Previously, it was the start of a new season. I know, we were still at a beach and there were a bunch of morons that were very similar to morons that had graced this show in seasons past, but things were different this time around. There are two Wally the Hidden Immunity Idol thingies stashed at each camp, for one, and the losing tribe stayed at Boot Camp while the winning tribe stayed at Camp Paradiso that had even a working toilet! Oh what the heck, this is Survivor, what more do you expect? Innovation? Meanwhile, someone named Jessica was booted before she was given more opportunity to do anything other than to bungle up the Reward-cum-Immunity Challenge and blink rather stupidly at the camera. This week, what will happen? Will anyone care?

Night, day four, Ravu at Boot Camp. The Ravus clearly didn't have a successful day after they booted Jessica at Tribal Council (which was at the end of day three) because the Ravus are complaining about the lack of water. Mookie licks at a leaf to make his point. Then again, he could be trying to flirt with Earl for all I know. Mookie demonstrates his future in gay adult entertainment as he slowly licks the leaf along the stem from base to tip and back again. His action is rather hypnotic, I must say, although a part of me wish it's Yul who's doing this instead of his third-rate clone Mookie. As Mookie keeps finding leaves after leaves to wet his tongue, poor Erica merely looks very miserable as she gives herself a pitiful huddle. Mookie ("business consultant") finally gets to speak to the camera for the first time in this season as he says that they are so dehydrated back at camp that they have to resort to licking drops of water off the leaves.

Back at camp, as Rocky does just that, Anthony tells off-handedly right at the camera to Rocky to "just lick some leaves, man". He then adds, "The bottoms are better!" Don't snigger, people, these men are really in dire straits. Before Rocky begins licking a bottom (I know, I'm twelve), he asks Anthony whether Anthony has ever licked one before. I don't get to hear Anthony's response because Earl, sitting to one side and watching those two men with a miserable expression on his face, gets to ask the camera how one can ever survive when one is already dying of thirst and salvation. Oh please don't lie. Nobody has ever died on this show, as countless disappointed viewers can testify. Anthony now gets into position like he's a Muslim about to pray, only he's licking some drops of water on a large palm frond on the ground instead of praying for jugs of Coca-Cola to fall from the sky. Earl finds the sight amusing for some reason, going as far as to point out the drops of water that Anthony misses out on. At least someone is amused. Every other Ravu is huddled miserably around the fire or laid out on the shelter floor like they're already dead and the others are waiting to barbecue their corpses for dinner. Earl tells the camera that they are dehydrated and therefore delirious. Cue Anthony blowing frantically at the leaves because he's sure he's missing out on a drop. I'm sure Earl isn't mean enough to point out non-existent drops of water so that Anthony will make a fool of himself searching for them.

Day five, morning, Moto at Camp Paradiso. A beautiful waterfall, a close-up on Skeletor's magic wand. The show is trying to tell me something. The Motos are relaxing around the place. Lisi, on a hammock with Edgardo, tells him that she slept wonderfully the night before. Lisi tells the camera that she is happy with their current situation. As Edgardo wears baggy dark shorts to take his open shower in order to spare everyone from the sight of anything ugly and hairy that may offend the sensibility, Lisi tries to distract any Moto that may be trying to practice their X-ray vision on Edgardo's shorts by doing this... thing, singing in some kind of cartoon voice that is a mix of Popeye and Woody Woodpecker. It gets the others laughing, but I suspect that these people won't be so amused if Lisi doesn't exercise restrain and start doing that thing all day and all night. To the camera, Lisi pretty much lists down what they have (couch, pillow, et cetera) so that anyone who isn't paying attention will know that the Motos have everything while the Ravus are suffering. The camera zooms in on the happy Motos eating and drinking and Lisi concludes to the camera that "this game is so vicious - it's delicious". Yes, let's see if she still believes that when they boot her helium-giggling behind to Loser Lodge. Back at camp, Lisi beats an ant to death with a hammer and starts snorting like an asthmatic pig. I don't know about the Motos but if I'm in the same tribe as her, I'll be wishing that she shuts up fast.

