Previously, it was still all about Zhan Hu as they ended up in Tribal Council. By this point, Sherea had taken over Ashley's role in being Dave's chief antagonist. The other Zhanies had a choice. Should they boot Dave or Sherea? Ultimately, Dave had driven enough Zhanies up the wall to the point that Sherea who didn't do anything was preferable to Dave who did so many things and then some. Dave took a well-deserved hike and... good times are finally here for Zhan Hu? Who knows.

Day thirteen, morning. Oh, that panda taking a snooze on that branch is too adorable for words. We're at Zhan Hu. As the Zhanies wake up slowly, Sherea says that she's had the best sleep ever the night before. Due to Dave not being around anyway, no doubt. She tells the others that she dreamed that she was at home. The others must be wondering whether she is trying to tell them something. At any rate, Sherea pretty much tells the camera that she can't feel any happier at that moment.

Meanwhile, poor Frosti looks pretty gloomy. Peih-Gee asks him what is wrong and he points out that he's not happy that Zhan Hu is on what seems like a losing streak so far. He tries to laugh off his mood but he's clearly feeling defeated. Peih-Gee's inane-sounding high-pitched chirps probably don't help improve his mood. Frosti tells the camera that Fei Long is "well-led" by Aaron and that tribe also have James, which we know by now can do anything and everything even with one hand tied to one leg. Except, that is, interacting with people without rubbing them off the wrong way. I don't kid myself into thinking that the stacking of the strongest people on one tribe is accidental. Burnetto wants another Tragedy of the Ulong to take place in this season. Frosti also talks about some "very intelligent people" on Fei Long, although I don't think I've seen any of those over there. There is Todd, I suppose, but he hasn't walked the walk as much as he talked the talk so far.

As the Zhanies get ready to move their rumps for the day, Peih-Gee tells the others that they should all work together and "equally" in both Challenges and camp work. Oh, she's calling out Sherea here, I'd bet. Sherea tells the camera that she feels somewhat left out when it comes to the whole tribe-as-a-family thing. Perhaps it's because she just lies on the shelter floor all day, waiting for people to come talk to her? At any rate, she's hoping that some kind of "drama" will happen to stir this tribe up.

Hmm, it looks like the show is building up towards some kind of twist, what with Frosti talking about Aaron and James and now Sherea wanting some drama to stir things up. I may actually be in suspense if the "twist" hasn't been trumpeted about in the previous week.

Later that morning, Jaime and Erik are in the lake, washing and providing the show with its obligatory "We have... romance!" moments. Jaime asks Erik for his middle name and it turns out to be Taylor. More silly chatter follows, leading to Erik telling the camera that he feels that he's back in the Garden of Eden with him and Jaime being just like Adam and Eve. So where is the snake, hmm? There is a dirty joke in there somewhere but I'm not going to touch that one. At any rate, the two of them tell each other how they like the other person. Jaime tells the camera that she can't find anything wrong about Erik at all.

I don't know if the editors are trying to tell me something because right after her confessional comes the scene of Erik telling Jaime casually that he's a virgin. Is he trying to impress her or is he using that as some kind of "take pity on me, sleep with me" come-on line on Jaime? Who knows, although I remember Leslie telling her fellow tribe members two episodes back that Jaime and Erik are two of the Christians in Zhan Hu. Erik could very well be waiting until the wedding night, but I don't know why he feels the need to announce it to Jaime if this is indeed the case. Jaime makes a grimace as she goes, "Really?" Erik tells her that he is waiting for the right person. Oh, he's definitely trying to get into her pants with that line. Jaime tells the camera that it's nice to know that Erik is a virgin because she feels that he is even more of a trustworthy person as a result. What, virgins are incapable of telling lies? That's news to me.

Because Erik is now trustworthy, Jaime tells him about Waldo and how to get the clues to its location. At the rate these people are going, soon everyone is going to know about Waldo. Erik tells the camera that the news is only going to help him. He adds that he doesn't know what will happen between him and Jaime but he likes being aligned with her in this game.

