Survivor Game Changers episode 13 recap: Double trouble

Immunity didn’t last long on tonight’s episode of Survivor: Game Changers, because two Tribal Councils meant two eliminations.

Survivor: Game Changers saw things like rules playing more of a major role than they usually do, a couple of immunity challenges, and still more. Let’s recap “Parting is Such Sweet Sorrow.”

Night 32 on Maku Maku saw Andrea, Cirie, and Aubry starting to suspect Sarah based on some looks she’d thrown Sierra at the Final Tribal Council. That next morning, Sarah presented the camera with her new-to-her Legacy Advantage, courtesy of Sierra, and said she was targeting Andrea.

With so much happening in the episode, though, next up was the first immunity challenge. As we saw in one of the previews, the challenge was simple: stack tiles in a house of cards but do it while also balancing the table used for the stacking. With a challenge like this, plenty of people lost their stacks. Early on, Aubry took a lead, but ran out of her cards too early, so had to rework it. However, Aubry pulled it off and gave Jeff Probst a massive hug afterward — and finished the challenge in six minutes. That’s a record, as Probst emphasized.

With immunity in her pocket, Aubry decided she needed to do some work, and that meant voting Brad out. Michaela went and found Brad, though, and hinted in a sort of a mafia-style way that he should perhaps go fish (which even became a hashtag for the episode). He did not respond well. Aubry and Andrea went off, and that’s when Andrea again floated Sarah’s name. However, both Cirie and Aubry both said something about it not being right.

Cirie then casually said something about voting Andrea to Sarah.

Tribal Council, Round One

Aubry even had the chance to speak first at what we saw of Tribal Council, followed by Sarah basically making a “stick to the plan” argument, which seemed pro-voting Brad. Cirie then called it “quiet” at camp, which Andrea backed up.

Sarah also had a chance to talk about the jury possibly being pro-gameplay, and Aubry pointed out that feelings also matter. (She’d know.) Andrea then obliquely brought up Sarah’s shady behavior with Sierra. Brad made his last-ditch attempt to try and break up the five right before voting started.

No one used an idol. With a vote of 6-2, Andrea joined the jury. Brad had the other two votes.

Time to Explain

Aubry had a teary confessional that very night, upset about Andrea’s elimination. She got some hugs from Tai, and Cirie noticed that too.

But then came the next immunity challenge, meaning Aubry’s win was short-lived. The second immunity challenge took the form of an old favorite: stand out on a platform in the ocean, pour water in a chute to push a key up, then use the key to unlock puzzle pieces on the shore. Finish the puzzle, win immunity.

Michaela and Troyzan were first to swim to shore. Cirie had a stuck bucket, and as she fetched it, Aubry and Brad got into the water. Tai was next off, with Sarah close after. Cirie was last to start the puzzle. Although Sarah got close, she had to take pieces off, and she wasn’t the only one, with Brad, Tai, Michaela, and more all having to do the same. Michaela thought she had it, but messed up the puzzle and kicked it for good measure. Brad instead took the victory.

The afternoon of day 35 saw Troyzan saying he was going to bring his idol. Tai and Aubry, meanwhile, had a conversation about building a case. Both of them came to the conclusion of trying to take out Sarah. Aubry, however, went and reported that conversation to Cirie, who said something to Sarah.

Sarah entrusted the vote-steal to Cirie as a show of trust. Cirie then planned to use the advantage and take Sarah’s own vote with Michaela. Cirie went to Tai and told him he was the target, which had him musing about using his idol.

Tribal Council, Round Two

Sarah talked about the subtlety that governed the afternoon, and others, like Cirie and Brad, picked up on it. Michaela said something about the timing — big moves versus solidarity — and then Cirie stopped Probst with the vote steal, trying to snag Sarah’s vote.

However, the rules stopped her: “non-transferable” means “not-able-to-be-given.”

And then Sarah went over and whispered to Tai. Side conversations started, and Cirie made her case. Everyone had lots of whispers going on, and then Sarah decided to use the vote steal against Tai. Then Probst asked for idols, and idols were not played.

Michaela went home in a 4-2-1 vote, with Tai getting two votes and Aubry the last one.

Next: What's the best season of Survivor (so far)?

Next week: the finale! Get ready for Survivor: Game Changers to come to a bonkers finish.