Jeff can see Steve is shocked to be accused a racist. Steve says he played in the NFL, and never saw black and white in the locker room. Jeff then asks Phillip if there is a difference between saying someone is making a "crazy" argument versus someone saying, "You're crazy!" Phillip says there is a difference. Jeff repeats the whole rice/race story, and concludes that he understands where Phillip is coming from, but no one knows Steve's background, so it is almost impossible to know what he meant by calling Phillip crazy.
Jeff asks Rob how he votes in this environment. Phillip and Steve are grown men that say and feel how they want, Rob replies. He can't imagine, however, that this argument doesn't factor in. Natalie feels for Steve because she doesn't feel he's racist. Julie finally admits to stealing Phillip's shorts. Jeff says this was all a great therapy season. Jeff again points out that Steve is clearly uncomfortable being called a racist. Steve replies that he just hopes some of Ometepe has had enough of Phillip. Jeff asks Phillip if he is voted out now, would it be because of race? "No," Phillip responds, "It would be because the tribe has spoken." Jeff notes that they are all together in the game now because eliminated players will be part of the Jury.
With that, it is time to vote. Steve and Julie vote for Phillip. Phillip votes for Julie. Jeff collects the votes and reads them off. The first three are for Phillip. Votes Four through Six are for Julie. Vote Seven is for Julie as well. Jeff reads Vote Eight: "The eleventh person voted out of Survivor: Redemption Island...Julie!" "I guess you'll never find your shorts," Julie half-cackles as she gathers her belongings. Jeff snuffs her torch, and Julie heads off into the Blue Light of Death. Jeff says that tonight's Tribal Council is indicative of how the game will go from there on out. Everything they say will determine who wins the million dollars.
Next Time On...Survivor!
Phillip has his greatest day yet. Andrea could be in danger. Matt plumbs the deepest depths of soul as he weepily confesses that God has been carrying him.
Perhaps a bit surprisingly, there have been very few times that race has become a direct bone of contention between players on Survivor. Yes, there was Survivor: Cook Islands where the players were separated into tribes based on race, but race never became an actual issue between two players. So, it was quite interesting to see Phillip and Steve go at it about race in this episode. It was clear, from at least what we were shown (and you can damn well bet if Steve said something racial we would have seen it) that Steve said nothing objectionable to Phillip. Phillip, obviously, blew things up, most likely way out of proportion, but as Jeff said during Tribal Council, we really don't know Phillip's background to know if he was actually offended and interpreting Steve's words as racist. Yes, Phillip has received the "kooky" edit this whole season, but I am not willing to write the whole thing off as Phillip just being a coo-coo bird. It was all very interesting to watch.
As far as the rest of the episode's goings on, well, there wasn't that much. Ometepe is solid as a rock, so it looks like they will just eliminate Steve and Ralph, and then move on from there. Matt clearly has some competition from Mike over at RI, though I think they will both easily take down Julie. For someone with so much potential, Julie allowed herself to get comfortable in an alliance and let others make decisions for her. Why Ometepe chose to eliminate her over the two guys is anyone's guess, but Rob must have felt she was most likely to win Individual Immunity Challenges, so she had to go. At this point, I don't see how Rob doesn't make it to the Final Three unless someone on Ometepe grows a backbone and makes a big move against him. I know the "Next time on Survivor" implies Andrea will be in danger, but I can almost guarantee she won't be going home, based on the Laws of Reality TV Promotion.
One last item, Jeff mentioned in his "virtual living room" on Twitter (@jeffprobst) that next week's Tribal Council has a "big twist." Interesting.....
UPDATE: Jeff says in this Q&A with Entertainment Weekly's Dalton Ross that the final episode of the season, to air Sunday, May 15th, will have eight people still vying for the Survivor: Redemption Island crown. This is insane to me. Quickly thinking, there will be the normal five regular players left, and three people on RI. There will be a three-way, double elimination Duel that will send the winner back into the game. Then there would have to be three Immunity Challenges and Tribal Councils to get the number down to the Final Three. Crazy. Unless they decide on a Final Four for the Final Tribal Council. I hated when they went to a Final Three from a Final Two, so a Final Four will make me lose my mind. So very interesting. We'll just have to wait and see.