Over at Fei Long, Jean-Robert's mouth moves in sync with James and Denise as those two set about working around the camp. James tells the camera that he is doing most of the work around the pace as well as carrying the tribe in challenges. Amanda and Todd can be seen lazing around in the shelter. James also credits Denise for being a workhouse, saying that were Denise ten years younger or were he ten years older, she's going to be "in trouble". As those two check their fish trap and discover a fish in it, Denise tells the camera that James and she get along "very well" because they share the same work ethic. She adds that they have a connection. Cue Denise laughing awkwardly as James tells her that fish are so dumb because they will eat anything that is placed in the trap. She tells the camera that she can trust James so she will "ride his coat tails" for as long as she can. And I must say, that's a fine coat tail to ride on, as long as James doesn't speak too often.

Later that morning, James cooks up what seems like a delicious-looking stew with prawns and various seafood. Jean-Robert seeks to inspire James by demanding to know when they can all eat.

Later that day, a boat shows up. Todd spots the boat first and points out to the others who are... I don't know, sunbathing alongside him, perhaps. Amanda groans. "Something's going on!" she says. You can always trust Amanda to put out things that elude most people. The local fellow gets off the boat, shakes hand with all the Longies, and then passes them a parchment. In what must be clearly a synchronized thing on the cameraman's part, the Longies all stand in a perfect single file to listen as Todd reads aloud the message on the parchment. The message pretty much tells them to pick two Zhanies they want to bring over to their tribe. Eeuw, that's like asking which flea-ridden diseased dog they want to adopt from the streets. The camera obligingly zooms in on Todd's package in order to distract me from Todd's nasal voice. Once the Longies have decided which two Zhanies they want to adopt, the two locals on the boat will travel to Zhan Hu and bring over the two people.

The Longies deduce that the Zhanies will no doubt be given the same opportunity to pick two Longies to adopt. Someone - Courtney or Amanda - says that clearly the Zhanies will pick Aaron and James. Aaron says lamely that it's not always about strength. He doesn't seem to believe that either. Todd pretty much explains the whole situation again to the camera as the Longies try to come to a consensus as to which two lucky Zhanies will join their tribe. Frosti is their number one choice. They want Sherea too, maybe because she seems to be the biggest and strongest female of the group. I don't know why they want Sherea over, say, Erik though. Todd tells the camera that Sherea and Frosti are chosen because these two are fast and strong. The Longies clearly haven't seen Sherea's "speed" and "strength" when it comes to working around the camp. He also adds that people will have to rethink their strategies in the game after this twist.

As the boat goes off to collect Frosti and Sherea, Jean-Robert turns to James and tells the man that James is definitely going over to Zhan Hu if the Zhanies are also given the opportunity to pick two Longies to join their tribe. James grins, shakes his head in dismay, and goes, "Oh, the humanity!" Oh, indeed.

Over at Zhan Hu, the Zhanies are indeed getting the same parchment as the Longies did. They are happy because, as Peih-Gee tells the camera, they believe that they get to keep two people from Fei Long so that the two tribes will now have the same number of people. She thinks it is a "crazy" twist. She's right, although in this case she no doubt wishes that she is wrong, heh. Peih-Gee goes on to say that this twist is going to "cripple" Fei Long and shift the power to Zhan Hu. She is going to be so embarrassed at the end of the day. At any rate, James is an easy and clear choice for the Zhanies. The other pick is Aaron. I'm sure poor Aaron will not be happy that the Zhan Hus really don't want anyone other than James, heh, and they decide to reluctantly pick Aaron only because if they end up at Tribal Council, they will then boot Aaron. Frosti repeats the same thing that Peih-Gee said to the camera, about how Zhan Hu have an advantage now because the tribes will have equal numbers but Zhan Hu have James, et cetera. I have no idea why they will imagine that they will get to keep two Longies just like that.

Later, another boat shows up at Zhan Hu. The Zhanies do not know that this is the Longies' boat so they run to greet the boat excitedly, only to be taken aback when they are asked to surrender Frosti and Sherea. Frosti tells the camera that only then do they realize that this twist isn't Burnetto giving them hope and a miracle without demanding something back in return. Frosti and Sherea share a last group hug with the other Zhanies as Sherea tells the camera that it never occurred to them that they had to surrender two Zhanies in exchange for Aaron and James. She thinks it was so dumb for them not to realize that sooner. Back at camp, Frosti reassures Peih-Gee, Jaime, and Erik that things won't be so bleak because they will get to have Aaron and James, two of the strongest people on the show. Frosti and Sherea then quickly say their farewells and leave for Fei Long. Throughout it all, Erik is grinning like a happy fool. I think he's actually happy to see Sherea and Frosti go, hmm.

