Surviving Guatemala, Episode 8: The Axis of Evil

Last week, Amy was sent packing and Yaxha found out they would be merging. In addition, Yaxha invited Nakum to a pool party. This sparked some discussion and questions about why they were allowed to meet like that. I don’t have any official answers, but I do have a suspicion. Note that Yaxha stayed in their boat on the dock and called to Nakum from there. Note also that Nakum only stayed at the pool on Yaxha’s dock. So nobody ever went onto the dry land of the other tribe. So my suspicion is that they basically followed the letter of the law – no going to the other camp. Again, this is not official, but it would explain a lot.

Tonight we will get to see the tribes merge and watch the fallout. Considering that original tribal alliances have not held after the switch, where will people end up with a merge? I noted in an article last week that I think Bobby Jon and Stephenie should find a way to ally with one another for the sake of their endgame. Will they agree or will they stick with their current alliances and face off against one another? Let’s find out!

We begin at Nakum camp, the night of Yaxha’s Tribal Council. And here comes Yaxha. The four remaining Yaxha decide they will go in and say they are Nakum’s servants. Er, okay. Like they won’t notice the different-colored buffs they’re wearing? I don’t get it.

Bobby Jon tells us that Yaxha’s plan is to stick together and see what happens. Well, that’s a good starting plan – until a better one comes along for one or more of them, that is. Bobby Jon continues that it will be difficult because he can’t be around Stephenie for more than five minutes without wanting to vomit. Hmmm. That doesn’t bode well for my idea, does it? Not quite sure why he feels that way, but I do understand his next comment about not being able to be around Jamie for five minutes without wanting to knock him out.

Oh, and speaking of Bobby Jon and Jamie, after last week I’ve had some people e-mail in to say the previous people who e-mailed to say Bobby Jon was screaming, “that’s not nice!” were wrong. They believe he was screaming something along the lines of, “that’s what I like,” in other words, trying to say he was feeding off of Jamie. Who knows, maybe they’re right. Hopefully, there will be no more screaming and we’ll be able to understand everything from now on.

The four Yaxha manage to get right into camp without anybody waking up. Danni says, “We have some new buffs for ya,” which gets Nakum awake in a hurry. So what happened to that whole servant plan?

The buffs are exchanged and Bobby Jon starts to build up the fire. Jamie walks over and says there’s no room in the shelter so he hopes they don’t mind sleeping outside. I think he’s trying to be funny, but Bobby Jon is in no mood for his type of jokes.

Still, they make it to the morning without incident. Bobby Jon, Brandon, and Danni start gathering wood – to the point that Judd and Jamie make comments about how they really don’t need any more wood. Perhaps this was that whole servant plan – work hard and hope not to be voted out. Not a great plan if that’s what it is.

Danni doesn’t think Nakum is being very friendly, and Yaxha feels “like slaves” because they are working to stay around. Hey, it was your plan to put yourselves out there as servants – don’t blame Nakum for that.

Brandon thinks the whole thing sucks because they came into the merge down six to four. He thinks either himself or Bobby Jon will be the first target because they are the strongest.

Moving to a new subject, Rafe and Lydia go to retrieve treemail. It’s material to make their new tribal flag. Oh, and besides that, they are informed that there is a small individual immunity idol hidden somewhere in the woods in addition to immunity they may win at a challenge. And it goes beyond that – they don’t have to tell anybody they have the idol! They can use it at any Tribal Council, with the only condition being that they need to present it before the vote. And it has to be used before the final four. Wow. I have to say, I like this idea.

Stephenie looks dumbfounded, so Rafe has to explain it again to her. After that, Cindy notes that “the search is on.” Gary tells Jamie he thinks it would be near the temple. Knowing Gary, that means he doesn’t think it would be near the temple. To add to this, Gary tells us that if he found the idol, no way he’d tell anybody about it. Well heck, he’s kept one big secret for this long, why not two?

Brandon knows the odds are against finding the idol, but he also knows he has a big target on him and he really needs it.

During the search, Bobby Jon pulls Stephenie aside and manages to talk to her without vomiting. He tells her that he really wants to make it to the jury, and she says the same thing. Aha! Maybe they will form a bit of a duo here after all. She says she will do everything in her power to make sure Brandon goes first as long as Brandon doesn’t win immunity. OK, not exactly a “to the end” deal, but it’s a start.

As most people are looking for the idol, the cameraman at least knows where it is – as he pans to a nook of a tree where the idol is nestled. And yes, I did say “most” people are looking. It appears that Rafe and Lydia are less concerned than the others. I’m not terribly surprised. Both (especially Lydia) have made it to the point in the game where their challenge weakness is a plus for them. They won’t be targeted for quite a while and, indeed, have a nice path to near the endgame. They should probably still be looking if only to make sure somebody like Bobby Jon or Brandon won’t get it – and maybe they are, but we don’t see it.