'Survivor: South Pacific' votes off Whitney Duncan and Dawn Meehan

Survivor: South Pacific's merged Te Tuna tribe voted Dawn Meehan and Whitney Duncan out of their tribe at a Tribal Council session which featured two votes during Wednesday night's broadcast of the tenth episode of the CBS reality series' 23rd edition.


"At this point, it's going to turn really chaotic on the [Upolu] side because they've focused so much on unity and loyalty, and when that's your motto and then you have to turn on each other, I don't know what you do," Dawn, a 41-year-old English professor from South Jordan, UT, said upon arriving at Redemption Island.

"Slumber party!" Whitney, a 27-year-old country singer and former Nashville Star finalist from Nashville, TN, joked after meeting Dawn and Ozzy at Redemption.

In addition, previously voted off castaways Jim Rice and Keith Tollefson lost the season's seventh Redemption Island duel to Oscar "Ozzy" Lusth, a former Survivor: Cook Islands and Survivor: Micronesia -- Fans vs. Favorites castaway, and were permanently ousted from the game.

"[I'm a] big fan [of Survivor]. I'm hoping that there's a secret double Redemption Island when I walk down that path -- not going to happen," Jim, a 35-year-old medical marijuana dispenser from Denver, CO, told Survivor host Jeff Probst after he lost the duel and learned he'd be the first member of Survivor: South Pacific's jury.


"Try to win it for us man," Keith, a 26-year-old water treatment tech from Edina, MN, told Ozzy after Jeff announced he'd be the second member of the jury.

Dawn, Whitney and Ozzy, a 30-year-old currently residing in Venice, CA, will now attempt to eventually earn a chance to rejoin the game's other remaining castaways and resume competing for Survivor: South Pacific's million dollar prize.

Survivor: South Pacific's tenth broadcast began on Night 24 on Redemption Island. Jim called the former Upolu tribe members a cult and said as long as former Survivor: Tocantins and Survivor: Heroes vs. Villains castaway "Coach" Benjamin Wade, a 39-year-old currently residing in Susanville, CA, had his alliance believing they were all one united tribe, he'd be smooth-sailing his way to the million dollars.

Over at Te Tuna's camp, Coach told his alliance of six members -- which consisted of Sophie Clarke, a 22-year-old medical student from Willsboro, NY; Albert Destrade, a 26-year-old "baseball/dating coach" from Plantation, FL; Brandon Hantz, a 19-year-old oil tanker crewman from Katy, TX; Edna Ma, a 35-year-old anesthesiologist from Los Angeles, CA; Rick Nelson, a 51-year-old rancher from Aurora, UT; and former Savaii tribe member who flipped John Cochran, a 24-year-old Harvard Law School student from Washington, DC -- that Jim was a dangerous person to have in a tribe because he acted as a best friend to everybody but really wasn't.

"Survivor 101, rule 37, anybody that's on the bottom of an alliance better not feel like they're on the bottom of the alliance or they're going to revolt and try to scramble to find themselves a better place in the game. I keep talking to people about unity and respect, because people get scared in this game. Blindsides happen everyday. In fact, more blindsides happen than alliances sticking together," Coach said.


He then went on to tell his alliance that he never dictated anything to them. They could all make suggestions and were "equal."

"Coach is running the show like he's Jesus. All of them think that they're going to go to the end. Obviously seven can't go to the end. It's so frustrating. I kind of want to laugh at them and be like, 'Um, ya'll are so smart. Cochran went to Harvard. Sophie's going to med school. I don't understand how these smart people can be so stupid," Whitney said.

On Day 25, Coach led Cochran in a meditative prayer and Cochran admitted he was drinking the "Coach Kool-Aid" but only in little sips because he had to act like he was loyal to the tribe's leader, the "father of the family" who seemed to hold everyone's cards.

Afterward, Coach told Cochran he was worried that Albert and Brandon might turn on him because he was the last person to join the Upolu tribe when he decided to swap tribes -- making him the obvious seventh person in a seven-person alliance. While Coach tried to convince Cochran that he didn't control the game, he promised him he would do everything in his power to keep him safe.

"I was kind of alarmed to hear that Coach is pretty concerned about Albert's mind in the game right now. I think there's some type of power struggle.


Later on, Jeff met with Ozzy, Keith, Jim and the whole Te Tuna tribe for the game's seventh duel and explained the rules.

