Survivor 47 Episode 9: Revenge for Who?
When reasoning becomes a head scratcher
Sometimes, I just don’t understand gameplay in Survivor. Does that mean I wouldn’t be good at Survivor and should never apply? Maybe. But it’s safe to say a player was blindsided in Survivor 47 episode 9 – and it’s not a highlight of the season (for me).
Survivor 47 has had some twists and turns along the way, but tonight’s episode showcased an immunity challenge where castaways divided into pairs, with two of those pairs losing their vote after being eliminated in the first-of-three rounds of the immunity challenge. Yes, those four players will get a chance to earn back their vote, but the immunity challenge, and Survivor as a whole, has more recently implemented a greater certainty of losing one’s vote which is one of the most crucial aspects in the game.
Survivor 47 Episode 9 Immunity & Reward Challenge
The immunity challenge is set in three stages. For round one: Dig through sand, untie a plank, and then dig out a set of boards to be used in stage two of the challenge. It’s safe to say that the challenge was fairly easy to follow, but the biggest obstacle in the first stage was both players digging out the boards needed to build a staircase in the second stage.
Sam and Andy were both in a great position early, but they could not uncover their boards. They had a hold of the rope or cloth tied to the boards, but it ripped off in their attempt to pull it up. This meant they had to continue digging and gave other pairs a chance to make it through. Kyle and Gabe, Teeny and Sol, and Sue and Genevieve finished first, which left, Sam, Andy, Caroline, and Rachel on the outs and losing their votes.
In the second stage, each team had to use these variously designed wooden boards to place correctly on a staircase. If the board aligned correctly, then they moved onto the next one. Sue and Genevieve were at an early lead and kept it all the way to the top. After making it to the top, each player had to make it across a three-level balance beam before sliding down a ramp, and then touching their designated players’ mat.
In the beam stage, Sue and Teeny made it across. As Genevieve and Sol are attempting to cross over, Kyle flies through with a few giant steps. As Sol attempts the same strategy, Gabe crosses the beam with equal ease, and before you know it, Sue and Genevieve are on the outside looking in – left out of the finals. Also, the last four will not only compete for individual immunity, but they’ll all earn reward. Who wouldn’t want BLTs, potato chips, and soda?
The final stage of the immunity challenge is all about painful balance. Players stand on small, narrow wooden foot holes, which are attached to walls where players can brace their arms against. There are four stages and each foot hole gets smaller and smaller, making it increasingly more difficult and painful to stay upright in the challenge.
Teeny and Sol both fell at about the same time, while Gabe and Kyle made it to the final section. In that last stage of the challenge, each player is trying to maneuver their feet to stay upright and withstand the discomfort that comes with it. Gabe holds out long enough and wins individual immunity. Shout out to Gabe for giving a celebratory dance to honor his Baltimore ties and love of Ray Lewis.
To Incorrectly Quote Weezer: “Say It Ain’t Sol”
The target coming into the episode, if he didn’t win immunity, was to be Kyle. That seemed to be the consensus. After the immunity challenge happened, it’s like that conversation was barely a whisper throughout the season. After the four castaways go on a journey to earn back their vote (and three of the four did; sorry, Caroline), and the other four went on reward, Genevieve and Sue discuss getting Sol out of the game.
It could be that I’m a little foggy as of late, and that means I’m not able to follow Survivor as well, but I don’t understand the current vendetta mentioned in Survivor 47 episode 9. Genevieve tells Sue that Sol wants Gabe out – and that she’s wanted Sol out for the longest time for getting out Rome. Wait, what? Genevive seemed pretty tired of Rome’s antics (and behavior), and, oh, right, she also voted Rome out of the game. What is happening?
In what’s televised as very chaotic scrambling leading up to and during tribal council, all of it appeared to be a smokescreen. Kyle seemed like the obvious vote in previous episodes (minus winning immunity). Sam tried to deflect against a Sol vote and throw votes toward Sue. Based on what we’ve seen in Survivor 47 so far, votes for Sue didn’t make any sense. The idea of not voting for Kyle didn’t make sense. So, it left the weirdly obvious vote for Sol – and that’s what happened.
Sure, Sol was a likeable, potential threat to win the game – and that would be a reason to vote someone out. I don’t understand the Genevieve vendetta that led this vote. Perhaps we’ll earn more clarity after the season is over, but it seems like a sour (yet not uncommon) reason to see a likeable player like Sol exit the game. Will this move keep Genevieve under the radar or will it make her a more viable target to get out?
I guess I’ll just have to sing a song to get over the latest blindside in Survivor 47 episode 9.
