A new episode of Survivor: Island of the Idols airs tonight on CBS. Read a live recap and join the discussion here.
The tribe returns to camp after tribal council. Tommy says tribal council was crazy, and he’s bothered how he almost was voted out. He’s aware he would’ve been voted out if Dean didn’t reveal the plan. In his confessional, Tommy says he’s mad with Noura and doesn’t trust her. On the beach, Noura pleads to Tommy to forgive her and she asserts that she never planned on writing down Tommy’s name. In her confessional, Noura says Dean ruined the plan and she can’t believe she considered working with him. To annoy him, Noura puts Dean’s shoes on the flag, high enough where Dean can’t reach them.
The next morning, Elaine goes hunting for a hidden immunity idol. She’s aware she’s on the outs and is in need of an idol. However, Tommy, Janet, and Dean go searching for an idol, too. After much searching, Janet finds the hidden immunity idol in a tree stump. She also shares the news with Tommy, and she shows Tommy the idol. While Tommy is reading the note, Dean and Elaine spot Janet and Tommy stopping in their tracks and looking down at something. Dean figures out that they found the hidden immunity idol. He’s disappointed he didn’t find the idol, but he’s glad he at least know who has it. He says knowledge in this game is power.
Later in the day, Elaine says she’s public enemy #1 in the game in her confessional. However, she’s hoping she can turn the target on someone else. Elaine talks game with Lauren, and she tells her that she’ll likely be forced to compete in the fire-making challenge at Final 4 since the guys don’t want her in the Final 3. Lauren worries about a possible alliance with all the men, and she later shares her concern with Tommy. Tommy reassures Lauren that she’s still on his side, and he says Janet is the one they can’t sit in the Final 3 with. However, in his confessional, Tommy admits that he doesn’t want to be in the Final 3 with Lauren since she will win. He says he’s allowed to lie in this game, and he’s realizing he’s good at lying. We next see him talk to Dan and Dean, and the three of them agree to go to the Final 3 together.
It’s time for another castaway to visit the Island of the Idols. After a random draw, Dean is selected as the next one to visit Sandra and Rob. He arrives at the Island of the Idols, and he’s surprised to see Sandra and Rob. He’s excited to meet them, calling them childhood heroes. They talk game, and he shows them the Legacy advantage Jamal gave him. He believes the advantage is real, but Sandra and Rob know it’s fake. However, they cannot confirm or deny to him if it’s fake. He also tells him that he made a fake copy of the advantage. In her confessional, Sandra says she was amused how Dean made a fake copy out of a fake advantage. Rob lets Dean know that his lesson for today is jury management. Sandra says it’s about storytelling and he needs to differentiate himself from everyone else. They let him know he has a chance to win one of three advantages: an extra vote, an idol nullifier, or a hidden immunity idol that cannot be played on himself. The game he is playing will be a coin flip. If he calls it right, he gets the advantage of his choice. If he calls it incorrectly, then he loses his vote at the upcoming tribal council. One side of the coin says yes; the other side says no. Rob flips the coin and reveals the outcome. The coin lands on the side saying yes. Dean has won an idol nullifier.
Dean returns to camp, and he tells them about Island of the Idols. While the entire tribe is gathered together at the shelter, he lies and says that he lost the coin flip. However, Dean tells the truth to Tommy, Dan, and Lauren. In his confessional, Tommy admits that Dean surprised him. He thought Dean was a goat that could easily be beaten at the end, but he’s seeing that Dean is capable of making big moves on his own. Now Tommy is wondering if Dean should go sooner rather than later.
It’s time for the immunity challenge. They must go through an obstacle course and gather puzzle pieces. They must then use the puzzle pieces to solve a word puzzle. The first person to complete the puzzle will win immunity. The challenge begins, and Tommy gets an early lead. However, it becomes even by the time they reach the balance beams. The challenge remains even as everyone gets to their puzzle stations at the same time. They must use their puzzle pieces to solve a phrase, which everyone is struggling with. They are confused on what the phrase could be. However, Dean finally figures out what it is and completes the puzzle. He reads the phrase: “This game will mess with your mind.” Dean wins immunity! Elaine almost had it, but she couldn’t figure out how to get the right pieces. In her confessional, Elaine says she plans to vote for Noura. She hopes Noura’s behavior will be enough to sway the rest of the tribe to vote for Noura, too.
The tribe returns to camp after the immunity challenge. Elaine says it sucks that Dean won since she is aware she is the target for tonight’s vote. She’s hoping her bond with Lauren could help save her. Meanwhile, Tommy, Noura, Lauren, and Janet discuss putting all their votes on Elaine since they think it’s unlikely she has a hidden immunity idol. However, Tommy, Janet, and Lauren agree that at least one vote should be placed on Noura just in case. They say they’ll tell Dan to vote for Noura as a precaution. Later, Elaine approaches Lauren about tonight’s vote. She brings up voting out Noura so she can stay another day. Lauren is now torn, saying this could be her last chance to control the vote. She is also worried about her allies Tommy and Dan bringing Noura to the end instead of her since Noura would be easier to beat. She is aware that she, Dan, Janet, and Elaine could be enough people to vote out Noura tonight. Lauren approaches Janet about voting out Noura tonight. Janet is also aware that Noura has a better chance of being taken to the Final 3, but she’s also aware that Elaine is a threat to win the game. She is torn on what to do tonight.
It’s time for tribal council. Jeff first talks about the immunity challenge. Elaine says she really needed that immunity necklace tonight, but Dean says he felt like he needed it, too. Jeff asks Noura about the game, and she says the end is in sight. She says they have to take it one day at a time, but they also wonder how to get there, too. Tommy adds that with seven people, it only takes four people to form a group to take control of the game. Dan says he hopes his alliance is solid enough to withstand whatever happens. Elaine says she’s been called a target since Day 1, so they should keep her around since she will still be a target next time. Jeff asks if she won’t be voted out, then who should be. Elaine says it should be Noura. Elaine says Noura will have a seat at the Final 3 that could’ve went to someone else. Noura counters by asking who wants to sit in the Final 3 with Elaine. Elaine says she will still be a target, but Janet and Lauren will be the next ones out if she’s voted out tonight. Elaine admits she’s a pessimistic person and says she’s been unlucky in her real life. She says Survivor has been the best thing that has happened to her. She wants the money, but she really wanted the adventure, too. She discusses her mother who passed away three months ago. She gets emotional, and she also brings Lauren to tears, too. Elaine says she will keep fighting until the end. Janet hugs Elaine and gives her some words of comfort, saying she believes her hard times will come to an end. After this emotional end to the discussion, it’s time for the vote.
Jeff reads the votes.
The first vote is for…
Elaine
Noura
Elaine
Noura
Elaine
Elaine
Elaine is voted out and the eighth member of the jury.
Before the end of the episode, we see the tribe the next morning. They are all chatting together at camp as Jeff greets them. They are all stunned to see him, asking what happened. They are aware Dan is not present with them as Jeff gives them the news. He says that he has already spoken to Dan privately. Jeff informs them that Dan will not be returning to the game nor will he be a part of the jury. He doesn’t give them anymore information other than this. As the episode ends, we see a message on the screen. Dan was removed from the game after another incident was reported. No other player was involved this time.
And that wraps up tonight’s episode of Survivor. Thanks for reading, post your thoughts in the comment section below, and come back next week for another live recap.
