Good evening! The merge is officially on tonight. Last week it was only quasi-merge, not to be confused with Quasimodo. Really, they're two different things. We also saw the first male voted out this season. I wonder what we're in for tonight. Will Carolyn's quirks make her a target? Yeah, probably.
I will be live-blogging the major events of the show as it airs here on the East Coast. Refresh the page to get the latest updates. As always, the real party is in the comments area. Please feel free to join in on the fun!
The log pool has been updated by Lifeguard SueGee and here's where we stand:
MERGED TRIBE
Danny - Donna in AL, Mikes Girl
Frannie - Auntie Leigh, Brent
Heidi - John Cantrell, PDX Granny
Matt - Bizarro22, SueGee
Jaime - Andi, monty924
Carolyn - Krysta Gibson, Sydney
Yam Yam - Sharon N, Glenn Allen
Kane - Nickelpeed, Cheryl in NC
Lauren - David, KelseyNY
Brandon - Mike Barer, Michelle
Carson - Petals, Donna in FL
Torch Snuffed (Soon this list will only be members of the jury!)
Bruce (medical)
Maddy
Helen
Claire
Sarah
Matthew (medical)
Josh
Survivor fans ready?
We open with Yam Yam telling the others he still loves them all even though he got votes. He feels now his name will be an option. He wants to make friends.
In the morning, they talk tribe names. Va Va is chosen. Matt and Frannie are still frisky together. He can finally vote once again in the upcoming Tribal Council. Brandon says someone has the Soka idol. Matt is telling them he has the fake ido, but doesn't tell them about the real idol. They know Lauren has an extra vote. Danny wants her out for that reason. He thinks he's a devious snake.
Kane and Matt want to blindside Danny. They tell Carson. He tells Carolyn.
Oh my ... the Immunity Challenge already? It's 8:07. It's the endurance standing on a beam balancing a ball which sits on a little platform on a stick. Two teams of five. Winning two people both win immunity. The five who win will have safety but no power. They will sit in the jury box, watch the Tribal Council, but have no votes. The five (and one who sits out?) who lose go to Tribal and one will go home. Reward is PB&J, potato chips and iced tea.
Carson picked the grey rock. Jeff tells him to choose who will be the winning team. He chooses orange.
Orange - Heidi, Danny, Kane, Carolyn, Frannie
Purple - Lauren, Matt, Brandon Jaime, Yam Yam
Carolyn out first, then Lauren. Kane out. Heidi out. Danny out. Frannie wins for her team. Jaime out. Matt out. Yam Yam out. Now it's between Frannie and Brandon. Both have individual immunity, now playing for team immunity.
FRANNIE wins Immunity for Orange! Brandon has individual immunity, but his team will go to Tribal tonight. Carson is safe because he predicted Orange would win.
Losing team will go to old Soka beach, no food, just time to figure who would go. Uh-oh. Matt has none of his stuff, real or fake idol.
As the team eats, they get a note which they have to open after they eat. Frannie is worried about Matt. Carolyn is worried about Yam Yam. Wah.
At the old Soka camp, Brandon has his immunity. Sure enough, Yam Yam and Matt are the names being brought up. Matt tries talking to Brandon and Jaime. Meanwhile, Yam Yam confides in Lauren. He tells her that Danny put her name out there. She wants Matt out.
The note - New advantage locked in the cage, keys scattered in the jungle, one fits the cage. First person to open the cage wins the advantage. Heidi got it.
Control a Vote Advantage, when Jeff says "Time to vote," she tells a player to vote for whom she wants. The others know she opened the cage, but she brought the advantage away from them to read.
Matt misses Frannie. Will this be more than a showmance? He wants Frannie to bring his bag. Yam Yam suggests to Matt that they switch the vote for a Lauren blindside. Now Lauren and Brandon are talking splitting the vote.
Heidi tells Frannie about the advantage. Frannie wants her to use it to save Matt, of course. They want the votes to go to Lauren. But, uh-oh ... Heidi tells Kane that she's worried about trying to keep Matt.
I would tell Heidi that with great power comes great responsibility. I wonder if her Spidey senses are tingling.
Tribal Council time. Matt brings up not having his bag of tricks. Frannie did not bring his bag. He offers Jeff a papaya. Yam Yam wishes he had one. Matt brings up the three Ratu and just him and Yam Yam on the outside. Yam Yam feels hopeless. Matt says he would be a great alliance member. Yam Yam says he wants to work with Matt. Ohhh ... lots of discussion. Matt is teary as he talks. Yam Yam is also emotional - the sad clown effect.
It is time to vote. Heidi brings up the advantage. She tells Lauren to vote for Yam Yam. Lauren has an extra vote from before -- Heidi only controls one vote.
The tally ... Yam Yam, Matt, Yam Yam, Matt, Matt.
MATT is out. Frannie cries.
