Survivor Nicaragua - October 6th Episode Recap

Pulling the Trigger

Espada - Night 8
The tribe has returned from voting out Jimmy Johnson and they're all miserable - sitting around the fire in the rain. 
-Jimmy T tells us he's not going to miss Jimmy J too much. He gave a couple cheerleader speeches but nothing he (JT) couldn't do - it was obvious he wasn't gonna get too much playing time with JJ on the team.
-And then Jimmy T is singing tunelessly and everyone looks like they just want him to shut up.
-Marty says to the camera that Jimmy T is putting on the Jimmy T show - singing, being obnoxious - He just wants to hear his own voice - all he needs is to give Jimmy T a little bit of rope and he'll hang himself from the nearest branch.

Espada - Day 9
Their beach is all covered with mud and debris - must have had 8-10inches of rain inland and it's all running back to the sea right at their beach.
-Dan's had a rough couple days - he melted his shoe in the fire and he wishes he could eat it - they have no food.  Jane jokes she'd like a filet of sole.
-Jill says food is a huge issue for them - their fishing area has been washed out and they're not able to find food - they are down to 2 cups of rice a day and they're starving.
-Jimmy T is strategizing on how to fish - he's watching the pelican and thinks they have to throw the net in there - but he can't throw it out himself and he refuses to have Marty help him... (oy.)
-Jane says they're all gonna miss Jimmy J - he was a good fisherman and leader - she hopes someone will stop up to be captain and co-captain...(Jimmy T's trying, but he's an idiot.)

La Flor - Day 9
-They're trying to get fire started with wet wood - NaOnka didn't realize it rained last night, she slept so well (wow, I don't think I've ever heard anyone say that on Survivor before.)
-Brenda's trying to decipher the clue to the hidden idol and Nay wants to look for it today.  Brenda figures out the symbols mean dig 8yrds west of treemail - they go and find it.  Squealing girls...
-NaOnka tells the camera - "It's mine, it's mine. Brenda helped me find it but I figured it out - it's mine." (Oh sweet jebus.)  She puts the idol in her sock (you know, the pair she stole from Fabio).  She tells the camera that no one can stand in her way, especially a one legged chick - one shove and she's out of there. (classy)
-Alina & Kelly B can't stand NaOnka.  Alina, "She tackled a girl with one leg, how sick is that?" (She does have a point there.)  Alina & Kelly B decide they have to go looking for the idol (a little late there ladies) because Alina knows Brenda & Nay were looking for it that morning.
-NaOnka follows them and then decides she's going to scare them, play with their heads a little.  She asks them what they're looking for then starts in on Kelly B, "I don't like you - You're on the outs..." (Wow, it's like she sees the weakest of the pack and is trying to take her down.)
-Alina sticks up for Kelly B, thinks NaOnka is just a bully (yup.)
-Kelly B knows she was just looking for a reaction but she tried not to give her one - still she was hurt by NaOnka's unprovoked tirade.
-NaOnka tells the camera - Torturing Kelly B mentally may just force her out of the game.  I don't need a charity case on the jury - screw your leg, keep it away from the fire.  (Wow, I'm speechless - Nay is ruthless and definitely not playing a smart social game - I'm kinda hoping it bites her is the a**.)

Espada - Night 10
-Marty nominates Tyrone to lead them in the next challenge (trying to lead by throwing Tyrone in front of the bus are we?)  Jimmy T, of course, finds this tough to hear because he thinks he's a leader - but he doesn't want to be leader...
-Marty if you think you have the skills let us know - step up and tackle a puzzle.
-Jimmy T knows Marty's not a Jimmy T fan (and this genuinely puzzles him) - Anytime I make a suggestion he tries to mildly shoot it down.  (It seems to me that Marty's trying to Manage them all, not Lead them.  We'll see how that works for him.)
-Jimmy T wants to tell Marty, " shut up you preppy b*tch, you wouldn't last a minute in my world." (I wonder what colour the sky is in his world?)