Ozzy, Keith and Jim were required to stretch their arms out, and using the top of their hands, they must hold two poles against an overhead board. If the castaways lowered their hands even slightly, the poles would drop, the board would fall, and they'd be out of the duel. The first two members out of the duel would be eliminated from Survivor: South Pacific, while the winner would stay alive in the game and remain on Redemption Island.

The castaways then squared off in the duel and Jim was the first person out. Keith was the next person to drop his board, allowing Ozzy to win the duel and remain a threat to get back into the game.

"I don't have to rely on people's trust and I'm sitting at Redemption eating my heart out, getting ready for the next person to come in. I'll be nice, I'll make you fish, make you fruit, and then I'll come here and I'll beat you. I'll be sitting at the end too, and we'll see who's backstabbed who and who has taken the higher road, if you will," Ozzy said after his second duel victory of the season.

On Day 26, Ozzy was bathing in the glory of his duel victory and said he actually loved being alone on Redemption Island. He explained how he was getting stronger everyday and growing in "ferocity" and "passion." Ozzy said he was going to be a huge challenge for the next person who comes to Redemption Island and every person thereafter, as he had the skills to not only survive but thrive and prosper.


Meanwhile, at the Te Tuna camp, Cochran told Dawn she was still the number one person he wanted to work with. He knew he could still choose to work with Dawn and Whitney if he wanted to, figuring he would earn more jury votes if he decided to turn on Upolu and gain back the good graces of a few of his former Savaii members.

Cochran said switching alliances again would be a "leap of faith," but if he really was seventh in line, he'd have to make a big move. However, if Coach was being true to him and Cochran was basically given a free ride to the final three, he'd have a good thing going and would be making a really big mistake to turn his back on Upolu.

That day, the Te Tuna tribe met with Jeff again, who then explained the rules to what would be their fourth Individual Immunity Challenge. Jeff told the castaways there would be one immunity necklace up for grabs and they would be required to balance a pole filled with rice ontop of their heads, race across two teeter-totters and then empty their rice into a container. If at any point they touched the bowl on the top of their head or it fell off, they'd have to go back to the start. The person to fill their container first would win immunity and be safe at the next Tribal Council session.

Sophie ended up winning Individual Immunity, and Dawn and Whitney were very disappointed in themselves. Dawn thought she and Whitney had to win the challenge for either of them to be safe from the next vote but they failed to.

However, Jeff told the Te Tuna tribe members that there would be a twist at the upcoming Tribal Council session and it wouldn't be revealed until then. Dawn then gained a little optimism at the idea something could potentially happen to her benefit.


On Day 27, Cochran said he was disappointed in his performance in the challenge because there was a possibility he could be the next person sent to Redemption Island. However, he had a discussion with Coach about who they should vote off and they decided it was ultimately going to be Whitney or Dawn. Cochran had a feeling the twist at Tribal Council was going to be a double elimination with an additional Immunity Challenge in between. 

Dawn and Whitney felt they had to make a big move in order to save themselves, as it was no surprise to them they were going to be the next members voted out of the tribe. Both women knew they had a shot at changing the vote as long as they teamed up with the right people. Whitney said she thought Brandon was a "loose cannon," Edna was "up Coach's butt," Rick just "wasn't even playing the game," but Albert was a "good guy."

As a result, Whitney and Dawn thought it would be smart to try and join forces with Albert because he was seemingly ready to change it up on his Upolu alliance and better his own position in the game. The women felt that if anyone was lacking in loyalty to Coach, it was Albert. 

Whitney then told Albert that Coach was going to take Edna and Sophie to the end as the Final 3 without a doubt. Whitney and Dawn thought it would be a good idea for Albert to vote alongside them because neither of them had any loyalties to anyone else and it would therefore, give Albert more power than he had in his Upolu alliance.

"Right now, I'm at a crossroads. I feel like my only real chance to win this game is to secure every Savaii jury vote I can get. So, I have the idea of possibly getting Edna out immediately for a couple of reasons. A.) I really want to credit Cochran for what he's done for us by moving him up the ladder, so to speak, and I also want to carry a little extra favor with Whitney and Dawn. Now, I've buttered three potential jury members and lost an Edna, who wasn't going to vote for me anyway," Albert said.

