Surviving the Amazon, the Finale: A Model Victory

We begin on night 36. Rob says voting Heidi out was a tough decision, but it reminded him of a birthday card that shows a really hot girl on the front and on the inside says that no matter how hot you think the girl is, somebody, somewhere is sick of putting up with her crap. Ouch!

All of them talk privately about being in the final four. Butch says it’s big-time. The conditions are miserable but inside you’re jumping for joy. (Considering how he dances, I don’t think we want to see him jump for joy on the outside!). Jenna says being in the final four and being the last woman is cool – she’s accomplished all her goals and then some. Rob says it’s huge.

Jenna tells the guys that even though tomorrow she’ll be saying goodbye, as of now she’s happy to be there. She wanted to go out at the previous Tribal Council because she was sick, says Butch, but they all felt Heidi was a bigger threat. Makes sense. If there’s something physical – as there usually is at the end – you would rather have somebody sick up against you than somebody who is healthier, not to mention more athletic overall. I mean, what are the odds that Jenna could win a physical challenge in her state? (This, my friends, is called foreshadowing.) Matt says that the next few days are pretty straightforward. They send Jenna home and then the three guys face off – may the best man win! (This, my friends, is called foreshadowing again.)

The next morning, Matthew chops up the old shelter for wood – if they get wood for the last few days now, they can just enjoy themselves at the end. Then Matt tells Butch to dance. Um. Why? Anyway, since there isn’t TV in the rainforest, I guess they need some entertainment. Butch first does the Egyptian and then some, um, others. Scary. Apparently Rob thinks so too, as she says Butch needs to see a therapist when this is all over. He adds that even Matt says Butch is crazy, and if Matt says you’re crazy, “you are out of your frickin’ mind!” Heh.

In case anybody was wondering, Jenna says she still feels sick and she’s not going to get well on just manioc. Oh, I dunno. Maybe they can have some of that moldy manioc from Jeanne – some of the mold might have been penicillin. Anyway, she says while she’s there, she’s going to give 110% and will do her best to win immunity.

The challenge today is for them to navigate a maze – blindfolded. They have to use their fingers to read guides with symbols (for earth, wind, fire, and water) that lead them to the stations. At each station is a necklace. They need to get all four necklaces and make it back to the center.

And they’re off! Probst does a great job of commentating on this one, with a number of humorous jabs at the contestants. For example, as they begin and Jenna appears rather lost, he notes that Jenna is getting acquainted with a corner of maze. They continue. Matt is at the first station. Jenna knocks into a station (which has pegs sticking out of it to hold the necklaces) right in the chest. Ow! (Heidi wouldn’t have even felt it!) Probst says Butch is getting very familiar with the burlap. Jenna has one, Rob has one, Butch is lost in never never land. Matthew, hands out to feel along, grabs Jenna! Probst says Matt tried to grope her and she tells Matt to quit trying cop a feel there. Matt says he finally had the chance! Jenna: “pervert!” (It’s all in good fun – they’re joking around, in case that doesn’t come through in text.) Rob has two. Then Butch grabs Jenna’s chest. Sheesh! Are we sure these guys can’t see through the blindfolds?! Jenna says, “Butch, you’re married!” and notes she’s getting groped left and right here. Matthew has two. Jenna almost impales self in the neck on a post.

Then Butch and Matt decide to try working together to find necklaces. Probst notes that they’re teaming up on Jenna. She replies that they’ll have to fight her to the death. Now that would be a cool challenge! Anyway, it seems that Butch and Matt are not really helping each other much. Rob is wandering aimlessly. Matt has three, jenna has three, Butch finally gets one. Matt is still looking for his fourth, but Jenna gets hers and starts for the center. She still has to find her way there. Matt is moving fast and it looks like he’s getting a bit frustrated. Jenna makes it to the center and wins! “Oh my God! You don’t know how bad I needed this,” she says. Oh, yes we do, Jenna. Yes we do.

They return from the immunity challenge and Jenna notes that it’s always good when they get back to camp and it’s in one piece. The others don’t seem to share her joy as much since they know one of them will be leaving that camp soon. Rob says it was supposed to be Butch, Matt, and himself going to be final three. Now that plan is in chaos. Rob says he has bitten all of his fingernails off and doesn’t know what to do. It’s a very scary time for him.

Jenna says it’s so great to win, she needed this to win, case closed. Now they have to change their plans. Indeed. Matt says he doesn’t know how Jenna feels about who should go (after all, none of them were exactly planning on her having a say!). He figures there will be lots of negotiations this evening.

And so they begin – with Butch?! Wow. He’s plotting. Who’d a thunk it? Anyway, he asks Jenna if she has plans yet. Jenna is noncommittal and deflects the question back to him. He says the only thing he’d like to say is that he wants to be in the final three (well, of course!) and the other two will probably go after him.

Speaking of which, we see the other two going after him. They’re plotting out how the votes might go and come to the conclusion they should both vote against Butch.