Boo lies on the hammock and smiles at the camera in that "I'm so pretty, you can forgive me if I sound dumb when I speak" way as he pretty much trots the company line in saying to the camera how happy and how lucky the Motos are, et cetera. While Lisi gave an earlier rundown on the super-duper utensils and furniture the Motos have access to in Camp Paradiso, Boo now lists out the food they have (rice, mangoes, et cetera). In fact, they have so much rice cooked for their breakfast that morning that Boo offers to eat any leftover rice. Boo gurgles happily to the camera like a hirsute goldfish that they cooked the rice themselves earlier that morning. Then he releases a loud emission of intestinal gas as the Motos are lazing around the shelter, with the show happily providing some extra loud "Pffft!" sound effect for good measure. As the others go "Eeeuw!" Boo protests, saying that it's just "air" and not some "sea urchin". I'll be very amazed if Boo actually pops a sea urchin out of his, you know. To the camera, Boo says that he's feeling very full and hopes that this is how things will be for him and the other Motos on the days to come.

This is a good time to once again remind me of the big contrast between the plentiful Motos and the suffering Ravus. Normally I would say that this season is distressingly similar to the wretched sixth season of The Apprentice but Burnetto is lucky that only three or four people are watching The Apprentice these days so nobody will care to accuse him of being an unimaginative hack. Over at Boot Camp, Earl and Anthony are trying to start a fire by rubbing sticks together. It doesn't work, unfortunately, so a tired Anthony backs off to let Erica take over the stick-rubbing duty. As Anthony tells the camera, the Ravus end up taking turns at stick-rubbing duty and it isn't easy since they are so dehydrated and exhausted. Everyone ends up getting even more dehydrated and tired, he points out. Indeed, soon everyone is resting on the ground like zombies unable to find any brains that they can feed on. Poor Rocky looks like he's actually dead.

That's why I don't like this twist, to be honest, because there is a very high possibility that this show will artificially create an Ulong tribe through this twist. The Ravus will be tired and dehydrated so it will take a miracle for them to compete with the fat and content Motos in physical Reward and Immunity Challenges, so they will keep heading back to Boot Camp, getting more wasted, and losing more tribe members. Watching a tribe get decimated through an ill-conceived twist is no fun at all.

Chop, chop, chop. Yau-Man is hard at work chopping open coconuts while Erica sits by his side and watches him work. It's not that she's intrigued by what Yau-Man is doing - she watches unblinkingly at the machete as it rises and falls, her face completely blank like she's zoned out completely into some happy place inside her mind. Yau-Man explains to the camera that since they have no fire, they can't drink their water so the only workable plan now is to fill up all their cannisters with coconut water. However, he claims that the machete they are given is "bad" - I think he means that the machete is blunt - so instead of chopping open a coconut in one minute, he now takes three or four minutes to do so. This takes up a lot of his energy, he claims.

Indeed, the other Motos take turns to chop open coconuts when Yau-Man needs a break. Earl takes over and brags that it must have taken him only a minute to chop open the coconut once he's done. The others go "Oooh!" in good-natured response as Earl pours the coconut water into a cannister held by Yau-Man. Mookie tries his hand at chopping coconuts next and laughs as he pours out only a dribble into Yau-Man's cannister. "Are you kidding me?" he goes as he tosses the empty coconut away from him. Rocky then chops at a coconut with gusto before having to lie down once he's done. As he tells the camera, they are all so lacking in energy that they can only chop so many coconuts before they have to rest. He adds that none of them have any idea what will happen now. Half of them can't even stand, he adds, and indeed, poor Michelle's knees buckle and she nearly falls as she walks with Erica and Rita. Rita catches her in time to stop her from collapsing completely onto the ground. Rocky says to the camera, "I've never experienced dehydration like this so much!" Later that morning, they scavenge what they can eat on the beach. Rocky peels open a clam and eats the flesh raw. He tells the camera that while he eats clams, he doesn't eat them fresh off the ground. "I don't do that!" he proclaims in a melodramatic manner that I find pretty cute. Back at the beach, as Rocky chews and makes a face, Rita laughs.