Albert told Whitney that Edna was just riding Coach's coattails and had done nothing throughout the game. He admitted he would rather see Whitney and Dawn stay in the game over Edna because he believed they simply deserved it more. Albert decided it would be smart for Whitney, Dawn, Cochran, and himself to vote off Edna, but they needed one more person to make the move successful.


Albert, in attempt to secure Cochran in the plan, told him the Upolu alliance was targeting him and were ready to get rid of him.

"Albert just confirmed my suspicions that I am going to be voted out seventh. I'm not exactly shocked, but I thought that was a complete betrayal of our trust, because I'm the one that saved that entire tribe. If they think that Edna is a more valuable player for them or somebody that's made more sacrifices for them, they're sorely mistaken," Cochran explained.

Albert told Cochran they could gamble and put the Survivor game into their own hands. He planted the idea of flipping from the Upolu tribe to joining forces with Whitney and Dawn in the back of Cochran's mind. Albert then tried to convince Sophie to join in on their idea. Albert told her they'd never get Edna's vote in the end because she would inarguably vote for Coach.

Albert told Sophie they'd most likely be guaranteed more jury votes if they turned on Upolu and voted for Edna, but Sophie wasn't sure what she should do. She liked the idea because she noted how she had never made any promises to Edna, but she knew she would have to serve as the swing vote -- either choosing to stick with Coach and her alliance or flip for Albert's "crazy plan."

Meanwhile, while Albert was plotting and talking to many different castaways individually, Coach was getting suspicious of his strategic game and plans. Coach made it clear to his alliance that if anyone was going to try to go against his tribe's unity -- his family -- they would be "dead." Coach was concerned that Albert was obsessed with self-preservation and finding a better position in the game.

That night, Survivor: South Pacific's Upolu and Savaii tribe castaways arrived for their fourth Tribal Council as a merged Te Tuna tribe. 


Dawn told Jeff that she felt the fifth, sixth, and seventh members in Coach's alliance should team up with Whitney and herself in the hopes of becoming the final five. Dawn admitted she was shocked that the bottom of Coach's alliance were comfortable and simply okay with being the fifth, sixth and seventh members. Whitney then expressed how Cochran had to be number seven.

Cochran then expressed how he wasn't thinking beyond being number seven but was ready to maneuver down the road. He said he was making plans. Dawn, in a last attempt to grab support, said she had nothing but loyalty to whoever would stand behind her and flip from the Upolu alliance. Dawn said she had given no one a reason to believe that she wouldn't keep her word.

Coach then addressed how he was concerned someone in his alliance would betray him, as he was aware there were "thinkers" on his tribe. He added that he wasn't running the show and had to simply put trust in those he had formed strong connections with. Whitney found Coach's claim insincere, as she said it was clear everyone was backing up Coach and allowing him to be their leader.

Albert just labeled Coach a "figure head" if anything, and Coach found it useful to learn new information from everyone.

Jeff then revealed the votes and two castaways voted for Edna, while five Te Tuna tribe members voted to send Dawn to Redemption Island. The vote was clear that no one turned their back on the Upolu alliance and Whitney and Dawn were ultimately alone in their plan.

After Dawn's torch was extinguished and she left the premises, Jeff announced what the twist was going to be. He told the remaining castaways that they were going to move right into another Individual Immunity Challenge with a vote to follow.


While staying at the same Tribal Council location, the castaways learned the rules to what would be their fifth Individual Immunity Challenge. Jeff was going to ask the Te Tuna tribe members survival-related questions, testing the knowledge one might gain while competing on Survivor. If they answered correctly, they would stay alive in trivia game. However, if they answered a question incorrectly, they would be out of the challenge.

The last person standing, who avoided elimination question by question and kept answering the questions correctly, would receive immunity and be safe from the next vote. The questions ranged from topics such as dehydration, coconuts and ocean clams.

The trivia game finally came down to Whitney and Sophie. However, Sophie answered the last question right and Whitney got it wrong. Whitney most likely knew that moment sealed her fate and she'd be the next person voted out of the tribe.

After the castaways cast their second round of votes during the Tribal Council session, Jeff revealed the votes again. One person voted for Cochran -- which was clearly Whitney -- while five castaways voted for Whitney.

Whitney then headed to Redemption Island, where she would see Ozzy and Dawn.






About The Author: Elizabeth Kwiatkowski