-They get treemail and it has blindfolds and a clue about leading - they 're going to practice beforehand.  They get Tyrone to call the shots and direct them around their beach - of course Jimmy T starts trying to explain the simplest instructions and tell Tyrone how to give them directions.  (Tyrone has the best facial expressions, you know how he's feeling about you, that's for sure and he's not too happy with JT.)
-Marty says he nominated Tyrone because he knew it would rile Jimmy T. (I'm not sure he didn't just want Tyrone to kill him.)

CHALLENGE
One person is the caller - all the other members will be blindfolded and paired up.  Using only verbal commands, the caller will direct their tribe mates to collect 10 items scattered in the field.  Once they have all 10 items back at their mat, the caller will direct one pair out to collect a set of keys that will unlock a chest that they have to bring back to the mat - first team back with the chest will win immunity - and a reward - they'll get to choose from 3 groups of items from Sears. (Total product placement - yay Sears!)
-Medallion of Power - should they choose to use it - they will be allowed to have 2 items already back at their mat to start.  LaFlor decides to use the medallion advantage and it goes back to Espada for next time.
-The challenge only runs with 7 people per tribe so the old people sit Dan and the young people sit the Kellys.
-Tyrone and Brenda are the callers. There is lots of bumping into each other and into logs, trees, barrels... ouch. The younger tribe gets all 10 items - older tribe only has 4.... Jill & Jimmy T are wandering - Tyrone is yelling himself horse, "Damn, that boy don't listen."
-LaFlor gets the chest and wins Immunity and Reward.  They choose fishing gear, tarp and cooking supplies.

Espada - Day 11
-They're telling themselves that they only lost because of the Medallion of Power advantage the other tribe had (ah, yeah, whatever you need to believe to get you through.)
-Jimmy T starts in like a broken record - Asks to get more action , he can contribute (like you did today?) I've coached basketball, boat crews, children...
-Tyrone - "So you think you could have made a difference today?"
JT - Probably not.  I'm just looking for an opportunity to help this team win. (Then stop running your mouth and do something!)
Tyrone tells the camera that Jimmy T is very negative after challenges and he's just digging his own hole.

LaFlor - Day 11
-They are going through their loot- celebrating the tarp - Chase opens the fishing tackle box and sees a clue rolled up in the bottom - he quickly shuts it (before NaOnka can take him out for it? Hahaha.)  He waits until everyone moves off then puts the clue in his pocket.
-He tells Brenda he found the clue because he trusts her - she goes with him to look for the immunity idol and feels bad because he's her buddy... she asks him if he trusts her and, in a roundabout way, tries to tell him NaOnka already has the idol - DING - it finally registers with him what she's saying. (Chase's not a rocket surgeon.)  He doesn't trust Nay but they have Brenda between them  - as long as she's not coming after him he thinks they can get along.
-Chase wants to go to NaOnka and tell her he knows - Brenda, "NO!" she has to spell it out for him - if Nay finds out Brenda told him and betrayed her trust they will be S C R E W E D. (I don't know if he got it - but seriously, did he not see her take out the chick with one leg?)

Espada - Day 11
-They are all out collecting sea urchins - Jimmy T is having everyone put them in the net - Marty just collects his own and sits down and eats them right there.  Jimmy T calls him out in front of everyone for not contributing to the community pot and not being a team player.  That p*sses Marty off, to no end. "Try to call me out - perfect way to shoot yourself in the foot." (Yeah, how dare you point out the truth to these people?)  They're both jerks - I think both these guys need to go.
-Jane tells Holly she's going to vote for Dan - She thinks Jimmy Johnson was giving them a message when he voted for Dan (ha! Jimmy J's not even there anymore and she's still following his lead - WWJD What would Jimmy Do?)
-Marty talking to Jill - he wants Jimmy T out - he wants to keep Dan as their swing vote and they all like Dan so he's easier to have around.
-Jill doesn't know if she has 28 more days of this in her - she'll vote however Marty wants her to.  He tells her she has to work on Tyrone.
-Tyrone is not sold on Jimmy T - Dan's a great guy but he has trouble walking - He's not helping their cause right now.
-Jill isn't very convincing because she actually wants Dan to go but he's intrinsic to her alliance.  She reports back to Marty that she wasn't able to swing Tyrone.  So, Marty has a go at him - pulls out the cancer card (every season someone is described as a cancer on the tribe - Jimmy T is the first carcinoma.) says Jimmy T is pushing the boundaries of their patience - he's just a train wreck.
-Jimmy T is still playing the broken record to Yve and Holly - "All I want is one shot - one challenge - I don't want to be leader - I just want the opportunity - why aren't they letting me when I step up... (Put a sock in it already, jeesh.)
-Yve says sometimes silence is more powerful.  She knows JT is masking insecurity but she's not willing to coddle him.
-JT scared it's going to be him because he keeps running his mouth (Well shut it then!)  He thinks he's easy to get along with, it's a tough group. (Always so blind when looking at ourselves.)