Aww, as the boat leaves, Sherea and Frosti are actually crying. Peih-Gee and Jaime also share a comforting hug as those two cries. You know, for all the differences they have, they turn out to be so fond of each other all, how sweet. The camera wisely avoids showing Erik. He's probably still grinning like an idiot.

Over at Fei Long, the Longies get the marching orders for James and Aaron, not that anyone is surprised that the Zhanies picked these two guys. As those two pack to leave, Aaron tells the camera that the tribe had a great momentum so far but now, eh, everything is messed up. James seems indifferent to his fate but Jean-Robert is really pacing around looking worried. Watching him, one would think he's leaving the tribe instead of James. James points out to the camera the obvious: he has to start over again at Zhan Hu because he doesn't "have ties" with anybody there. Jean-Robert's nervousness is explained when he tells the camera that the tribe has lost its two "strongest warriors". Big guy here knows that he will get the chop if they end up at Tribal Council, since his allies James and Aaron have moved to the other tribe. Denise tells the camera that she is "a little sad" that James is gone but hey, she's used to change. "Things change for the good and things change for the bad!" she says. I bet that's the excuse she uses every time there is an outbreak of food poisoning in the lunch room. But it isn't long before the boat is gone when she is already complaining to Todd and Amanda about Jean-Robert not willing to "move his ass" to get water. Denise clearly doesn't like dwelling on the past too much.

Jean-Robert, lying on his back like an overfed pasha, tells the others that they have to decide on who to vote because he thinks that they are going to start losing, like, right about now. And by "decide", he wants them to boot one of the two Zhanies coming to join their tribe. The others pretty much reply to him in their best sarcastic tones because it's obvious that this stupid fat slob is just trying to save his behind. Indeed, Jean-Robert tells the camera that his behind is on the line so this is a "godawful day" for him. Perhaps, but it's a good day for everyone else.

How amusing that in what must be a well-timed choreographed sequence, the two boats each bearing the displaced two tribe members pass each other on the lake so that Aaron and James can take a good look at Sherea and Frosti and vice-versa. Not that I am saying this season is scripted or anything, of course, because this is, after all, "reality TV". They wave at each other, or at least Frosti and Sherea are waving happily at the other boat. After all, they will be living in a camp that has tarps, sheets, and comfortable bedding. What's not to be happy about? Aaron tells the camera that he's fine with the switch. James and Aaron agree with each other that they are cool about moving over to Zhan Hu. They remind me of two terrified jocks trying to convince each other than a trip to the dentist doesn't scare them one bit when in truth they are trembling inside from fear. Indeed, Aaron expresses his "apprehension" about his situation to the camera.

Finally, they reach Zhan Hu and are greeted by Erik. By the way, the editors have finally begin to blur out the front of Erik's boxers. Those two exchange hugs with the three Zhanies. The locals in the boat then produce baskets of fruits and the compulsory two bottles of wine for the subsequent getting-drunk session that always follows such wonderful moments of the show. Peih-Gee describes the contents of the basket to the camera in a most photogenic manner. Back at camp, Aaron attempts to break the ice by saying that the Longies know that the Zhanies will pick James but Aaron being picked is a surprise. Clearly he's angling for some compliments for his strength and charisma. I hope he never learns that he's just the sacrificial lamb to be slaughtered in case they all end up in Tribal Council.

James tells the camera that he's quite taken aback by how happy the Zhanies are. "His people", he says, are unhappy and bitch so he's not used to "these people" at Zhan Hu. "I like misery!" he says. Later, as they sit in the shelter to eat, drink, and chat, James not so subtly attempts to pry into the internal dynamics of the old Zhan Hu but he can barely get a word in over Jaime who only reveals that she and Peih-Gee are good at puzzle solving. James then launches into this speech about how he will do all the work around the camp while the rest of them should just get ready to win in the upcoming Immunity Challenge. Ha, ha, very funny... ahem, I mean, yeah, hurrah for team spirit! James has better not complain that he's doing all the work around the camp later on because he has pretty much volunteered to be everyone's work horse. Peih-Gee scoffs to the camera that of course James and Aaron will want to "fire" them up to win because those two know that they are on the chopping block. As she proposes a toast to the new Zhan Hu back at the camp, she tells the camera that the old Zhanies have an advantage in the game by having the two strongest people in their tribe. Therefore, they will have to think of how to make use of this advantage, she concludes.

