Episode 6

It was not in the nature of either Dennis or Diana to explode on their tribe from swiftly sending them from the top to the bottom in one decisive vote.  They played it off, saying it was a good move to vote Amanda out.  They had seen how quickly the game changes and thought there were enough indecisive people left in the game that they were not ready to settle for 7th and 6th place.  Diana pointed out how everyone targeted Amanda because she was perceived as the most powerful person in the game.  Why couldn't the same argument be made this time around to oust Josh?  He had swung Angela and Meredith to his side and took Steve along with him.  He had also shown his challenge strength in winning the first individual immunity challenge.  Dennis agreed with this and figured that at the moment he was the next target.  Winning the next immunity challenge was his top priority.  He was holding out hope that he could swing the former Totoket tribe to his and Diana's side saying that “Everyone knows you can never trust Josh or Steve.”

"Everyone knows you can never trust Josh or Steve."

On the other side of the vote, Meredith was quick to acknowledge the tough decision that she just made but confessed that she couldn't fully trust Amanda.  She had no regrets about the vote.  Steve was surprised at the fact that Josh had more sway than Amanda when it came to winning the votes of Angela and Meredith.  He felt indebted to Josh since Amanda and her alliance did indeed target him. But he was not quite resting on his laurels.  He was sure that the Dennis and Diana would not be the next two people voted out of the Sangria tribe.

Meredith thinks she did the right thing last tribal

In what seemed like no time, the next individual immunity challenge was about to begin.  The challenge was called "Shell Game" and it was an old Survivor classic.  Each castaway would be given a questionnaire to fill out anonymously with the questions being about their fellow castaways.  Then once the results were tallied the group would again answer the questions this time trying to predict what the tribe said as a whole.  Each time a castaway got a question right, they were able to chop one of the other castaways three dangling shells to the ground.  The last castaway with a shell remaining would win immunity and was guaranteed a spot in the final 6!

Dennis and Diana knew that there was little they could do if the rest of tribe acted unified.  The two could be quickly eliminated and have no shot at immunity if that was the case.  Not yet resigned to their fate, they found private spots to fill out their questionnaires along with the rest of the tribe.

The group finished answering their questions and the results were tallied.  It was time to get this challenge going!

Sangria prepares to answer the first question

The first question asked was "Who is most likely to be blindsided?"  The correct answer was Steve.  He laughed because he knew that it would have already happened if not for Josh's help at the last tribal council.  Showing self awareness, Steve answered himself.  Larry, Josh, Dennis, and Meredith also answered correctly.  It was as if Dennis and Diana's dreams had come true.  For no good reason, the rest of the tribe began attacking themselves!  Larry gave a chop to one of Steve's shells.  Steve paid Larry back.  Josh chopped Meredith who then chopped Larry.  Dennis gave one of Josh's shells a chop.

Meredith goes after Larry

After Round 1:  

Angela, Dennis, Diana:  3 shells

Josh, Meredith, Steve:  2 shells

Larry:  1 shell

The second question was "Who is easiest to beat in the final three?"  The group's majority was Larry.  Again, the person who was the correct answer guessed themself.  Larry shrugged as he was told he answered right.  In addition to himself, Josh and Angela were also correct.  Larry decided to welcome Angela to the game with a chop.  Josh, realizing what was going on gave Dennis a chop.  Angela followed suit by chopping one of Diana's shells.

Larry chops Angela

After Round 2:

Angela, Dennis, Diana, Josh, Meredith, Steve:  2 shells

Larry:  1 shell

The next question was "Who is playing the hardest?"  Larry, Josh, Dennis, Steve, and Diana all answered correctly:  Josh.  The infighting continued among the group of five.  Larry chopped Meredith.  Josh gave Angela a hit.  Dennis seized his opportunity and eliminated Angela from the game.  The carnage continued as Steve delivered the final below to Larry, sending him to the bench. Diana swooped in and eliminated Meredith.

Josh targets Angela!

Angela is a sad panda

After Round 3:

Dennis, Diana, Josh, Steve:  2 shells

Angela, Larry, Meredith:  OUT

Round 4 posed the question of "Who would you most like to be stranded with?"  The correct answer was Angela.  Hearing that turned her frown upside down from the sidelines.  Only Josh and Dennis answered correctly.  Josh decided to use his chop on one of Dennis's two remaining shells.  Dennis returned the favor and reduced Josh's shell count to 1.