TRIBAL COUNCIL
Tyrone, let's talk about the challenge.
 - We went with our plan, worked out well... the medallion...
Wait - it worked out well?
 - Tyrone's told himself they only lost because the other team had the advantage (sigh.)
Marty, is that your take as well?
 - Yeah, we had one more item to go and they had two to start out with so at the very least it was very close... Jeff not buying it... It's behind us now, we just have to move forward.
Dan, you sat out yet again.
 - Told them he wasn't comfortable sloshing around in the mud.
But when you say you can't deal with mud - in a rainforest - you have to be worried you're a burden.
 - Absolutely, maybe I am...
Do you believe you are?
 - No, if I feel it's the right choice to sit out - I'll do it again.  I don't want to hurt the tribe.
Jill, how much does that factor in to your vote tonight?
 - A lot - I'm sick of losing.  We went through Jimmy J, a Super Bowl winning coach and yeah, everyone's all rah rah rah, but it's bugging me.
JT, how frustrating is it to not have leadership?
 - We keep coming back here, voting guys out why don't we mix it up?
Mix it up how?
 - And here comes the broken record... wants one opportunity to lead the tribe once in a challenge.
Marty, are you open to that?
 - Not necessarily, no (and JT looks like the cat that got the cream - Marty's admission just gave validation to all JT's whining.)  As a tribe we thought Tyrone was the best choice in the challenge. This is a stressful situation and there is zero tolerance for paranoia, delusions of grandeur and popping off - everyone is trying to be as patient as possible but it's been stretched to the limit.
Jimmy T - Jeff, I'm offering, they don't want to accept but how much success has Espada had?
Very little. 
Case closed.
Holly (crazy eyes) pipes up - All he's asking for is a chance, let him try.  How do you know if you don't give him a chance (Huh, surprising support from crazy pants.)
Tyrone, do you think if JT changes he'd have value?
- He has value now as it is - he would have more value if he was able to be a follower.
JT, are you willing to accept the role that this tribe has set out for you?
- Ahhh (you can tell it's hurting him to say it) Yeah, sure, I'm man enough, maybe they don't believe so but I'm man enough to take my role and some good advice.
(Tyrone looked impressed with that - who else buys it? Not me.)
Jimmy T gets all choked up (really, crying?) 
Tyrone tells him to take this opportunity to grow as a person...
Jimmy T - I'll step down and be a worker bee - and a good worker bee no one can deny that. (Arrghhh!)

Time to Vote:
Holly votes for Dan - Sorry about your shoes (Ha! Oh yeah)
Dan and Marty vote for Jimmy T.

Tallying the votes:
Dan: 1, 2, 3 - Jimmy T: 1, 2, 3, 4 and one vote left... JIMMY T is voted out of Survivor Nicaragua. (And Holly has backed another loser, is she the kiss of death on this tribe?)

So, with Jimmy T leaving that means: Susan O, Jacqueline D and Elaine & Kevin R. are out of the pool.

Jimmy T's parting thoughts - I totally blew my game.  I planned to keep my mouth shut and that didn't happen.  Marty is the puppet master - he's pulling all the strings right - I played with my heart - feel like I blew a tremendous opportunity and let people down.

Next week: NaOnka is her own worst enemy (crying and breaking down - couldn't happen to a nicer girl) and Marty is cocky that nothing can mess up his plan now... Until Jeff tells them to drop their buffs (What!  Looks like the age division experiment is over.)

Have a great rest of the week and Happy Thanksgiving all,

Coleen