After playing an immaculate game from the bottom at the age of 18, Michael Yerger finally had his Survivor experience come to an end.
Michael has been on the bottom ever since the first tribe swap. He has found a way to avoid his exit with idol plays and social connections. Wednesday night proved one swap too many, with Michael finally being sent home.
Michael was due for one tribe swap to go his way, but Malolo is truly cursed with tribe swaps. His group of five competing for Immunity consists of Wendell, Domenick, Laurel, and Kellyn, representing two original Malolo and three original Naviti for this odd, but crucial, looming vote.
Michael begins his efforts by trying to temporarily use Donathan’s idol to scare off Kellyn, Domenick, and Wendell. Donathan is not willing to blow up his own game, and he realizes that this will possibly have a negative impact on his closest ally in Laurel. Michael decides that he has to make it seem like he has an idol anyway.
He goes to Kellyn and simply tells her that he has an idol. Even without seeing any proof, Kellyn becomes increasingly paranoid because of Michael’s impressive idol finding history this season. Kellyn goes to Domenick and Wendell, immediately ready to change the vote to Laurel. Neither Michael nor Kellyn have any idea of the relationship that the boys have with Laurel. Michael may be perceived as the larger threat, but the alliance is an additional reason he is the target.
When Kellyn approaches Domenick, Domenick is in denial that Michael could have anything. Domenick’s argument does make sense, this is a season full of past relics, so his idol should be recognizable, and he has nothing to show anyone.
Of course, it is slightly easier for Domenick to believe that Michael is lying with an immunity necklace around his neck. Wendell, who is also trying to protect Laurel, has an idol. If by chance Michael does get up and play an idol, Wendell can get up as well. This act by Michael takes away from his opportunity to try to potentially get a Naviti out of the game, which would have to be Kellyn.
Betsided
While Domenick and Wendell do not believe Michael for one second, Kellyn is ready to play her extra vote, as she wants to make sure that Laurel receives two votes in case of an idol play. This would mean that if Laurel and Michael vote together, there is only a tie with an idol. She does not want to end up as another castaway who went home with an advantage in their pocket. This would not turn out to be the right decision.
At Tribal Council, Michael and Laurel believe it is one of them going home, but there is still hope from a viewer’s perspective that it might be Kellyn. Things seem to shift after one conversation between Domenick and Wendell, perhaps away from Kellyn and towards Wendell. It is possible that they became 100 percent certain that Michael did not have an idol in his pocket.
The votes are very intriguing. Domenick and Wendell vote for Michael, Kellyn uses both votes on Laurel, Laurel votes for Kellyn, and Michael votes for Wendell. I was shocked that Laurel and Michael did not vote together. It seems so obvious that Michael should have voted for Laurel, sending her home, at a first glance. However, Michael had no idea that Kellyn had an extra vote until they were read, so there is no reason for him to think a Laurel vote would do anything.
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On the re-vote, it is obvious that the Navitis are going to vote for the young kid who has been seen as the idol king. As long as Michael wants to play again, this should not be the end of his Survivor career.