Survivor 46 Nails the Unexpected in Episode 3
When you think you know what's going to happen, think again
Survivor 46 episode was a somewhat rare one in its outcome, even though one player was expecting to be voted out. That’s right, folks, it’s another Survivor episode where what you think will happen does not happen at all. Even worse, there isn’t any way to predict this kind of outcome in the best reality show on television.
Survivor 46 episode 3 seems to hammer home how Bhanu is on the outs and doesn’t feel like he has much chance moving forward in the game. After last week’s vote where Jess was voted out, he seems to feel like he is the obvious next choice. Despite this feeling, his fellow tribemate Q does not believe that Bhanu’s believed exit has to be a reality.
Does the Yanu Tribe Change Its Immunity Challenge Stripes in Survivor 46 Episode 3?
For the sake of saving time: No, Yanu does not change its stripes. They lost the immunity challenge. I’m not saying they didn’t try, or that it was inevitable, but Nami came from behind and Hunter took over the final stage of the challenge and CRUSHED it. Siga led the entire way and finally outlasted Yanu in landing 5 bean bags onto 5 elevated platforms.
Is it surprising that Nami or Siga won? No. Is it surprising that Yanu lost? Well, not really either. My wife and I were both rooting for Yanu, just to see a change in the guard and have a mix up at tribal council. How would other tribes react to being at tribal council for the first time? It would be interesting to watch, but the immunity challenge didn’t give us any other outcome than what we’ve already seen in the Survivor 46 season.
Let’s hit the rewind button momentarily; did you see the water portion of the immunity challenge? All three tribes had to swim to a platform where they had to climb up these large blocks before jumping back into the water. Then, they had to help each other over this large and elevated wooden barrel. Each player had to be pushed up and rolled over the top of this thing, while players who made it over had to help pull from the other side.
It seems ridiculous trying to describe it, but even more impressive when you watch Hunter push Tevin over this rolling apparatus and then holding onto his legs to help pull himself over. It was ingenious and seemed to dissolve part of any lead the other two teams had in this challenge. Then, they were able to grab their bean bags and that was essentially the end of the story. Hunter landed all five bags in very little time.
What Happens When One Player Doesn’t Want to Leave
It is very clear that Bhanu doesn’t want to leave the game. He’s very sad because he believes he’s the next person out on his tribe, but sometimes players need more than what they believe to survive in the game of Survivor.
Enter Q. He believes that Kenzie will cut him, Tiffany, and Bhanu all to propel herself further in the game. So, he’s willing to talk to Tiffany and let her know that he believes Bhanu should stay – at the expense of Kenzie. To be fair, Kenzie approached Bhanu and Jess last week to blindside Tiffany or Q, but their response didn’t seem to warrant a further conversation. This does seem to indicate that Kenzie is willing to look beyond the Tiffany, Q, and Kenzie trio.
If that is the case, it does make sense that Tiffany hears Q and then tells Bhanu that she’s not sure she’s writing his name down. What doesn’t need to make sense, because sometimes the Survivor medical staff has to make tough choices, is the fact that one player was sent home tonight because of a potential bulging disk in their neck.
Randen experienced numbness and an inability to use his right hand during Survivor 46 episode 3. The show’s medical staff expressed their concerns of what it might be early in the episode, but eventually instructed Randen of the severity of what was happening and that an MRI was needed to assess and fully ensure his health beyond the game.
Medical Evacuations Aren’t Fun
It’s devastating to think of spending all of that time preparing to participate on such an incredible show, only to be pulled because of a medical necessity. Was it necessary? I don’t think that’s the point. The Survivor crew does what it thinks is best for the health of the contestant. And maybe they’ve grown more cautious over the years, but I think looking out for the player’s well-being is a good thing.
Would it suck to leave the game in that way after committing that time to play? 100% – absolutely that would be a brutal way to leave. But, so would be getting voted off early. There is an inherit risk in leaving the game of Survivor. And it makes those who make it further in the game, not necessarily better players always, but sometimes fortunate of the moment.
There is luck involved with weather conditions, injuries, tribe swaps, and any number of elements that impact the game of Survivor. It’s also important to take what Jeff said to heart in the first episode: Some players will never win. There is just that element of chance. It can come down to the tribe you happen to be on, an injury that pulls you out, or the simple fact of saying one wrong thing to one player at the wrong time that leads to being voted out.
Survivor can be brutal, and in the latest episode, the show highlights how sometimes players don’t have a say in that brutality. It’s a grueling game, but one we sign up for when it is all said and done. Unfortunately, Randen didn’t get a say in his final episode.
So, what happens next? Let’s find out together, shall we?