Ticket here, and welcome back to "Survivor: Fight for Fiji"! After a blindside sent a loyal ally home, one duo is at a big disadvantage. We're almost five weeks in, so will that duo be broken up? Or can they manage to get enough dirt on the other and survive yet another round?
Side-note: The Finale will start at Final Five! So whoever wins immunity this episode has a guaranteed spot unless a medavac happens this late in the game. Could you imagine? Anyways, let's get right into it!
Players: Sonic, Gordon, Matt, Li Mei, Bandana Dee, and Kabal
Jury: Tremor, Little Mac, Kano, Luigi, and Blu
Six are left. The finale's coming up, and there are only FIVE spots. Who will make the finale? And WHO will fall short?
Merged Tribe
Night 33
The six players arrive back at camp, and lean their torches on a tree. After last night's blindside, Matt and Sonic needed to recover..for once.
But first, they have to address their tribemates.
"For a second I thought we had you, but that was a great call." Matt admits. "Unfortunately Blu can't compete anymore."
"Glad I had the necklace. That could have been me." Sonic adds. "Then Chef Ramsay could finally beat Sonic the Hedgehog."
"We've been at it for a week haven't we?" Gordon asks.
"Welp..here's to another one." He raises an imaginary glass.
Sonic: Wow haha, right when I have one over them, they swerve me! Good move from whoever decided to switch the vote. If you're watching Blu, I'm sorry. Didn't think they'd switch it to you.
The hedgehog regroups with the Mii, aware that their situation now is worse than it was back then.
"All we can do is pull a Black Dragon." Matt says. "These people won't stop until we're split. You better hope you're the one with immunity."
"What can I say? I'm a hot commodity."
"WE are if they want us outta shop this bad."
Of course you're both targets, but there's still a sliver of a way out.
"Hmm.." Matt thinks. "Fatu won't flip, and Kabal loves immunities..we need Mei."
"She made her choice already. We should always try, but it doesn't mean we'll succeed." Sonic says.
"Crazier things have happened. We can't give up now, you know this." Matt replies. "If we can't force a tie, we're done for."
There's still a reward challenge coming up for them, so hope isn't lost.
"A reward would be sweet, but if we ever want out of this, we have to take Mei." Sonic suggests. "You've won a couple rewards before, don't let all the immunity losses get to you."
"My heads still up."
"THAT'S the Matt I know and love." Sonic responds, huffing. "Let's get to it."
Matt: Me and Mei HAD a secret alliance going, but she jumped ship. But she don't know the Fatu like she knows us, she don't know if they'll keep her another round like I would. If i can get her in our camp again, then I can win this game. Period.
Meanwhile, Gordon and Dee are by themselves, no Kabal or Roku in sight. The chef gives Dee the best high five he can!
"That was a great suggestion you sneaky b*stard."
"Thanks! Sonic and Matt need each other after all."
"We don't have to do much this time. The next time we go it's two on Matt, two on Sonic. After a tie they can't do anything about it. Let's see how they feel." Gordon jokes, but there has to be some real frustration in there.
Gordon: I've barely escaped Sonic this whole time, so the fact I have a win against him is just delightful. It was the most beautiful moment I've had since the mole got shipped out.
Elsewhere, Kabal and Li Mei walking in their lonesome. Last episode, they didn't get much content besides the reward, now there is more to come.
"If everyone else has a ride-or-die, we have no choice but to be our own. You have to trust someone here." Li Mei comments.
"We're not in anyones final two, let's be real. They left you for dead at the rock draw, then left me for dead the round after. I'll gladly screw some people over." Kabal responds, making whatever plan they have official.
"We could switch sides and take out the big threats. That would be a booster for both of us. Besides, if we leave Dee here, he will not be able to win immunity." Li Mei points out. "At that point we'd have a good chance to make it all the way."
"It's just smart strategy."
Kabal: I'll go to the finals with Mei. My thing with her is: she's been quiet the whole time. She's not on anyones radar because she's not a threat. At least I can brag about getting to the end after everyone tried killing off my clan.
That's not all from their conversation. There's still an order they have to go in. Well, not "have to" but it's recommended.
"We're caught in the crossfire: go with Fatu again, go with Roku again." Kabal stating the obvious. "I know what I wanna go with, how about you?"
"We should wait until after the reward is done. There is always some strategy on these rewards." She responds.
"Fair enough."
Li Mei: I chose Kabal as my ally because he has the worst shot at a jury. As far as I'm concerned, he JUST burnt Blu, and he's associated with someone who could be the most hated person on the cast. There's still a chance he can win, but right now there are bigger fish to fry.
That's where everyone is at strategically. Now it's challenge time…
Reward Challenge
Day 34
"Come on in!"
The six castaways enter the challenge area, no immunity necklace on the hedgehog's neck at all. They come to a stop, and Jeff fills them in on what's happening.
"Alright. Let's get to today's reward challenge. Here's how it works: on my go, you'll draw for three teams of two. One member will throw a rope through the ring, releasing sandbags. You'll then throw the sandbags as hard as you can through a net tunnel. Once you work together to maneuver it through, the second member will bounce the bags off a trampoline, attempting to land them in three baskets."
Clear enough, Jeff.
"First team to land all in the basket wins a valuable reward, especially since we're deep."
It's 'Supertramp' from Cagayan.
"Wanna know what you're playin for?" he asks.
There's less of a reaction this time, but they could really go for food. The law of diminishing returns.
"You may not sound excited now, but nobody can resist a reward. Nobody…" ok Jeff calm down. "The two who win will receive a free spaghetti dinner at our sanctuary. It's your first time having pasta in a while, so I pray for you after the reward's over."
That gets some laughter.
"We'll draw for teams and get started."
Teams:
#1: Kabal and Bandana Dee
#2: Sonic and Gordon
#3: Matt and Li Mei
The teams are in their positions. Li Mei, Sonic, and Bandana Dee have their ropes in hand.
"For reward! Survivors ready?"
….
"GO!"
The three launch their ropes at the ring! Li Mei and Sonic get theirs, but Bandana Dee is just too short! Kabal wanted to shoot on the trampoline instead since height is even MORE of a disadvantage! Which one's easier?
Sonic pulls down first and releases the sandbags, Li Mei gets it second, and Dee's still trying his best.
"You're gonna work as a team to get those bags all the way through! If your teammate can't cooperate, than you've already lost!" Jeff warns.
It's showtime for Gordon Ramsay.
Gordon: If Sonic gets the reward, that just helps him win immunity. I don't know about you but I'm getting sick of going to war again and again. Give me a f*cking break from this guy!
Mei throws her sandbags in the tunnel, desperate to get them to the end. Sonic keeps up the pace himself, but there's one problem…
Gordon's not even trying. He just flings the bag at the tunnel, and Sonic can't ignore it anymore.
"Dude, they're getting away!"
"I know."
He tosses the sandbag above the tunnel like a baseball.
Mei and Matt are a unit, having the most sandbags at the end by far. All thanks to the power of teamwork, and friendship, and all that jazz.
"Almost there, keep it up." Matt says, encouraging his teammate, even though she put a dagger in his back the night before.
Dee finally lands his rope, pulls down and all those sandbags come flying out! Enter Kabal, ready for them make up for lost progress.
"Now everyone's in it!" Jeff shouts.
Sonic and Gordon still aren't working together, going at it right there at the challenge!
"C'mon, at least TRY!" Sonic exclaims.
"And fuel a challenge beast up? No thanks, I'm good." Gordon says.
"I could still lose dude."
"Oh you won't. You've won everything ever since we hit Fiji. It's nothing personal, just business." The chef responds.
"Just business? We're about to lose and it's JUST business?" Sonic's heating up.
While they bicker, Mei and Matt get all the bags they need, and move on to the last stage! Dee and Kabal are catching up too, and yet the rivals are still stuck behind.
"I don't like losing either, but if you lose it'd do me a favor." Gordon explains.
"You can be a real jerk sometimes!"
"Haven't heard that one before."
Meanwhile, the other teams are bouncing sandbags off the trampoline. Matt on deck and scores one basket!
Kabal and Dee finally get to their last stage, and Kabal takes over for baskets. One bounce, one basket!
Matt scores a second basket!
Kabal scores a second basket!
It's prime-time, Matt versus Kabal. We've seen this one before, and Kabal came out on top. Who's winning it this time around?
.
.
.
Matt MISSES the last basket, the trampoline not coming in clutch this time! And then…
.
.
.
Kabal misses too!
"We are down to the wire. One mistake, you're DONE."
They take another shot..
.
.
.
Nobody lands it!
"Matt and Kabal still going at it. Like senior citizens in a retirement home."
They totally appreciate it, Jeff.
Sonic and Gordon are still bickering in this crucial moment, the hedgehog doing most of the legwork. The chef's not trying and it's still bothering him.
"You're better than this…"
"I know."
They aren't winning, but one team will and…
.
.
.
.
Matt lands the third basket! This challenge is over. Donezo. Finished!
"LI MEI AND MATT WINS REWARD!"
"LET'S GO!" The Mii shouts.
"Another reward for us." Li Mei comments.
Kabal turns to the waddle dee after the L. "I got a plan, don't worry."
"..should I worry?"
"If I don't make it back." What's that rapscallion getting into?
The other losing team meets up with everyone, their resident hedgehog looks exhausted after having to carry his teammate. Gordon just doesn't care, in his mind he did what he had to do. Anyways, Jeff takes the floor again to congratulate the winners.
"Congratulations Matt and Mei, you've earned a spaghetti dinner. A boat will be here later to pick you up, and then you'll get to enjoy it." Now onto the losers. "As for the rest of you…I've got nothin for ya. Head back to camp, I'll see you tomorrow." The four losers depart from the challenge area, heading back with no pasta, no reward, and no will to live.
Even when she wins a reward though, Li Mei's head is still in the game. It usually always is.
Li Mei: I know what Matt will do, and I'll hear him out anyway. There is still a threat on the Fatu side as well, and a jury vote at the end, so I cannot just shut him out. That would be the worst move I could ever make.
Matt wins reward, and takes Li Mei with him. Another reward for Li Mei too, who has been on like…four straight. That's just crazy, luckiest woman on Survivor. It's another sweet reward for her, and another chance to rally for him and his boy Sonic. Next chapter features the reward losers getting into some trouble, tension from the reward, and the two winners having fun, and talking out any issues they may have. However that doesn't always mean there will be commitment. We'll see.
Ticket out, have a good one.
