Survivorfest week 10!

JT is knocked out in what must go down as the greatest Survivor blindside in history!

Fresh from voting off Courtney the night before, Russell and Parvarti mapped out a plan of how to explain how both of them were still around after Russell supposedly used JT's idol to oust Parv the night before.  It involved Parvarti having a second idol which she also played.  Seemed fairly implausible to me.

It's merge time on Survivor as the tribes joined up at the Hero camp.  They received a chest full of items, including new buffs, fruit and a large hock of ham.  Which might have actually been what's left of Randy.  Hard to say.

As the hero tribe saw the Villains approach on the beach, JT said "Is that Parvarti?  I see Russell...She must've had another idol to play!"  Awwww.

Parvarti was grouchy when no one seemed happy to see her. "I'm offended how the Heroes are treating me!"  How often do you hear that line?

JT was completely and utterly hooked by Russell's story.  Russell couldn't get his fabricated story out fast enough because Rupert and JT kept filling in the blanks for him.

Sandra managed to grab a few seconds with Rupert later and warned him that Russell was in charge of the whole tribe with Parvarti as his "right hand man".  No wonder she was grouchy.  Who knows what goes on with Russell and his right hand?

Rupert now seemed suspicious, but the enamored JT doesn't seem even remotely swayed.  Rupert offered up a plan where they juke and vote out Jerri or Sandra, just in case Russell was lying.  Smart move.  Rupert hasn't added much in this game, but he appears to have good people sense.  If he was able to win at any type of challenge he might be dangerous.

He noticed that Russell "swore on his kid's lives" that he was with the Hero alliance.  As I've mentioned before, an easy way to spot a habitual liar is to look for people who always assume that people think they're lying (and feel compelled to make grand oaths) or get really, really irritated when someone suspects they're not forthright.  Note, this doesn't always work for pathological liars or politicians.  That last statement may, in fact, be redundant.

Amanda and Parvarti tried to mend fences.  I had them pegged for best buds in my pre-Survivorfest analysis since they've been in two seasons together.  I guess when a million dollars comes between you, things never go back to normal.

Amanda promised to tell Parv who the Heroes were voting for and Parv fessed up to having a hidden idol.

The immunity challenge was another endurance challenge.  Again?  Didn't we do this two weeks ago?  This was a little different since the players had to hang onto long poles with small ridges cut into them.  Paging Doctor Freud...Doctor Freud...Yes, I know.  Sometimes bikini-clad women clinging desperately to a long pole are just bikini-clad women clinging desperately to a long pole.

It played out similarly to the last one:  Sandra and Colby went out first.  Russell next, followed by Rupert and then Amanda.

JT followed, leaving only women, and then Jerri.

At an hour and 35 minutes Candice decided to drop out because it looked like the other girls were going to stick around for a while.  Not much heart.  Might be that seeing Danielle taking a nap on her pole and Parvarti doing calisthenics was disheartening.

Parv asked Danielle if she was going to drop out.  Danielle whispered that she wanted to win since Parv had an immunity idol of her own.  Parv gave up at that point, making Danielle the winner of immunity and 2 points!

At this point JT was suspicious.  If Parvarti went out after staying in that long and being in everyone's sites for getting voted out, she might just have an idol.

Back at camp, Russell gave his idol to Parvarti.  This is the second time that he gave his hidden idol to someone else.  I'm not sure why he didn't wait until after the tribe voted like last time.  That would have given him a good feel about how the vote went and everyone would have been on to him anyway.

Amanda and Parv talked some more.  Amanda suggested that Parvarti was safe but...she might want to play the idol anyway.  Amanda is a terrible liar. Parvarti knew at that point that everyone knew she had the idol and that they were hoping she would play it at council.

At tribal council Coach looked somewhat irritated to be sharing the jury with Courtney.

Rupert re-explained the banana etiquette since James wasn't there to do it.

Russell said that this vote would be the turning point of the game for one tribe.  It was "the most important vote I've ever been in."

JT shared that he thought his name would be written down since no one spoke to him all day at camp.  Parvarti chimed in that no one was speaking to her, either:  "I feel like a leopard!" Okay, maybe she said leper.

Probst wondered if it was because she was used to being the center of attention.

Candice had "I (heart) John" painted on her arm.  Potential Johns:

Lennon
Saint/Baptist
Adams
Candy
Cleese
Doe
Wilkes Booth

Sandra had a "1/2 my heart is in Afghanistan" shirt.  I wonder where she keeps the rest of it.

The votes were cast and Probst asked if anyone had the idol.  Everyone looked expectantly at Parvarti who didn't disappoint.  She gave one idol to Sandra and the other to Jerri. 

A brilliant move as the entire Hero tribe voted for Jerri.  The Villains voted for JT, sending him home with a shell-shocked look.

Next week...aw, who am I kidding?  I can't get over this week!  How can they top this?  Find out next week on...Survivorfest!