Surviving the Cook Islands, the Finale: Brains vs. Brawn

We’re down to five – the Aitu four and Adam – and by the end of the next two hours (give or take), there will be only one. On Thursday, Parvati was sent packing. Will Adam follow her immediately or will the four start to break up? Let’s not waste any more time chit-chatting about it – let’s find out!

After eight minutes of looking back at the entire season, we arrive at day 37, the day after Parvati was booted. Adam is alone in the shelter complaining he had nobody to snuggle with last night. Awwww. The Aitu four are talking about him, saying he’s given up.

Sundra tells us that there is a problem – they were the underdogs and made it this far, but they never discussed what they’d do when they got to the final four. She’s afraid there are going to be some hard feelings.

Becky similarly says to us that they have made it this far by sticking together. Now, though, it’s becoming individual, and Ozzy will be really tough to beat. So they might want to get rid of him when they have the chance.

Ozzy calls it “somehow poetic” that they made it so far together, but he also knows he’s a “huge threat” and believes that winning immunity is crucial for his progression in the game.

Treemail! The letter comes with a spider web and says:

North, south, east, west
Every direction is a test
Slither, run, balance, soar
… Guarantee a spot in the final four.

They show up at the challenge and host Jeff Probst says he hopes they’re “ready for some fun today.” They wonder just what his idea of “fun” is! Well, there are rope webs and stuff all around them, but let’s let Probst tell us about it. He says they will race around a ropes course to eight different stations, collecting a bag of puzzle pieces at each station and bringing each back to their table before they can go back onto the course. Once they get all eight bags, they will use the puzzle pieces to create an eight-point compass rose. Once the puzzle is assembled correctly, a flag will raise. Oh, and by the way, Probst says in 13 seasons of Survivor, this is the most difficult puzzle they’ve ever had. Hmmm, that might even things out with Ozzy a little bit. Maybe.

And they’re off! Some of the stations involve things like putting one plank after another on two ropes or going through a rope crawl-through or walking over a rope netting or moving from plank to plank held up by ropes that swing. Yul is first back with a bag, then Becky, Adam, and Sundra. Where’s Ozzy? Believe it or not, he has fallen off and has to go back to where he got his bag and start the return over again!

Yul has his second bag, as do Adam and Becky. Yul has his third before Ozzy has his first. Sundra has her second and Adam has his third. Ozzy gets his third when Yul pulls ahead with four. Ozzy now has three and is throwing himself at the course. Sundra also has three now, and Yul goes up to five. Ozzy has four and Yul hasn’t done the plank one that gave Ozzy the most trouble. Ozzy has five, Becky four, and now Yul six. Yul falls off and has to restart one portion while Adam returns with number five.

Ozzy pulls into a tie with Yul at six. Becky is back with her fifth. Ozzy brings back his seventh and jumps into the lead. Yul ties him but has the planks to do. Adam has six. Ozzy almost falls off but saves himself, and returns with the final bag. Becky has her sixth and Adam his seventh. Yul gets his final bag.

Adam gets his last one while Ozzy and Yul are staring at the pieces. Becky has her last one too, as does Sundra a couple minutes later.

Adam appears to be making progress on his puzzle, but it’s hard to say. Ozzy looks close too. Probst calls them “neck and neck,” and then, like that, Ozzy is done and the flag goes up. Ozzy wins again!

The tribe returns to camp and Ozzy says it was close but he was glad to pull it out. Now the competition is among the Aitu four and he looks at Yul as his biggest competitor. Yul tells us Aitu has made it to the final four, and he can still use his idol in the final four, so he feels pretty good.

Adam goes to lie down and tells us Yul is in control of the game (no, really?). Adam would like to somehow get the idol out of Yul’s hands to stir things up before he goes home. He presents the idea to Ozzy, saying if Ozzy and Sundra will join him, the idol will be gone and Adam will still go home. Ozzy gives a definite maybe.

Adam works on Sundra, and we don’t see her give him any sort of answer at all. She tells us she wants to make final two and it is still a game, after all.

The tribe arrives at the first Tribal Council of the episode and I’m thinking Adam’s plan is another red herring – Ozzy and Sundra will stay true. Probst brings in the jury and Nate is hopping along on an injured leg, using a stick for support. I guess jury duty can be dangerous. But we get no explanation.

Probst dives right in: “Did anything happen today to help change Adam’s fate?” Ozzy simply says, “No.” So, Probst wonders, “Adam’s done?” Adam replies, “Yes, Jeff, I am done.” He says he had his opportunity and it didn’t work. The other four have blinders on and are set on them being the final four.