Survivor
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Nature is healing, and Jeff Probst has returned to the beaches of Fiji with the newest group ofSurvivorcastaways.
As Jeff tells the group, there arent many rules here.
Each tribe of six will create a society, with rules and expectations defined how they see fit.
People will be voted off and dreams will be crushed.
People will get hurt, physically and emotionally.
Up until the last two seasons,Survivorhas always been a 39-day test of will.
The first challenge is a test to see if the tribes can effectively divide up their strengths.
First, two tribe members will run across the beach and retrieve two large blocks.
Then two others will swim out and pull in a boat carrying a few more blocks.
Theyll attempt to dislodge the flint dangling high above their head, claiming victory and kick-starting their season.
To start the challenge, Jeff literally draws a line in the sand with his foot.
Step over that line, and the game has begun.
At the end of the first stage, all three tribes are pretty neck and neck.
Baka heads into the water a step ahead of Vesi, then finally Coco brings up the rear.
Justine and Noelle from Vesi overtake the Baka tribe leading into the puzzle.
Coco remains slightly behind.
Vesi and Baka pull their puzzles together, and all three tribes are in it.
Out of nowhere, Cody screams a strategy from the sidelines to his Vesi tribe mate Dwight.
The tribes head off to the beaches theyll call home for the next 26 days.
Vesi is amped up and chitchats for a moment before attempting to build a shelter.
The only problem seems to be that no one has any idea what they should do.
Okay, Im sure they did, but no one has ever even held a machete before!
For our losing tribes, Baka and Coco, another challenge is in store.
A staple in newSurvivor, the tribes have their choice of either a Savvy or Sweat challenge.
Upon reading the challenges, Sami offers to dig for Baka.
Theres an ominous warning that this may take the entirety of the four-hour time limit.
Owen wants nothing to do with this idea.
Sami, a 19-year-old pet cremator (?!)
and student at Brigham Young University, is prepared to play it low-key.
However, he also clearly wants to be the one to solve this puzzle.
Blowing the minds of his tribe mates, he suggests the winning solution, giving Baka their much-needed supplies.
On the final beach, Coco chooses Sweat.
Ryan is quickly proving hell be someone to watch this season.
In just about a half-hour, he pulls out the bag of supplies.
X really does mark the spot.
The connections made on the first day really set the tone for your future onSurvivor.
On Vesi, Paralympian Noelle and software-sales rep Justine quickly bond.
On the other side of the tribe, Jesse, Nneka, and Cody connect.
What Cody leaves out, however, is that he is also in sales.
The salesperson is supposed to look harmless, he says with a harmless look on his face.
Both Justine and Cody have come to him, giving him two invitations to two parties!
On Baka, Owen wants to start the game quickly.
He approaches Gabler, Jeanine, and Elie, but all three are guarded and dont give him much.
These moments of vulnerability often lead to the strongest bonds on the island.
It forces your competitors to see you as a human, not just someone they can manipulate.
The Coco women quickly align as well.
Cassidy first approaches Karla, and the two then talk to Lindsay.
This seems like a very powerful group of women right off the bat.
Shes in theSurvivorheadspace: ready for bloodshed.
In addition to joining the women, Lindsay brings in James for the extra number.
James is an all-star chess player turned event planner, meaning hes both extremely smart and extremely personable.
This is rapidly shaping up to be a powerhouse alliance on Coco.
All three tribes pick their representative differently.
The more people who risk, the lower their chances of winning.
Karla decides its too early to put a target on her back and holds on to her vote.
Because everyone knows whats happening here, all three wisely decide to tell their tribes exactly what went on.
Unfortunately for Dwight, he pulled the losing card.
Gabler is now in the sticky position of everyone in his tribe knowing he has an Immunity Idol.
Should Baka lose the immunity challenge, hell be in serious trouble.
At the immunity challenge, Jeff reveals two gorgeous idols.
For now, at least, two tribes will secure safety, sending the last-place finisher to Tribal Council.
First, the tribes will maneuver through a multistep obstacle course, collecting balls.
Ryan rips through the sand, getting the Coco tribe to the ramp first.
This tribe is strong and works together effectively.
Ryan lowers himself to help James, then launches himself up the wall,Ninja Warriorstyle.
Before second-place Vesi even makes it past the balance beam, Coco is onto the table maze.
Baka, without any success on their maze, is sent to Tribal Council in a crushing loss.
Even worse, Baka loses their precious flint until the next immunity challenge.
Hes trying to be selfless, I guess?
But putting yourself in this risky situation is a unique strategy, to say the least.
Despite all of this, Gabler doesnt actually seem to be at much risk to be voted out.
Instead, it seems like either Morriah or Owen will be the target this week.
Morriah is deemed the weakest physical player, and Owen is deemedtoophysically threatening.
While Elie plays both sides of this conversation, she really has no plans to vote out Owen.
At least this early on, staying strong is her goal.
When we get to Tribal Council, it seems like the vote could go either way still.
But then Morriah makes a brutal misstep, all but sealing her fate with one sentence.
Aww … if only that were true.
I appreciate her trying to stay positive, but she clearly misread the room.
With newSurvivormoving at an even quicker pace than usual, theres no time for this kind of participation-trophy thinking.
you oughta be here to win or get the hell out of the way.
One or two metaphors later (something something, sending texts?
Im sure its been rough without your phones, but they can do better than that!
), its time to vote.
Although its somewhat anticlimactic, the first vote is unanimously against Morriah.
Codys tattoo (LIVIN !
What can I say?
Those of us with silly tattoos are just kindred spirits, I guess.
