dingoRUE

Following Brett’s immunity win, the Foa Foa 4 remained together and voted out Shambo in Survivor: Samoa Episode 14.

Russell complains that he’s there with a bunch of misfits who are laying about and complaining about the harsh conditions as if they’re surprised.

Natalie gets a warning from Russell that she’s probably the next one to go if Brett wins immunity. The guys would rather stay together so that they can get rid of Brett. Russell doesn’t understand this mindset how a guy who two episodes ago probably hadn’t had more than five minutes of airtime the whole season all of a sudden is being put up on this pedestal because he’s won the last two challenges. The sad thing is, if he keeps it up, he’s got a good shot to win, regardless of not having had anything resembling a strategy.

For the immunity challenge, they will race across a series of obstacles, grab a bag of puzzle pieces, and climb a steep wall where they will solve a puzzle. Russell is the first to grab his puzzle pieces, showing no signs of struggle on these obstacles. Everybody else is pretty much neck and neck behind him, but it all just comes down to who can solve this puzzle fastest. Brett wins immunity.

Russell would like to keep Natalie around because there’s no way she could beat him. His suggestion is that Jaison is the weakest link (even more than Natalie) and checked out a long time ago. Meanwhile, Mick might be good to pick off because he’s a threat.

So Russell tells Mick to get rid of Jaison, and he tells Jaison to get rid of Mick. That should put control squarely in Russell’s hands as to who goes home.

Votes
Mick
Jaison
Jaison
Jaison

With the remainder of the tribe going with the strategy of keeping the strongest around, Jaison has been voted off the island. Jaison is now mad at Russell and hoping Brett wins.

Russell promises Brett he’ll take him to the final three if he wins immunity. Brett promises him the same in return.

The final immunity challenge is to balance a statue on a pole. At set intervals, they will add another section to that pole. Mick is the first person out of the challenge. Natalie is right behind him. The other two keep going and make their way through some wind at 6 feet. They move on to hit 7 feet. Brett drops his statue. Russell wins immunity.

Brett’s days are numbered. While he gets credit for keeping himself alive much longer than the rest of his tribe, it would have been a waste of a season if he ended up winning solely because of how stacked the jury is.

In Russell’s opinion, he just won the game. Hard to argue with that.

Mick’s getting paranoid that he’s about to be stabbed in the back. That would be quite a stupid move.

Russell tells Brett to vote for Mick. Maybe they can force a tie.

At tribal council, there’s talk about how Brett deserves to be there more than the others because he won a couple challenges. Anyway… we all know this is just an attempt at creating false drama.

Votes
Brett
Mick
Brett
Brett

By a vote of 3-1, Brett has been voted off the island.

Natalie seems content just to be in the final three.

Even though they’re in the final three and should just be relaxing and enjoying their feast, Russell’s still playing the game. He wants to get into the heads of the other two before they head off to tribal council.

Russell says it would be a shame if Mick or Natalie beat him. For that matter, it would be a shame if anybody else beat him either. If somebody had gotten rid of him, that’s one thing, but he’s clearly played the best game. Now it’s just a question of whether anyone’s too bitter to accept that. There’s no question he’s stabbed a bunch of people in the back and lied to everybody.

All three of those who remain voted for every person on the jury.

Mick wants to receive votes because he was mister nice guy.

Natalie just says she’s grown through this experience and appreciates everybody.

Russell, however, talks about how he played the game strategically, lying wherever necesary (and sometimes when not necessary). If he’s been outwitted or outplayed, feel free to not vote for him. But he hasn’t been.

Jaison’s up first. He offers his former tribemates the opportunity to tell the jury who they really are. Natalie says she’s unemployed at this time. Russell says he’s a businessman and is successful. Mick says he’s in substantial debt from medical school. Jaison says Natalie made good money, Russell’s probably the richest guy there, and doctors make a lot. Nobody is broke, and they should look to other criteria.

Shambo calls Mick’s gameplay feckless. I see somebody got a thesaurus for Christmas. As for Natalie, the word for her is coattail. Natalie says that the aggressive women were the ones who got eliminated early, which is true, although it probably doesn’t help her cause any. Shambo’s closing statement is that she has no intention of voting for either of them.

Brett asks what a “bro date” with Mick would be like.

Kelly starts with Natalie, saying they were very similar, but Natalie was never on the field (in that respect, they were very similar). Russell lied, cheated, and stole. Is that him in real life? He would replace those words with honor, integrity, and loyalty.

Monica gives Russell credit for key moves, but she missed passion from the other two. Why do the others not deserve the money? Mick doesn’t know what Natalie did, aside from align with Russell. He doesn’t like Russell’s lying or (well deserved) ego. In response, Russell says that neither of the honest people there seemed to mind when he was a snake, at least not until now.

Dave wants to ask about chances. Mick says 20-25%. Natalie says 30-40%. Russell responds 55%. I expected more out of him.

Laura asks what Russell learned about her that enabled him to beat her. He knew she was the biggest threat on Galu.

Why should John write Mick’s name down? He’s got solid character.

Erik just wants to hear himself talk and will not be allowing any response, which is arguably the same attitude that got him voted out so early. Mick did nothing with his leadership role on his team. Russell played an unethical game. Natalie may be weak and undeserving, but perhaps that’s better than lying, cheating, and stealing. Because he supports weak and undeserving as traits, Erik will vote for Natalie. All that rambling to arrive at that rather unusual destination.

Votes
Natalie
Russell
Natalie
Russell
Natalie
Natalie
Natalie

The Survivor: Samoa winner is Natalie White. I’m stunned, not just by the results but by the fact that it was a blowout for somebody who didn’t do much, but I guess I shouldn’t expect anything more from a jury that consists of people who were stupid enough to throw away an 8-4 lead. As bitter juries go, this one looks like it just took the cake.

What I find most interesting is that this group of misfit sore losers is giving us a lecture on morality and not lying. Pot, meet kettle. Apparently, it was okay for them to ostracize Shambo and vote out Erik for no good reason, but it was not okay for Russell to play the game. John and Shambo remain the only two people from Galu with half a brain.

If he took Jaison and Shambo with him, the jury tells Russell (reluctantly) that he would have narrowly won.

Russell’s not done playing. He offers to buy the title of sole survivor for $10,000. Jeff and the audience agree he played the better game.

The three top vote getters for America’s vote are Russell, Shambo, and Brett. Brett is out. The winner of the player of the season award and the $100,000 prize that goes along with it is Russell. At least some people can appreciate his game. Jeff’s still trying to figure out how the heck Russell did not win.

Survivor is coming back for season 20: Heroes vs. Villains. 20 former castaways will be returning when the new season premieres on February 11.