A new episode of Survivor: Winners at War airs tonight on CBS. Read a live recap and join the discussion here.
The episode begins on Night 16 at the Edge of Extinction. Parvati is telling the others about her time in the game before Sandra arrives. Sandra said she played with her emotions, and it ended up costing her. She wanted to play a strategic game without emotions, but she admits that she is still human. They start telling her about the Edge of Extinction, but Sandra has already made up her mind. She says Edge of Extinction is not for her. She doesn’t want to hike up a mountain for a small amount of rice every day, and she doubts she would win the challenge to return to the game. Sandra says her goodbyes and raises the while flag to leave the Edge of Extinction. She says Survivor has given her more opportunities in life she likely wouldn’t have had otherwise. She’s ready to retire from the game. And regardless, she is still the Queen.
Back at the Sele camp, Yul was bothered by Wendell’s demeanor during tribal council. He says Wendell caused more drama than necessary, and he talks to him about it. The next day, Michele talks to Wendell too. However, Wendell is dismissive of Michele and doesn’t appreciate Michele trying to “keep him on a leash.” Michele is bothered by Wendell, and she calls him defensive and confrontational in her confessional. She doesn’t want to stay in the game with Wendell.
Back at the Edge of Extinction, Ethan says it’s a struggle and depressing living on the Edge of Extinction. He talks to Parvati, and she encourages him to keep going. Afterwards, Ethan finds a wrapped bundle that he must read with the other castaways. It’s a clue for four fire tokens, and they all scatter across the island to find them. Tyson finds a fire token, but no one else admits to finding any. We then see a confessional from Rob as he admits to finding the other three tokens, and we see a montage of him finding the three fire tokens.
Back at the Dakal tribe, Tony believes he is still in a good spot in the game without Sandra. She was his ally, but he still has Kim on his side and he believes he’s getting closer with Jeremy. In addition, Denise has now become a bigger target for taking out the Queen. If they were to lose the next immunity challenge, he believes Denise would be voted out. However, Jeremy says in his confessional that Tony is still the biggest threat on the tribe. As well, Kim says in her confessional that she feels like she’s closer to Jeremy and Denise than she is with Tony.
Meanwhile, at the Yara tribe, Sophie is noting some tension on the tribe. Ben and Adam are still on the hunt for a hidden immunity idol, but Adam has surmised that one of Sophie and Sarah has already found it. He thinks Sarah has it, and he tells this to Sophie. Sophie then tells Ben and Sarah about Adam’s speculation of Sarah having the idol. Sarah knows Sophie has the idol, but she doesn’t want Adam or Ben to know this. Sarah confronts Adam about not having an idol, and she tells him he can look through her bag if he wants. Adam says in his confessional that he has to do damage control, but he calls it ridiculous since he’s convinced one of Sarah or Sophie is in possession of the idol.
It’s time for the immunity challenge. Each tribe must carry a large saucer and fill it with water. They then must use the water from the saucer to fill a well to release a bag of puzzle pieces. They must go through a series of obstacles as they make their way to the well. Once they have their puzzle pieces, they must solve the puzzle. The first two tribes to solve the puzzle will win immunity. The challenge begins, and all three tribes are struggling as they spill their water going through the obstacles. Yara takes a slow and steady approach. The other two tribes lap them as they collect their water, but Yara’s strategy works as they are the first to fill their well with enough water to release their puzzle pieces. However, Dakal and Sele are right behind them as they release their puzzle pieces too. All three tribes are working on the puzzle. Sophie and Ben are working on the puzzle for Yara, Jeremy and Denise are working on the puzzle for Dakal, and Michele and Wendell are working on the puzzle for Sele. Sophie and Ben solve the puzzle first. Yara wins immunity! Dakal is making quick progress, but Michele is placing pieces quickly too for Sele. Sele is now in the lead, but Dakal is right behind. By a mere second, Dakal manages to place all their pieces onto the puzzle before Sele does. Dakal wins immunity! Sele will return to tribal council tonight.
Sele returns to camp. Nick says Wendell screwed up the challenge by showboating during the challenge. If Wendell had stayed focus, then they would’ve won. Yul and Nick talk game, and they agree to vote out Wendell tonight. However, they plan to tell Wendell that they will be voting for Michele tonight. Meanwhile, Wendell and Michele talk game. Wendell is aware that Yul wants to target him, and he tells Michele that they need to vote together. Later, Michele and Yul talk game, and Michele tells him she’s on board with the plan. She’s concerned about not getting Wendell’s fire tokens, so Yul comes up with a plan. He tells Michele that his name can be written down so Michele has a chance in getting the fire tokens. However, he asks for a fire token in return. Nick is startled by Yul proposing this plan, and he wonders if it’s dangerous trusting Yul down the line. He talks to Michele, and she admits she’s willing to keep Wendell over Yul. In her confessional, Michele weighs the pros and cons of the vote. She and Wendell have butted heads, but Yul is super strategic and can win the game again if he makes it to the end. Michele is determined to prove herself after her win in Survivor: Koah Rong was controversial. She wants to make the right decision for her game.
It’s Night 18 and time for tribal council. Jeff asks if the challenge outcome affected the vote, but Wendell says it didn’t change their plans. Jeff points out how Yul is the last old school player left in the game. Jeff asks if there’s a difference in playing from his first time. Yul agrees the game has evolved, and he says he has lied more in this game thus far than he did throughout all of Cook Islands. He adds that fire tokens bring another layer to the game. Wendell says they have to find people to trust in a game about deceit, and Jeff points out how preexisting relationships exist in this game. Wendell says just because he knows Michele doesn’t mean he wants to sit next to her at the end. He says he’ll work with anyone that benefits him. Michele says Wendell made it clear he’s only here for him. She says everyone sees the tension between her and Wendell. Nick says this is his ideal final four, even if he is voted out tonight and returns to the game. Wendell says it would be difficult for him to want to work with people who voted him out. Yul says he knows them better than anyone else left in the game. He’d rather not be voted out, but he says he’d be willing to work with them again. Michele is fond of everyone and doesn’t want to vote any of them out, but it’s the game. Afterwards, it’s time for the vote.
Jeff reads the votes. The first vote is for…
Yul
Wendell
Yul
Yul
Yul is the ninth person voted out of Survivor: Winners at War. After he walks away, he bequeaths a fire token each to Sophie and Sarah.
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.
