Surviving the Cook Islands, Episode 6: Deep Voodoo

Last week, Stephannie opened mouth and inserted foot – and her tribe voted her out unanimously. This week, previews indicate that both tribes will be voting somebody out. Who will be sent packing? Will there be any twists? Let’s sit back and find out!

We begin in Raro on night 14. Cristina was offended by what happened at Tribal Council. Hey, she should just be glad she’s still there! She and Adam argue over whether or not she’s been rude lately. Brad tells us Cristina is not annoying, she’s just used to being in control and telling people what to do. Oh, well, that’s much better.

Adam doesn’t seem to want to hurt Cristina, he says she’s annoying and “that’s just the way it is.” But Cristina obviously isn’t happy with this but she’s survived a lot in her life and she’ll survive this.

The next morning at Aitu, Ozzy is spear fishing and handing his catches to Jonathan, who is sitting on the boat. Ozzy tells us he can catch 10 fish easily in an hour at his favorite fishing spot. Jonathan says Ozzy can hold his breath for two-and-a-half minutes “or something crazy like that” and is a great fisherman. They need his strength but if the merge were to happen today, Jonathan wouldn’t want him around because he’s too much of a threat.

Treemail arrives in the form of a sail and a note:

Since the note doesn’t say anything about immunity, it’s obvious they don’t need to bring the immunity idol. But Cao Boi wants to do so anyway, because he feels like they’ll win when they carry it around – it represents a god to him. Jonathan doesn’t want to and tells Cao Boi it may be his spirituality, but it’s not all of theirs. And he thinks it will seem like they’re sticking it in Raro’s face if they bring the immunity idol to a reward challenge. I think this can be summarized easily: Jonathan understands this game, Cao Boi doesn’t.

Jonathan says the whole tribe should discuss it (they have pretty much stood around watching the discussion and keeping their mouths shut) but Cao Boi will have none of that – he just says “to hell with it” and gives up. Jonathan tells us Cao Boi is rubbing some people the wrong way. Ya think? Yul says Cao Boi has gone through a lot in life and knows a lot, but he can be very hard-headed. Again, ya think?

The tribes arrive at the challenge, where host Jeff Probst explains what they’re going to be doing. Each tribe will select three people, each of whom will be stationed at their own post, holding on with all their might. On his go, two team members of the other tribe will race out and attempt to physically remove them from their posts and drag them through the sand to the finish line. Once they’ve accomplished that, two other members will try to do it to the second person. Etc. First tribe to get all three of the opposing tribe members across the finish line wins.

What are they playing for? Well, Probst has good news and bad news. The good news is that the winners will feast on lamb shanks, bread, and apple cider. The bad news is they will feast at Tribal Council. Win or lose, both will go to Tribal Council tonight and vote somebody out. The winners will go first and vote somebody out. Then they will take up the jury’s seats and feast while listening in on the losing tribe’s Tribal Council.

This challenge requires equal numbers of men and women on each tribe, so Aitu has to sit out a man – they choose Cao Boi. Then the tribes choose the post-holders. For Aitu, it’s Candice, Ozzy, and Sundra. For Raro it’s Cristina, Nate, and Jenny.

They will start with the women. And they’re off! Jessica and Becky are working on Jenny and managing to pry her legs apart. But Parvati and Rebecca are having more difficulty with Candice. Jenny is being dragged away. Candice is finally pulled from the post but then lunges back and grabs onto it – she’s putting up a hell of a fight! Becky and Jessica drag Jenny across the line, while Candice continues to fight for Aitu.

Jonathan and Yul run out to try to pry Nate off the post. Candice will not go gently across the line, giving her team an even bigger lead. Yul and Jonathan get Nate off the post, but he is putting up a good fight too. Still, they get Nate over the line before the Raro women can get Candice across the line!

After Jessica and Becky head back out to get Cristina, Candice is finally across the line, sending Adam and Brad out to get Ozzy. Brad and Adam are really tackling Ozzy. Jessica gets Cristina in a chokehold and gets a warning. Cristina is not happy. Various scenes of fighting until Cristina tries a different move to slow down her attackers – pulling Jessica’s pants off. Ooookay.

Adam and Brad are getting closer while Cristina slows things down for the women. Parvati and Rebecca head back out to get Sundra. Becky and Jessica are locked in wrestling holds with Cristina and they try to roll as a group to the line while Cristina gets warned for hair-pulling. Sundra, meanwhile, is not budging from the post.

Becky stands up to get leverage for the drag and they manage to pull Cristina to the line. Aitu wins!

Probst reiterates how things will work with the Tribal Councils and says there will be one more surprise. I’m betting Aitu gets to give somebody on Raro immunity.

Aitu heads home and discuss how difficult the challenge was. Sundra tells us how proud she is of the tribe and how they worked together. Not quite sure how much “together” there really was, given the nature of the challenge, but okay. Ozzy says it all came down to the women, and Jessica says she’s never wrestled a cop before! She tells us she thought it was a little uncalled for when Cristina pulled her hair and tried to take her clothes off. But the flip side of the win is that they still have to vote somebody off.