Survivor: Heroes vs. Villains: Explaining Parvati’s two-idol decision

To give the Villains the numbers, it all came down to Parvati, two immunity idols, and high-level strategy during the Survivor: Heroes vs. Villains merge.

An even-strength merge is not the easiest situation in Survivor, but there are two paths: the slightly more obvious play of trying to flip someone from the other tribe, or the more secretive and risky use of idols as the great equalizer. Guess how Survivor: Heroes vs. Villains played this out.

The incredibly bored Heroes were a mix of excited and apprehensive at the arrival of a box that promised “company will be arriving soon,” while the Villains received the key and were far more excited for the arrival of the merge.

For bonus points, Parvati walked into the Heroes’ camp at the very start of the line of Villains! But with the new black buffs, the Yin Yang tribe set to eating, and Russell set to telling the Heroes a story about Parvati throwing an idol out as he threw out his own. All of this was a huge fabrication, of course, but Rupert and J.T. appeared to eat it up.

Sandra, however, had played with Rupert before, and she went to her old friend, explaining exactly what was going to happen — a good old-fashioned Pagonging of the Heroes. J.T. even said in a confessional that he thought Sandra was the one telling stories!

Meanwhile, Parvati and Amanda touched base again for the first time, with Parvati revealing she had an idol.

The first merge individual immunity challenge involved nothing more than holding onto a pole with footholds. Parvati agreed to give Danielle the win due to the idol still being in play.

This finally tipped off J.T. that maybe, just maybe, something was actually up with Parvati. What he didn’t see was Russell handing Parvati J.T.’s idol, or Amanda warning Parvati to play the idol.

Parvati then casually pulled out the two idols and handed them to Sandra and Jerri, saying she wanted to “increase our odds.” The Heroes looked shocked and sad, and Rupert pointed out that he was right.

J.T. had five votes for him, and Jerri had the other five votes, but thanks to that idol play.

At first glance, playing two idols on Jerri and Sandra doesn’t make sense. After all, neither of them were particularly threatening at that point in time.

J.T. shifted the target to them because they served roles as numbers, and the Heroes thought Russell was with them, and Parvati had an idol. Colby also said something suspicious about perhaps targeting someone else at Tribal. With Danielle immune, the only people the Heroes might actually target would be Jerri and Sandra, with the intention of flushing any idols Parvati had. Candice said as much in her voting confessional!

Granted, Parvati did use both her idols, but they worked, and with J.T. going home, the Villains were once again ascendant, just as Jeff Probst said before dismissing Yin Yang.

Quick notes:

• Parvati, as the Villains left their camp, promised that the Heroes would be “Going Down in Flames,” the name of this episode.
• Russell predicted an all-Villain top five at Tribal.

Next: Surviving Tribal's ranking of the first 33 seasons

When we return to Heroes vs. Villains, it’s time for a special reward and an even more special clash.