CBS The Vati tribe compete for immunity in "Survivor 42" episode 5.
The latest “Survivor” episode is titled “I’m Survivor Rich” and is coming right off the heels of Ika’s second Tribal Council, where 19-year-old Swati Goel became the fourth person voted out of the game. Now, Ika and Taku are down to four, and Vati still has five.
If last season’s schedule is any indication (which it has been thus far), this will be the final episode before the Hourglass twist/“fake merge” episode, in which one contestant will have to decide whether to “turn back time” and reverse the outcome of an immunity challenge in which half of the remaining contestants compete (the other half are immune). So tonight’s Tribal Council may be vital in determining the course of the rest of the game.
Be forewarned of spoilers!
All times Eastern.
8:05 – The Ika castaways return to camp from Tribal, and Romeo and Drea have some serious damage control to do after Rocksroy was blindsided by Swati’s elimination. While the other three want to stay 4 strong, Tori is heavily against the idea. “I’ll be the first one to jump ship,” she says.
Meanwhile, at Taku – what seemed to be an actual four strong – Maryanne and Lindsay are getting on Jonathan’s nerves. Like adorable little sisters, they’re trying to play games with him, but he is just…so…done. Uh-oh – not looking good for Taku’s apparent unity. Then, when Jonathan accidentally hurts Maryanne, they start bickering. “You’re so dramatic, it’s driving me crazy,” Jonathan says. Omar, meanwhile, like the dorky brother, is not happy with the drama.
Sometimes silence is key!🔑😂 #Survivor
8:15 – Meanwhile, at Vati, the edit is doing a good job of showcasing that trust and loyalty is an issue on every tribe:
Hai trusts neither Daniel nor Chanelle, and meanwhile, while Daniel is fishing (or attempting to; as he puts it, “I’m as much a natural fisherman as an arsonist is a natural fireman”), the other four think he’s been fibbing about his shoulder being dislocated. And Mike especially isn’t happy about it. “How long can you carry a guy before it becomes a true liability?” he says. Uh-oh…things are not looking good for poor Daniel.
Things aren’t adding up!🤔 #Survivor
Over at Ika, Romeo and Drea are going idol hunting, and finally…Drea finds…the Beware advantage!! Finally. It only took five episodes for Ika to find theirs. Their reaction to reading the bunnyrabbit phrase, and realizing that that’s why Maryanne had been saying it, is priceless. Now, they just want Vati to say it.
8:20 – However, as we see on Vati, Mike is more cautious about activating the idol, given that he doesn’t want to reveal too much information to the other tribes. So, come the next challenge, we’re going to have to see what snap judgment he makes: will he indeed tell his castmates that there’s so much grace in the game of soccer it makes him want to cry? Or will he hold back, potentially risking another Tribal in which he won’t have a vote? We will find out soon enough.
8:30 – Okay, we’re at the reward/immunity challenge…Maryanne says her phrase…Drea says her phrase (kind of…she at least paraphrased it)…and MIKE SAYS HIS PHRASE!!! Mike says that though it wasn’t his original plan, “it was a gametime decision,” and he decided to go through with it. It’s hard not to notice, though, that Drea didn’t recite her phrase verbatim…will it matter? I guess not.
Got to love some shelter from the rain!👏🏽☂️ #Survivor
In the challenge, Taku is not doing as good as they normally do. Omar is taking a looong time to do that puzzle. Jonathan is panicking. Meanwhile, IKA WINS IMMUNITY!!!
It’s down to Vati and Taku, and amazingly, Taku has caught up. Jonathan, once more dominating this game physically, already hits one target before Vati has any. Chanelle then gets one for Vati…and each have one left. Finally…Jonathan hits the last one, and TAKU WINS IMMUNITY!!! That Taku 4 really does have a certain kind of magic. Hell of a comeback. Hai, however, is “excited” about losing immunity, because he sees it as an opportunity to “trim the fat” from their tribe, referring to Chanelle and Daniel. Oof. That oughta hurt on a re-watch.
Ika now has to decide which two people are going on a “Journey” (i.e. to the Summit), and they choose Lydia of Vati, and Rocksroy, of their own tribe.
8:40 – Despite Hai’s confessional at the end of the challenge, he’s still claiming it to be a Vati “family” back at camp. Privately, he tells Daniel that Chanelle needs to go, because she’s not trustworthy. Mike, meanwhile, tells Daniel he is “100%” writing Daniel’s name down (at Chanelle’s urging). Privately, Hai and Mike basically vent to each other that they don’t care which of the two go, and Hai says they’re both like “Two weasels in a chicken coup.” Damn. Them’s fighting words!
At the Summit, Lydia and Rocksroy are amazed by the nature around them. They bond for a bit, then they go to the ship’s wheel. My question is, how are they not coordinating their strategy beforehand by now?? Anyway, looks like they both decide to play it safe and “Protect” their votes.
When Lydia returns to camp, she is approached individually by Daniel and Chanelle; both lobby for her vote, Daniel even calling her the “Queenmaker,” despite having voted for her at the last Tribal Council. Hai knows that this vote could be crucial, especially when it comes to his own game.
8:55 – At Tribal, Daniel talks about how the five of them really are a family, and how that will extend beyond the game, regardless of who goes home. Hai, fitting the theme of the episode, talks about how trust is the most important thing out there, highlighting how at their last chaotic Tribal, there were “six blindsides.” Mike reiterates Daniel’s earlier point when he says his vote tonight is strictly gameplay and not personal, and that he wants to remain friends with whoever is voted out. We’ll see who that turns out to be…
After the votes are cast, for the first time, no one decides to play their Shot in the Dark. May prove to be a bad decision for somebody.
First vote: Chanelle; then, Daniel; then, Chanelle; then Daniel. We’re at a 2-2 tie…and the last vote is for…MIKE!! Whoa!! A bizarre 2-2-1 tie, and I have absolutely no idea why.
On the revote, a despondent Daniel is sent home unanimously. “Man, that’s heartbreaking,” he says on his way out, though he did seem to get a bit of a thrill seeing Jeff snuff his torch.
Well, at least his numerous predictions about not winning finally came true. Looks like we’ll end up not having seen much of Daniel, but hopefully that superfan enjoyed his time on the island while it lasted.
Also, it turns out that Mike voted for Chanelle, and Chanelle voted for Mike (“I’m so sorry,” she says in her voting confessional), likely in order to have a throwaway vote in there in case Daniel plays an idol/Shot in the Dark. Well, we’ll see how Mike feels about that when they get back to camp next week.
“Survivor 42” airs Wednesdays at 8 p.m. Eastern and Pacific on CBS. The three-hour finale will air Wednesday, May 25, 2022.
Comments
‘Survivor 42’ Contestant’s Predictions Come True As He Is Voted Out