Camp Paradiso, Moto. Skeletor's magic wand has fallen from its upright position to lie flat in a puddle. Boo holding his hand over his nose may explain the indignity that has befallen the Immunity Idol. When Dreamz asks Boo about Boo's eyes which are shut tight, Boo explains that he "jabbed it" on some "sign". The "Home Sweet Home" sign, perhaps? As the others take a look at Boo's eyes, Alex explains to the camera that Boo has caught "something" in his eye since it is red and there is an "obvious indentation" as well. Alex gets some water and tells Boo to keep his eye open as he pours some water on it. Alex warns him that it may hurt, Boo flinches when Alex pours water over his eye, but in the end everything seems okay.

Then later that morning Boo chops some wood with the ax while some Motos sit around in the shelter and watch him very closely. I think they must have some kind of betting pool going as to how fast and how Boo will get himself injured around the camp. Boo chops wood like he has no care in the world. Once the ax cuts through a block of wood, Boo's idea of proceeding is to lift the ax which is jammed into the wood and hammer the wood onto the ground so that the ax will go in deeper. When the ax refuses to go deeper in this way, he uses his hands to rip the wood into two along the crack created by the ax, causing the ax to fall straight to the ground and just missing his toes. Cassandra points out that Boo swings that ax dangerously close to his legs. I think her bet is on Boo losing three toes before the week is out. Stacy calls out to Boo to be careful as Boo now uses a rock to hammer the ax into another block of wood.

"Oops!" is the predictable outcome indeed as Boo ends up cutting his hand and his knee with the ax. I love Lisi's dramatic face when she leaps up from the hammock the moment she hears him call out. He goes back to the others, saying that he needs medical attention. The cuts bleed considerably at first but once the cuts are cleaned and bandaged the bleeding slows down so I don't think the wounds are particularly serious. Alex says in exasperation to the camera that he has just finished seeing to Boo's eye when Boo cuts his hand and knee. He explains that Boo does one swing of the rock too well because the ax then not only cuts through Boo's hand but also on the knee. Ouchie. As Boo assures the others that he's fine and they don't have to come help him because if he needs help, he will tell them. This leads to Dreamz telling the camera that Boo is a stubborn fellow who is also a hazard to himself. He hopes that Boo doesn't injure himself too much when the Motos have to vote somebody out. To the other Motos, he says that Boo has "got one leg, one hand, and one eye". Normally this is just Dreamz being unable to keep his mouth shut again, but that particular line is actually pretty funny. As Boo relaxes on the hammock, swinging it pretty hard, while the others laugh and make jokes at his expense, the hammock suddenly collapses, causing Boo to hit the ground hard. Dreamz tells the camera that they predict that Boo will hurt himself out of the game. Please don't, Boo, I need my eye candy. Don't move at all until the end of the season, okay?

Boot Camp, Ravu. The Ravus are all laid out on the ground, dead to the world. Anthony is laid out on one of the boats by the beach so he's the first person to hear the sounds of an approaching motorboat. Who else can it be but everyone's favorite architect Sylvia? Sylvia cheerfully asks Anthony, who is approaching warily, "What do you guys call yourself?" When he tells her, she goes, "Ravu! Woo-hoo!" as she throws her arms around Anthony. She asks Anthony whether he was waiting for her. Anthony says dryly that he is. Meanwhile, the others meet up with Sylvia and insincere hugs are given to her with extreme reluctance. "How was Exile?" Mookie asks her in a tone more appropriate for "Why do you have to come back from Exile?" while Yau-Man not very subtly tries to peek into her bag as he hugs her. She knows of his "sneakiness", mind you, as she clearly tries to push her bag away from Yau-Man twice in that hug, but Yau-Man thinks he's so sneaky when he tells the camera that he was "feeling her up" to see whether she has Wally with her. She doesn't, of course.

