A new episode of Survivor: Island of the Idols airs tonight on CBS. Read a live recap and join the discussion here.
The episode begins with the Lairo tribe returning to camp. Karishma says there are no hard feelings for the votes she received at tribal council. However, in her confessional, she points out how her tribe views her as expendable. In Aaron’s confessional, he admits that he knows what it feels like to be on the outs of the tribe. He also doesn’t necessarily want Karishma out next despite her being an “easy vote.” Aaron notices how tight Dean and Chelsea are. The next morning, Dean admits that he’s drawn to Chelsea in a confessional. Chelsea tells Elaine she thinks Dean is cute, but she asserts she’s not on the show for a showmance. However, Missy and Aaron discuss Dean and Chelsea. In her confessional, Missy says that Dean could get in the way of the girls alliance. She’s prepared to vote Dean out if they were to lose the next immunity challenge.
At Vokai, Jamal still feels like he’s on the outs of the tribe. While members of the tribe go out fishing, Jamel goes hunting for a hidden immunity idol. And luckily for him, Jamal stumbles upon a hidden immunity idol. He laughs in his confessional and says the rest of his tribe is getting complacent.
Later, a boat arrives to their beach. They are informed one of them must go to the Island of the Idols. If they don’t come to a unanimous decision, then they will draw rocks to decide who will go. No one wants to volunteer, and we hear confessionals from Tommy, Jason, Kellee, and Lauren telling us they don’t want that target on their back. However, Noura says she wants to go to the Island of the Idols without hesitation. She gets on the boat, arrives at the island, and she’s greeted by Sandra and Rob. They share a meal of watermelon, and Noura is eager to get advice from Sandra and Rob. Rob tells Noura everyone who visits the Island of the Idols gets a lesson. Rob tells Noura her lesson is the art of persuasion. Rob also tells her that the tribe will be blindfolded at the next immunity challenge. He says that if Noura can persuade her tribe to let her be the caller at the upcoming challenge, then she will win the advantage to block someone else’s vote. If she fails, then she will lose her vote at her next tribal council. Noura quickly accepts the challenge. In their confessionals, Sandra and Rob have doubts on whether Noura can succeed in the game due to her impulsiveness.
Noura returns to camp. She comes up with a story about how the tribe must let her pick whatever role she desires at the upcoming immunity challenge. If they agree, then she can reveal the details to them. The tribe hesitantly agrees, although they are still confused on what Noura is telling them. Noura claims the role of caller and then tells them they will be blindfolded in the challenge. The tribe then asks her why would she be the best person to be the caller, but she tells them the decision has already been made since she told them what the next challenge is about. Noura’s lie isn’t convincing them, but Noura believes that they will win the challenge with a little bit of practice. Noura begins directing blindfolded tribe members around camp, but she’s not doing a great job. If Vokai were to lose the upcoming immunity challenge, then Noura will be on the chopping block.
It’s time for the immunity challenge. Each tribe will have a caller that will direct blindfolded members through a course to collect three keys. Once they get their keys, one blindfolded tribe member will solve a puzzle with the help of a caller. The first tribe to solve their puzzle will win immunity. Vokai has an extra tribe member, so one person must sit out. Noura’s tribe members tell her she’s sitting out. She asks them if they are sure, and they say yes. Unbeknownst to them, Noura has lost her vote at her next tribal council. She was unable to persuade her tribe to let her be the caller. The challenge begins, and Jason and Elizabeth are the callers for their tribes. Vokai gets an early lead as Jason successfully directs the blindfolded Vokai tribe members through the course. Vokai’s lead continues as they are getting their puzzle pieces while Chelsea and Dean are struggling to find the third Lairo key. Jason directs a blindfolded Kellee to assemble a puzzle. They have yet to solve the puzzle when Lairo finally gets to their puzzle station. Elizabeth aids a blindfolded Aaron as he puts together their puzzle. Eventually, the challenge becomes even as Jason and Kellee are struggling with the puzzle as Elizabeth and Aaron are having quick success. Elizabeth and Aaron think they have solved it, and the Lairo tribe cheers. However, Jeff tells them that it’s incorrect. When they try to fix their mistake, Jason and Kellee finally complete the puzzle. Vokai wins immunity!
Lairo returns to camp, and Elizabeth apologizes to them all. She says she was the leader, but the tribe reassures her that she did a good job. Karishma is aware that she could be going home tonight. Aaron and Dean talk game, and they already say they’re prepared to vote her out tonight. Dean doesn’t believe it’ll be a blindside tonight. However, Elizabeth, Missy, and Aaron talk game by the well. Aaron wants Dean gone. He says Dean hasn’t performed well in the challenges and he’s too close to Chelsea. In her confessional, Elizabeth is not prepared to see Dean go home. She says Dean has brought more to the tribe than Karishma has. Elizabeth says while Dean is gathering firewood, Karishma is napping. Elizabeth pretends to be on board when she talks to Aaron and Missy. However, Elizabeth goes to talk to Elaine. She tells her that Aaron and Missy want Dean gone. Elaine is not on board with voting out Dean. She’s also concerned about Aaron now. Elaine says that if Aaron already wants to target his friend Dean, then how can anyone trust Aaron? Elizabeth tells Aaron and Missy that Elaine won’t be on board with voting out Dean. Missy pulls Elaine aside and comes up with a new plan. Missy tells Elaine that if she doesn’t want to lose Dean, then how about they get rid of Chelsea? Missy is adamant that the duo of Dean and Chelsea must be split up. Right after this conversation, Elaine talks to Elizabeth and tells her that Missy now wants Chelsea gone. Elizabeth is stunned that Missy would be willing to vote out Chelsea. Elaine is troubled by the target shifting over and over again, but she says lines will be drawn in the sand after this vote.
It’s Night 11 and time for tribal council. “They just love tribal council,” Sandra whispers from the shack she and Rob are spying from. Jeff brings up the past two blindsides, and Chelsea says the line hasn’t really been drawn in the sand yet. Karishma says no one wants to talk to her. She says all she can do is pray to the Survivor gods. Elaine adds that everyone moves too fast. She says she doesn’t really know what’s going on. Jeff asks Dean about the scrambling, and he says the scrambling should be a good thing for Karishma tonight. The tribe agrees that plans can change quickly. Karishma should just talk to anyone since anything can happen. Aaron agrees that all it takes is for one seed to be planted for a plan to move forward. Elizabeth thought they had a clear plan, but it changed into multiple plans. Jeff says it could be unnerving, and Elaine agrees that any of them could be “Plan Z.” Missy adds that they’re playing Russian Roulette; anyone could get hit tonight. Missy says they are all playing equally, and Karishma could still be voted out tonight. Karishma is hopeful that it’ll be a blindside tonight since she’s still expecting to be voted out. Jeff asks Missy if she would be shocked if she were to be voted out tonight. She says that she did not hear her name, but that could still mean she’s the target. She says they are all playing a game. Even though they became a family at camp, she reminds them that they are all still strangers. Chelsea says the game is still fun, despite how chaotic tonight is. Rob whispers in the shack to Sandra that it can be anyone voted out tonight. Afterwards, it’s time for the vote.
Jeff asks if anyone wants to play a hidden immunity idol. No one plays one.
Jeff reads the votes. The first vote is for…
Karishma
Karishma
Chelsea
Chelsea
Chelsea
Chelsea
Chelsea
Chelsea is the fourth person voted out of Survivor: Island of the Idols.
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.
