Survivor Branford: Season 2: Episode 7

After a wild tribal council, the Cantwell tribe was ready to call it a night. Mark and Josh took up residence on the plush grass listening to the tide as they tried to get some sleep. Dennis, Angela, and Jim talked for quite a while not so much about game but about mutual friends and fun memories. Autumn went straight to bed with it weighing on her mind that she may have been the biggest reason why her alliance imploded. Everyone would at some point before the morning give thought to their place in the game and what they could do to strengthen it.

Josh bundles up against the Branford elements

The Cantwell tribe rose the next morning and slowly made their way back into the game. The biggest topic of conversation was tribal council the previous night. Angela reminisced on her idol play and subsequent blindside of Amanda. Everyone was 99% sure of who voted for whom except for where the vote for Mark came from. It only made sense that Autumn had decided to go rogue and throw a vote at him. At least, this is what the group concluded. In reality, Mark had voted for himself! He knew he wasn’t in danger and didn’t want to take a side. Though this is against the rules of Survivor, Jeff must have fallen asleep when Mark made his vote! Luckily, for the integrity of the game this vote didn’t affect the outcome in an adverse way. Nonetheless, Mark surely got some entertainment value out of watching the rest of his tribe speculate on what had happened.

Not cheating if you don't get caught!

Cantwell made their way to the next challenge site. The outcome of the challenge would potentially set the tone for the rest of the game. The challenge was called “Scrambled Eggs“. Each castaway would have to run around the island looking for eggs which each contained a single letter. Once an egg was found, the castaway would open it up, memorize the letter, and place the egg back. The first castaway to find all six eggs and unscramble the word that their letters would provide wins immunity!

Scrambled eggs for breakfast for the Cantwell tribe

With everyone stretched out and ready, Jeff called go. The group scattered in search of eggs. Dennis immediately went to the area where Jim had found the immunity idol and found an egg perched on the ledge. He opened it up to see a “G” tile. At the other end of the island, Josh found an egg in the center of the Cantwell camp. He cracked it open to see the letter “Y.” Mark had gone down to the beach and found an egg sitting on a bench near the water. Inside contained an “H.” Jim had immediately ran out to the rocks where the first challenge took place. He could see Autumn a few paces behind him. He opened up the egg to reveal an “N.” He resealed the egg not wanting to give Autumn any freebees. Angela was very observant and noticed an egg located very close to the starting line of the challenge. She memorized the “R” that was inside.

Morning jog or immunity challenge?

As the challenge went on, the castaways had to balance several things. First was fatigue from running all around the island under the hot sun. Also was trying to locate the eggs in the first place. They were only found at significant locations but this was not as easy as it sounded. Several times castaways crossed paths asking how many eggs they had found. Whether or not these questions were answered truthfully, it provided everyone with the motivation to finish first. Of course, the hardest task was remembering what the letters were and trying to mentally unscramble them. If a castaway forgot a letter, they would have to unfortunately go back and find that particular egg again.

Don't let the picture fool you...Mark is fast!

After 10 minutes had elapsed, a few castaways found themselves with a bit of a lead. Dennis was searching for his sixth and final egg while Angela and Josh were close behind at four each. Mark and Autumn had found three eggs while Jim brought up the rear with only two eggs. The motivation to be protected at the next tribal council fueled everyone to keep running and searching. Jim did have the immunity idol still but would love to have the necklace on top of it.

Jim mugs for the camera

Shortly after, Josh found the “R” egg and was only one letter away from the win. He suspected what the answer was but could not provide it until he had found the final egg. Angela was not making any progress while Jim found his third egg. Dennis continued running and passed a nearby flower bed. He knew that this was no time to stop and smell the roses. But, yes it was! Nestled within the flora was the sixth egg! He opened it and saw the letter “U.” Dennis knew exactly what the answer was and shot off down the path back to Jeff. Hoping he wouldn’t arrive too late, Dennis was relieved to see Jeff still waiting to be given the answer. Dennis caught his breath and told Jeff that the answer was “HUNGRY.” Jeff responded by throwing his arms up into the air and declared that Dennis had won immunity! The rest of the Cantwell tribe gathered back at the start and compared notes on where all of the eggs were.

Flaunt it Dennis!

Before Cantwell got out of earshot, Jeff announced that with Angela’s idol play at the previous tribal council, a new idol and new idol clue had been planted! Just when the tribe was ready to relax, most of them took off running back to camp in hopes of getting a head start on looking for the clue.

Autumn finds extra energy to run back to camp

Because of the fervor in which the tribe searched for the clue, the hunt was short. Josh quickly found the clue and hustled away to read it. He wouldn’t have it so easy though as nearly all of his tribemates followed him and tried to steal a glance at the information. Josh was able to quickly read it and memorize the clue. He then took great pleasure tearing it up in front of everyone. Josh knew that he would be under surveillance from this point forward and with time short, he had to focus more on strategizing for the next vote. The idol search could happen a little bit later.