Sylvia tells them proudly that she managed to start a fire on her own using a flint in Janu Island and the other Ravus start talking at once, clearly excited about the possibility that she has brought the flint along with her. She hasn't, of course. She explains to the camera that she is stunned that the Ravus don't have any fire and hardly any water, thinking that she's stuck in a "very bad situation". She's probably wishing that she's back at Janu Island, heh. Later that day, the Ravus are back at collecting coconut water. Yau-Man tries to instruct Sylvia on chopping open coconuts but she's not doing so well. At least, not fast enough to please the likes of Erica. Sylvia sums up her situation very well to the camera: she missed out on one whole day with her tribe and as a result she does not know how to get along with her tribe members. She doesn't say this, but I can believe that it's even harder to get along with thirsty, tired, and therefore ill-tempered tribe mates whose first impression of her is that she is one bossy cow.

Sylvia passes her glasses to the others in case it will be useful in getting a fire started but the Ravus are less than pleased with her overtures. Michelle, who I hope gets booted soon because I have this urge to gag her whenever she opens her mouth to speak in that horrible irony-free cheerleader-bimbo-in-Bring-It-On way, says that she is not pleased with Sylvia joining them because of Sylvia's "personality". She thinks Sylvia is bossy. Cut to a scene back at camp where Sylvia is unfortunately coming up with ideas on getting food like "fishing along the shore" and getting a very exasperated "We've tried!" answer from one of the guys. I don't think Sylvia is bossy as much as she has a schoolteacher way of speaking in which she often assumes that other people fail because they aren't trying. Of course the Ravus have tried, so suggesting to them the obvious - fishing for food - is like telling them that she must think them very stupid or very lazy not to have tried out the obvious ways to get food. In their current mood, the other Ravus are not going to try very hard to be patient with Sylvia.

Anthony tells the camera that Sylvia is an outsider, not because she's a bad person but because she's bossy. In a private chat session, Rocky tells Anthony and Mookie that Sylvia will go the next time Ravu ends up at Tribal Council. As we all know by now, what Rocky wants, Rocky gets. The men make fun of Sylvia coming in and telling them what to do, with Rocky calling her a dictator. Mookie says that they should learn everything she knows and then ditch her. The other two men go ooh and Rocky calls him a "little cutthroat bastard". The men all agree that Sylvia has to go.

Over at Camp Paradiso, Dreamz continues to appoint himself the spokesperson of the Most Deserving Ever. As he chops some coconuts, he tells the camera about his homelessness, his mother's drug problems, he and his siblings eating out of trash cans, blah blah blah, and how his life at Camp Paradiso is so much better. I'll be more impressed if he's saying this after a day at Boot Camp. I will be more sympathetic to Dreamz if he isn't obviously telling his life story to get attention. As he tells his story to the camera, he is seen telling the other Motos back at camp how if they don't treat him nice he will just run wild. Or something. Dreamz is that fellow who will just keep talking all kinds of stupid things to fill the silence until someone forcibly shuts him up. To the camera, Dreamz begins to pooh-pooh the other people in his tribe, saying that only he knows the meaning of having to "struggle" in life and so forth until my eyes roll up right to the back of my sockets. Of course life in Camp Paradiso is easy! They have rice, toilet, everything. Let Dreamz stay in Ravu, I say, and then let him talk about how life here is so much easier than the Hallmark movie he is hoping to get made based on his life experiences. Dreamz talks on and on about his wish to help the world be a better place, blah blah blah, and I actually find myself missing Hagrid. And since I miss Hagrid the way I miss a bullet hole in my head...

Oh god, why isn't this show over yet? I sigh as we move over to Boot Camp where Rocky, Erica, and Earl climb up to the hill and realize that they have not found anything to eat around the place like they are hoping to. As Earl tells the camera, he is "beyond starving" so he's looking for anything to eat. "Any trees... life... anything!" Of course, there are plenty of grass and other plants on that hilltop, but he's not eating those, oh no. They locate some kind of fruits but Earl says that the fruits are too raw to be eaten. Disappointed, they keep looking around. Dramatic inspirational music usually reserved for movies about white men traveling to Mongolia or Tibet soars in the background as the three continue walking and searching... well, Earl gets to pose like a triumphant hero at the top of the hill as the music swells to a crescendo, but all three return to their camp empty-handed.

