Survivor Gabon: Paloma Voted Off

We finally got to see FANG win tonight! Yay for the underdogs! Voting Gillian out at last week's tribal council proved the be the right decision for FANG. Now, if only they had voted out Suzie instead of Michele... ah well, live and learn. Maybe Suzie will prove useful somewhere along the line.

With Gillian gone, FANG's spirits rose at camp. Randy was the only one not convinced that they were getting better as he called his tribemates "complete idiots" behind their backs. He was quick to point out the next day that even though they are only on day 7, they are already half out of rice. Some of his tribe has seen fit to cook and eat three meals a day. When Randy suggested that they should conserve rice and go down to just two meals a day, GC was the only one who refused. "I don't have to do nothin' " was his response to just about everything anyone suggested to him. GC is stubborn to say the least, and seems to have a problem doing anything anyone asks him to do, just because he doesn't want to be told anything. Randy called him the tribe's "cancer" and I am beginning to agree with him after seeing GC's performance at the challenge this week.

Over at KOTA, the alliance between Marcus, Corinne, Charlie, and Jacque was still going strong, as was their plan to bring Bob into their group. "None of us want to take Bob to the end, but right now we need the numbers." Ouch, Corinne. That was harsh. In other relationship news, it became obvious that Paloma was hating Ace more and more, while Sugar and Ace were getting closer and closer.

REWARD CHALLENGE: Comfort

Playing for mats, blankets, and other camp comforts, FANG turned it on for the first time this season. The challenge was one of pure strength this week. One member of each tribe had to wrap themselves around a post while two members of the opposing tribe had to get them off the post and drag them through the sand to a line. Once over the line, the team doing the pulling would get a point. First team to 2 points wins.

The first round was rough, and it looked like KOTA would dominate again. Ace was hanging onto the pole for dear life, and even though Matty was trying his hardest, GC quickly gave up and just stood there. (Cancer) Dan was pulled over the line by KOTA very quickly. But on the second matchup, Ace told Paloma, the smallest and weakest player, to go to the pole against FANG's Crystal and Randy. His strategy was that it would be better to sit out their strong women on a reward challenge so that they could keep them for the immunity challenge. Good strategy, but Paloma didn't have a chance. She was pretty easily ripped off the pole and dragged over the line.

The third round had Ace and Dan on the pole again, but this time, Matty and Crystal went in, letting GC get his rest. It was definitely one of the most physical challenges I have ever seen on Survivor and I am surprised no one got seriously hurt. Crystal truly dominated, and it was good to see her showing her strengths after a disappointing first few challenges. FANG won the challenge and sent Sugar to Exile Island. Her response? "I knew they would pick me, because they think I'm dumb, but they haven't talked to me yet."

EXILE: Sugar is Smart!

Unlike Dan, who gave up so easily and could never even figure out the first clue, Sugar worked her way through each clue with relative ease. She trekked through the woods, fending off giant ants and elephants, got dirty, and finally braved a creek with crocodiles in it to grab her treasure: the hidden immunity idol! It wasn't all fun for her though. Left alone for so long, her mind was filled with thoughts of her father who passed away 7 months ago. One of the reasons she auditioned for Survivor was to become a stronger person, and I think so far it has been good for her. Of course, then again, she was actually carrying on a one-sided conversation with a big idol.

IMMUNITY CHALLENGE: It's a slippery slope!

With giant slip 'n slides, each team had to choose six people to slide down into the lake and grab six numbered tiles. Once all six tiles were retrieved, one member on each tribe would have to solve a math puzzle, revealing a combination to the locked chest in front of them. Once the chest was opened, a flag would raise and that team would be the winners. Ken and Bob were chosen as the puzzle solvers, which I thought was a really good matchup. The professional gamer against the physics professor. The teams had the get the tiles to them first, though.

Crystal started out with power for FANG, building up a nice lead, but they quickly lost it when it was Suzie's turn. From that point on, KOTA dominated the slide, pretty much lapping FANG. It looked like FANG would be going to yet another tribal council this week, and you could see it all over Matty's face as he waited for his turn on the slide. Bob had a huge head start on the math puzzle, but Ken got to work not too long afterwards thanks to a fast Matty.

It looked llike Bob was going to win. "I think I got it Jeff." he said. Jeff responded, "So open the chest!" I dont' think the players realized that they didn't have to get Jeff to check it. The combination was the checker. Anyway, he was wrong, giving Ken a chance to try his combination... which was also wrong. Neither one of them gave up, however. Bob tried again, and I thought it was over for sure, but he was wrong again! Ken's second try was a success, leading FANG to their first tribal immunity!!!

TRIBAL COUNCIL: Bye bye Paloma

There was a bit of talk around camp that maybe they should get rid of Ace instead of Paloma. Corinne and Charlie had a bitch fest, declaring, "Getting rid of Paloma... that can be done later." That's what they all say! It's the ones you don't see as a threat that come back to bite you in the ass. Paloma also made a feeble attempt to stay in the game. "Strategically I'm a predator. I watch, then I pounce." Well, her idea of pouncing was to pull Corinne to the side and lie to her. It wasn't much of a strategy if you ask me.

At tribal council, Corinne showed her feelings for Sugar, and I wonder who else noticed. As Sugar broke into tears again over her father's death, Corinne actually rolled her eyes. Brutal. And... Kelly actually spoke! I don't think we've heard her say anything yet, other than her name at the very beginning. My opinion is that she probably should have kept her mouth shut. When Jeff asked her if Ace was a strength to the tribe, she looked spaced out as she said, "In some cases. He's condescending." Jeff looked confused and asked, "And is his condescending attitude a strength?" She responded, "In some cases. He's always telling us what to do." I don't even know what else she said. I think I spaced out for a second. She definitely made herself seem dumb, which puts an even bigger target on her back for next week.

When Jeff read the votes, Paloma had a moment of victory when he read Ace's name twice... but that was quickly shattered as she heard her own name called every other time. It turned out that only Paloma and Kelly voted for Ace, while everyone else voted for Paloma. Her parting words were simply, "If Ace wins a million dollars, I'll probably never watch Survivor again." I'm sure the CBS execs shed a tiny tear over that one.

Next week, the tribes will have to rank their members, which should prove both interesting and offensive. I can't wait.