Survivor: Cook Islands – Who Will Go in Episode 9?

I’ve gotta admit, I was thrilled with the last episode’s Tribal Council. It was either Brad or Jonathan, so I was assured a correct pick no matter who was voted off. Granted, if it had been Jonathan, I had predicted that Aitu would vote him off. Nevertheless, it got me right back on track.

This week we find the newly lopsided tribes in an interesting pre-merge setting. Raro now has the numbers. But it also has the knowledge that booted members are already on the jury. Aitu is in a fight-or-die situation, hoping to delay a merge so they can even up the numbers once again. And truthfully, with Yul and Ozzy teaming up, I wouldn’t be surprised if they pulled it off.

I’m taking a slightly different approach to the article this week. I’ve decided to look directly at the next episode bullet points on the official CBS.com website and analyze each of them individually in order to determine the next tribe member to go.

Number 1: One Survivor hopes that their efforts to provide for their tribe will protect them from elimination, despite being low on the totem pole.

That’s Ozzy. Next.

Number 2: A festive prize is up for grabs at the reward challenge. Will one tribe’s bickering and inability to work together cost them the reward, or can they pull it together to win big?

Festive, eh? Reward challenge, eh? Maude, eh? Well, it sounds like some type of party (possibly on a yacht). And you can count on it that there will be some type of alcohol to facilitate some loose lips during the reward. But the key information here is that one tribe is bickering and having difficulty working together during the challenge. My bet is that it’s Raro. The increased numbers plus the obvious tension between Parvati and Jonathan in the last immunity challenge suggest that Jonathan is going to butt heads with his new tribemates again - d’oh!

Number 3: Emotions run high as one Survivor is betrayed by friends and unanimously banished to Exile Island.

Hmm, betrayed by friends. Well, I don’t know if you could call Jonathan and Aitu friends anymore after his mutiny. But I’m sure they’re still seething about him turning turncoat. They made their statement with Candice last week, and I expect them to do the same with Jonathan this week.

Hmm, is it just me, or do I have a really sore outlook on Jonathan this week? He’s like a lemming in mid-leap. We already know that he’s totally screwed himself over. Now we’re just anticipating the splat.

Number 4: One tribe worries that another member has mentally checked out of the game. Will their lack of enthusiasm put them on the chopping block?

Nobody on Aitu seems to fit this profile. Maybe Becky, but I can’t imagine Yul just giving up that free vote. So it has to be Raro. Once again, our poor little cliff-jumping friend seems to fit the bill. Most of his new tribe already think he’s nuts. I imagine they’ll perceive his mental incompetence as checking out of the game. If it’s not Jonathan, hmmm. Jenny, maybe? Or perhaps the other girl? You know, the one that’s left so little of an impression so far that I can’t even remember her name?

Let’s see... www.CBS.com. And enter... click on Survivor tab, featured links... Ah, there we go. Now, who’s not grayed out already? Hey, look! It’s Sekou! Sekou, we hardly knew ya... And... THERE she is. Right next to Sekou. Rebecca Borman. She enjoys tennis, pineapples, and the color brown! Okay, um, yeah, she might be going home. I don’t know that she ever even mentally checked into the game, so I’ll make her my Jonathan backup.

Number 5: At the end of the immunity challenge, the losers receive a message in a bottle that’s not to be opened until Tribal Council. How will that message change the course of the game?

Well, I may have inadvertently found out what was in the bottle already. Ack! Not a spoiler! Hide thine eyes! But since this is a spoiler-free article. I will not factor in the information that I have received.

And this leaves us where? Well, I think it’s pretty obvious. Somebody else might mentally check out of the game, but Jonathan Lemming is the clear choice from Raro regardless. As for Aitu? Sorry, Ozzy – you might be an awesome competitor, but the low man on the totem pole isn’t really in any position to switch places with the others. I don’t care if you catch a bucket of lobster and start a vineyard. You’re the next in line at Aitu.

Watch with me this Thursday as we see whether Ozzy can win his way out of a departure and whether Jonathan can throw himself at the ground and miss.

If you haven’t already, be sure to check out these other recent Survivor: Cook Islands articles here on RealityNewsOnline:

Wesley is a writer and English teacher from Wichita, KS. He used to play the Broderbund classic, “Lemmings,” for hours on end when it first came out. He can be reached with questions, comments, or snide remarks at Musnud@gmail.com.

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