Surprise!
It's Day 31 in Guatemala and the Survivors are so happy they're doing cartwheels. I don't know why, but they are. Judd does surprisingly well, and Stephenie and Danni join him.
The Reward Challenge is the auction. Everyone starts with $500. The first item is beef jerky, and Danni gets it for $20 without a fight. That's a deal in this game. Jeff gives her the option of trading it for a mystery item but she declines. Good call, as she would've been stuck with a bunch of uncooked corn.
Cindy gets three cookies and a glass of milk for $40. Lydia buys an individual mosquito net for $140. Rafe and Danni pool their money for another mystery item. They beat out Judd and Steph with a winning bid of $180. It's a huge steak sandwich and fries. Judd is not pleased. Danni way have tripled in weight just now.
The next item up for bid is a new one. Jeff pulls out a sealed envelope and says it contains a "huge advantage at the next Immunity Challenge." That's all the info you get and the bid battle begins. When the dust settles, Danni has won again! The one person outside the old alliance and they let her have it for $200. Assuming she split the cost of the sandwich 50/50 with Rafe, Danni has now gotten jerky, steak, potatoes and a head start toward Immunity for only $310. Somebody call the sheriff because there's been a robbery.
Why is everyone saving their money? Maybe they knew this was coming. Jeff gives the word and out walk everyone's loved one. We have Cindy's twin sister Mindy (sweet), Rafe's mom, Danni's brother, Stephenie's hulking boyfriend, Judd's wife, and Lydia's brother.
Rafe is a crying mess. We learn Lydia hasn't seen her brother in two years, and Mrs. Judd apparently when to the Wife of Brian From Thailand School of How To Show a Lot of Skin During the Loved One Episode.
The action winner will get their loved one for an overnight stay. The bids are flying fast: $100, $120, $140. Then Rafe up and bumps it to $300. That's how you do it. Lydia doesn't have enough to compete so she gives her money to Stephenie (interesting choice). Cindy gives her money to Judd. Stephenie and Judd count it out…and Judd is the winner at $880!
But wait, there's more. Judd gets to bring two other people's loved ones with them. And there's more. The three Survivors who don't get picked have to spend the night in the old abandoned camp and don't get any contact with their loved one. Ouch!
Judd's first pick is Cindy, because of the financial help. Then his second choice is for "my Jersey girl." Poor Rafe is a wreck.
Later we hear Stephenie say, "I owe Judd big time," because this is the second time he's picked her for huge reward (remember the big dinner after the arrow throw).
Judd tells his wife everything about their strategy. He says he thinks Stephenie will take him to the final two.
You know, Cindy and Mindy could make a lot of money together. Just change those y's to i's and you're set. Cash money.
Over at the camp of no love, Danni tells Rafe that Gary said she could trust Rafe. Rafe tells her he doesn't trust Judd (he's not really keeping that a secret is he). He adds that Stephenie does trust Judd so they have to catch Judd in a lie (Gary's revelation wasn't enough?).
At the main camp Stephenie talks to Mrs. Judd about how close she is to Judd. Judd says it's no big deal if Danni wins Immunity because they'll just vote out Lydia.
The next day the rookies try to work around camp. Steph's boyfriend attempts to break a log by throwing it against the ground. I take it he's not a lumberjack.
The losers return even though the loved ones haven't left yet. Way to rub it in. Judd says seeing his wife has filled him up like "25 White Castle cheeseburgers." Is that a compliment?
After the tearful goodbyes, Lydia goes to work on Judd, with Danni nearby. Lydia tells him if he wants to make it all the way to the end he has to get rid of the biggest threats. Judd says he understands and mentions how he was left out of the Jamie vote.
The Immunity Challenge is a "human chess game." Jeff says it requires "smarts" and Judd rolls his eyes. It's a board full of white tiles and every time you step on one you flip it over so it's red and no one can use it any more. Players take turns moving one step at a time and when you have more white tiles to stand on, you're eliminated.
Now for Danni's advantage. She opens her envelope and it says, "Switch positions with any player." She can play that card when she wants one time. Very nice!
The point is to think ahead and surround yourself with a lot of white tiles. Judd and Cindy immediately screw up and move forward on their first move instead of sideways. Cindy makes a beeline for the middle of the board and, sure enough, cuts herself off and is the first one out.
Jeff points out that Stephenie is doing well, so Danni takes her spot. Did she switch too soon?
Lydia is out. Rafe is moving towards Danni's section but she's able to beat him there and knock him out. Judd goes out. It's down to Danni and Stephenie. Sure enough, Danni's $200 investment pays off as she has enough room to outlast Steph. She weeps as Jeff awards her Immunity.
Back at camp, Steph asks Dan what Jud said to her earlier. Danni just tells the truth, saying Judd was still angry about the Jamie situation, and Judd talked about going after the biggest threats.
Stephenie shows her wheels are turning now as she tells us Judd has been caught in lies while Danni hasn't been lying.
Steph goes to Raphe and shares what Danni shared about what Judd told Lydia. I love this game.
Steph, Dan, and Ra talk. Should they ax Judd? If they do, should they tell Cindy? They pound fists on something.
Lydia talks to Judd again, then goes about ten feet away and starts telling Rafe she's got a vote if he needs it. Judd of course hears her and says that he needs Lydia's vote so he doesn't want her to vote for him. The Monger, so smooth.
At Tribal Council we learn Stephenie has been with her boyfriend for seven years. Good to see he's committed to her for the long haul.
Rafe says you need "strong trust" to make it to the end of the game. Steph says you have to be able to explain your reasoning for voting people out on the jury. Judd says all the talk about being family is fake because they all want someone out. He says if you get voted out, "No hard feelings. Deal with it!"
Danni votes for Judd. Judd votes for Lydia. We tally.
Judd, Lydia, Lydia, Judd (uh oh)…Judd! JUDD!!! Another betrayal extraordinaire! "I hope you guys all get bit by a freaking crocodile," a gracious Judd says. "Scumbags."
So Cindy was left out of the scheming! And, as Lorisa points out, everybody left likes boys!
Next time on…Survivor: Cindy is concerned, there's a lot more plotting, and "the tribe is shocked with an awful dilemma."
That…was awesome. It's really funny that Stephenie mentioned having to explain yourself at the end of the game because Judd has every reason in the world to be brutally angry at her. After the merge Judd immediately jumped ship and gave Stephenie's team the advantage. He was loyal to her the entire game, even with all his bravado. He chose her for the biggest food Reward, and the loved one Reward. And now he's got a knife sticking out of his back with her name on it.
But, hey, no hard feelings. Deal with it!
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