Giving credit where credit is due, it was a brilliant move during the final phase of the game. It is a shame that Shii Ann 'She-Devil' Huang waited 33 days to start playing 'Survivor' in a hardcore fashion.
There is no doubt about it. Shii Ann went out with a bang unleashing a cobra in a nest of vipers. Failing to win Immunity, the last remaining member of the original Mogo Mogo Alliance was easy pickings for the imperious Chapera vultures. Knowing her fate was sealed, Shii Ann did as she promised at Tribal Council. She exposed the "power couple" alliances (Rob, Amber and Rupert, Jenna) and put the heat on Amber Brkich, the player whom she predicted would outlast, outplay and outwit everyone else.
At Tribal Council, Shii Ann made it known that she would be making a statement with her vote. She would point out the one contestant who will win the game if left unchecked by the others.
"Amber, I am voting for you out of respect. You are the mastermind right now. So, from one 'She-Devil' to another, this is the vote I am casting tonight," said Shii Ann as she wrote down Amber's name on the parchment paper.
Host Jeff Probst seemed to indulge Shii Ann's scheme to cause dissent and read all of the votes aloud. It is something he doesn't usually do when the vote is clear cut. With Shii Ann's torched snuffed, Probst played up her attempt at sabotaging the original Chapera Alliance.
"Well, Shii Ann went out of this game playing until the very end. Obviously, she wanted to stir things up a little bit at camp. I guess the next few days will show us what if any impact her words had," stated Probst as he sent the players on their way.
The remaining Survivors at the start of the broadcast were:
Chaboga Mogo Tribe
1. Rob Mariano.
2. Tom Buchanan.
3. Rupert Boneham.
4. Jenna Lewis.
5. Shii Ann Huang.
6. Amber Brkich.
Chaboga Mogo Tribal Happenings (Day 31)
The sun is shining. The birds are singing. It is a wonderful day at Camp Crappola. That is, it is for everyone but the 'She-Devil' who has just begun to realize that the palm trees and the cameramen have strategized more than she has the entire 31 days.
'She-Devil' grumps: The beautiful day has done nothing to lift her spirits. She has no friends. Nobody trusts or likes her. Camp life is unpleasant.
Hey, 'She-Devil'. Who could have predicted that rubbing an Immunity win in the faces of your enemies would antagonize them? You made your bed. Lay in it, girlfriend. Stupid player. Stupid, stupid, stupid player.
Jenna is preparing to cook some coconut. She boldly announces to Shii Ann that if she wants plantains, she will have to cook them herself. Snikt! She-Devil's claws come out.
Shii Ann snarls: She can't stand Jenna. She is such a bitch and the bossiest person at camp. Sometimes...she just wants to strangle her. Insert 'Psycho' shower scene music here.
Rupert 'Blackbeard' brings home his catch of the day. No one moves a muscle to help him prepare the fish. They are too busy counting the lint in their pockets. Rupert blows a head valve and stomps off to clean the fish on his own.
Rupert growls: They all want to eat his fish but they don't want to clean them. He should tell them the fish they get to eat is the fish they catch themselves. Poor Rupe feels used and abused.
In an absolute bonehead play, 'Blackbeard' cooks and eats one of the fish himself right in front of everyone and makes no apologies for doing so. This perturbs Jenna who feels he should share with everyone.
Jenna snivels: Rupert is such a productive fisherman because he is big and can handle being buffeted by the strong waves. Someone like her would be smashed into dust. Rupert hogging the fish for himself was a bad move.
Jenna and Rupert argue on their own. Rupert explains his frustration with the lazy lima beans back at camp. Nobody ever lifts a finger to help him. Jenna says she was cooking at the time which is why she didn't.
Rupert gripes: Jenna had no right to bitch him out about the fish. She is a pain in the ass and he is sorry he ever formed an alliance with her.
'She-Devil': Rupert had every right to eat the fish. He catches them himself. He doesn't have to share with anyone. Don't count the 'She-Devil' out. She has some tricks up her sleeves.
Reward Challenge
Get out the hankies. It is time to truck out the players' family members. We have Amber's mom, Rob's brother Mike, Shii Ann's mom, Tom's son and Jenna's brother. Probst jerks Rupert around by saying...Is that everybody?...before lamely apologizing and allowing Rupert's wife to emerge from the foliage. Rupert and his wife smooch...a lot. Probst has to break things up before the episode becomes X-rated. It is a "gross food challenge"...but...the players won't be competing. Their loved ones will. The food items have been pulled from previous editions of Survivor.
Reward
The winner and their loved one get to spend time alone at the old Chapera camp site.
Result
First item: fish heads. Amber's mom is out. Second item: flying cockroaches. Shii Ann's mom is gone. Third item: the Marquasas fish "cooked" in sea water. Rupert's wife is gone. Fourth item: tarantulas. Jenna's brother "cheats" by gulping down some water while munching the tarantula. Jenna's brother argues the call then accepts his disqualification. Fifth item: live grubs. Tom's son Bo swallows his down in one gulp.