As Yau-Man tries to sharpen the "bad machete" with a rock while Rocky and Erica recharge themselves on coconut water, Earl tells Yau-Man somewhat apologetically of how far and how high the three of them had gone to look for food only to have no luck in doing so. He still can't believe that they found nothing and Yau-Man looks away in disappointment. But later that day Erica is cutting away at some bushes when lo, she finds a pineapple! If I'm a suspicious person, I'd say that pineapple is planted by Burnetto. Anyway, Erica calls for the others to come see as she cuts off the pineapple fruit with her machete. The Ravus find it amusing that they looked so far and wide for food when there is a pineapple plant just outside their shelter. Erica tells the camera that there are "hundreds of pineapples just sitting there", which may be an exaggeration. The pineapple is soon cut into slices and every Ravu gets one slice. Everyone moans in pleasure as well as relief as they take a bite. Inspirational music plays again, teasing me with the possibility that the Ravus will win the next Challenge and force Dreamz into staying in Boot Camp, as Rocky starts talking about "pineapple power". Earl gives this really sweet confessional that has me smiling when he says that he and Erica are getting married because she's just saved his life. "It's a miracle!" is how he describes the pineapple. Needless to say, morale is high among the Ravus. Or maybe it's just the inspirational muzak in the background playing really loudly.

Day six, probably late morning, Boot Camp. Rocky hollers to his tribe mates as he and Earl return from somewhere with Rocky carrying what seems like a tribe banner while Earl lifts a box high over his head. Mookie asks whether there is a flint in that box. No, the box contains something even better - a scrap of parchment bearing fine poetry! The poem is about running, paddling, pulling, and thinking in order to eat and "save fire". Everyone is excited about the part in the poem about fire because they believe that they will finally get that mythical flint that will save them from their endless misery.

Erica gets down to whacking coconuts with the machete with a vengeance. She tells the camera that this day is "all about payback" because it is the Motos' fault that the Ravus lost the previous Challenge and forced the Ravus to live in such terrible substandard existence. She says that the Ravus "wasted" their time and energy building Camp Paradiso for the Motos - the Motos clearly didn't lift a finger to help building it! - so the Ravus are now taking back that place and girlfriend here says that you've better believe it. As the others drink from coconuts and Sylvia gracelessly pushes herself into the party, she tells the camera that she's an outsider in this tribe so of course she wants the tribe to win because if they don't, she's an obvious boot. Every day she gets to stay is every day she gets to look for Wally the Hidden Immunity Idol so it is imperative for her that Ravu wins this Challenge. Well, she has to win, but will she win? The Ravus leave for the Challenge site with their tribe banner and all so I suppose I will find out soon enough.

Camp Paradiso. The Motos are using green paint to draw patterns on each other's face and arms. Throughout it all, Dreamz is babbling in what he believes is some kind of street prep-talk about "go home time". How lucky that the Motos don't have to vote anyone out because I suspect it will be indeed go home time for Dreamz over here. Boo tells the camera the obvious: the Motos are well-fed and well-rested so they have a "huge advantage" over the Ravus since they are not just better off physically but psychologically they are also at a better place. Boo continues to prattle on to the camera like he's a particularly slow announcer of a WWE match, talking about how the Ravus will be nervous but the Motos don't want to lose as well as something about how they are not a "story from the bottom anymore". I have no idea what he is talking about.

Challenge time. Probby waits by the beach until the two tribes have filed in. Probby points out to the Motos that Jessica has been booted and Sylvia has taken her spot. Probby hands Sylvia her Ravu buff and because other people are watching them, the Ravus politely applaud when Sylvia puts on her buff. Probby takes back Skeletor's magic wand from the Motos and explains the Challenge.

It's a typical paddle-swim-drag thing. Each tribe paddles a canoe to a buoy with the tribe flag some distance out in the sea, grab the flag, and paddle back where they came from. Along the way, they will encounter four crates. They will use a "rope" with a hook at the end to collect each crate and, once the canoe has reached the beach, take the crates with them to a mat where they will open the crates and find "puzzle pieces and a flag". The "puzzle pole" pieces must be assembled to create a flagpole - isn't it amazing how so many things can be made from puzzle pieces on this show? - and the tribe to do this first and stick the flag to the pole wins Skeletor's magic wand.