Tearin' and not sharin'

Putting aside what happened at the previous vote, the two remaining pairs got together and noted that Autumn and Mark were now both partnerless. Either of them could be taken out pretty easily at this point. One of the biggest things to consider was who to bring to final five. Everyone involved in this conversation knew that whether it was Autumn or Mark that survived the vote, they were clearly positioned as a swing vote at final five. Each pair had to look out for their own interests and influence the vote away from the person that would be most likely to swing their way at the upcoming vote. Mark and Autumn were both hard to figure. Mark was a complete wild card who seemed to have no allegiance and was just crazy enough to vote for himself. Could a person like this be trusted? Autumn had stayed in Amanda’s shadow for the entire game so she was an unknown quantity herself. The group still didn’t have a great handle on what her capabilities were. Angela, Josh, Dennis, and Jim made an agreement on who to vote out and then broke apart to make sure they had everything else taken care of before tribal.

Mark or Autumn?

Mark knew he had a strong social game and put it to good use in connecting with Autumn. He let her know that he would be loyal because they needed each other. He was able to come off as genuine to her in his pitch. Autumn was willing to work with Mark in order to get themselves further. The two tried to figure out who to target. They thought about which other pair was the tightest and determined it was the best course of action to break them up. Autumn pointed out that Jim and Dennis fit this description and Mark followed up by noting that those two had caused nothing but trouble since arriving at the merge. With Dennis wearing the immunity necklace, Jim was who they set their sights on.

Autumn and Mark look to counter

Mark and Autumn told Josh and Angela their plan to vote out Jim. Josh and Angela had to consider how this would impact the game going forward. If Jim were voted out, they would remain the only pair left in the game. One on hand, they knew that if they could get just one person on their side, they would have a final five majority and a core two in the alliance of three. On the other hand, a spurned Dennis could come together with Mark and Autumn and finish the job of breaking up the final pair left in the game. Angela also privately knew that her secret alliance with Dennis was something she wanted to preserve. Having to weigh the good and the bad Josh and Angela talked about how they would adjust to the swing vote position they now found themselves in.

Josh and Angela's decision will impact the rest of the game

Moments before tribal council, Jim was talking to Dennis alone. Jim felt confident that he was not the target and that he, Dennis, Josh, and Angela would be voting the same way. Dennis confirmed to Jim that he believed this too. Jim then decided to get a bit creative. He knew that his idol was only good through final five, meaning he would have to play it either this time or at the next tribal council. He was willing to gamble on not playing it now in order to assure him of a spot in the final four. But, in case he was blindsided at the upcoming vote, he didn’t want the idol to leave the game with him. He decided to give the idol to Dennis to hold at tribal council with the promise that Dennis would give it back if Jim made it through! Jim’s thought process was that this act would resolidify his pact with Dennis. If Dennis ended up on the jury, Jim could use this show of friendship to garner a vote from Dennis. He would also point out this move to the rest of the jury noting that it demonstrated his loyalty in the game to his true alliance and that he was willing to protect those that he gave his word to. Jim quickly handed the idol to Dennis (almost being seen by Mark!) and the two made final preparations for tribal council.

Jim explains his idea to Dennis

The final six players in the game gathered at tribal council. Dennis opened things up by saying that immunity felt awesome and that he was also glad to be assured to make it to the top five; something he felt short of the previous year. Josh commented that it wasn’t too early to start looking ahead to the final three and weighed the options of getting there with people he felt he could beat vs just getting there period. Autumn said that she had new hope after developing a bond with Mark. Mark confirmed this and said that they had become fast friends and wouldn’t be writing each other’s names down. Jim said that he felt the more unsure about this tribal council than any of the other six he had already attended. He had to put his faith in those he thought were on his side. Angela closed things out by remarking again how much crazier Survivor Branford: Second Chance was and that it was making her victory last year look easy by comparison.

The final six!

Cantwell made their way to the voting area one by one and soon after, Jeff was tallying the votes. Jeff returned and asked if anyone wished to play the immunity idol. Dennis could only imagine Jim’s reaction if he decided to play it on someone else right now. With no idols presented, Jeff began to read the votes. The first was for Jim. Autumn was the recipient of the second vote. Jim then received a second vote. He had never gotten more than one vote at tribal council in this game so far but didn’t appear worried. Another vote revealed for Autumn brought it back to a tie.

Only one of them will survive this tribal council!

Things would become very clear with the fifth vote. It was for Autumn! No tie was to be had as the sixth and final vote was also for Autumn! With that, the 17 year old student became the seventh member of the jury! She quietly made her way out of tribal council but knew that she would have a very loud say as to who would be named sole survivor!