Chaos is over, it’s time for the conquest stage.
A Sneaky Return
After winning the elimination, Kyland comes back to the game and he pretends that he’s the only person returning. Many people think he’s been through a traumatic experience, but he’s really just intentionally withholding information. Olivia starts crying because Horacio sacrificed his game for her, but then Horacio emerges. The cast is confused by the new elimination process, and while Berna is trying to be congratulatory and empathetic, Kyland tells her she’s part of the problem. She isn’t changing the way she’s voting, which upholds the status quo. Berna starts arguing with Kyland to prove Kyland is a nicer person than her, but Jay pulls her away because Kyland isn’t worth the conversation.
Zipping Off the Line
The challenge is called End of the Line, and the goal is to use a clutch to get as close to the end of a rope as possible without falling into the water (if you’ve seen Battle of the Sexes, it’s very similar to Maximum Velocity). Whoever goes the furthest the fastest wins the power — and a $15,000 Under Armour gift card. In the first heat, James falls off the rope because he gets rope burn, but Horacio gets super close to the end of the rope. After this, everyone comes up with a similar plan: just don’t fall in. People take their time, but in the third heat, Ed falls into the water. Then, Corey falls into the water in the final heat.
One Must Fall
After the challenge, everyone expects James to be purged, but TJ confirms that Ed will be leaving. But his alliance quickly recovers because Jay — the rock climber — wins and will be starting off the voting process. Everyone knows what this means for the opposing alliance, and now Olivia, Nurys, Horacio, and Kyland are trying a find a fair way to save one member of their alliance.
Three’s a Crowd
The cast goes to the bar, and Michele floats the idea of making Colleen the third person sent into elimination, but Berna wants to keep Colleen safe. So, Berna chats with Jay and says she feels Olivia is a bigger threat and should go into the elimination with Kyland and Horacio. This upsets Michele, who wants to salvage her relationship with Nurys and Olivia, but Jay feels Berna is in the right. Now, the two Survivor players are forced to try to compromise. Jay may have guaranteed safety, but ultimately, Michele will have a bigger influence on the final decision.
Quit Playing Games
As elimination gets closer and closer, Nurys is feeling the pressure and she’s considering quitting because she wants to reciprocate the kindness that Horacio and Kyland have shown her this season. Olivia and Michele walk in on her, and they try to talk to her, but Nurys feels betrayed. She’s shocked that her allies would keep Moriah, and therefore James, in the game over Horacio. But, when the cast gets to the nomination ceremony, Nurys is still there physically, even if she’s mentally checked out.
A Chain Reaction
The cast gets to the conquest vote, and Jay starts things off, but he doesn’t know how the chain will play out. Here’s the voting order:
Michele-Olivia-Moriah-James-Emanuel-Berna-Colleen-Corey
It turns out, Michele talked to Olivia before elimination. People wanted Olivia in the bottom, but Nurys was checking out of the game and Olivia made a deal to keep herself safe. This meant Michele would save her and she’d save Moriah — and she stayed true to her word. But, Horacio and Nurys are shocked. Earlier in the game, Nurys’ brother told her that Olivia wasn’t going to be loyal. Nurys stayed true to Olivia, she even saved her over Horacio last week, but Olivia betrayed her in the end.
A Couple Divided, A Couple Leave
The trio gets to the conquest elimination and they find out two people will be going home this week — not one like last week. But, the elimination’s design is quite similar. There’s an obstacle course and three puzzles, though the puzzles are different than last week. They are:
-A jigsaw puzzle to rearrange pieces to make a swan
-A chain puzzle where the chains connect two numbers to add to 39
-A stacking game where competitors must make three towers out of blocks and raise their platform without the towers falling
Kyland and Horacio go to the swan first, and they struggle. Meanwhile, Nurys goes to the chains and blasts through them. Horacio abandons the puzzle because he can’t solve it, but Nurys arrives at it and she solves it while Horacio solves the chains. Next, Horacio and Nurys work on the stacking game. Horacio gets through it quickly, but Nurys’ towers keep falling. This means Horacio needs to go back to the swan puzzles, where he meets Kyland. Eventually, Kyland gets through the puzzle, but he’s behind, but then, Nurys raises her towers. She gets her third flag, wins, and sends Horacio and Kyland home.
Stop Being Polite 