Probby now reveals the bounty: "a lot of fishing gear". For the Ravus, they will get their flint as well if they win this Challenge. Oh, and the winning tribe gets to send someone from the losing tribe to Janu Island.

Probby then gives the word to go. There's nothing much to describe here since it's all paddling. I must say though that the Ravus still manage to get a lead - a small one, but still a lead - when it comes to paddling and collecting their flag. Of course, it's still early. We'll see how the Ravus fare when they are in their third week of malnourishment. However, the Motos begin to catch up with them once the two tribes reach the beach and begin assembling the "puzzle pole". Here is where Erica, who looks like she's on the verge of breaking point (remember how she was just staring blankly at Yau-Man chopping coconuts earlier in this episode?), completely loses it. What happens is that the Ravus can't seem to figure out how the puzzle pieces fit together and Erica is convinced that one of the pieces the other Ravus put aside earlier is a correct piece. She actually starts screaming "That was it! That was it!" until someone says that maybe they should listen to her and Sylvia tells her in a stern voice to calm down. They try the piece that she is screaming about and nope, it's not the correct piece. By this time the Motos have already assembled their flag pole, it's going up, and... ding-ding-ding! The Motos have won again.

As the Ravus sit, dejected, Probby tells the two tribes that whoever the Motos choose from Ravu to go to Janu Island will be exempted from Tribal Council that night. In short, that person gets immunity thanks to Moto. So who will the Motos send to Janu Island? Boo calls out Earl's name. Isn't that stupid? Why send this big strapping fellow to a place where he can easily find Wally? If Earl makes the merge and he becomes an Immunity hog, he's never getting booted until the bitter end! Of course, speaking for myself, I won't mind Earl finding Wally one bit so hey, more power to Earl but a big boo to Moto for being stupid. Earl leaves for the boat that will take him to Janu Island and Probby just has to warn him about the snakes. "I'll eat 'em!" says Earl. Perfect answer, that. Probby reminds the other Ravus that they have an appointment with him at Tribal Council that night and banishes all of them from his sight.

Janu Island. Earl is disappointed when he reaches the tower at Janu Island and discovers from the set of clues available that Wally is hidden back at the camp. The second clue tells Earl to "become centered under the highest point from which you have entered". The highest point is, I believe, the hill top that Earl has been seen standing on earlier in this episode. Earl tells the camera that he finds it "very shocking" that Wally is hidden back at camp but he is confident that Sylvia won't find it with the meager clue she is given so she'll be gone after tonight. As he starts a fire with the flint provided to all who come to Janu Island, he says that Janu Island is actually an upgrade from Boot Camp but nonetheless he views that he's still at a disadvantage given how he's no longer "involved" in what happens back at camp.

As he enjoys the fire and a cup of boiled water, he spots a snake and takes the machete to it. The camera of course spares the audience the sight of the snake's head separated from its body because we don't want naked models to start parachuting down in Fiji from PETA-sponsored helicopters and interrupting the show. Earl says that he can't take a chance on letting that snake live because he has seen Saving Private Ryan where that stupid idiot soldier spared a Nazi soldier who went on to get nearly everyone in his squad dead. Of course, Earl still wants a social life after this show so he claims that he really doesn't like killing animals. "Snakes are misunderstood," he says as he walks away from the snake carcass without a backward glance, "but we have an understanding now!" That's not exactly Scarface but Earl is pretty cool.

Boot Camp. The Ravus are trying to start a fire using the glasses Sylvia provided. As Erica once more retreats into her zoned-out funk, Rocky walks around telling others in a self-effacing manner that they really have to wait for Challenges that don't involve puzzle-solving. I have to hand this to Rocky: that guy tries to keep the tribe morale high. Whatever his reasons for doing this may be, the end result will be him endearing himself to his tribe mates. He'll be around for a while, perhaps even the last Ravu standing if Ravu gets eliminated before the merge. Rocky can heard pulling an Arnold Schwarzenegger with a loud "I shall return!" that manages to get some other people laughing.

