Survivor Samoa – Episode 9 Recap

Episode 9: “Tastes Like Chicken”

Reward Challenge:

The tribe would split into two teams of five, with one castaway sitting out the challenge. Two castaways at a time, the teams would race out into a field to collect a series of poles with black and white colored coconuts.

The poles would have to be arranged so that the white coconuts form a four digit number. One blindfolded team member would then have to use their sense of touch to unlock a multiple-dial combination lock using the four digit number. The first team to unlock their lock would win.

Reward: A trip to a waterfall rock slide and a picnic lunch

Immunity Challenge:

The castaways would have to toss a grappling hook to retrieve two bags with a wooden peg in each bag. The first three castaways to retrieve their bags would move on to the final puzzle round.

In the final round, the castaways would untie the bags and try to insert one of the uniquely shaped pegs into board, which would release another peg. That peg would fit into another hole, which releases another peg, and so on until the board was completely full. The first castaway to complete their puzzle would win.

Back at camp after Tribal Council, Russell H. was worried that he was going to be voted out next and was looking for a miracle while Laura gloated over how the girls’ plan worked out and Russell H.’s use of the Hidden Immunity Idol. The day after Tribal Council, Natalie caught a rat to eat, much to the surprise of her tribemates.

At the Reward Challenge, the teams were selected by random draw. Natalie was the odd one out and did not participate in the challenge. However, she was told that she could select which team she thought would win the challenge and, if she guessed correctly, she would join them on their reward.

She selected the yellow team of Brett, Jaison, Laura, Mick, and Russell H. who faced off against the purple team of Dave, John, Kelly, Monica, and Shambo. The yellow team held the lead throughout the pole retrieval stage, but the purple team caught up during the puzzle stage. Monica unlocked the combination lock, before Laura could, and the purple team took the win. While the purple team was eating their picnic lunch, they received a clue to a new Hidden Immunity Idol.

The winning group, which consisted of five of the seven remaining Galu members, decided to keep the knowledge of a new Idol to themselves, Brett, and Laura, and secret from the former Foa Foa members. When the five discussed which former Foa Foa member to vote out next, Shambo’s defense of Russell H. made Kelly suspicious of her loyalties.

Back at camp, Russell H. got lucky again and found his second Hidden Immunity Idol without the help of a clue. On day 24, Russell H. showed his second Idol to Shambo in order to secure her loyalty to the former Foa Foa. She told him about the plotting against him. They planned to let the former Galu vote for Russell H., who would use the Idol, while the former Foa Foa would vote against Laura. Just in case Laura won the Individual Immunity, they planned to vote Kelly out.

At the Immunity Challenge, Russell H. and Shambo’s fear came true when Laura won immunity for the second time in a row by beating Mick and Shambo in the final stage. Russell H. and Shambo switched to their plan B. Russell H. told Jaison that he found his second Idol and told him to vote for Kelly.

Jaison told Mick and Natalie and the old Foa Foa focused on getting the former Galu to vote against Russell H. During a discussion with Dave, John, and Laura, Monica brought up the possibility that one of the old Foa Foa might have a second Hidden Immunity Idol and they should compensate for that during their vote, but Dave and Laura didn’t think any of them would have gotten lucky enough a second time.

At Tribal Council, Dave and Kelly talked about why they voted out Erik, who was visibly upset by the comments. The former Foa Foa tribe’s plan went perfectly when Russell H. pulled out his second Hidden Immunity Idol, negating any votes against him.

The seven former Galu votes against him didn’t count, leaving the former Foa Foa votes as the only ones that counted. As planned, they all voted against Kelly and she was blindsided by a vote of 4-0. The Hidden Immunity Idol went back into the game.