Surviving the Cook Islands, Episode 8: “Mutineers Are the First People to Die”

Last week we said goodbye to the fun but strategically rather clueless Jessica. This week, we’ve been promised a shocking surprise. Will it be the merge? A tribal swap? Is Probst doing magic tricks? Who knows! But we can find out easily enough, just read on with me.

We begin at Aitu on day 19, the morning following Tribal Council. Ozzy is sleeping in a hammock while Jonathan, Candice, Yul, Sundra, and Becky congratulate themselves on doing well and staying tight, and Jonathan says they know what the next move is if they have to vote. That would be the sleeping Ozzy. Jonathan even says if they merge, they would vote somebody from the other tribe off first, and then Ozzy. I think he’s getting a bit ahead of himself.

Jonathan tells us how people are getting antsy and expecting the merge. They expect one more immunity challenge. Back in the group, Yul says they need to stick together or else they’re toast. But Candice tells us in voiceover that she just wants to rejoin with Adam and Parvati. So, toast it is!

Later that day, Candice tells Jonathan that while he’s preaching about sticking together, somebody will get greedy. Is she confessing? No, she just doesn’t want to be the one left out. Jonathan assures her that they are tight and they can rejoin with Adam and Parvati. He wants to make sure they make the move before the others do. He goes so far as to say that he wants to go to the final two with her. But she doesn’t really believe him because he’ll do anything he needs to – so she wants to see him go.

We head over to Raro, where the discussion is also about the merge. Several of them talk about how they’re going in tied at six and have nothing to worry about (not sure I understand that, since going in tied means you do have something to worry about, but okay). But then Brad gives them more to worry about by saying, “And then it’s like every man for himself.”

I’m not sure what he was trying to say, but the others give looks that indicate it sounds like he is talking about betraying them. When he walks away, the others discuss what he just said and Parvati says he’s digging himself a hole. Nate tells us Brad has done some questionable things – “he’s Slim Shady right now.”

The women say it’s not an individual game yet, it’s still team. I have to correct them – it’s always an individual game, whether they recognize it or not. But they decide they don’t need him after the merge. It seems to me that simply doing the math says otherwise.

Time for the reward challenge. The tribes arrive and Probst says they’re going to do something a little different. He offers each of them the opportunity to mutiny and join the other tribe. The looks on their faces run from shocked (Rebecca) to smiling (Brad). They only have ten seconds to make a decision. If they want to move, they simply step off their mat and join the other tribe.

As Probst counts down, Candice steps off the mat. At the very last second, so does Jonathan. Interesting. They move over and join Raro. Probst asks Aitu how they feel. Yul says he’s stunned. Can’t imagine why, since Jonathan was just preaching how they need to stick together.

Ozzy says he’s not surprised – they don’t have the backbone to stick with their tribe and he’s sure they’ll get what’s coming to them sooner or later.

With that, Probst describes the challenge. Two members of each tribe will start in a barrel. On go, the rest of the tribe pushes them through a series of obstacles. Along the way, they have to collect four buoys and use them to float the barrel containing the two tribe members across the lagoon. When they reach the center, they have to dive down and retrieve four flags. Upon getting to the other side of the lagoon, they will go up on the beach and attach the flags to a pole. The entire tribe has to dig in the sand for an axe, which they will use to chop a rope and raise the flags. First tribe to do it wins reward.

What do they win? The tribe will go to a relaxing environment with coffee, muffins, danishes, and letters from home. With that in mind, they have to pick two women and two men from each tribe. Whoa, Aitu needs a long time to figure this one out – given that they only have four people left! Aitu has the women in the barrel and the men pushing. But Raro has a decision to make. They choose to have Candice and Jenny in the barrel with Nate and Adam pushing.

And they’re off! The first thing they do is push the barrel down a long ramp. Oh, the women have got to be dizzy! The guys run down to get the buoys and start rolling again. Aitu has a small lead as they get to a portion where they have to roll the barrels over a series of logs. Ouch. Bang. Smack. That’s gotta hurt.

Aitu is still in the lead by a bit as they get the second set of buoys. They get to the water and attach the buoys. Aitu is floating their barrel, but Raro has some problems and falls behind. Aitu reaches the flags and Aquaman, er, Ozzy dives to get them. One flag. Two flags. Three flags. Four. Raro still isn’t even there yet as they fight the current and lose.

Aitu get to the other side and start attaching flags. Becky gets ‘em all hung up and they dig for the axe. They find it and chop. Aitu wins by a long shot! Ozzy turns to Jonathan, who is sitting nearby, and says, “Mutineers are the first people to die, man. Mutineers are the first people to die.” With that, the four remaining Aitu hug.

Probst says it would be an understatement to say the game has just changed. Oh, and Aitu gets to send somebody to Exile Island. I wonder who it could be. Ozzy mocks deep thought before picking Candice. The rest of Raro head out as Sundra cries and says it feels good that they stuck together and won.

Probst sends Aitu behind them to get their reward. They arrive to find a lounge-like atmosphere with couches and coffee and food, etc. Yul tells the others he is so amazingly proud of them and honored to share this experience with them.

Sundra says when the mutiny happened, she felt like their tribe was “small and pitiful.” But when Aitu won, she cried and has never been so happy. The Aitus toast to getting to the end together.