Odds to Win
Did this week's events have a big effect on the Odds to Win? Let's find out:
Andrea: 4-1. Though the preview for the next episode supposes Andrea will be in danger next week, I just can't see her being eliminated yet. Rob doesn't have to keep her around if he feels she might flip, but she's played pretty smart the last few weeks, so I think she is still safe. I keep her as the favorite because if anyone will make a move against Rob, it will be Andrea. If she can pull that move off, and get to the Final Three, she will have to be the winner.
Grant: 7-1 (tie). I have Grant in a tie with Rob because it really comes down to whether Grant can get to Rob before Rob gets to him. Like Andrea, I don't see Rob targeting Grant yet, but you can bet once Zapatera is gone, his first goal will be to eliminate the one player who can beat him in Challenges. For Grant to survive, he needs to grab Andrea, Ralph and Steve and move against Rob immediately. If he doesn't, I'm afraid Rob will get him first.
Rob: 7-1 (tie). Another week goes by and Rob is still around. Granted, this week he won Immunity, so he couldn't go, but there wasn't even a moment we were shown that demonstrated anyone's willingness to try to blindside him. I've explained above the scenarios that could take Rob down, but he has such a grip on his alliance that I'm not sure anyone would even think about maneuvering against him. Rob is already playing the best game of Survivor ever (which he should as this is his fourth time playing!!), but part of me thinks he is going to mess up. His pride will get him. There have been too many times that the Survivor producers have shown us Rob worrying about the Hidden Immunity Idol and not playing it correctly that it could be a massive piece of foreshadowing. The only question that remains is whether I'd be happier to see Rob actually dominate so much he actually wins the game, or whether I'd rather seem him blindsided and see his utter devastaion.
Natalie: 13-1. Another week goes by and Natalie is still around. Seriously, did she do anything this week besides say she doesn't think Steve is a racist? By default, she is in this position. I really have nothing more to say about her if and until she gets her lips off Rob's rear end.
Ashley: 20-1. God, Ashley gets on my last nerve. Everything that comes out of her mouth just grates on my brain. Yet, do you see her not making it to the final five? Me either, unfortunately.
Ralph: 43-1. I'm keeping Ralph here because there is the possibility that he gets kept around in favor of eliminating some Ometepe members because he is really no threat in Challenges. Like none whatsoever. Has Ralph even come close to winning a Challenge? So, maybe he sticks around, gets used as a vote to blindside Rob, and ends up in the Final Three with two undeserving players. In such a scenario, he could play the "my tribe was decimated but I'm still here" card and perhaps win a 4-3-2 vote.
Mike: 68-1. Mike survived his first Duel, which is obviously good. Unless the RI winner comes back into the game in time for the Final Immunity Challenge, or just straight into the Final Three, I don't see how that player can win the game. As soon as they are eligible to be voted out again, I have to imagine whomever is at that Tribal Council will do so. Would you want to go into the Final Tribal Council sitting next to someone who won a bunch of Duels out on RI? I know I wouldn't, especially when half the Jury will be Zapatera members.
Matt: 74-1. Matt stayed alive, but clearly has some competition from Mike. How could he not? Matt is utterly wasted by this point. He has been alone for half of his time in the game, living under more meager conditions than everyone else. He feels defeated and empty. I am very much rooting for his continued RI success because it would be an amazing story, but I think his tank is flashing a big, bright "E." Will his faith be enough to get him through more Duels? I guess we'll find out next week.
Steve: 83-1. I was pleasantly surprised to see Steve buck up after not being eliminated at the last Tribal Council, and it appears his confrontation with Phillip has put a little more spring in his step, but I have to imagine he is next on Rob's hit list. Can he get Andrea and Grant to flip on Rob?
Phillip: 107-1. I said a lot about Phillip above, so there is no need to rehash it. I will say this, though. We are getting perilously close to sympathy votes for Phillip in the Final Tribal Council. I know it may not seem that way, but watch. If he makes it to the end, and has a sane, rational final appeal to the Jury, Phillip might just win this game.
Julie: Eleventy-billion-1. FLOATER!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! More importantly, can you see Julie winning multiple RI Duels? Me neither.
Alright folks, that's this week's Survivor: Redemption Island. What did you think of the episode? Was Phillip completely off his rocker, or could you see his point of view? Do you fear for Matt's mental health at this point? Will Mike run the Duel table? Can anyone get up enough gumption to take on Rob? Please leave your questions, comments and theories below. I'll be back next week with another recap. Until then, I'm off to watch Divorce Court.
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