Survivor Season 46 Week 12 Recap and Live Blog – Heading to the finale
A new episode of Survivor 46 airs tonight on CBS. Read a live recap here.
The tribe returns to camp after tribal council. Q is glad Venus is gone. Ben confesses he voted for Kenzie. He said it was an accident and his mind went blank. He blames it on a lack of sleep. Kenzie is annoyed, but she doesn’t want to “harp on it.” Meanwhile, Maria is upset. Maria says Venus attacked her character at tribal council, and it hurt her feelings. In her confessional, Maria says she’s been on the right side of every vote and she’s a force to be reckoned with in this game. Later that night, Ben experiences panic attacks again. It’s tough for him, but Kenzie offers her support and helps him through it.
The next morning, Kenzie, Ben, and Charlie talk game. They seem to agree that Q and Maria should be the next two voted out. In his confessional, Charlie says he has options. He can work with Kenzie, Ben, and Liz to vote out Maria, or he can stay loyal to his closest ally Maria. He doesn’t know which way to go yet.
Reward challenge
It’s time for the reward challenge. They must race through a series of obstacles, collecting a bag with a ball inside along the way. At the end of the course is a maze they must maneuver their ball through. The first to land their ball will win a Chinese food reward at the sanctuary.
The challenge begins, and Maria takes the early lead with Q right behind her. Eventually, the challenge becomes even as everyone is working on the maze at the same time. Numerous times, someone drops their ball through one of the holes. Finally, Charlie is the first to land his ball in the center of the maze. Charlie wins reward! Jeff says that along with Chinese food, the reward will include letters from home. Jeff tells Charlie to pick one person. Charlie picks Liz. Jeff says he can pick one more person to join him, and Charlie chooses Kenzie. Maria is crying. She wanted to read letters from her children, but she’s understanding of Charlie’s decision.
Charlie, Liz, and Kenzie enjoy their Chinese food. Charlie says Maria won’t hold this decision against him. Back at camp, Maria is still crying. She doesn’t blame Charlie, but it hurts not being able to read the letters from home. This reward was the one that meant the most to her. Back at the sanctuary, Charlie, Liz, and Kenzie read their letters from their loved ones. They’re all crying too. The talk eventually turns to strategy. Liz and Kenzie say they need to make sure Maria doesn’t win immunity. Charlie is seemingly on board.
Still searching for a hidden immunity idol
Back at camp, Q and Maria are searching for a hidden immunity idol. Q found the hidden immunity idol, and he shows it to Maria. In his confessional, Q explains he has to build trust with someone and Maria is his #1. Q says he would be willing to play it on Maria. Q and Maria weigh their options, and they discuss how Charlie is a threat to win. They agree to vote out Charlie if he doesn’t win immunity. In her confessional, Maria says this was the first time she voiced targeting Charlie. He’s her closest ally, but she recognizes he’s become a threat to win the game.
Charlie, Liz, and Kenzie return to camp. Charlie and Maria catch up, and they make each other feel like nothing’s changed between them. Maria does not tell Charlie that Q found the hidden immunity idol. In their confessionals, each admit to wanting to target the other. They are certain that they will remain good friends outside of the game, but they have to do what’s best for their individual game.
Immunity challenge
It’s time for the immunity challenge. They must make their way through floating platforms in the water and then complete a dolphin puzzle. The first to complete the puzzle will win immunity. The challenge is fairly even, but Maria takes the lead and is the first to the puzzle. Everyone eventually starts working on the puzzle, and Ben ends up taking the lead. It looks like everyone else is trying to catch up to Ben, but eventually Maria takes back the lead. She puts her pieces together one after another until she finishes the puzzle. Maria wins immunity!
The tribes return to camp after the immunity challenge. The consensus among Ben, Charlie, Kenzie, and Liz is to vote for Q tonight since Maria won immunity. Meanwhile, Q and Maria discuss their options. Q wants to vote out Charlie tonight. Maria says she is on board. Kenzie and Liz join their conversation, and Q tells them that they’re voting out Charlie tonight. Liz and Kenzie play along, but they still plan to vote out Q. Liz and Kenzie also play along with Maria. They pretend they’re voting out Charlie, but they’re going to blindside Q and leave Maria in the dark.
Meanwhile, Charlie wants to bring Maria into the Q vote. He doesn’t want to exclude her since it would burn that bridge with Maria. Charlie pulls Maria aside and says to vote for Q tonight. Maria believes Kenzie and Liz are placating Charlie. She still believes Charlie is going home tonight. Unbeknownst to Maria and Q, everyone else is going to be voting for Q tonight. If Q is voted out tonight, then he will be the fourth person voted out in a row with an unplayed hidden immunity idol.
Tribal Council
It’s time for tribal council. Jeff begins the talk about Charlie’s decision for the reward. He says everyone was understanding. Kenzie says they are like a family, but it’s not like their loved ones back home. She’s glad she got to hear from her family. Maria says her heart was broken to not hear from her children, but she doesn’t blame Charlie. Instead, she used missing out on the reward as determination to win immunity today.
The talk turns to the vote. Jeff points out how every juror has been blindsided so far. Charlie says each vote is crucial, and they need to approach it delicately. Jeff asks about alliances. Maria says alliances are important, but they need to think about who is still in the game and who is on the jury. Kenzie brings up how she’s close with Ben, but he wrote her name last time. She jokes how it’s not possible for her to be in an alliance with him if he’s writing her name down. Ben explains how it was an accident. Q says votes will be made based on what the group agrees. Liz thinks there are power duos in the game instead of alliances. Charlie says it’s getting hard to tell where “the lightning is going to hit.” Afterwards, it’s time for the vote.
We see Maria and Q vote for Charlie and everybody else vote for Q. Will Q play his idol tonight, or will he be voted out with the idol in his pocket?
Before Jeff reads the votes, Q does not play his hidden immunity idol.
Blindside!
Jeff reads the votes. The first vote is for…
Charlie
Q
Charlie
Q
Q
Q
Q is the thirteenth person voted out and the sixth member of the jury. Q is clearly stunned, and Maria is also surprised. Everyone else looks pleased.
And that wraps up tonight’s episode of Survivor. Thanks for reading, and come back next week for another live recap.
