On the previous episode of Survior: Kaoh Rong, the ladies alliance had to sacrifice one of their own when the Bully alliance threatened to upend the game with their idols. Now Debbie is gone, but Jason and Tai’s idols are still in play, and have extra powers if combined into a super idol. Who knows what could happen next! It’s what still makes Survivor so exciting. Let’s find out, shall we?

Brawns Feeling Good

Scot, Jason and Tai celebrate the fact that a woman went home and they still have both of their idols. Jason credits Operation Sabotage as the reason the women “ate one of their own.” It must be hard for him to understand that the women put a lot more strategic thoughts into why the women voted the way they did last week, and it had little to do with their immature antics.

Tai wants to work on bringing the camp back together now and mending their relationships. So, Scot approaches Aubry and tells her that their real beef is with Cydney and if she wants to work with them, then camp life will go back to normal and they’ll keep providing for their tribe.

Aubry knows what Scot’s doing and the sugary deliverance of his controlling offer doesn’t make him any less domineering. She says that there’s no way in hell she’ll work with the guys, but she’ll let them believe that she’s cool with them for as long as she can.

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What are You Playing For?

For the reward challenge this week, the Survivors have to balance two pots on a teeter-totter with one foot. Each person is competing, but there are three categories to compete for: Food, an advantage, or love letters from home. They can choose what they want to compete for and the last person standing in each category will win.

Joe and Julia are the only ones competing for letters from home. It’s an easy win for Julia when Joe drops out first.

Next, Scot, Jason and Michele compete for food. Scot and Jason drop out and Michele gets to eat a cheeseburger, fries and a beer.

That leaves Cydney, Tai and Aubry to compete for the advantage. Cydney drops out first (her muscle mass has really dwindled this far into the game). Aubry and Tai are left and Aubry says she wants to prove herself that she can do it and win. But a big breeze comes through and takes her down. Tai wins (yet another) advantage in the game.

Enjoying Rewards

Michele is glowing because she ate a cheeseburger and the ogres Jason and Scot didn’t. But she also realizes how scary it is that Tai has an advantage in addition to his idol.

Speaking of Tai’s advantage, he finds out it’s an extra vote! Hopefully he fairs better with this “advantage” than Stephen Fishbach and Dan Foley (both went home on the day they tried to use their extra vote on their respective seasons).

Julia is excited to read her letters from home after such an emotional roller coaster the game has been for her. She’s inspired to keep going and she’s reminded of what she’s playing for.

It gives Julia a boost to continue to make big moves. She pulls Michele and Aubry aside and tells them that they have to flush an idol at the next vote. She proposes voting for Tai and if one or more idol gets played, Cydney will go home (since she’s the guys’ target) and that will at least eliminate another threat for them.

Aubry listens to Julia’s plan and agrees. She knows Julia is duplicitous, but that’s something she can respect. She just doesn’t want to sit next to her at the end with the resume she’s building.

So that’s one of the reasons she approaches Tai. She approaches him from an emotional level and they really seem to connect. She tells him that Julia is gunning for him and she wants him to trust her. She says in her confessional that she went out on a limb going to Tai, but she thinks she can be a moral alternative to Scot and Jason.

Tai is excited to possibly work with Aubry as he likes her energy a lot. He brings her proposal to Scot and Jason. However, Scot immediately shuts down working with her and says she should be the next to go. He thinks it’s a better idea to blindside Aubry which would split her and Joe up, than making the emotional decision to get rid of Cydney.

Tai doesn’t like that he has no say in his alliance’s plans. The two guys are too forceful and they don’t take anything he says into consideration. It’s something he needs to consider going forward.

Aubry Holds Her Own

For the immunity challenge, the players have to stretch out their arms and use their fingertips to press against wooden discs. The discs are attached to pots, and the last person to keep both their pots up, wins a one in seven chance to win a million dollars.

Joe, Scot, Julia and Michele drop fairly quickly. Tai and Cydney follow leaving only Aubry and Jason. The two last an hour and 15 minutes, but Aubry can’t hold on. Poor Aubry, second place in two challenges in a row. And now stupid Jason has immunity.

Trying for Tai

Jason celebrates with Tai and Scot. Jason says that Aubry’s gone, and if worse comes to worst they’ll play the super idol, but with Tai and Julia, they’ll have the numbers advantage.

Julia tells Jason and Scot that her plan is to flush Tai’s idol. They tell her it doesn’t matter to them because Tai’s not in their “final three” plans anyway; she is. Julia’s thrilled that she’s solidified a plan to the end and at the same time is still in good graces with the girls.

Aubrey tells Cydney that they absolutely have to split up Scot and Jason. Obviously, they can’t vote for Jason, so they’ll have to put the votes on Jason. The key will be to get Tai to vote with them. She thinks that Tai’s natural state is not aligned with people like Jason and Scot, so she thinks she can pull him over.

She makes a compelling argument to Tai. She is basically the opposite of the two goons when she tells him that all of the power is in his hands and it’s his game, so he needs to do what he thinks is right for him. But she says, that if he decides to split himself from them, he’ll have the support of three votes going on Scot.

Tai has a lot to figure out before Tribal. He’s scared of upsetting Jason and Scot, but he wants to play the game that’s best for him.

Before Tribal, Jason hands his hidden immunity idol over to Scot. In the event of emergency, Scot and Tai both have idols to combine for the super idol for one of themselves.

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Tribal Council

Jeff talks about the big idol display that went on between the three guys at the last Tribal. And they continue to insist that it won’t be one of the three of them going home tonight. Aubry says dealing with them is like running into a wall.

Cydney says she’s nervous tonight because the boys remain salty about her jumping from their alliance. Scot says that they’ve always been open about their plans, and it’s probably a good idea for one of them to get on the right side of things while they still can.

Aubry talks about the gallant fight she put up at the challenge today to prove that she’s more than just a Brain. She says each of the three categories only begin to scratch the surface of who each of these people really are.

Tai stays quiet for a lot of Tribal. He does say he’s not into boasting and being arrogant like the other guys, but he knows this is war.

To the Vote!

Before the votes are read, Julia gets aggressive telling Tai to play his idol. Scot is equally aggressive telling him not to play his idol.

The votes come out and there are two for Tai, two for Aubry and four for Scot.

Scot looks at Tai for the idol so they can play the super idol. He looks at Tai some more. Tai looks at Jason. Jason looks at Tai. Finally Tai looks back at Scot and shakes his head and says, “No.”

Scot’s only response is, “Wow.” His torch is snuffed with Jason’s hidden idol in his pocket.

So Tai comes through! And he still has an idol, an advantage, and he’s separated himself from the villains! Aubry stays! Scot goes! The axis of evil is finally broken! And the peasants rejoice!

Next episode: Jason makes Tai the new target of his vengeance. I guess we all saw that one coming.

Survivor airs on Wednesdays at 8pm on CBS.

(Image courtesy of CBS)

Gina Pusateri

Contributing Writer, BuddyTV