As the boat carrying Frosti and Sherea approach Fei Long, Denise reminds the waiting Longies that they have to "stick together now". It's really pathetic how Jean-Robert can't even get his rear end off the ground to welcome the two with Todd, Amanda, Courtney, and Denise. Todd however tells the camera that he is "excited" to meet Sherea and Frosti because he feels that this is an opportunity to win himself two new allies to help him further his game. The locals on the boat also bring out the baskets of fruits, nuts, and wine so it's time for the Longies to party. Sherea tells the camera that she feels that she is starting over again in Fei Long and she doesn't mind that because she feels that her position at the old Zhan Hu wasn't that secure to begin with. She adds that she will do her best in Challenges and to fit in. Maybe she means she's going to fit in very nicely on that big vacant spot on the shelter floor? She goes on to say that "maybe" she will "step it up some" when it comes working around the camp. Well, good luck with that, Sherea.

As the new Longies eat and chat, mostly about how Dave was this crazy fellow, Frosti tells the camera that he's going to pay attention and find ways to keep himself around despite the fact that he and Sherea are outnumbered by the original Longies. Note that he says "keeping himself" and not "keeping himself and Sherea".

Morning, day fourteen, Fei Long. Jean-Robert, driven by desperation that is so strong that I bet it smells terrible, gets up early to prepare breakfast. He tells the camera what he is doing, and I bet he thinks he's an impressive sight to behold. Alas, back in the shelter, Todd is like, hello, what is that stupid fool doing and Amanda is like, duh, Jean-Robert is "strutting his feathers". Denise whispers that the man is going to be unbearable from now on but she's not going to argue with that man. Someone jokes that Sherea is going to be the one to argue with Jean-Robert for them. Frosti says that it is great to learn that Jean-Robert is universally despised by the other Longies because this is an opportunity for him to stay on with this tribe.

Jean-Robert begins to give orders to the other Longies, which is both awkward and funny because he is mumbling while the other Longies do not even bother to turn and look at him. Amanda tells the camera that Jean-Robert is so transparent in his attempts to save himself. Finally, Denise has had enough listening to Jean-Robert mumbling like an idiot and tells Jean-Robert just to shut him up, "Okay, tribe leader!" Jean-Robert protests that he is not the tribe leader. Denise says that if that is the case, Jean-Robert has better stop giving out orders. Awkward silence follows until Jean-Robert now mumbles that he's just asking them for help instead of giving orders like Denise said. Denise mocks him by pretty much telling him that he should have said "please" before saying that of course she will help him. It's beautiful how she does that to Jean-Robert. Now Jean-Robert tells Sherea to be the tribe cook and he will even help her by telling her what to cook. Then someone - Amanda, I think - cracks a joke and everyone else laughs, thus making it clear to Jean-Robert that they are not paying him any attention. Jean-Robert stomps away in a huff. Should this happen to anyone other than the gross and disgusting Jean-Robert, I'd say that these folks are being very petty, but Jean-Robert so inept in his social game that he deserves everything he gets and more from these people.

Courtney, Sherea, and Amanda continue to mock Jean-Robert for automatically assigning the cook role to Sherea because she's a woman as they all get ready to do whatever they have to do in the morning. Sherea tells the camera that she's going to try to use the original Longies' dislike of Jean-Robert to her advantage.

Zhan Hu. James bends over, cleaning the pot, I think, allowing the world to imagine him starring in various sexy prison movies. The other four Zhanies are hard at work luxuriating in the water. Eeuw, there's this painful-looking blister over Peih-Gee's right wrist. Aaron makes some small chat with the other three. To the camera, he says that Peih-Gee, Erik, and Jaime are actually fun people to hang out with and he also knows that those three are close so he's going to work them over and make them his new best friends. He adds that he has no idea how James is doing but personally he feels right at home, "comfortable" even, with these three people. Aaron then very blatantly begins telling the other three that everyone else back in the old Fei Long tribe feels that James is going to be this "Immunity hog" if they let him get into the merge. I like how he tells the camera that he is usually more subtle but he feels that he has to save his behind at that moment. Oh, don't worry, Aaron, I forgive you.

