Survivor’s second episode saw even more twists to change the game more than it already has. The most notable change was the switching of the tribes. They didn’t just swap buffs, they went from two tribes to three. With that came the introduction of the Tavua tribe, who basically had to start their own camp from scratch.
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Things got interesting at the Nuku camp when J.T. led efforts to catch a nearby goat to eat. As soon as they caught it, they immediately realized that it was a mother goat and her baby and could not, in good conscience, kill a baby goat or its mother (except Sandra, who just wanted to eat).
Troyzan also made things interesting when he found a clue to a hidden immunity idol. He subsequently got the idol at the immunity challenge, giving him some much needed breathing room.
Strongest Survivor:
Mana: Brad
This one is almost by default, as there wasn’t really any member of the Mana Tribe that stuck out this week. Brad was able to convince Tai to betray Caleb and vote him off. It doesn’t take much to get Tai to flip on his alliances – as viewers learned during Survivor: Kaoh Rong. However, everyone seems to trust Brad and he seems to have things the most under control compared to other tribe mates.
Nuku: J.T.
J.T. made a big move, and made it seem so effortless. When the tribes swapped, J.T. went from having the numbers to being in need of the numbers. Once he realized that his name is on the chopping block, he took the new Nuku tribe out on a raft in the water. Upon leading them as far out as he could, he realized that he didn’t have pliers, which they needed.
J.T. went back to get the pliers, but also used the time to search for an immunity idol. Even though the tribe knew exactly what he was doing, there was nothing they could do as they were way out at sea.
J.T is also one of the first castaways to actively come up with a plan to take out Sandra. It’s a big risk, but this is Survivor we’re talking about.
Tavua: Ozzy
Much like the premiere episode, Ozzy once again asserted himself as the alpha male and helped build another shelter. One of the conditions for the Tavua tribe was that they went to a new beach and had to start again from scratch. Ozzy led the charge and by the end of the episode, the tribe was up and running with a shelter and nearly caught up to the other tribes.
It’s clear this season that Ozzy is not messing around. He is determined to not let himself fall victim to another blindside.
Soon To Be Snuffed:
Mana: Hali
She may have survived Tribal Council this week, but that doesn’t change the fact that she is still at the bottom and very much at risk of being voted out. If she wants to stay in this game, she is going to have to take a back-against-the-wall approach. At this point, that’s her best ally.
Nuku: Sandra
It may be a little surprising to see Sandra here after being the Strongest Survivor last week. This is not a “she’s definitely going home next” choice. This is more of a “watch out” choice.
Sandra is without question one of the strongest players in the game. However, the rest of the tribe is well aware of Sandra’s track record and could very easily use that against her. She is the self-proclaimed “Queen of Survivor”, but that doesn’t make her immune from unexpectedly being knocked off of her throne.
Tavua: Troyzan
Troyzan immediately knew that he was at the bottom of the Tavua Tribe, and made no bones about it. His big move was finding the immunity idol at the immunity challenge. However, that doesn’t change his status as a target.
It’s no secret that an immunity idol does not always guarantee immunity. As Jeff Probst said during the premier “Blindsides never go out of style”. All it takes is one person to discover his idol and the game changes yet again.
Next time on Survivor…
Next week, J.T. kickstarts a plan to target Sandra. If it backfires, it could mean J.T. being voted out of the game, but that is a risk he is willing to take. Hali continues to fight for her place in the game and take the target off of her back. Meanwhile, Tavua looks to continue to build their tribe up and Ozzy and Cirie continue to try and coexist.