Lindsay is riding high after the big Tribal Council. On top of surviving the Do or Die, her amulet now becomes a full idol. That has to be used at the Final 6, so she’s through to the Final 5 at least. Likewise, Omar is feeling great too. He gives the idol back to Mike, and hopes Mike will feel grateful and indebted to him. However, Mike knows Omar has no intention of taking him to the end, so Mike starts planning to take Omar out. He goes to Maryanne, who has been close to Omar for a long time. But she also realizes how strong Omar has been playing, and could be coming around to to Mike’s plan.
Lindsay has a different view on the next vote. Assuming Jonathan doesn’t win immunity, she wants him gone. And it’s not so much because of his threat level to win the game, but more so because of his challenge prowess. Jonathan sticking around lowers her chances to win. And with their relationship fracturing, she can’t count on him to help protect her if she’s vulnerable. If Jonathan’s gone, Lindsay would likely be the presumptive favorite in most challenges.
Reward Challenge
The castaways spin to unspool a coil of rope before navigating through an obstacle course, collecting a key along the way. The key unlocks puzzle pieces for the final block puzzle. They’re playing for a food reward. The winner gets their choice between grilled chicken and veggies or chocolate cake and cookies.
Jonathan gets off to a lead, but as always it comes down to the puzzle. And that allows Omar to come from behind and win the challenge.
The chicken and veggies includes two additional players, but the cake and cookies includes three. Omar takes the cake and cookies, and takes Romeo, Maryanne, and Mike.
Reward/Camp
Back from reward, Mike and Lindsay discuss the vote. She tells him Jonathan is the planned vote. But Mike knows he’s still a potential target, especially if Jonathan wins immunity. With his idol, Lindsay’s idol, Maryanne’s idol (though at this point, we don’t think anyone else knows about it), and Maryanne’s extra vote, there’s plenty of scheming to be done.
Immunity Challenge
The players race over obstacles and across a bridge, collecting puzzle steps. They use the steps to build a staircase, then maneuver a bag of balls to the top of a tower, where they finish with a table maze.
Lindsay outduels Jonathan on the maze, securing her second individual immunity. She also now has a free idol to play with. Again, it has to be used at this Tribal Council, so might as well find someone to play it for.
Pre-Tribal
Lindsay gets right to work trying to secure the Jonathan vote, with Mike as the backup vote. Lindsay and Omar discuss using her idol. They don’t want to use it, for fear that it would get put back into play for someone else to find and play at the Final 6. Given that it didn’t start as an idol, and it specifically says it has to be used by the Final 6, I’m not so sure it would be re-hidden. It is an interesting thought though. You really never can be too sure about anything on Survivor.
Maryanne isn’t feeling so sure about the Jonathan plan. She wants to make a move against Omar. But Mike wants to play it safe at this point, and tries to get her to use her extra vote to vote Romeo with himself and Jonathan. She goes to Romeo next and he seems all on board with the Omar plan. But Mike and Jonathan are giving her a little pushback.
But Maryanne could be missing something (and maybe I missed it, but I don’t remember her discussing this option). She doesn’t need Mike and Jonathan to make the plan work. Let Mike and Jonathan vote Romeo, and Omar and Lindsay will still vote Jonathan. Then her two votes plus Romeo’s is still enough to vote out Omar. Yes, she would have to put all her trust in Romeo, but she tells Jonathan and Mike she trusts him on this one. It’s a little riskier as there’s barely any margin for error, if any at all. But if she wants to take a risk and make a move, that’s just something she’s got to deal with. We’ll see if she realizes that when the vote comes.
Tribal Council
Well, Maryanne did realize that, as that’s exactly what happens. I know she’s a huge fan favorite, but I don’t think she’s done a whole lot so far this season. But this move? At this point in the game? It could be a game winning move. It’s arguably the best move of the season, and it comes so close to the end. She still has lots of work to do to close it out – everyone does – but this could go a long way in propelling her to a win.
On the other hand, though, it does paint a big, obvious target directly on her back. She can maybe use Jonathan and Lindsay as shields, considering they would have to be the obvious favorites to win the next two immunity challenges. Taking one of them out helps everyone’s chances. But however it shakes out, it should be a heck of a finale!
