Another day in Fiji, another victim of the ol’ tribe swap.
Having good luck in “Survivor” cannot be understated, especially in the new era. But even in past seasons, sometimes lady luck just isn’t on your side. And when it comes to a tribe swap, going from a dominant reign on a winning tribe to an instant minority? Well, that’s the pits. Another bummer about uneven tribe swaps? Predictable pre-merge episodes. But what was lucky for the Hina tribe’s Jason: He went from Season 49 alternate to an official (pre-jury) cast member in the blink of an eye! So, at least there’s that?
What went wrong for the puzzle king and was there anything he could have done to save his game? Let’s recap Episode 5!
At the top of Wednesday’s installment, Shannon is putting in some serious work. She pitches a plan to Steven and Kristina (a little too early in the morning, mind you — I’m with Steven!) about forming an alliance of two members from each tribe — because no one would expect it? I don’t know about that. But the main takeaway? She’s hog-tying Sage up and placing her directly on the train tracks. Although Kristina cops to truly liking Shannon, she and the other former Hinas clock that Shannon is playing hard. Let’s just say they’re a little sus, to say the least.
Shannon’s gameplay is also irking Sage to the max. It’s good, solid gameplay though, might I add? She’s trying hard to connect on a human level with her new castaways. Is she a little too smiley and happy-go-lucky? Maybe. But she knows she’s on the bottom, as is Alex, who appreciates Shannon’s efforts to boost them into the majority. But when Alex and Steven compare notes, they, too, are sus af. With everyone already on high alert, Sage swoops in to counter Shannon’s hard work, calling her a “shark” who plays to people’s vulnerabilities. Ruh-roh, Shaggy. Is this island not big enough for the both of them?
One could say that the season’s biggest battle lies between the original Hina members and the original Uli tribe, but I’d counter that Shannon vs. Sage is the season’s most interesting conflict right now. And while I don’t typically root for any particular tribe to lose or suffer, I want to… nay, need to see this Shannon vs. Sage showdown that’s been brewing over at Kele. Shannon might not even fully understand everything that’s been rifling through Sage’s brain, but if and when this tribe loses, game. on. I’ll bring the popcorn.
Meanwhile at Hina, Jason is the only OG Hina in his crew. His goal: Break the former tribal lines and start building personal relationships. How’s that going to happen? With some Pokémon chat, of course! Even though your boy couldn’t separate the Squirtles from the Charizards (me. I am your boy.), all the nerdy discourse seems legit and opens up a dialogue (hi Aubry!) with Jawan, who hopes to secure some allies should the Uli/Hina tribal lines dissipate.
This story originally appeared on TVLine