As the Ravus go around doing their thing while looking dejected in a "life has no meaning now, how blue" way, Anthony tells the camera that he is "so mad" because they worked so hard to win and yet they still lost in the end. He can't believe how tired he is when it's only day six! Well, that's because Burnetto has never deliberately starved one tribe and let the other tribe go fat before, Anthony, so don't feel too bad. Anthony is very angry, however, saying that all he needs to win is "some freaking water, that's all". I can understand that feeling. You work so hard, and yet you failed, so of course it is natural to feel that life is so unfair and get angry. And look for a scapegoat.

And indeed that's what Rocky and Mookie are doing. As the two men walk along the beach, Mookie says that Erica was "killing him" back at the Challenge. Rocky agrees and the conversation turns to how Erica "freaked" them out back then. Mookie then deliberately asks Rocky whether they are still booting Sylvia. Rocky, sensing easily Mookie's unspoken question, asks whether Mookie is still okay with the plan to boot Sylvia. Mookie simply says that he isn't sure. Rocky correctly guess what Mookie is trying to tell him, saying aloud, "So you want Erica, huh?" He isn't asking a question. Mookie merely says that Erica really got on his nerves. Rocky tells the camera that he loves Erica "to death" but he also believes that while it is okay to freak out, freaking out during the Challenge is not the thing to do, especially when it turned out back then that Erica was wrong and she wasted everyone's time. I'm not really sure whether the Ravus would have won even if Erica had kept her cool because the Motos were really catching up, but I can see why they are hammering her hard. Like Anthony, the Ravus must be very angry and frustrated over their loss, especially when they see how much they are suffering while the Motos are being pampered in comfort, so when Erica gives them an opportunity to use her as a scapegoat, they will do that and more.

Back to Rocky and Mookie, Rocky is okay with the plan to boot Erica instead of Sylvia and asks Mookie what "excuse" they will use to tell the others to go along with them. Mookie suggests that they use her freaking out during the Challenge as the excuse. Rocky likes that and calls the two of them happily scumbags. To the camera, Rocky points out the obvious: he and Mookie are "partners" now. Given the current turnover rate of Rocky's alliances, I'll be very afraid were I in Mookie's shoes. He insists that he has no choice but to boot Erica. No choice? I suspect that he's more intent on punishing Erica for their defeat because I don't see why he has no choice but to boot Erica. Sylvia's not exactly a tribe asset after all.

Later that day, Rocky walks alongside Anthony as they drag some fronds, probably to the pyre they are setting up for Erica. He tells Anthony that they are "switching it up" and now the plan is to boot Erica instead of Sylvia. Anthony really doesn't like Sylvia because he's not happy with what Rocky's telling him. Rocky however insists that Erica is a "threat" compared to Sylvia. Once again Rocky is using the word "threat" in a way the word is never meant to be used. Anthony now tells Rocky that the tribe needs Erica's strength. Rocky tells him that Erica is however unpredictable and assures Anthony that they can always boot Sylvia another day. Which is, of course, true.

Meanwhile, Mookie meets up with Rita and Sylvia. He tells Rita and Sylvia of the plan to boot Erica. Rita sounds dismayed but Sylvia is understandably grateful for the reprieve that she has been given. She tells the camera that clearly this proves that you must never lose control of your feelings in a situation such as this one. She tells Mookie to send the ladies his laundry if he has any before walking away with Rita, her relief very clear on her face. Later, she, Rita, and Rocky approach Anthony to get his support in the plan to boot Erica. When Sylvia really should have kept her mouth shut, she instead tells Anthony how Erica freaked out and how she is a detriment to their tribal unity. She's not fooling Anthony with that wise mother speech of hers - everyone knows she's trying to save her own skin - so she can very well be alienating Anthony further every time she opens her mouth. Rocky merely says that he's leaving the decision on what Anthony should do to Anthony but he's also trying very hard to get that man to vote with them. He's not subtle, but unlike Sylvia, he doesn't push too hard on Anthony. Anthony tells the camera that Erica "completely blew her stack" by freaking out during the Challenge because it seems like every Ravu and their dog are gunning for poor Erica.