Jaime, who is not the dumb blonde that the editors, Burnetto, and Probby will want people to believe, asks Aaron whether he wants to boot Jean-Robert once they make the merge. Aaron does this prayer stance as he takes a deep breath and says that he has to think about the question before saying lamely that he doesn't know. Peih-Gee has Aaron pegged in her confessional, pointing out that Aaron is athletic which makes him a physical threat as well, good looking which makes it easy for him to win people over, and pretty crafty. Therefore, the fact that Aaron is clearly holding "a little back" doesn't sit well with her. She doesn't know how long can Frosti and Sherea last in the other tribe, so she feels that she has to talk to Jaime about what Jaime thinks about the situation. Clearly Peih-Gee still feels that she has alliances with Frosti and Sherea that are worth the efforts of trying to save them.

In a scene that Probby will try to insist is Very Stupid Logic in action but it really isn't, Peih-Gee points out to Jaime that if they win the next two Immunity Challenges, there is a chance that both Sherea and Frosti will go. This means that they and Erik will end up facing all seven original Fei Long members come the merge and that is naturally not a good thing. Therefore, Peih-Gee proposes that they throw the next two Immunity Challenges so that they get rid of both James and Aaron. That way, when they make the merge at ten (which is customary), they will instead have five original Zhanies facing off against five original Longies. 5-5 is still better than 3-7 no matter how you look at it, no? And besides, with Aaron and James gone, two of the biggest Immunity Idol threats will be gone. Jaime thinks it's a risky move and Peih-Gee agrees, admitting that she is operating based on the assumption that they will merge at ten. Still, Peih-Gee points out that should her gut feeling turns out to be right and they do merge at ten, the plan will pay off nicely.

I like this plan. Oh, there are risks involved and the plan is operating on assumption that could very well be wrong, but unlike, say, when Probby's beloved Ozzy threw a Challenge back in Cook Islands, this plan makes sense. We have two women who try to take advantage of a silly twist thrown their way to further their own game instead of sitting back and letting a twist screw them over. This is far different from previous stupid Challenge-throwing moments in Pearl Islands and Cook Islands because the reason for throwing those Challenges doesn't make sense. In other words, Peih-Gee and Jaime want to throw Challenges to get rid of a threat from the other side, not some imaginary boogeymen. They are playing the game. Therefore, in this instance, it makes sense to take the risk and try to level the playing field.

Immunity Challenge time. Probby waits by the lakeside as the two tribes file in. My, my, the Survivors are wearing brand new swim suits today. No more tight blue shorts for the men, I see, so that it is easier for me to say goodbye to Aaron, I suppose. At any rate, there are some initial silly chatter where Todd says that the two new Longies are great while Aaron says that he knows he may be on the block should Zhan Hu lose so he's going to make sure they win. Probby then explains the Challenge.

Each tribe will send two members along a platform to an anchored boat in the lake. One person will alternate with the other person to dive down to a bamboo cage anchored to the bottom of the lake in order to dislodge some bamboo poles. Dislodging bamboo poles will cause discs to float up to the surface of the water. You see, each disc is shaped like a typical "yin/yang" hexagram thing and there are slots along the rim of the disc which allows bamboo poles to be shoved through them and hold them inside the cage. There are twelve discs in all to collect in this manner. Once all twelve discs are collected, the two tribe members will drop the discs into a "boat" (more like a boat-shaped pot if you ask me) and swim with the "boat" back to shore where the remaining three tribe members will match the discs (each bearing an animal from the Chinese zodiac) to the correct slots on a table by matching the pattern of the slots on the dics to the tabs on the corresponding slot on the board. If I have hopelessly confused you with this description, well, maybe it's best if you watch the episode yourself, heh. It's not exactly the easiest to describe clearly in words. Fei Long sits out Amanda and Courtney and then everyone is ready to rumble.

