A new episode of Survivor: Game Changers airs tonight on CBS. Read a live recap and join the discussion here.
The episode begins with Nuku returning to camp after tribal council. Sandra asks how did Tai know to give the hidden immunity idol to Sierra? JT says he didn’t tell Brad anything about Sierra. JT lies and says he just told Brad he was safe. In his confessional, JT explains how he was trying to get Sandra out, but his plan backfired as it was his closest ally Malcolm that went home instead. JT is denying what he did, but Sandra is not buying it. He says tribal council was JT’s “dirty deed,” and Sandra says it’s payback time. She wants him out if they lose the next immunity challenge. The morning afterwards, JT is desperate to find an idol since he knows he’s next one out if they lose another immunity challenge. He manages to find a clue to the hidden immunity idol, and eventually digs up the hidden immunity idol too. He doesn’t plan to tell anyone.
At the reward challenge, Tavua has a big reaction to see Malcolm was voted out. Afterwards, they learn about the challenge and reward. The challenge requires them to retrieve balls and go through obstacles until they have to solve a slide puzzle. They are playing for peanut butter and jelly sandwiches, cookies, and milk. The challenge begins with Sarah, Sierra, and Varner using grappling hooks to retrieve a bow. Once they have their bows, another tribe member must dig out a ball from the sand. Then someone else must use the bow to balance the ball as they make their way through a series of obstacles. They must repeat this process with a second ball until it comes down to a slide puzzle at the end. The first two tribes to complete the slide puzzle wins reward. Although Varner struggled initially, Michaela does a great job digging up the balls and puts Nuku back in the challenge. As for Mana, JT keeps falling off the balance beam too. Mana was also in the lead, but Debbie continually falls off the beam too. Mana is still trying to get across the balance beam by the time Zeke completes the slide puzzle. Tavua wins reward! Debbie is still struggling on the balance beam by the time Sandra solves the slide puzzle. Nuku wins reward! Before the challenge, Debbie said she had good balance, and Brad makes a remark about this after they lost the challenge. Debbie frustrated, and in her confessional calls Brad a dictator.
We see a clip of Tavua enjoying their reward. Sarah talks about how they have dominated the challenges thus far. However, she doesn’t want to get comfortable and wants options moving forward. Sarah later talks strategy with Troyzan. Even though she’s aware Troyzan is on the outs of the tribe, she doesn’t want to only play with the majority since she thinks that would be boring. She wants to consider working with Troyzan. As for Troyzan, he’s appreciative of the fact Sarah wants to work with him.
Over at Mana, Debbie is in a very angry mood. Andrea asks her how she’s doing, and Debbie rants about Brad. Debbie says Brad treats her with no respect. Hali joins the conversation later, and Debbie accuses Hali of being a princess and having her head up Brad’s ass. She’s still angry about how Brad doesn’t have any respect, and she wants him gone. She even shouts at Brad later on. “I had your back…AND YOU CRUSHED MY HEART!” she screams at him. Debbie is adamant to vote Brad out if they were to return to tribal council.
Over at Nuku, JT is annoyed with Michaela’s overuse of the sugar. Sandra notices this, so she wants to stir the pot. Sandra then eats the rest of the sugar, but JT thinks it was Michaela. JT makes snide comments to Michaela about how she used all the sugar, and Michaela gets angry about this. She doesn’t say anything to JT, but she rants about him in her confessional.
Back at Mana, Tai begins searching for another idol, believing another one has been planted since he used an idol at the last tribal council. While searching, he finds another clue. He doesn’t manage to find the idol though, but he plans to look again later. He’s afraid he’s been away from camp too long, and he doesn’t want the others to get suspicious.
It’s time for the immunity challenge. They must go over a massive wall and then retrieve keys to unlock a chest, containing sand bags. They must then carry sand bags across a balance beam to a giant slingshot. The challenge ends with them using the slingshot to knock down targets. The first tribe to knock down all their targets win immunity. Before the challenge, there’s more Debbie vs Brad drama. Debbie wants to do the balancing portion again, but erupts when everyone has reservations. She cusses out Brad before passive-aggressively saying she won’t do the balance portion. The challenge begins, and it’s fairly even. At the balance beam, Mana tribe members keep dropping sand bags, and Debbie makes a remark about how dumb they were by not letting her – a former gymnast – do the balancing portion instead. Soon enough, all the tribes are at their slingshots. Brad is the first person to knock down all the targets. Mana wins immunity! It comes down to JT and Ozzy at the slingshots, and it is Ozzy who knocks down the rest of the Tavua targets first. Tavua wins immunity! Nuku will go back to tribal council.
At the Nuku tribe, there is talk about voting out Michaela. JT is leading the charge against her, and he calls Michaela bad energy around camp. He’s really eager to see Michaela leave. However, Sandra sees herself, Varner, and Michaela a great team. Sandra asks Michaela if they should vote out JT, and Michala is on board. She finds JT very irritating, and she wants JT gone too. However, Sandra still needs to convince Varner to vote out JT. Varner is glad to be in the swing vote position, but he doesn’t know what to do. Would he rather vote out JT or Michaela?
It’s time for tribal council. Jeff asks Sandra about the last tribal council, and Sandra brings up how did Tai know to give immunity to Sierra? JT says he just told Brad he was safe. He lies and says he didn’t sabotage anyone. Jeff talks to Michaela, and she brings up her annoyance with JT. There is talk about the sugar drama between Michaela and JT. Jeff asks about the vote, and Sandra candidly says they are going to keep “him” in the tribe since they need a strong tribe. Sandra is making it seem like they are definitely going to keep JT. Michaela says she’s not dumb and knows what’s going on. Aubry chimes in, and she says she’s fed up with Michaela too. Varner talks about how it’s been uncomfortable around tribe. Everyone is making it seem like Michaela is definitely gone, but is that the actual plan?
It’s time for the vote. We see JT vote for Michaela, and Sandra and Michaela vote for JT. “The queen stays queen,” Sandra says.
Jeff asks if anyone wants to play an idol. JT chooses not to play his idol.
Jeff reads the first vote. The first vote is for…
Michaela
JT
Michaela
JT
JT
JT is the fifth person voted out of Survivor: Game Changers.
As JT gets his torch snuffed, Michaela brings out a drink of water and sips it before telling JT to let Malcolm know that he was why Malcolm was voted out. Aubry gives Sandra and Michaela kudos for their acting skills, and Sandra even admits she was the one that ate the rest of the sugar.
And that wraps up tonight’s episode of Survivor! Thanks for reading, post your thoughts in the comments section below, and come back next week for another live recap.
