Big congrats to Boston Rob, officially the world's most heartless human being. And while we're handing out awards, I'm sure there's one for Matt--but what is it? Naive? Obnoxious? Misguided? In-your-face religious? Some freak combination of all of the above?
Where to even begin...
Well, the much hyped "merge episode" lived up to its billing and more. In case you missed it, Matt beats Sarita in that crazy, stand on two eighth-of-an-inch platforms for as long as you can challenge on Redemption Island, and Jeff Invites him back into the game. Whoo! It's the end of Redemption Island! All can go back to normal, and the game can be played as it was originally intended. But no, actually. Jeff announces that Redemption Island LIVES! And anyone voted out will be sent back to await their fate.
Two thoughts on the episode thus far: One, how coincidental is it that Matt cuts his foot, and worries to the camera, "Boy I hope it's not one of those...endurance...challenges..." only to discover that (by what appears to be mere happenstance) it is, in fact, one of those...endurance...challenges? Do you think it was just pure bad luck, or did one of the show's cagey producers make the switch to the "stand in the box" challenge for dramatic effect? Two, how weird/sad is that moment, looking back with hindsight, when Probst teases Matt about coming back to Redemption Island, and he (Matt) laughs and jokes with the tribe not to do it, that he needs a little break from solitary confinement? I say very weird/sad. And for someone dead set on not going back to Redemption, Matt certainly did not play like it.
So we have a merged tribe, and all the typical outcomes unfold--it's still basically two tribes, and old Omatepe tribe hogs the tarp, and no one is making any connections with the other guys, and there's an underlying us vs. them vibe throughout. (Also, Rob comes up with the most bogus tribe name--Murlonio--stealing it from his wife's stuffed animal collection. He tells the tribe it's Spanish for "of the sea, united" and they buy it hook, line, and sinker ["oh, that's beautiful!"]. My goodness, Rob is on another planet right now).
But Matt is the key player. And the outnumbered Zapatera tribe knows it. So Mike starts campaigning hard--like "I promise to take you to the top three" hard. And Matt goes back to his buddy Andrea and lets her know about it, and how he wants to leverage it into a Boston Rob blindside two tribal councils from that very moment. Also, Mike, in a shameless recruitment tactic, borrows Matt's pink bible and reads passages aloud over the fire, telling Matt how "cool" he thinks they (the passages) are. Please.
Oh, kay. Now enter the second worst play in Survivor history. (Here I am duty bound to acknowledge J.T., who gave Russell a hiddon idol while they were still on separate tribes, which was the number one worst play in Survivor history. And it always will be. Always.) What was Matt thinking? Does anyone have an idea? If so comment below. As of right now, I can't wrap my head around the logic.
He goes off with Rob, and while gazing out into the surf, Matt comes clean with the whole thing; tells him about the potential alliance with the Zapatera ex patriots and his/their plan to blindside Rob. Andrea joins them and Matt tells her that he's told Rob. Which, by the way, is a party foul on Matt since that was Andrea's only shot at getting in the game--she's low (wo)man on the totem pole otherwise. So, big thanks to Matt from Andrea.
What, in the world, could have possessed Matt to share this information with the best player in the game? (Maybe in the history of the game?) Does he not understand exactly what Rob will do with this information? Realizing that Matt is unstable, unpredictable, and a threat to ex-Omatepe's number advantage, Rob makes the call and puts Matt on the chopping block. What was even more unbelievable was how quickly Rob got his tribe mates on board.
And there we have it. Matt's brief reprise from Redemption is over and he's back, needing to win who knows how many challenges to get back in the game. And this is just my opinion, but he has no one to blame but himself, as sad as it is to say it.
Comment below with any thoughts, predictions, or possible explanations for Matt's behavior. I'd love to discuss them in detail, and wonder what everyone thinks is going to happen next week/in the future. Also, how about Phillip and his feather? It's just too much.
Until next week.
I think my favorite line to date for this season is now David's at tribal council: "That was genius." Rob eliminated two possible swing votes by sending Matt away again, knowing that Andrea was always vulnerable to her feelings for him. As for Matt himself...I had been rooting for him on Redemption, but I agree. He made his bed, and now he has to lie in it. The one on Redemption island. Alone. I think he was just a victim to his own naitivity. Why else would he implicate Andrea, who he really likes?? He just doesn't get life. I will probably be struck down for saying this, but it may be possible to read TOO much scriptures. He's so in this religious zone, that he's paying attention to little else. Namely social cues. I think he thought Boston would A)Appreciate his truthfullness and B) that revealing to Boston the other tribe's plan would some how win him points. I also think the other tribe, or, the non-Rob tribe as I call them, hurt themselves by getting rid of Russell. He is the only person who would have been able to go toe to toe with Rob right now. Great review/breakdown!!
ReplyDelete