(S13E13) We are down to it now. And the real question is how are they going to resolve the finale. With only one episode left and more players than we are used to seeing there definitely have to be additional tribal councils during the finale. This episode wasn't that exciting despite some two interesting challenges but the finale looks to be epic, especially since someone from the old Aitu is finally going to have to get voted out.This week's reward challenge involves gathering mud by wallowing in it. This is quite a unique challenge but sort of odd to watch. The rules say you can't use your hands but the rest of your body can be a mud conveyance. As Jeff says "it's like watching bad performance art." Ozzy, Parvati and Yul are first second and third in the challenge and Adam heads off to Exile Island. I was surprised that Yul did so well since his "back trough" strategy didn't seem that effective. What's important here is that Ozzy brings in nearly twice as much mud as everyone else.
While Parvati, Yul and Ozzy zoom off in an airplane, on plastic-covered seats, Becky and Sundra start fretting over Ozzy's dominance. I cannot imagine how good that shower felt after being caked in mud but Ozzy, Yul and Parvati certainly seem happy. Parvati amps up the flirting with Ozzy but it's a half-hearted gesture at best.
Becky and Sundra are just a bit cool when the spa goers return to camp and immediately Yul goes off into a private conversation with her. As I have mentioned all season long, Becky is definitely the power behind the throne with Yul. She is perhaps the coldest and most unemotional player I have ever seen in the game. Even when she says to Sundra that she misses Yul, she adds that it is because she has some new ideas about strategy she wants to talk about.
Tonight's immunity challenge is definitely a tough one. It involves balancing as well as problem solving. Once again, Ozzy laps the competition. Becky and Yul are starting to get nervous, they exchange a glance at the end of the challenge that speaks volumes.
Parvati and Adam each make their pitches to Yul, the puppetmaster of the tribe. Yul gives half-hearted answers to both Parvati and Adam. You can't play this game well without getting your hands dirty and being disliked and I think Yul is starting to realize that. He turns quite fierce when Adam and Parvati start making a gentle pitch toward Ozzy and actually chastises Adam for talking with Ozzy.
At tribal, Jeff gives Yul a really hard time about the fact that he has brought Jonathan's hat back to him. And my oh my, Jonathan, with his beard shaved off and a suddenly lush head of hair, is quite hot. He wins my vote for clean-up upgrade so far this season. I have no idea why the hat thing is such a big deal. Is it just because Yul broke ranks and interacted with the jury?
Alas, Parvati's flirting and big smile didn't help her this time. She gets voted out. Can Adam do anything to save himself from being voted out next (aside from winning immunity)? Can Yul and Becky get rid of the challenge-winning Ozzy or will Ozzy and Sundra (and maybe Adam) team up to best the inscrutable duo? Yul is definitely one of the top players to ever take on this game but there are signs that he is unraveling so I can't wait to see if he can go the distance.
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Reader Comments (Page 1 of 1)
12-15-2006 @ 9:43AM
Victor said...
Spoiler Alert!!
In press interviews the past few days, Jeff Probst has stated that the final vote will be between three players instead of two, and that the jury will be made up of nine members, rather than seven. Jeff said that this opens up the possibility for a three-way tie.
So that explains why we have so many extra players going into the finale.
I think the final three will be Yul, Ozzy and Becky, with Ozzy winning. Of course, Ozzy making it to the final three is dependent on him winning all remaining immunity challenges. If Ozzy gets voted out, then I can see Sundra in the final three. I think unless Adam wins immunity, he is next to go.
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12-15-2006 @ 9:46AM
James said...
This was a good episode and level of play is definately picking up. Yul open controls the game but I don't think Ozzy will stand for it. Either he wins out the challenges of Adam convinces him to flip maybe taking Sundra with him. It will definitely make for an interesting finale.
Go Ozzy!
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12-15-2006 @ 10:24AM
rvkey said...
I'm really rooting for Ozzy. I was so nervous last night when I thought he may get voted off. I think he deserves to be at least in the final two. What would happen if it was between Yul and Ozzy? I can't remember any time Ozzy has blatantly stabbed someone in the back. He's been a good provider and a fair competitor. Plus the boys got mad beach skills! If I was in the jury I would vote for Ozzy although I really do like Yul.
I can't stand Becky! Although Yul does seems to be her puppet alot, she doesn't really do anything. I mean, has she ever won a challenge? She just seems to riding on Yul's coat-tails. Given the chance I think the heartless wench would flip on Yul as well. BTW, what about last time when she's hugging her sister and Becky says "Don't make me cry!" like as if she would melt or something. I think she's dead inside.
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12-15-2006 @ 10:25AM
Anna Banana said...
Ditto on Jonathan. He really cleaned up well.
I'll be happy if any of the four Aitu wins. Ozzy is a machine: he's a consistent challenge winner and a hard worker at camp. If he's there at the final vote, I really think he deserves the win. I think he will, too.
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12-15-2006 @ 12:28PM
David said...
Everyone respects and likes Yul. I'm not sure anyone knows Ozzy, as evidenced by Parvati's comments about him being a loner and opening up a little to her for the first time. If both Ozzy and Yul are in the final vote, I predict Yul will win handily. His charisma is undeniable, and its effect on all of the competitors has been plainly visible each episode.
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12-15-2006 @ 2:17PM
Ginny said...
I'm torn between Ozzy being good physically and Yul being good mentally......and my kids thought I was nuts when I went woozy over seeing Jonathan...I told them I had the "vapors" and needed to take a moment. Those eyes are something. He's hot.
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12-15-2006 @ 4:50PM
Blake said...
I am not convinced Becky is definitely the power behind the throne with Yul, he has been controlling the whole game since he has found the one time immunity idol, thus attracting a following. The best move Becky did was partnering up with Yul from the beginning. Parvati was making a latch ditch effort in the hot tub to remain in the game, which didn't help her at all. Ozzy will be one of the finalists just for the sake of his ability to win immunities quite easily.
I am banking on Yul to Win, see for yourself: http://todayspolls.googlepages.com/survivor_winner
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12-17-2006 @ 7:07PM
tomdoz said...
Regarding the hat incident: The way Yul left it on the bench before the jury came in, it didn't seem that he necessarily intended for Jonathan to know who brought it back. It wasn't until Jeff Probst pointed it out and made a big deal out of it that Jonathan seemed to become aware who brought it.
At least that's the way it appeared while watching the show. In person, it's possible that Jonathan could actually see who brought it, while he was waiting in the wings. Or maybe it would have been obvious to him that Yul would have been the likeliest person.
In any event, it seemed like an artificial controversy.
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