Survivor Redemption Island - Week 8 - Lightning Strikes Twice!

First off, what a great episode.  Lot's of back and forth and the unexpected twist that Redemption Island continues, even after Matt reenters the game.


The Duel was a tough one to begin win and I really though Sarita had a great chance to win it, but Matt, even with a cut foot, pulled it out and re-enters the game. He won 6 straight challenges to get back in the game and was it worth it?


At the new camp, everyone works on a shelter, but it doesn't get finished.  The old Ometepe tribe all sleep under the tarp and the old Zapatera gets soaked.  Mike tries his best to sway Matt over to Zapatera's tribe and Matt tries to convince Andrea, but then Matt's mind starts playing with him, or was it God.  As a Christian myself, I can understand the inner conflict going on in Matt's head/heart and it makes it that much more difficult to play this game.  


At the challenge, which was another balance one, Natalie pulls out a big win and beats Mike who looked unstoppable.  I would imagine if you were a waiter or waitress, you would be better at that challenge, but then again you don't have to stand on a log why delivering food.  I thought it was a good challenge.


Matt's biggest problem is not his inner voice, but his outer voice.  He just doesn't know when to keep his trap shut, especially to Rob.  Rob is looking for any reason to get you out and by showing bonds with someone else, in front of him or telling him about a plan you were going to do but changed your mind on, is a very bad move.  It would be much better to talk to someone else.  Matt is back at Redemption and will once again have a chance to reenter the game.  


I have to say though, I didn't like the idea of someone coming back initially, but the drama RI has brought to the game has been good.  But now that Matt has returned into the game, I would prefer the rest of the game to be played normally.  With that said, it also makes this game so much more difficult to win, because now whomever comes back in the game will be a major wildcard in the final vote.  


Let's breakdown the decision to vote Matt out again, which David professes is a great move.


At Tribal Council, Phillip once again gives us some great moments.  Grant gets an eye opener and almost goes to RI, but in the end Matt and Andrea stay true to Ometepe, but in doing so, Andrea betrays Matt, by voting for him.  Ralph gives his idol to Mike, which if Rob was still considering his original plan, would have been a great move, but in a sense, Matt screwed Zapatera in two ways, one by not voting with them and second for telling Rob his plan, thus changing Rob's mind on who to vote for.  Now a hidden immunity idol will be back in play.


Voting Matt out does get his indecision out of the way, which keeping that around can be very dangerous.  The problem is, if Rob would have given him the chance, I think he would have been loyal.  Maybe this time voting Andrea out may have been the better choice.  If Matt comes back in again, there is no way I can see him going with Rob.  I don't think he should feel obligated to either, because he doesn't have a deal that he has to honor.


Voting for Grant was a great move too, because if they would have pulled that off, they would have voted off a strong physical threat, one of Rob's alliance and they would have had the numbers, but that just didn't happen.  


Matt's vote to Steve was obviously because he didn't know who was being voted for and he was either told to vote for Steve or that was his gut.  


Was it the right move to vote Matt to RI will remain to be seen.  The previews show Rob appearing to cement his alliance together only to find Grant talking to the Zapatera tribe.  I see this as the moment that David needs to make his move.  David needs to talk to Rob and tell him that Grant is talking to them and that he (David) is the low man on the tribe and would love to join his alliance.  Then Rob, David and the rest of the old Ometepe tribe votes out Grant, which will leave him feeling like Tyson on Heroes vs. Villains.  


I guess the question is, will the winner of the RI duel come back next episode and the loser joins the jury, or will there be several duels to win before someone can reenter the game.  It certainly would make it very tough if the winner of the duel comes back immediately and adds a whole new level of complexity to the game, because if it continues, then every 3rd episode, someone would be reentering the game.  At some point they will have to catch up on all these extra players though, but maybe TC is going to happen every two days instead of every 3 days.  


I think that Rob's number one goal at this point is to find the second hidden immunity idol and tell his alliance about this one.  This will show good will and would allow him to use both at once, one to save himself, if needed, and one to save someone else.


Everyone has their work cut out for them and Ometepe has 6 members to Zapatera's 5 with someone coming back in the game.  For Rob's sake, he better take out a Zapatera member next, even if Grant tries to flip.  Because if Grant does flip, Rob can play his idol to save himself and still send someone else home.  If David makes the move to flip, which I personally think is in his best interest, then Grant is expendable to Rob. If Grant is smart, he'll talk to them, but will play both sides for a while.


It will be interesting to see.  So until next week... the Tribe has spoken.