Survivor Samoa: 11.5.09

Foa Foa is down to just 4 people.  Post-Tribal, Russell hopes for a merge, and urges the rest of the tribe to divide and conquer the other tribe when they do merge.  Over at Galu, Shambo and Laura had some tense words.  Shambo apparently took Laura's canteen after she was sent to Foa Foa, and there was drama about that and everything else.  It was the strangest fight I think I've ever seen.  Shambo felt like Laura was acting like the popular kid in high school who was picking on the not-popular team.  Erik said "We know Shambo is crazy, so if you fight with her, you look just as crazy as her."

For the Reward Challenge, they think, Russell decided to bring his hidden idol.  It was the right decision, as they found a treasure chest, a note telling them they were one tribe, and they were sent to the old Galu beach, where a feast awaited.

Everyone went to get to know each other.  Foa Foa divided up and flirted and chatted up the other tribe.  Russell declared that he is the king and that everything was going to go according to his plan.  Natalie said that the camp felt like the Hilton, and Laura took her under her wing.  Natalie was looking for the cracks. 

For their merged name, they went with Aiga, which means "extended family" in Samoan.  Erik wondered what the Samoan word was for "Get the Hell off my island?"  Russell went off and showed Laura his hidden idol, and promised to give her the idol if she brings him to the top 7.  Yeah.  Right.  She knew that he wasn't going to give it to him, and declared that it just proved that they are going to have to blind side him.  He then told her that he has some rules - that she can get rid of anyone in his tribe that they want, but one of the former Galu men has to go first.  She told him that wasn't going to happen.  Therefore, he went off and tried his Russell Magic with Monica, telling her, too, that no one else knew that he had it.  Monica declared that she was in.   He didn't really believe her, so he went and told John.  John seemed to be in to get rid of Laura first, calling it a calculated risk.  Then, he chatted with Shambo.  Shambo told him all about the issues she has with Laura.  Shambo called Laura the bane of her existence in Samoa.  Russell pulled everyone from his former tribe over one by one and vowed to get rid of Laura.  Russell declared that the other tribe was even easier for him to control than he had hoped.

Immunity Challenge

Survivor t-ball.  It's like T-ball meets Skee Ball!  Two people will win immunity - one woman and one man, and they will play against the same sex.

Dave is up first, with 3 points.  Jaison overshot the course and missed out on his chance.  Russell got 4 points.  Brett (who we have barely seen so far), also jumped off the course, and got no points.  Dr. Mick got a measly 2 points.  Erik also missed the course.  John took his shot and ended up with a 5, and John won the immunity for the men.

Natalie missed the course, then Monica got a 2.  Kelly hit into the 3.  Shambo bunted and got nothing.  Laura ended up with 4, and won if for the women's side.  Russell looked like he was about to cry.  His plans are going to have to change.

Even merged, the members of Foa Foa can't win anything. 

Back at camp, Shambo and Russell talked, and she said that Erik and Laura are going to be gunning for someone from the former Foa Foa.  Russell doesn't want to play his idol, but he says he will if he feels threatened.  Laura told Erik that Russell had the hidden idol, and they plan to vote him to flush it out.  Erik went to John and John wants to get rid of Monica.  John called voting along the tribal lines "junior varsity" Survivor.  The plan seems to be for Erik to vote with Laura, against Russell, and then the others will vote for Monica.

After Erik went to Foa Foa and told then to vote for Russell, to flush out the idol, Jaison brought up that they should all vote for Erik, because he thinks he has all the power.  Natalie went to talk to the other girls, and everyone seemed swayed to voting for Erik.  There was confusion and Russell wasn't sure if they were voting for him.  It was a big gamble.

Tribal Council

Probst wondered if you can trust anyone, and Monica did not.  Erik said he failed to see anything that the former Foa Foa has to offer to Galu.  He claimed he wasn't being cocky, but he totally was.  Russell said that he doesn't like pity, and he thinks that they have a lot to offer and he might be surprised.  Erik said that Russell was scrambling, Dr. Mick was doing his thing, Natalie didn't want to step on anyone's toes, and Jaison is an enigma, because he looks like he ought to be good, but he isn't delivering.  Jaison told him to look at his resume.  I don't know about that comeback.  Russell said that he still had fight in him, and Erik basically treated him like a stupid puppy dog.

Erik is an ass. 

I thought Russell was bad, but I'm starting to respect him a tiny bit in the way he's playing the game.  Erik is so high on himself it makes me cringe when he speaks.

And Russell played his Hidden Immunity Idol!  I think it was the right decision, because everyone knew about it, so it lost a lot of it's power.

Jaison pulled 2 votes, Erik got 7 votes and was out.  Russell didn't need to play his idol, but he probably didn't lose anything by playing it.  I am glad to see Erik gone.

Next week, more scrambling.  Former Galu is out for Russell.  Some of the former Foa Foa are out to get him, too.  And so maybe he did lose something by playing his idol...

Erik brought the other idol out with him, though. 

Can't wait to see how it plays out!