Surviving Vanuatu, Episode 12: “Get Over It, Grow Up, Get On With It”

Last week, Leann surprised us all by suddenly switching gears and deciding that Eliza was not worthy of staying in the game. Twila, Scout, and Chris surprised Eliza by telling her she’d better vote with them or else she’d be gone. So the four of them surprised Leann, Ami, and Julie by sending Leann packing! All of this resulted in Leann getting a Reality TV Hall of Shame Moment (with special dishonorable mentions for Ami and Julie).

With this big change in the game, will the new power foursome take firm control of the game by voting out Ami or Julie? Will Ami regain the use of her magical powers of persuasion and somehow dig her way out of her newfound hole? Will Julie try to use her connection with Chris to elbow her way into the alliance? Personally, I’m betting on the first – that Ami or Julie will be gone. But as we saw last week, you never know. Let’s find out!

It’s nighttime, after Tribal Council. Ami congratulates the others on “a really nice move.” Twila says she had to stick up for the little guy, but Ami says she was sticking up for her own guy. Hey, either way! Ami turns to whiny mode by complaining that Twila had made the four-person all the way alliance. Twila responds, “Screwed you, didn’t it?” Have I mentioned that I love Twila? Ami replies that she isn’t screwed – she’s still in the game.

Chris tells us that he’s living with five wildcats right now and the bitterness is flying.

So getting back to that bitterness, Ami is in full-on-bitchy mode. She complains that Twila and Scout had previously wanted to get rid of Eliza every vote. Eliza chimes in to ask who saved her ass when she was really going to go home. Twila raises her hand with a big smile and yells, “Me!” Heh. Ami keeps going, saying she’s glad she didn’t swear on her little brother or her family, because “that would be real yucky.” In case you don’t recall from last week, Twila swore on her son that she would be true. I’m sure her son will forgive her, especially if she comes home with a million dollars. Scout tells Ami she doesn’t need to sit there and put Twila down, but Ami disagrees.

Ami tells us that she’s really disappointed in Twila for not simply accepting that she would only get fourth place – okay, that’s not really what she says, but it’s what she means. She actually says she’s disgusted by Twila swearing on her son and then going against her – she can never respect her again. You know, I bet Twila can sleep at night knowing that.

Twila tells the group that Ami, Leann, and Julie thought they were all “so friggin’ high and mighty.” Ami admits she got “a little cocky,” but it was because she thought she could trust everybody. Well, that was her mistake then, wasn’t it?

Twila tells us that she’s overthrown the queen and her little princess, and that people like that just piss her off. And now, Scout and herself have the power.

Scout leaves the campfire, repeating that Ami is cocky. Ami disagrees, saying she’s a giving, loving, caring person. Really? Wow. She did a great job of hiding those assets in the month (real time) she’s been on the show.

Ami tells us that she is competing with all her heart now. Well goody for you.

Treemail! And it comes with a jar of water. The challenge will involve wwimming and diving, a test of stamina, etc. The reward will be food for the winner’s body and soul, and a hot relaxing shower. Eliza wants to win or be taken along because she’s turned into a stick figure. We see her bones bony shoulder blades sticking out. Ew!

They arrive for the challenge and host Jeff Probst drives up in what they assume will be part of the prize. Wouldn’t it be funny if he got out and said no, it’s not the reward, it’s just his ride? Alas, he doesn’t – it is indeed part of the reward, a Pontiac G6. The winner, the second-place, and the third-place winner will go to a resort for a shower, cocktails, and dinner. Probst kindly brought the actual menu to them and says they can eat ‘til the restaurant closes.

The challenge involves swimming from the beach to a platform. There they have to run along a series of outrigger canoes and balance beams (Chris is so not winning). At the end of the course, they have to dive in and pick up three flags – one at a time – to bring back to the beach along the same course.

And they’re off! Chris gets to the platform first and actually makes it across the first beam. Wow! But Ami gets the lead while Twila ends up back in the water. Ami, then Eliza, then Chris are in the water looking for a flag. Julie is in, Scout is struggling.

Ami is back with her first flag, then Eliza, Chris, and Julie. Scout is finally swimming for her first. Chris is indeed having trouble with the beams – he’s lucky there are other places to step rather than just a single beam. Ami gets her second flag, as does Eliza.

On the way to the third flag, Ami falls in and Eliza closes the gap. Julie is in third but falls in. Ami gets her third flag but then falls in. You can tell that both Ami and Eliza are just wiped out.

Ami is still in the lead, but then she takes a hard fall over an outrigger. Ouch! Eliza pulls ahead. Ami gets back up, but no way she can catch Eliza.

Eliza wins! Ami comes in second. Chris and Julie are both catching their breath at the buoy above the flags. Chris asks her if she wants it bad. She says she does, probably thinking that he’s going to give it to her. Nope, he replies, “Me too.” Heh. They both dive down for the flag.