Dennis sticks it to Josh

After Round 4:

Diana, Steve:  2 shells

Dennis, Josh:  1 shell

Angela, Larry, Meredith:  OUT

The next question was "Who is the most honest?"  Only Diana was correct this time as she answered Dennis.  Most would argue that she made the correct decision in her spot as she decided to eliminate Josh from the game.

Diana sends Josh packing

After Round 5:

Diana, Steve:  2 shells

Dennis: 1 shell

Angela, Josh, Larry, Meredith:  OUT

The final three

The 6th question was "Who is the biggest underdog?"  All three remaining players answered correctly by saying Meredith!  Dennis walked over to Steve's shells and gave him a chop.  Steve, blinded by fury, was set to chop Dennis's last shell.  But Dennis, knowing that Steve was a logical person when not incensed and also acting out of self preservation, quickly yelled out that if Steve went through with his move then Diana automatically wins due to it being her turn next.  Steve snapped out of it and chopped one of Diana's two shells.  Diana, now angry at both Dennis and Steve wanted to eliminate them both.  But she saw reason and took Steve out of the game.  Improbably, Dennis and Diana were the last two left in the challenge!

Wait!

Steve nearly blew it

After Round 6:

Dennis, Diana:  1 shell

Angela, Josh, Larry, Meredith, Steve:  OUT

Question 7 was "Who mistakenly thinks they're running the game?"  Dennis and Diana thought for a bit.  Diana answered Larry.  Dennis answered Steve.  The correct answer was Steve!  Dennis had won immunity!  He made the final chop and was awarded the immunity necklace.  Everyone who had been standing on the sidelines looked around as to say "How did that happen!?"

Dennis is victorious

After the challenge, the weight that was on Dennis had now transferred onto Diana’s shoulders.  While happy for Dennis, she thought that the necklace would have looked even better on her.  She thought about whether she should have taken Dennis out at the challenge and left it between her and Steve.  But there was no time for second thoughts.  She had to do what she could to stay in the game.  She liked the idea of trying to bring the former Totoket to her side this time in order to get rid of Josh.

The majority five of Sangria was disappointed that Dennis had immunity as he was their clear target.  Luckily they still had some room for error.  Diana was the fallback option.  But before they could make that happen, they needed to restore their unity as the last challenge broke it apart.  Steve and Larry pretty much laughed it off.  Josh was mainly targeted by Dennis and Diana which he was able to understand.  But Angela and Meredith took the most exception to how the game went.  Both had bones to pick with Larry and Josh.  Larry explained that it was “just for fun” and didn’t know what he was doing.  He was the easiest to beat in the final three after all.  That explanation was so bad that it actually made sense to them.  

Larry charms his way out of a predicament

But Josh had some explaining to do.  All he was willing to say on the subject was that he had his reasons and wanted to keep up appearances.  When pressed he explained that he did not want to make it look that the three of them were as close as they were.  Josh assured Angela and Meredith that they would be the final three.  While not completely satisfied with that explanation, Angela and Meredith did not force the issue.  They did come away feeling a little less trust for Josh.  But Angela was still convinced that their five would stick together for the next couple of votes.

Don't get on her bad side

 After Diana finished talking with Dennis, she set out to find Angela and Meredith.  Before she could reach them she was intercepted by Josh.  Diana asked him if she was next to go.  Josh said it was assumed to be the case but there may still be time to change things.  He told Diana that he began to get worried about Angela.  She was clearly one of the most likeable people left and was a solid jury threat.  He also noted the connection between her and Meredith and thought that it needed to be severed.  He thought but didn’t say that with Angela out of the way Meredith would have nowhere to turn and he could have complete control over her.  Diana started to put the numbers together.  If Josh was true to his word, this might actually work.  Dennis would definitely side with this plan and Josh knew that Steve would listen to him.  He also thought he could convince Larry that Angela was mad enough at him to threaten his life in the game.  Diana could not help but get a little excited at this change in direction.  She completely forgot of her original intention to talk to Angela and Meredith.

