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The two tribes that became three are now one, as the remaining dozen players merge into a single group. But before the salivation over the feast waiting back at camp can begin, the players get their first twist of the evening.
The six players they had worked so hard to vote out march in with varying expressions on their faces. Reem, the malevolent Queen, glares at everyone while Wendy, “Survivor’s” version of Snow White, skipping through the jungle and freeing chickens, smiles broadly and waves.
Among the non-snuffed torch dozen, emotions range from disbelief to, well, disbelief pretty much sums it up.
Jeff Probst explains that the six have been living it up on Extinction Island, waiting for their chance to return and rain fire and brimstone down upon the heads of those who voted them out. Or maybe just compete in a challenge for the chance to return to the game.
Keith, who won a disadvantage to bestow on another player, bestowed it all over Chris. The challenge is in three parts, but before Chris can complete the last stage, he has to untie 30 knots.
Despite the naughty knot task, Chris comes within inches of winning the challenge, but it is TV newscaster Rick who breaks into regular programming to declare he’s back.
After the now-13 players head off to choose a stupid name for their new tribe, stuff their faces and start plotting over who to vote off next, Probst delivers the second twist of the night in the form of a symbolic knife that he twirls in the hearts of the Extinction Island Five, asking them to explain why it meant so much for them to almost make it back into the game and how bad it feels to fail again.
After some soul ripping, Probst is all “just kidding.” They can go back to Extinction Island and try again if they want. They all jump up and down screaming, except Keith, who falls on his backside, cheering nonetheless.
Once back on Extinction Island, Keith and Wendy march through the white sand to the broken mast and hoist the sail, a signal to a waiting boat to come take their sad selves off the island and on to Loser Lodge. Seriously, why didn’t you say that earlier?
The next twist arrives when newly unsnuffed Rick finds a present in his bag. It’s a Friendship Necklace like those purchased at Claire’s by pre-teens. The necklace has two pieces and Rick must give one to his BFF before the next Tribal Council. If they both survive that vote, then the necklace parts are reunited, turning it into an immunity idol, which is much better than an actual necklace from Claire’s, which only turns your neck green.
Rick gives it to Dave, and by coincidence, Kelley and Lauren want to vote them off, which definitely would put a kink in the whole immunity necklace twist.
At the Immunity Challenge, Julie shows off her prowess for standing on a narrow board while balancing an idol on the end of long pole, and takes the first individual immunity necklace. If you’re asking yourself “Julie, who’s Julie?” you’re not alone. It only seemed like a lot of new players emerged in this episode, but the new faces were from the undefeated Kama tribe, which had seen little screen time for the past five weeks. Suddenly, they’re relevant once more.
By the way, Julie runs an Etsy store and we’re betting that by tomorrow, you’ll be able to buy replicas of the immunity necklace at her shop.
When Julie hears that Rick is being targeted, she thinks it’s downright evil to send him back to Extinction Island when he just got back from there. Instead, she wants to take out Kelley, a returning player who, unfortunately, has been languishing on losing tribes.
That brings us to the penultimate twist. After the players are seated, Probst calls for the jury to enter, and Aubry, Chris and Reem file in. At the rate we’re going, no one is ever going to go home, and the entire cast will be on the jury — except for Wendy and Keith, of course.
The votes are all over the place, which brings us to the final twist — a dagger into our hearts — as Joe is voted off by the Kama Six. He takes his magnificent mane of hair and heads to Extinction Island, muttering about how the tribe has made a huge mistake.
Next time: It’s the return of the medics as someone appears to collapse during an endurance challenge.