This Challenge would be a pretty dull one to recap were not for how Jaime and Peih-Gee make a spectacle of themselves in throwing the Challenge. During the swimming part, Erik and Aaron get a small lead over Frosti and Jean-Robert in retrieving all twelve discs, so if all goes well, the only suspense would be in seeing who can solve the puzzle faster. But egads, there goes Jaime cheerfully telling Aaron and Erik to take their time in diving and collecting the discs. She and Peih-Gee all but giggle as they watch the two men try to catch their breath. Poor James is completely befuddled and I don't blame him. As the two men continue to collect the discs, Jaime tells James that he will collect the discs, hand them to Peih-Gee, and Peih-Gee will hand them to Jaime so that Jaime can put them on the board. James says that it is better if they can all work on the puzzle together. Good plan, except for the fact that the ladies don't want to work on the puzzle, heh.

Jaime makes a pained face when Aaron and Erik end up gaining a small lead over Frosti and Jean-Robert. I hope Jaime never considers any job where she has to lie with a straight face because she is really terrible at pretending. As the other three Zhanies begin working on the puzzle, Jaime cheerfully tosses one disc behind the table and she all but winks at the camera. I really feel terrible for Aaron who has all but fainted from all that diving while Peih-Gee and especially Jaime do not even pretend to be trying to work fast. Probby is flabbergasted and asks Peih-Gee whether she is really good at puzzles. Peih-Gee cheekily responds by telling him that she's good at Sudoku. Poor James tells her to pay attention as he tries to figure out where one disc has vanished into.

Unsurprisingly, Fei Long wins this one. Probby tosses the "lost" disc onto Zhan Hu's table and talks scathingly about the poorest performance ever in a Challenge by Zhan Hu because after hosting so many seasons, he has stopped bothering to even pretend to be objective anymore. How dare people try to tamper with the twists on this show! This show is about integrity! Hard work! Valor! Compassion! Patriotism!

Zhan Hu. Aaron gives a loud "Aaargh!" of frustration as the Zhanies all gather around to look at each other stupidly the way people on this show always do once they lose a Challenge. Jaime however can't stop smirking. She is trying, I'd give her that, but she just can't keep a poker face, unlike Peih-Gee who manages to look downcast in front of Aaron and James. I can just imagine which woman the two men would consider the mastermind of their downfall. But Peih-Gee ends up giggling with Jaime when James starts scolding them for their poor performance. In all honesty, I don't blame the two women for giggling because James at that moment sounds so ridiculously self-righteous as he scolds them as if they are misbehaving little girls. I'm not saying that he shouldn't be angry, it's just that he sounds just like a pompous cartoon character when he scolds the two women.

James says that he doesn't want to be in the tribe if the two women can't focus. Here, Jaime laughs out loud and buries her face in her hands. I know, that's terrible of her, but I'm also laughing with her because this situation is indeed funny as here is James angrily saying that he wants to go home. Given how he may just get his wish at the end of the day, yeah, that situation, like his scolding, is pretty funny. Aaron however looks glum. He probably has figured out what the original Zhanies are doing here. And to be fair to Jaime and Peih-Gee who are bearing the brunt of the "horrid bitches out to sabotage our noble masculine hunks" editing, Erik also looks like he has a hard time containing a smirk at times. But given that a favorite staple "storyline" of reality show is the demonizing of women, especially attractive young women, Jaime and Peih-Gee predictably get the worst edit here.

As he floats on a cloud of self-righteousness, James tells the camera that he's done collecting water for the others and they can eat grass for all he cares because he's not going to do anything anymore for them. They can send him home now, he says. Meanwhile, Jaime and Peih-Gee get together and giggle about how they look like complete idiots during the Challenge. They also laugh over how the two men still have no idea that they have been played. As much as I approve of them trying to take advantage of the twist thrown their way, these two women could have done a better job in keeping their composure, because all that giggling and smirking are indeed embarrassing to watch. Indeed, Aaron is at that moment wondering aloud in front of Erik what happened to the women back in the Challenge and asks whether the two women were that terrible in previous Challenges. Erik says lamely that he has no idea what happened back then. James says that the two women completely "dropped the ball". Yes, and they kicked the ball right between James' eyes.