Winner(s): Bo (and Tom) Buchanan.
Bo and Tom do their hillbilly dance. Hee. Haw. Probst announces that the Chapera camp has been upgraded for them. He permits Tom to select another tribe member and their loved one to join him and Bo. Tom picks 'The Robfather' and his brother Mike.
Chapera Tribal Happenings (Day 31)
There is pizza and beer awaiting Bo, Mike, Rob and Tom.
Tom: He wishes his wife or his neighbour's sister came instead of Bo. He was kinda sickened by Rupert and his wife trading so much spit. He has never seen a man "slobber" over a woman like that. There is no way he was picking them to come to the Chapera camp.
As they pack away pizza, Rob asks Tom what he thinks the others are doing back at camp. Tom is sure Amber is laying low, Rupert is fishing, Jenna is running her mouth and Shii Ann is making an alliance with a bush.
At night, the boys party some more with Rob pushing Mike and Bo on a swing. The foursome divides so that Rob and Tom can talk strategy with their loved ones.
Rob tells Mike that he has the game in the bag. Everyone is with him, especially Amber. He totally trusts Am-bore. Rob recounts for Mike how Lex saved Amber at his request. Lex was a "dumbass" and he "snaked" him. Mike warns against trusting Am-bore. Rob is counting on her. She won't twitch. Rob doesn't trust Big Tom as far as he can throw him.
Tom relates his strategy to Bo. He is trying to figure out what to do so that Rob keeps him in the game with Am-bore. Tom believes that he and Rob will be the final two.
Chaboga Mogo Tribe Happenings (Day 32)
A ship brings the boys back to camp. Right away, Rupert puts them to work.
Tom: Bo gets up early at the farm. He knows what hard work is all about.
Bo breaks his back carrying firewood. Rupert comments that Rob and his brother did nothing. They are shown taking it easy on the shoreline.
At Bo's insistence, Rupert 'Blackbeard' takes him fishing. Rupert admits to coveting the spears and they leave without Bo carrying one. Tom catches up with them and hands one over to Bo...much to Rupert's dismay.
Bo swims as elegantly as an elephant and has all the fishing skills of a Saint Bernard. Bo emerges from the expedition minus a small item. He has lost his spear tip. Big Tom is more stunned than usual.
Rupert: He isn't too worried. The last functional spear is all his now.
'Robfather': Bo is as big a dumbass as his dad is.
As Rob says goodbye to Mike, he is told to trust no one.
Bo has faith in his old man. He will fight to the end.
Immunity Challenge
It is the fire and water challenge. The players must first start a fire and then fill up a counterbalancing bucket with water. When the bucket is filled with enough water, the fire will light some fireworks. Trick is...the bucket has a hole in it and they only get so many matches each.
Reward
Immunity from the Tribal Council vote.
Result
Rob gets his bucket to rise...but his fire goes out. He uses up his matches and is out of the competition. Amber, Rupert and Jenna follow suit. Shii Ann has trouble with her fire and Big Tom cruises to victory.
Winner: Tom.
Chaboga Mogo Pre Tribal Council Happenings (Day 32)
For the second time, Tom does his hillbilly dance. It is his one Immunity win and he is proud of it. As Tom prances around like a diabetic having a seizure, Shii Ann sticks her tongue out and makes a disgusted face.
It is Let's Make A Deal...starring Shii Ann.
First stop: Tom. The 'She-Devil' attempts to convince Tom that Jenna has to go. Tom says if it was up to him alone, she'd be on vacation island already. Tom insists though that his status is the same as Shii Ann's: he can't influence the vote.
Second stop: Rupert. Rupert doesn't care who goes...as long as it isn't him.
Third stop: Amber. Amber waffles and then says that Tom has agreed to take out Jenna. Am-bore won't commit to voting Jenna out but will think about it. It is time to get hardcore. Jenna joins Am-bore and Shii Ann. The plotting ends. They talk about food instead.
Jenna snaps: Shii Ann is nothing but a "scrambler". Whenever the 'She-Devil' opens her mouth, she wants to put a gun in her own.
Fourth stop: 'The Robfather'. Again, Shii Ann focuses the discussion on booting Jenna. She has to be dealt with sooner or later. Rob claims to have made an alliance with Jenna and can't backtrack on it. Shii Ann knows a lot of things. She vows to Rob that everything is going to come out at Tribal Council.
