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Posted by on Nov 1, 2013 in Featured, Pat Wong, Pop Culture, Television | 0 comments

Survivor: Blood vs Water Episode 7 Notes

Premiere

Redemption Island

Kat is distraught after being voted out the last episode and is in tears. She is particularly concerned that her boyfriend, Hayden, thinks lesser of her for getting voted out so early. However, Hayden reassures her that their relationship is fine and that he will not look at her differently. He goes as far to say that their relationship is more important than the game. Accordingly, Jeff Probst calls him out and asks Hayden to switch places with Kat on Redemption Island to prove it. When Hayden and Kat talk through the options, Hayden notes that he is in a good spot in his tribe. Kat wants to switch as the challenge is a puzzle and she concedes she cannot even spell. Nevertheless, Hayden definitely wants to stay in the game and is saavy in telling Kat to think of their relationship as long term. He asks Kat to think of who has a better chance overall to win the game. Of course, Hayden has the better chance. Kat admits that he is honorable and likeable. As such, Kat decides to stay on Redemption Island to do the challenge herself. My initial thoughts are that Kat hurt Hayden’s chances by having him admit that he is in good standing with his tribe and putting attention to the point that he is a good player. While he has gone under the radar, Kat’s emotional display draws focus on Hayden. After thinking about it, I do not believe it matters. There are simply bigger targets than Hayden. In addition, likeability and trustworthiness are still great qualities at this point of the game.

The challenge is the same puzzle that was the final immunity challenge last season. John finishes it quickly. Laura Morett looks at John’s completed puzzle to help her think about her puzzle. While Kat thinks it is cheating, Jeff reminds her that there is no rule against it. Kat never had a real chance of figuring out the puzzle. Accordingly, Laura finishes and Kat is eliminated. As John finishes first, he again gives the clue to the hidden immunity idol to Monica. This aspect of Redemption Island has been boring as Monica again burns the clue. When Hayden returns to his camp, he feels guilt for not switching places with Kat. He feels guilty because he never intended to switch places and talked her into arriving at the conclusion he wanted. In an aspect of the game unique to this season, Hayden has “Survivor’s” guilt for allowing his love one to get eliminated.

Galang

Although Vytas is the only guy in the tribe, he knows how to work the women. In his confessional, he notes that women love a “bad boy” but they like a “newly reformed bad boy” even more. The women absolutely eat up Vytas as he is open about his feelings and appears genuine. While his stories are based on true events in his life, there is deception in utilizing those stories to further his Survivor game. Vytas is brilliant with his social game gaining the respect and admiration of the women. For example, Tina has nothing but praise for Vytas and admits that he is someone that she would like her daughter Katie to marry. In an awkward and odd confessional, she notes that a man will have to knock his daughter out and drag her to his cave as Katie is terrible at flirting. Another Survivor that is captivated by Vytas is Laura B. She raves about Vytas and cries at the thought of voting him out. Regardless, the women seem content to move forward with a women alliance although they dread the idea of voting out Vytas.

Tadhana

Aras feels very comfortable about his position in the game. Of course, it is usually a bad sign. Accordingly, Tyson is rallying support to vote out Aras. He tells the rest of his tribe that Vytas and Aras are a very dangerous duo that needs to be dealt with sooner than later. Tyson is absolutely correct in his assessment. Aras and Vytas are great players individually. If they are allowed to join forces in the coming merge, it could be an unstoppable alliance.

 

Immunity Challenge

Of course, Tadhana has a huge advantage as they have the athletes versus Galang’s four women and Vytas. The fact that they are women is not the problem. Monica Culpepper is completely competent and a strong challenge competitor. However, Laura B. and Tina are older and thus less able to match well against the other very physical tribe. Katie is simply terrible at challenges. The immunity challenge involves four tribe members being chained together and untying bags. The fifth player on each team has to put together chains and balls to form boas. Then, they need to throw and hook three boas on to wooden bars. The tossing is between Tina and Tyson. While it is tied 2-2 with both players getting tosses to try to win it, Tyson edges out Tina for another Tadhana win.

 

Tribal Council

After the challenge, Laura B. foolishly tells Vytas that there is a women alliance that will vote him off in front of the rest of the tribe. She cannot bear the idea of voting out Vytas. The move is idiotic and indefensible. If she keeps her mouth shut, her tribe would have went forward with voting out Vytas without further consideration. Laura’s decision to tell Vytas the plan rubs her alliance the wrong way. It shows that Laura is unpredictable and can be a liability if she has erratic behavior (e.g. revealing strategy) without consulting her alliance. Although Vytas is a huge threat if he can join forces with his brother Aras, Galang votes out Laura as she is a loose cannon that cannot be trusted.

My first impression is that the vote for Laura did not make sense since Vytas is a legit threat to win it all and Laura can be voted out at anytime. After further consideration, it makes plenty of sense strategically since Aras is a key ally for Tina and Monica. For Tina, Katie and she can align with Vytas and Aras at a merge. As Tina can also count on Monica, it is a solid final 5. Moreover, Tina probably believes Monica is the fifth wheel in that arrangement. As such, Tina and Katie would have a good path to a final four and at least one of them in the final 3 tribal council. Keeping Vytas also makes sense for Monica. In this final five scenario, Monica is the swing vote that decides which remaining pair of loved ones gets eliminated. Monica would have a great chance to get to the finals.

Next Episode

The next episode features two key events. First, the winner of the duel at Redemption Island will reenter the game. The duel is an endurance test with each player holding on at a top of a totem pole. Women tend to have a huge advantage in this type of challenge. As such, I think Laura M. will win and make it back in the game. I do not give Laura B. much of a chance as she has been a very poor player. John has been great at the challenges so he will likely battle it out with Laura M.

There will also be a merge. It should be very interesting. I think there will be two rival alliances. The first will be Vytas, Aras, Katie, Tina, and Monica. The other five person alliance might be Hayden, Caleb, Tyson, Gervase, and Ciera. However, Aras needs to figure out that Tyson and Gervase are against him. It should also be interesting to see how Vytas’s relationships with Hayden and Caleb affect things. Nevertheless, the person returning from Redemption Island will play a huge factor. If Laura M. returns, she will definitely team up with her daughter Ciera and be against Aras who betrayed her. If John returns, it will be intriguing to see to whom he decides to align. While he was blindsided by Brad, they seem have made up on Redemption Island and are friends again. Accordingly, I can see John working with Brad’s wife Monica despite the past tension since his original alliance of Vytas, Caleb, and Hayden had no issue voting him out. If Laura B. wins, she will be a wild card. She will not want to team up with Monica, Tina, Katie again as they betrayed her. Nevertheless, she is a floater vote and tough to read. A smart move at the merge may be to vote her out again if she returns from Redemption Island to remove the wild card.

Pat Wong

About Pat Wong

Patrick is a contributor for Rookerville. He is an avid sports fan. Before joining Rookerville, he was part of a defunct New York Yankees message board, NYYankeefans, where he was its top poster and was inducted in its Hall of Fame for his contributions. Patrick is also a passionate fan of movies. He has enjoyed reading movie reviews over the years and is excited about the opportunity to review movies.

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