Survivor 49 episode 3 opens up with a defeated Kele tribe trying to look on the bright side—but there really isn't one. If they lose again, the majority alliance of Jake Latimer, Alex Moore, Sophi Balerdi, and Jeremiah Ing will have to eliminate one of their own.
Spoilers ahead forSurvivor 49!
Everyone wants to find an idol in Survivor 49 episode 3
Over at Hina, Jason Treul recommends searching for the beware advantage as a tribe, which MC Chukwujekwu isn't in favor of. She and Steven Ramm decide that they need to be the ones to find the advantage so it doesn't end up in the wrong hands. Luckily for them, MC discovers the beware advantage in a tree and shares it with her closest ally, Steven.
While we've seen so much camaraderie over at Uli, Sage Ahrens-Nichols is finally picking up that she might not be in the majority alliance, specifically observing Savannah Louie as the leader with Rizo Velovic as her no. 2. Sage connects with Shannon Fairweather about her concerns, which Shannon immediately turns around and shares with Savannah.
But even with the behind-the-scenes discord, Uli has the same idea as Hina and decides to go on a team idol hunt. Of everyone looking, Rizo finds the beware advantage and makes a big announcement to the tribe so everyone is in on it and knows that the idol—once unlocked—will be for the group, not just his.
A major medical emergency sends a Survivor 49 player home
While sitting at the Kele beach thinking about his family situation back home, Jake realizes a snake swam up and bit him. A producer stepped in to call a boat and send Jake to see the Medical team at base camp. On his way out, Alex discloses to the rest of his tribe that he consulted a camp safety guide that every tribe is given, and the snake that bit Jake is highly poisonous.
For the first time in the show's history, the audience is taken over to base camp with Jake, where host Jeff Probst and the doctors explain that what most likely happened was a very deadly banded sea krait gave him a dry bite—a bite without venom. And while they feel he will be okay, they are taking full precautions to ensure he is safe and taken care of.
When Jeff asks the question if Dr. Barry feels comfortable enough for Jake to return to the game post-bite, knowing the conditions he'll be facing, the decision is made that he cannot return to the game. Kele learns the news of his evacuation alongside the rest of the tribes at the beginning of the next challenge.
We watch the hardest immunity challenge yet
If we thought Kele was already performing from a difficult place, competing after having learned of Jake's removal puts such an emotional weight on all three players, but also adds a fire tha no other tribe has. So when they were neck-in-neck with Hina—up until the puzzle—it was no surprise.
But keeping consistent with previous challenges, Jason led the puzzle for Hina with ease to claim first and Uli came from behind as they completed the puzzle to secure second. It was such a sad defeat that neither Hina nor Uli even celebrated, as they didn't feel victorious, they just felt sad.
We also see the hardest vote yet in Survivor 49
There's no doubt that Jake was the glue that held the Kele tribe together, so with him out of the game, the vote strategy was the most difficult to navigate not only in Survivor 49, but possibly in the entire new era. With Sophi and Jeremiah secretly the closest, they want to use this Tribal Council as an opportunity to flush out an idol by eliminating Alex. But with only three people voting, Alex isn't sure whether he should just play his idol to be safe or not.
While it's a difficult situation, spirits were still high as the Kele tribe kept their classic witty banter during Tribal Council as Jeff asked them what exactly is going to happen tonight, with both Sophi and Jeremiah essentially trying to pitch themselves to Alex the same way castaways do with the Final Four immunity winner at the fire making Tribal Council.
And in the end, Alex plays his idol, though he didn't have to with both him and Sophi opting to vote for Jeremiah.
Jeremiah Ing is the 3rd player voted out of Survivor 49.
With Kele down to two players, we can't help but wonder if there's going to be a surprise tribe swap next episode or if we're about to see a repeat of Survivor: Palau when Stephenie LaGross-Kendrick was the only person in the show's history to be on a tribe of one.
We'll find out what's in store for our final two Keles when episode 4 ofSurvivor 49 airs next Wednesday, Oct. 8 on CBS and Paramount+.