved ones.

Jaclyn suggested the idea to Jon, but he shot it down. Jon said it wouldn't make sense for two people to go against four, and he was certain Natalie wouldn't flip on them.

On Night 34, Natalie was really struggling on Exile Island. She was missing her twin sister Nadiya Anderson terribly but attempted to use her emotions as motivation rather than letting it bring her down.

The following day, Natalie returned to her tribe from exile for the next Individual Immunity Challenge. Her tribemates offered her a small bowl of rice and she was very touched.


Missy then started to cry about how her ankle was getting worse but she didn't want to quit. Jeff brought the medics in to assess the damage, and the paramedic said, at the very least, she had suffered a significant strain or fracture. The medic originally thought Missy needed an X-Ray and he would therefore need to pull her from the game. Missy bawled and called it "so frustrating." 

But since only a handful of days were left in the game, the doctor immobilized Missy's foot as to prevent future damage. Missy was given the option to quit and get an X-Ray or stick it out in the game despite her pain. She chose not to leave since it wasn't a life-threatening situation.

For the Immunity Challenge, each player was required to hold onto two handles with their hands while their feet balanced on a teeter-totter. Attached to the teeter-totter was a vase, and the longer the challenge went, the more difficult it would be to balance that vase. If a vase dropped, that person would be out.

Jaclyn was the first castaway out of the challenge, and she was soon followed by Keith and Jon. Natalie therefore won immunity. Jon said her victory made up for the fact she had messed up the last vote because Keith obviously didn't win and they could target him next.

After the challenge, Natalie explained her plan in a confessional. Jon and Jaclyn would be voting for Keith, and in the case Jon played an idol, she wanted to split the rest of their votes between Jaclyn and Jon. If Jon played his hidden Immunity Idol, Natalie's alliance could re-vote and get Jaclyn out. Otherwise, following a three-way tie, Natalie's group could oust Jon.


Natalie advised Keith to act sad at Tribal Council so Jon wouldn't see votes coming his way. Meanwhile, Jaclyn was still paranoid about a potential Jon blindside and Jon just wasn't worried.

Baylor was onboard with the 2-2-2 vote. The plan was for Natalie and Keith to vote for Jon, and Missy and Baylor to vote for Jaclyn. However, Missy was extremely close to Jon both as an ally and friend. Baylor hoped Missy would get past the fact Jon was the son she never had and team up with the girls.

At first, Missy was livid, telling Baylor and Natalie there was no way she was going to vote out Jon. Missy said she had given Jon her word, and if she broke that promise, she'd probably receive no jury votes.

Baylor insisted they'd have a much better chance of winning without Jon in the picture. Baylor also told Missy she had no real relationship with Jon unlike her mother, so it would hurt her game down the road. Natalie additionally explained that Jon had an idol and he couldn't be trusted.

Missy began listening to the girls' theories and realized it was probably the right time to put an end to "the Jon and Jaclyn show." But Missy was torn about the betrayal because she prided herself on playing an honest, loyal, genuine game.

At Tribal Council that night, Keith used his acting skills by claiming the alliance of five was really tight and he felt like an outsider. Keith yelled out that he was a vote any one of them could use and he was a trustworthy guy. Jon told Jeff that it wasn't about whether or not they could trust Keith -- it was about the trust that had been built within his alliance.


Jaclyn also said she felt strong in the alliance, which prompted Baylor to make a wincing face. Jeff questioned the obvious lack of desire to make big moves, but Jon argued it was a big move just to keep five people tight together the whole way through.

Jeff then revealed the votes. Two castaways voted for Keith, two people voted for Jaclyn, and two players voted for Jon.

As a result of the three-way tie, Missy, Baylor and Natalie could vote again for only one of those three choices. All three women then cast their votes for Jon. Jon shook his head in disappointment, and Jaclyn appeared upset and surprised.

On his way out, with an idol in his pocket, Jon said "no hard feelings" to the threesome of girls.






About The Author: Elizabeth Kwiatkowski