After a theatrical Tribal Council in episode 11 where Kristina Mills played her hidden immunity idol for Steven Ramm, Rizo Velovic had some fun by playing a fake idol for Savannah Louie—while keeping his real idol safely in his pocket—and Jawan Pitts was completely blindsided, we're down to our final 7 players who are at their
Back at camp, Rizo admits that he only had the fake idol in order to trick Kristina into playing hers, but since she played hers first, he decided to just play up the antics by throwing his fake idol into the game. He sees that fake play as a huge resume-builder to address with the jury "when"—not if—he makes it to Final Tribal Council.
Spoilers ahead forSurvivor 49 episode 11!
As Sophie Segreti does her apology tour after Tribal Council, both Kristina and Steven show her grace and let her know that they understand her decision to write down Jawan's name. But as soon as she pulls Sage Ahrens-Nichols to the side, there's no disguising Sage's obvious detastation not only for Sophie's decision, but for her actions afterward.
This was the first vote where Sage had written down Savannah's name and she's now extremely terrified of what this means for her game—namely how big of a target is now on her back. So when Sophi Balerdi approaches her about pulling a move against Savannah and Rizo—wanting to form a Final Three alliance—she's hesitant to trust that she'll actually
The arrival of a possible beacon of hope
A boat pulls up to camp with a message inviting one player to go on a "strenuous" journey that has everyone questioning their next move. The only two people even remotely interested in participating are Sage and Steven as everyone else is terrified of the one word that stuck out in the note, wanting to conserve their energy for the next immunity challenge rather than chancing it on an unknown potential advantage in the game.
Steven decides he's willing to go, which instantly sends everyone back at camp into a frenzy. Sophie and Sophi discuss the contingencies of what to do should Steven get an advantage. Sophie wants to get Steven out and Sophi knows it's probably time for her to make a move against Rizo and Savannah. So they decide that based on the outcome of the journey and the next immunity challenge, they'll either target Steven or Savannah.
When Steven arrives at the journey, he learns he has to run around the entire island to collect 6 numbers to solve a combination lock that will give him the bar to break open a pot with an advantage in it. His timer is the rising tide, which will eventually knock the pot to the bottom of the ocean, leaving him without an advantage and without a vote.
Pushing his limits, Steven races around the entire proximity of the island, collecting his numbers—184325—along the way. He makes it back to the starting point with only a few inches left between the water and the buoy that would knock his advantage to the bottom of the ocean. Putting the numbers in, in the order he secured them, the lock bar slides right out, and he pushes his way through the rising water, victoriously smashing the pot to discover he's unlocked a block-a-vote advantage.
Spinning scenarios and suspicious situations
Steven returns to camp and tells everyone the truth of his journey, only leaving out what the advantage actually is. This causes Rizo to spin out and start putting the pieces together of what his advantage could possibly be, deciding it's most likely a steal-a-vote and leading him to believe he's going to be the target.
Rizo pulls him to the side and offers up a chance to work together, asking only that Steven not steal his vote.
New variation on an iconic challenge
The classic immunity block puzzle gets a new twist this season! Instead of balancing on a wobbly platform only secured by a rope, the stack was on a small spinning wheel connected to each player. In a challenge that usually takes hours and multiple falls, only Sophi saw her blocks fall—and only once at that—before Steven secures the win in one go.
In addition to immunity, Steven also wins a full Italian feast. He opts to bring Kristina and Rizo to join him for reward where Rizo pitches voting out Sophie at the next Tribal Council. Steven considers the validity of the option, but Kristina knows how important it is to get Savannah out.
Now that Steven has immunity, Sophie is clear about her intentions of targeting Savannah. But as soon as her back is turned at camp, Sage pulls in Sophi and Savannah to confirm that Sophie needs to be the next to go.
Tribal Council and tribulations
The clear through line of this vote is revenge. Savannah brings up the topic in discussing how she's playing and considering there were a lot of votes with her name on them at the last Tribal Council, she's clearly making a decision this time around based on revenge. She needs to plot her revenge before someone else gets a chance to plot their revenge against her.
Host Jeff Probst tosses the ball to Kristina who made a face at Savannah's declaration of revenge. She proclaims it's no secret that she's been voting for Savannah, she's been on the opposite side of the vote as Savannah, and there's no world in which she'll probably ever work with Savannah.
When Sage is presented with the same question, she expands that sometimes revenge can be just an add-on of an already good strategic move. While there's a lot of revenge she wants, it might not always be the smartest move for her to make in the moment.
Sophie Segreti is the 12th player voted out of Survivor 49
For the first time this season, all of our merged players came together and unanimously voted for the person playing the middle to be sent to the jury. Sophie's hard gameplay became too strong for anyone else to handle, and her threat status was more apparent than ever, making her the clear castaway to go next—in everyone's eyes.
Now down to six players, three advantages in the game, and only a couple more weeks until the season finale, there's no telling what move will be made next as only a few of the remaining castaways have played clear path games up to this point.
We'll have to see who the next person to try and shake things up is—and if they can survive longer than the rest—on the next episode of Survivor 49, next Wednesday, Dec. 10 at 8pm EST on CBS and Paramount+.