Drop Your Buffs! Shocking Survivor: Island of the Idols Recap
Reading Time: 5 minutes
After last week’s blindside of Chelsea, how would her showmance Dean react? And with a tribe swap, how would the game be changed? Who would head to Island of the Idols? Find out on this weeks Survivor recap!
The episode opens with Dean discussing feeling blindsided by the Chelsea vote, and how his prime suspects are Aaron, Missy, Elaine or Karishma. He talks to each member, and feels confident that Missy orchestrated Chelsea’s elimination.
Survivor Tribe Swap and Reward Challenge
We then head straight to the tribe swap. As previously predicted, the swap was a shuffle, and the tribes got mixed up in a big way!
On the new Lairo Tribe, we have five former Vokai members: Janet, Jamal, Jack, Kellee and Noura; and three old Lairo: Tom, Dean and Karishma. On the new Vokai Tribe, we have four former Vokai members: Dan, Jason, Lauren and Tommy; and four former Lairo members: Aaron, Elaine, Elizabeth and Missy.
The tribes immediately begin a reward challenge, where pairs will be chained together and forced to “slither” across the sand to make it to the end of a lane, where two tribe members will then solve a fire puzzle. First to solve the puzzle wins an big dinner from Applebee’s!
Vokai quickly takes the lead. And, despite an impressive performance from Noura where she LITERALLY dragged Karishma through the sand, they finish the puzzle before Lairo even starts on it. VOKAI WINS REWARD!
After The Swap
The new Vokai makes it back to camp and are greeted by their Applebee’s reward! This one of the biggest rewards Survivor has had in a long time, and everyone is very happy to indulge. Jason mentions the prospect of a tie at Tribal Council, and how they need a Lairo member to avoid that. Elaine says she can’t trust the Vokai’s, and plans on staying Lairo strong.
Lairo arrives at camp, with Karishma saying she plans to flip, but Tom actively targets her. Also, Kellee and Dean have a mutual friend, and it seems to bring them closer. Karishma feels good about her new tribe, and opens up about her arranged marriage with Jack and Janet. She talks about how she feels like it’s hard to talk about, and how she felt her worth changed in her family’s eyes after she was married.
We head back to Vokai, and Aaron talks about Elaine’s stellar social game, whereas he feels his is lacking. Therefore, he tries to improve it, and seems to form a “bro pact” with Tommy.
Immunity Challenge
The tribes arrive at the immunity challenge. Players swim to a ladder, jump off and release three buoys. Once all three are released, they get them to a platform and land them in baskets. The first to land all three buoys in a basket win immunity.
Vokai quickly takes the lead over Lairo up the ladder, and grab their buoys quickly. They easily get their buoys to the platform and sink two quickly, but Dean quickly catches Lairo up, sinking two as well. However, it’s too little too late, as Tommy sinks the last buoy for Vokai.
Vokai wins immunity! Lairo will be headed to Tribal Council.
After the challenge, Jeff reveals no one will be headed to the Island of the Idols this week. So, both tribes head back to camp with all their members.
Classic Survivor Strategy on Island of the Idols
Lairo acknowledges how close they were in the challenge before the strategy begins. It seems to be a classic strategy, with the majority tribe targeting the minority tribe at a swap. Quickly, Tom and Dean plan to vote for Karishma. Jamal jumps on the bandwagon, discussing her challenge limitations.
However, Janet says she appreciates Tom’s honesty, but believes he would flip right back to Lairo. Also, Kellee says she is wary of Dean because there’s just something about him that makes you like him. Noura sums it up saying it’s either about getting rid of a liability or a threat, as we head to Tribal Council.
Tribal Council On Survivor
Rob and Sandra make their first appearance of the episode as we start Tribal Council. Tom starts and says he didn’t find a crack in the Vokai Five, and Janet says they need to keep the tribe strong. Then, Noura describes what Dean and Tom bring to the table, leaving out Karishma’s contributions.
After Dean and Janet have a bit of a tiff, Rob thinks he’s out the door. Dean and Tom start talking about how Karishma owes someone for saving her, which she denies. Finally, Kellee says that multiple truths can exist simultaneously, as we head to the votes. NOURA CANNOT VOTE DUE TO FAILING HER TEST LAST EPISODE.
The Votes:
Karishma receives two votes.
Tom receives five votes.
Dean is once again blindsided, as his one ally Tom is sent packing back, in this season’s latest Survivor blindside.
Next week, it looks like people are scrambling across the board to get votes. Will Aaron and Tommy’s new alliance come into play? Will Sandra and Rob get a new visitor on Island of the Idols? And how will Dean get himself off the bottom AGAIN? Find out next Wednesday at 8/7 central on CBS.
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