The next morning, Parvati climbs the tree for coconuts. Amazing how they can climb trees and open coconuts now that the men are all gone. Parvati interviews that she does not miss the men at all. Natalie says she is just glad she’s still in the game. As the last standing FAN, it’s a real honor for her. Natalie and Parvati seem to have a friendly connection that no one has noticed, until now. Parvati tells Nat that she’s glad she’s the one there with them for the final four. Everyone has played a damn good game, and deserves their spot at the top.
TREE MAIL
The tree mail alerts them to what they believe will be their last challenge. All four ladies have to stand on a perch in the middle of the water, pull buckets of water up to fill a tube to make a key raise toward them, grab the keys, jump into the water, swim to shore, unlock a chest and assemble a ladder to climb to the top of a platform to win. The winner gets immunity, and is guaranteed a spot in the final three. This is actually one of the best challenges of the season. First of all, how did they get on the perches? I mean, I saw the ladders, but really, the top of the perch was just wide enough for their feet. How in the world did they balance? Also, the ladder part was a good challenge. It just seemed like they finally got to do something interesting. Anyway, knowing she is the least likely to be asked to stick around, Natalie breaks ahead of the crew and gets her key and starts on her ladder first. Doesn’t matter though, in the end, it’s Amanda who wins immunity.Back at camp, Cirie tells Amanda that she was hot on her trail during the challenge, Amanda is proud she’s played a good game this time around. Natalie knows she is the lowest on the totem pole and she’ll have to play devilish one last time to make it to the final three. She says she needs to remain calm and cool so she won’t tip the others off. Then, out of nowhere, Cirie asks Natalie if she has promised her vote to anyone. This kicks off Natalie’s radar, since it was pretty much assumed the Three Musketeers were riding off into the sunset together. Parvati tells Amanda that she thinks Cirie is a jury threat. Even though they have an alliance with Cirie, they consider keeping Nat around.
TRIBAL COUNCIL
The jury arrives. Amanda asks Cirie why she feels like she’s the odd woman out in all of the alliances. Natalie grins as they duke it out, hoping the tension will keep her in the game. They vote, and Natalie is voted off of the island. Amanda says that Cirie made them look bad at council by saying she wasn’t as involved. Amanda starts crying because back-to-back seasons are starting to wear her down and she and Cirie get into a small yelling match, then shut up and make up. There is a group hug as the three of them think about their last day on the island. Then it dawns on them that they have been blindsiding everyone else all season, and it would be horrible if they themselves are blindsided, and the game ends up with a final two.They decide to set Gloria, the last chicken, free. Tree Mail directs them to grab their torches and walk around the island and reflect on Survivors past before their final challenge. Amanda breaks down when she finds out there will be yet another challenge and a final two. Cirie says it’s poetic because what comes around, goes around. During the right of passage, they pick up the torches of each player that was voted off or left for other reasons. There is a montage of pictures, including voice-overs, and they put all of the torches on a platform and light them for the last time.
FINAL CHALLENGE
Each woman must hold onto a wooden cylinder that has been cut into pieces. Every five minutes the cylinder will be lengthened on each side. It’s all about balance as a small ball is placed in a shallow groove in the middle piece of wood. The last person standing, ball still intact, wins immunity. The game is pretty intense, but Amanda wins it when Cirie loses her concentration and her ball drops. Cirie and Parvati realize it’s now up to Amanda who will go before the jury with her. Of course, Amanda chooses Parvati, and Cirie joins the other jury members, knowing she played a helluva game.Amanda and Parvati arrive back at camp for the last time and feast on snacks and wine left behind by the hidden Micronesian camera crew. They have no worries as they burn down the hut and take their last look at the island. Amanda interviews that she hopes Parvati has pissed off enough of the jury to swing the votes in her favor. At the final tribal council, Amanda thanks the jury for getting her as far as they did, and Parvati reminds the jury she played a strategic game.