Peih-Gee tells Jaime in their private conversation that the two men are going to get Erik to vote of the women off. Jaime tells Peih-Gee that Erik is not going to betray them. Perhaps she's using her super secret sex appeal to keep Erik in line? Now that will be indeed awesome. Meanwhile, Erik is really doing a terrible job stammering to the other two men as they ask him to go talk to the two women. Erik obediently goes over to ask the two women what happened back in the Challenge. Here, Jaime and Peih-Gee finally reveal that they threw the Challenge. Erik doesn't look too happy with the revelation. He tells the camera that he has no idea until that moment that the ladies had planned all along to throw the Challenge. Now that he knows, he doesn't have much of a choice but to go along with the women's plan since he doesn't feel that he can throw away his alliance with them. Erik clearly is innocent to the ways of a woman if it never occurs to him that this is the reason why the two women keep him in the dark about their plan.

As Aaron and James begin to wonder which one of them will get the boot that night, Erik and Jaime have a heart-to-heart talk in the water where he tells her that he trusts her and he wants to keep trusting her. The two agree to stick together come what may. Erik tells the camera that he hates "losing on purpose" but he feels "safe" with Jaime so he'll continue to work with her. Really, that sounds rather... wimpy on Erik's part. They discuss potential boots and Jaime brings up the possibility of booting Aaron. She says that it's a gut feeling on her part that Aaron has to go. But she does know why, as she tells the camera that Aaron has closer ties with the original Longies so he's more of a threat than James.

Meanwhile, Peih-Gee approaches James in the shelter to ask him whom he is going to vote for. James, being the single-minded dolt who can be more like Terry from Exile Island that I would like to admit, instead once more rags about the dismal performance in the recent Challenge. Peih-Gee cuts straight to the chase and asks him whether he wants to stay longer than Aaron. James, who can't stop when he's on a self-righteous trip, insists that Aaron "deserves" to stay so they can vote James off instead. This leads to Peih-Gee telling the camera that she has initially believed that they can all work on getting James to warm up to them once they get rid of Aaron, but now she isn't so sure whether James can ever be on their side.

Aaron asks Erik how the votes will fall and Erik tells him that he will follow the two women and vote out James. Well then, Aaron tells the camera that he will also vote out James then so that he can show the others that he can be on their side. He doesn't trust anyone on this tribe anymore. As they get ready to leave for Tribal Council, James tells Aaron that his brain hurts. Aaron tells the camera that he'd rather vote for Jaime or Peih-Gee. Well, yes, but we can't all get what we want. How sad.

Night, Tribal Council. There is nothing that takes place here other than Probby throwing a fit over Jaime and Peih-Gee apparently tainting the "integrity" of the game or some nonsense like that. He has a willing ally in James - who has proven to be far from a braintrust - as he goes on and on about how terrible it is to throw a Challenge, even if in this case throwing a Challenge makes sense and this show is not only about the Challenges. I'd think Probby will understand all this since he is the host of this show for so many seasons. But then again, that's Probby to you. He was never this faux-offended when his precious Ozzy threw a challenge, remember. Every season Probby has a designated Favorite Rugged Man that he has a chubby for, starting from Colby in Australia all the way to Ozzy in Cook Islands and he has demonstrated amply that he isn't above trying to insert himself into the game via Tribal Council sessions to influence the game to keep his favorite beefcakes on the show. Aaron or James must be his favorite beefcake this season. Think about it: has Probby ever behaved like a fanboy over a female Survivor the way he did over the likes of Andrew from Pearl Islands, Ozzy, and Colby? Probby is behaving more and more like a rambling Survivors Strike Back! blog entry from the crippled braindead Scout and I fear that he will only get worse as the season drags on.

At any rate, it doesn't matter. It's time to vote and nothing can save Aaron from getting the boot. Sometimes, proving to be far more socially adept and more crafty than the mostly-brawn James is not good for one's game. Probby warns the remaining Zhanies that they are working on assumptions that may be true, which is nothing but hot air as we all know the merge will take place at ten like Peih-Gee predicted earlier in this episode - and dismisses them from his sight. Aaron gives some bland and generic final words and he's done. Sigh. I don't think I will miss him since I barely have any feel of his personality on this show, but I will surely miss those magical blue shorts.

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