Tribal Council Happenings
Jenna applauds Rupert and Tom for their hard work at camp. Am-bore helps gather and cook the plantains. Rob tries to fish. Rob admits to doing a poor job catching fish but he is giving it his best shot. Am-bore claims she will factor in a player's contribution to camp in her vote. People are changing now. The constant paranoia is annoying her. Rupert says the paranoia is destroying friendships and alliances. Jenna and Rupert have some laughs over their argument about the fish. Rupert explains what he did and why. Am-bore believes Rupert can eat all the fish he wants. He deserves to. Shii Ann points the finger at Jenna. She is always monitoring the food situation at camp. Shii Ann defends Rupert's some more and then points out that she could've been a swing vote against the "Power Couples". Her vote will be a statement tonight. She is writing down the name of the person everyone should be wary of. The person, who if ignored, will win it all. Probst asks Tom is he will surrender the Immunity Necklace. Tom laughs. That is the most ignorant question he has heard all night.
An angry Jenna votes for Shii Ann. Now she can eat all the food she wants to. Shii selects Amber.
Final Voting
1. Rob Mariano: Shii Ann.
2. Tom Buchanan: Shii Ann.
3. Rupert Boneham: Shii Ann.
4. Jenna Lewis: Shii Ann.
5. Shii Ann Huang: Amber.
6. Amber Brkich: Shii Ann.
Tribal Council Victim: Shii Ann Huang.
Parting Comments
Television: "She Devil did her best. I really tried. I played this game as hard as I could. I played with the best of the best but you know what? I knew I was outnumbered and I knew they were going to vote me off so I just wanted to warn everyone. Don't forget little Amber with her big green eyes and her beautiful smile. Don't forget. She is playing for a million dollars." - Shii Ann Huang.
Internet "Tonight I voted for Amber, because Amber is the most manipulative, the best, the friendliest, the sweetest, the best player remaining in this game. She has Rob Mariano wrapped around her finger, and you know what? She doesn't care whether or not he loves her or likes her. She's thinking about the million dollars, and she's thinking very logically. She looks at Rupert, she looks at Jenna, she looks at Big Tom, as pieces in the game. She is not emotionally attached to any of these people, despite her friendship. I very much respect her game-play, which is why I wrote her name down tonight. She's flying under the radar, under the radar of Rob Mariano. I think a player like that can very much win this game, and I just wanted to warn everyone: Don't forget little Amber, with her big green eyes and her beautiful smile. Don't forget she's playing for a million dollars, and she has every chance of winning.
Wow, 33 long, long days. I came, I saw, I conquered. I pretty much achieved every single goal, except for maybe winning the million dollars. But you know what? The Shii Devil did her best; I really tried. I played this game as hard as I could, I played with the best of the best, and I beat every single person I got to play with, except for at the end, it was a numbers thing. It wasn't really my fault. Strategically, I think I made every single possible move that I could have made, and I did it right. Guess what? I played with the best. I beat four of my favorite players--Ethan, Lex, Kathy, Richard Hatch--I beat them all! Ultimately, it came down to bad luck with the numbers, and sometimes that's the way the chips fall. So, to my friends and family: Of course, I love you and I miss you all. Mom, thanks so much for coming out to see me. I was so proud of you. You're so brave for eating all those things. What can I say, except for that this experience was amazing, as was the last time, but even much more so, because this time around, I had fun. I had a lot of fun!"- Shii Ann Huang.
On the next 'Survivor':
Television: "With only five All Stars left, paranoia reaches new heights. Rupert: I looked over and my heart sank because Rob was standing right there. Rob to Amber: We've got problems. And the battle lines are drawn. Tom and Rupert argue. Rupert: Did you or did you not tell me when needed to get Rob off?".
Internet: "Rupert and Jenna are shocked to realize Rob is standing right behind them during a private strategy session. One All-Star fuels a fiery fight between two tribemates. As Tribal Council looms, the five remaining All-Stars feel targets on their backs. Who will be voted off, and who will make it to the Final Four?"
Powell's Thoughts:
More misdirection for the Evil Mark Burnett in the promos. Man, is he sneaky or what? As with Jenna last week, Rupert is made to look like he is vulnerable on the second last episode of 'All Stars'. Somehow, I don't think that is the case at all. The foundation has already been laid for the exit of Big Tom. The Robfather clearly doesn't trust him. He has stated so on numerous occasions and it might be because of the supposed pact he made with Lex before the game even began. From the promo we see that Rob stumbles upon a conversation. It very well could be that Jenna and Rupert are talking about Tom's plan to oust Rob. If so, that might be the nail in the coffin for Tom as far as The Robfather is concerned.
Robfather has two options. Either keep the suspicious Tom so that he has a solid trio going into the finals or ditch him and manipulate Jenna into believing that Rupert is an Immunity Challenge threat. Rob is not intimidated by Rupert at all. If Rupert is booted next, the arrogant Robfather probably believes he can run roughshod over Amber and Jenna during the rest of the challenges. To him, it looks like a walk in the park to the finals. The only thing that could mess him up is if Jenna wins Immunity or Amber stabs him in the back. An Amber-Robfather betrayal storyline has been floating in the background since the very first episode.
Amber a "mastermind", Shii Ann? Yeah, right. Spare me.