Josh has a message for his opposition

 Slowly this plan began to come together.  Diana told Dennis about her conversation with Josh.  He knew that he was safe, but getting his main ally one step closer with him was a huge gain.  He supported this.  Josh pulled Steve aside and let him know about the plot to blindside Angela.  Though he couldn’t quite understand the rationale for the move, he trusted Josh and was willing to go along.  Steve in turn talked to Larry about the plan.  The two had formed a close bond that couldn’t be understood by the rest of the tribe.  Steve took his hand at taking a page out of Josh’s book and tried to embellish things a bit to Larry.  He told him that Angela was furious at him for his role in the immunity challenge.  Steve said that Angela was planning to stick to the original plan and vote out Diana next.  But once that was done, Larry was squarely in her crosshairs.  Larry came to the conclusion himself that it would be beneficial to nip that in the bud right now.  Steve told him that this plan had the support of Josh, Diana, Dennis, and himself.  It was all but done.

Minutes before tribal council Josh began to have second thoughts about his plan.  The notion of turning so quickly on Angela had him “spooked.”  Thinking long term, he came to the conclusion that this move was a huge risk and would possibly put his game in jeopardy.  He knew that if he were to pull this move off, he would have burned multiple bridges and be left only with Steve as a true ally.  He confessed his misgivings to Steve.  Unfortunately Steve began to panic too.  His misinterpreted Josh’s doubts as Diana and Dennis scheming to try something else.  Namely, vote him out.  He managed to find Diana at the last second.  She assured him that she was voting for Angela and that he had nothing to worry about.  As the darkness set in, Steve couldn’t quite tell if Diana was looking him in the eye or not…

What will Steve do?

 Sangria arrived at tribal council and took their seats.  Dennis couldn’t downplay how big of an immunity win this was.  For the first time he voiced how surprised he was that everyone didn’t just target Diana and himself when chopping the shells.  This caused grumbles among some of the others.  Larry was asked if the course for the rest of the game was set at the last tribal council.  He said that it was, but sometimes you had to go a different route to arrive at the intended destination.  Meredith didn’t know what to make of that comment.  From Day 1 he had been a little “out there.”  She knew that she was part of a 5-2 numbers advantage.  Larry could do whatever he wanted and it would make no difference.  Angela expressed her usual feelings of fear at tribal council.  This caught Josh’s attention.  He said that only Diana should be feeling fear.  Angela said that she had no concrete reason to be so nervous (Josh felt relieved that his plan wasn’t exposed) but something about sitting around the fire just got her unsettled.  Diana noted that she was most likely to go and made a half-hearted attempt at convincing Dennis to give her the necklace.  He politely declined.  She then said that all hope wasn’t lost yet and if she went out, she was going down swinging.  Steve wrapped things up by saying that he knew what was going on, then knew the new thing that was going on, and now doesn’t know what is going on at all.  On that note, it was time to begin what was sure to be a chaotic next few minutes.

The final 7 talk at tribal

 The votes were tallied and about to be read.  If anyone had a hidden immunity idol and wished to use it, now was the time.  Meredith felt comfortable enough to not even consider it.  The first four votes were alternated between Diana and Angela.  Angela became terrified.  She wondered if her fear somehow translated to receiving votes and almost every tribal council she had been to.  Two more votes later, nothing had been decided.  Angela and Diana were deadlocked at three votes apiece.  

One of them is about to go

The last vote was slowly and agonizingly opened.  Two sighs were audibly heard.  One came from Diana and one from Angela.  One was relief, the other was disappointment.  Diana appeared heartbroken as her torch was extinguished.  She became the 6th person voted out of Survivor: Branford!

Regret

Confidence

Mischievousness

Confusion

Angela wondered what had happened.  Meredith shifted uncomfortably.  Dennis wondered if he had been played.  Josh was unsure of his decision.  Larry and Steve stared straight ahead.  And there was still another four tribal councils to go…

Diana is crushed

Next time on Survivor:
-       A new idol enters the game and Dennis looks to refill his bag of tricks!
-       The castaways are pushed to their mental limits in a fight for immunity
-       No matter how much it appears so, tribal council is never straightforward