Surviving Exile Island, the Finale: Anything You Can Do, I Can Do Better

On Thursday, we were left hanging in an unprecedented “continued” episode as Cirie and Danielle were about to face off in a Tribal Council tie-breaker. So rather than starting this final episode after Tribal Council, we begin in it. Well, actually, we begin by looking back at the series from the very beginning. If you want to do that, you can go back and read my recaps. But I’m betting most of you reading this already know what’s happened up to this point. So the first 11 minutes of the show are really just a time to get settled in and make sure your snacks are at hand.

As a reminder, Danielle and Cirie have to build a fire high enough and stable enough to burn through a rope. The ladies are ready. And they’re off! The two women start using similar strategies, using magnesium and coconut husks. Cirie gets flame first and it looks pretty good, but can she keep it going? Danielle gets a fire, but it’s out. Probst notes that they have to build a good enough fire to keep going, so throwing more coconut husks on it might not be enough.

Danielle has a big fire now, and Cirie’s has gone out. Instead of working on her own, Cirie is watching Danielle. She gets back to it and gets flame again as Danielle’s goes mostly out. Probst wonders if they can figure out how to build the fire. Hint, hint. Build! Cirie’s goes out again but Danielle has a nice little fire that she’s growing well. Cirie has flame again but Danielle has a nice teepee of sticks – Cirie doesn’t. Danielle builds it up nicely so it’s right beneath the rope. The rope catches on fire and… it snaps! Danielle wins! Cirie never even got to the point of building the stack of sticks.

Terry looks happy while Aras does not. Cirie gives hugs all around and apologizes to Aras, who says she did her best. With that, her torch is snuffed. Probst notes that over the next three days they will have two challenges (wait, two?), two Tribal Councils, and one winner.

In her final words, Cirie says she lasted far beyond her highest expectations. She hopes her family is happy even though she let them down. But she’s extremely proud to do as well as she did.

That night, Danielle lights the fire at camp with some help from Terry. She tells us she was determined not to go home, and she’s ecstatic. Meanwhile, Terry tells us that he was extremely happy with the result. He and Danielle have a pact to take each other to the final two if one wins the last challenge. Well of course – Danielle is the best jury bait for Terry and Terry is the best jury bait for Danielle. Neither wants to go up against Aras.

The next morning, Terry takes out the no-longer-hidden immunity idol and passes it around, since it’s worthless now. Danielle thinks Terry was not just being friendly by passing around the idol, but was actually taunting Aras and saying, in essence, “Ha, ha, I’m the bigger man.” She says the relationship of the two men is based on rivalry and testosterone. Every day, it’s a competition to see who can catch the biggest fish, the most fish, who is better, etc. She says deep down inside, they all know the men don’t really like each other, even though they generally keep it civil on the outside.

The final three arrive at their next challenge, and Probst was telling the truth when he said there would be two challenges. It’s not immunity, it’s for reward. And it’s the one we saw in the previews. They have to race to the top of a slanted three-story climbing wall using four individually-shaped pegs. First they have to slide a peg through a table maze. When they finish, they will release a bag with their first two pegs. They then move to a spinning wheel that has some clues. They turn the wheel as if it’s a combination lock and find the second bag with the other two pegs. Then they use those pegs to help get to the top of the wall. When they arrive at the top, they have to place each individual peg into their proper slot. First person to do so wins.

And what do they win? A reward that is designed specifically to give the winner a huge advantage in the final immunity challenge. Immediately following the challenge, the winner will sit down and enjoy a “power meal” of chicken breasts, veggies, fruit, and more. Plus, they will take back to camp a cot, pillow, and blanket to help get a good night’s sleep.

And they’re off! Aras takes the lead in the maze while Danielle gets stuck. Terry also reaches a dead end, but Aras gets his pegs. Terry figures out where he went wrong and, a bit behind Aras, gets his bag. Aras is at the spinning wheel, and Terry joins him as Danielle gets through the maze. Aras pulls out his second bag of pegs and moves to the wall. Danielle believes she has the pegs but Probst tells her they’re the wrong ones. Terry, however, does get his pegs and moves to the wall.

Aras is using all four pegs to move up the wall, but Terry is not giving up. Aras is near the top but slides down. Luckily, his shirt catches on a peg and stops him from going all the way to the bottom. Terry makes up time but Aras is still closer. He grabs his pegs and gets to the top. Terry is just seconds behind – and he manages to get the pegs in quicker. Terry wins!

Terry celebrates and then walks over to Aras. Terry tells Aras he is the ultimate competitor and tries to give him a hug. It’s not that Aras rejects the hug, he’s just not really in the mood to be told how good he is at coming in second place. Danielle, by the way, never even made it to the peg wall.

Danielle and Aras head back to camp (nobody is going to Exile Island anymore) as Terry digs into the food. But Aras and Danielle have their own food – the fish Aras and Terry caught earlier.

Aras tells Danielle one of them has to win the final immunity challenge if either wants to win the million. Does he think she has a better chance against him than against Terry, or is he just trying to make her think she does? Anyway, Danielle says it’s going to be all willpower and she will not give up.