Anthony and Michelle take a walk down the beach where they both agree that booting Erica over Sylvia is a mistake. However, they also believe that Mookie and Rocky have numbers on their side so they can't do much to fight the inevitable. Michelle nonetheless states her intention to write down Sylvia's name and Anthony agrees to do so as well. Because they really don't like Sylvia so voting for her will prove... something? Their age, probably. Anthony tells the camera that he has to "play the cards" that he's been dealt with but he just has to say it one more time: Sylvia is bad for the "mental health" of the Ravus and they were fine before she showed up so they will be fine after she's gone. So basically Anthony feels that the "right" thing to do is to boot Sylvia because he doesn't like her. Oh well, at this early stage of the game, such a reason is as good as any.

Rita asks Anthony how he feels the tribe was before Sylvia came and how the tribe is now that Sylvia has joined them. Clearly he's been badmouthing Sylvia to everyone as well as to the camera. This fellow really has it bad for poor Sylvia and I wonder why. Is Sylvia really that bad? Rita, by the way, is talking to Anthony in a very fake salesperson manner and she tells him that the tribe was fine without Sylvia. In short, she's agreeing with him and they both agree to vote off Sylvia. He smooches her hand to seal their agreement.

It's funny really, both sides have the same agenda, only their scapegoats happen to be different. Which side will prevail and which scapegoat will get the boot? Well, the trip to the Tribal Council has to be delayed a little longer since their boat somehow gets overloaded with seawater. Maybe that sneaky evil Sylvia has done something to delay the inevitable just like how she has deliberately caused them to build Camp Paradiso for the Motos and then force them to form a losing tribe and... and... As the Ravus start using cans and pots to bail out water, Mookie says that they keep getting bad luck one after the other. Anthony tells the camera that he is certain that they will end up with four votes for Sylvia (he, Rita, Michelle, and Erica) and four votes for Erica (Rocky, Mookie, Sylvia, and Yau-Man). And then they are off. Anthony in a tragic kind of foreshadowing tells the camera that clearly there are people are lying to other people so the best he can hope for is that these people will do what they say they will do in Tribal Council. Try saying that previous sentence quickly. "In this game, you can't take everything at face value," he says with a self-depreciatory chuckle. He's going to realize how right he is, unfortunately.

Night, Tribal Council. Probby gets the Ravus talking about the obvious: Sylvia is bossy but Sylvia doesn't think so, Erica freaked out during the Challenge but she insists that she was just passionate about winning (really), and Yau-Man says that he's voting based on how the tribe will be "more cohesive" without this "arrogant" and "stubborn" person around. Probby then brings up more interesting matters, at least, matters that haven't been rehashed so many times in this episode alone: Wally the Hidden Immunity Idol is only good until the final five (it was good until the final four in the previous three seasons) and Wally can only be used after voting is done but before Probby reveals the votes. How cute - the owner of Wally will have to guess whether he or she is in danger of being booted so there is a good chance that Wally will be used for no good reason if this person anticipated wrongly about having received the most votes in that Tribal Council!

Probby sends the Ravus to vote. It ends up being that only Anthony wrote down Sylvia's name. It isn't shown in this episode but a quick trip to the official website reveals that Michelle votes for Erica because she doesn't want to go against the majority. More interestingly, Rita wants Erica out because she feels that Erica and Earl are close and Rita believes that Earl doesn't like her so she wants to weaken Earl by removing Erica out of the equation. Hmm. And Mookie also reveals his hand a little when he says as he votes that he wants Erica out because Erica is a threat to his "alliance". What alliance? The one he has with Rocky?

At any rate, Erica gets voted off and tells the other Ravus in her final words that they will be so, so, so, so sorry that they voted her off. Maybe because she will move in with them and sing in the shower every morning.

Search for more rubbish: