And She Didn't Even Have To Lie

Survivor 16: Fans Versus Favorites episode 12
Recap part two - in which the smug are repaid...

So meanwhile on Jellyfish Island….there are tons of jellyfish. Sincerely. This looks like it would be really fun to do, though I do worry a bit about Cirie. Remember back in her first season, when she was afraid of leaves? Good times.

On Exile, Amanda is hunting for the idol. Hey, if idiots like Ozzy and Jason could find it, she should have no problem with it. She does find the clues easily enough, but learns in the last clue that the idol is buried back at camp. Which, of course, will make it a bit difficult to dig up….

The Jellyfish brigade gets back to camp, where they learn of James’ sudden departure. (No, that was not a gravedigger joke.) Cirie points out that they have to beat Erik at the next immunity challenge if the Black Widows want to avoid eating their own. Which, of course, is inevitable sooner or later, but Cirie and company prefer later.

Morning, and Alexis is wobblier than ever. (Is “wobblier” even a word? Apparently my spell check thinks so. Whee!) Parv asks if she would like to be voted out, which would be a convenient solution to a pressing problem, but no go. Nice try, though.

Parv and the two fan girls agree that Erik goes next, which duh! If you want an all female final five, did you really have to point out that Erik is of the non-female persuasion? (Although, with his Goldilocks and Ozzy-crush, Erik can give off mixed signals. Just saying.) Natalie mentions she couldn’t win in a final three situation if Amanda was there, sort of planting the seed just in case Erik does win immunity. Parvati says she doesn’t want to backstab Amanda at this point, since they’ve been together since day one (well, except for that little rift during the Ozzy blindside). Interestingly, Parv doesn’t tell them not to vote for Amanda….she just says she can’t be a part of it. Nor does she need to be, doncha know?

Immunity Challenge! Amanda gets brought in from Exile Island and brought up to date on the James situation. The challenge will involve firing a high-powered rifle at colored saki bottles, trying to break the bottles of your color. The first person to break three of their bottles wins. Natalie hits right away. Amanda misses, Parvati hits, Cirie misses. Ho hum. Cut to the chase….Erik hits three bottles first and wins immunity. Uh oh, looks like a spider is about to be exterminated.

Back at camp, Amanda dumps her bags to prove she did not find the hidden immunity idol. A great move on her part. It lets the others think they can safely vote her off without splitting votes – and gives her a bit of time to actually find the idol before TC. Bravo, Amanda!

So, while the fans go for the chickens (remember the chickens? Remember when Cirie was afraid of the chickens?), Amanda pulls Parv aside and comes clean. First they decide to vote off Alexis (Parv’s choice – Amanda wanted Nat, but for some reason goes along). Parv tells Amanda the consensus is that she’s going tonight, but Amanda says she’ll try to appeal to Erik, since she saved him in the Amy vote. In the meantime, she needs to find the idol. True, dat.

Erik admits to Amanda that it’s either her or Parvati, since they’re big threats. Amanda tries to appeal to his sense of fairness, but he says she’ll beat him in the end game if he lets her stay around. He lets her know that he’ll be voting for her, and she flashes sad eyes at him.

As Erik passes the plucked chicken to Cirie, he passes the word as well – Amanda goes tonight. Cirie agrees. She’s sad to see her pal go, but admits it’s not the worst move for her, strategically speaking. She does go to Amanda and fills her in. Amanda says she and Parv are voting for Alexis, and mentions that Cirie could go with them and force a tie. Cirie says she couldn’t, because with her luck, she’d end up picking the purple rock of doom tie breaker and be out herself. Since Amanda can appreciate self-preservation, she respects this and tells Cirie not to force the tie. She also asks Cirie a telling question – if things weren’t like this, would Cirie still be on board with the other favorites to the end? Of course, Cirie is on with anyone until the end, so she confirms this.

Parvati watches the others eating in the cave as Amanda starts digging for the idol. Cirie asks where Amanda is, but Parvati says she told girlfriend she stunk, so she must be trying to freshen up. Hee.

Tribal. The three known jury members are brought in, then are surprised to learn that James – now surgically hooked to an IV – is joining their ranks. Probst asks Amanda if she looked for the hidden idol (which brings cheers from the jury) but she says she couldn’t find it. She admits she knows she’s on the block tonight, saying only Parv is voting with her. And then she lets the jury know that Erik came to her when he needed a vote, but went to “greener grass” when it was her time of need. Nice seed planting, there.

Natalie and Alexis both chime in that Amanda is the biggest threat for the finals. Nat says Amanda did nothing wrong to any of the current jury members (I hope they took note!) while Alexis says she adores Amanda, which is why she was upfront about the vote. Which is happening right about now….

As Cirie goes to vote, Amanda makes the classic “slash across the throat” sign. Cirie comes back and holds Amanda’s hand as the others go vote.

Before he announces the results, Probst reminds the players that now is the time to play the hidden immunity idol if you have it. There’s a moment of silence, then Amanda pipes up, “About that, Jeff,” and reaches into her bag. The faces are priceless – the jury is openly celebrating, Cirie smiles (was she surprised?) while the fans are crestfallen. Swinging the idol as she heads toward Jeff, Amanda tells the tribe that, when she told them she didn’t have the idol, she didn’t have it – yet. Yep, she blindsided them – and she didn’t even have to lie!

Jeff reads the votes, and the first four – all Amanda – don’t count. The final two votes are for Alexis, who hugs Natalie before getting snuffed.

Next week: Everyone is courting Erik, who appears to want Cirie and Parv with him at the end. Which, of course, doesn’t go over too well with Nat, who overhears.

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And She Didn't Even Have To Lie

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