Recap (If you haven’t yet checked your recording, stop now!):
The edenic setting of Camp Zhan Hu opens this week, with Erik and Jaime sharing a moment alone and perhaps a mutual attraction. Erik confesses he’s a virgin, which Jamie seems to feel makes him more trustworthy. Over at Fei Long, Denise and James are bonding as the two most hardworking tribe members.
But then . . .
The Twist! Each tribe is asked to select two members of the opposing tribe to come and join them. Fei Long correctly surmises both tribes will get the same instructions, and further surmises, again correctly, that Aaron and James will be taken from them. They select Frosti and Sherea to join them. Zhan Hu inexplicably believes they will be selecting two members of Fei Long with no recompense, and celebrates briefly before being rudely surprised upon learning they are losing Frosti and Sherea while gaining Aaron and James. There is no Reward Challenge, as both tribes are provided with a basket of sundry fruits and spirits to celebrate their new teams.
Aside from the switched tribe members themselves, the ones most negatively affected seem to be Jean-Robert and Denise of Fei Long, both of whom muse ruefully at losing an ally and hard worker in James. Todd, not surprisingly, looks at it as an opportunity to form new alliances.
Of the switched players, Frosti and Sherea seem to fit in with Fei Long, where Jean-Robert is already on everybody else’s nerves, thus taking pressure off them. Sherea even pledges to “step it up some” around camp to earn the appreciation in her new start. Aaron and James however, are in dire straits, as they realize they are outnumbered three to two, and too good in challenges.
*Meanwhile, back in the jungle . . . *
Peih-Gee hatches a cunning plan to preserve the original Zhan Hu numbers to the merge she assumes will happen with ten remaining players: Zhan Hu will throw the next two Immunity Challenges and vote off Aaron and James, thereby protecting Frosti and Sherea over at Fei Long. The tribes then merge (presumably), forming a single new tribe with five original Zhan Hu (Peih-Gee, Jaime, Erik, Frosti, and Sherea) and five original Fei Long (Todd, Amanda, Courtney, Jean-Robert, and Denise). Jaime agrees it could be worth it, but the two do not inform Erik of their plan.
The Immunity Challenge (not that it matters) is a two-parter: two tribe members swim out to a platform and must retrieve twelve discs (representing the Chinese zodiac) held in an underwater cage. Once back on shore, three tribe members take the twelve discs and place them on a puzzle board where they must be fitted to interlocking places. Aaron and Erik do very well in the first part of the challenge for Zhan Hu, and they have a big lead when the puzzle pieces are returned to shore. But then of course Peih-Gee and Jaime don’t bother to try to solve the puzzle at all, and are laughing and joking throughout the challenge besides. This is noticed by an increasingly frustrated and angry James, as Fei Long easily catches up and wins the challenge.
Back at camp, Aaron and James ask Erik what happened at the challenge, and Erik confronts Peih-Gee and Jaime, who finally let him in on their plan. Erik wants to continue to trust Jaime so agrees to go along. Jaime wants Aaron to go before James, because she feels Aaron has more connections at Fei Long. Erik tells Aaron they are voting for James, so Aaron figures he’ll have to vote for his buddy just to stick around.
At Tribal Council, Jeff elicits the confession from Jaime that they threw the challenge, sparking surprise and outrage from James. When Jeff asks James if it should be him going, James responds “It should be.” Aaron says he’d like to stay. Despite James’ outburst, Aaron is voted out by Peih-Gee, Jamie, and Erik. It should be very interesting around Zhan Hu for the next couple of days.
On to the completely superfluous and ever-more arbitrary rankings:
Hostage - No ransom forthcoming: Even though there was no kidnapping per se this week, the pattern continues of another tribe member switching teams getting the boot. Aaron just got caught in a power play.
Hard Target - Difficult to pin down: No one here this week, and I’ll probably retire the category; we’re getting a better idea of where everybody stands.
Face/Off - Intra-tribal dynamics - both camps have been shaken and stirred, so let’s see where the dynamics are:
At Fei Long, Todd and Amanda presumably retain their alliance, while the removal of James has left Jean-Robert without a compatriot; Denise similarly seems adrift, as she had apparently bonded with James as well. Courtney is still a free agent, and it remains to be seen if Frosti and Sherea will form new alliances or stick together for the sake of Zhan Hu solidarity. And who will Todd try to recruit?
Zhan Hu, far from their fractured appearance of last week, now seems to have some solidarity, though how certain (and how smart) it is remains in doubt. Peih-Gee, Jaime, and love-slave Erik stand firm against outsider James, certain to be voted off next week unless something really unexpected happens.
Hard-Boiled - Poised to do damage: Todd still looks to have a bit of an advantage, and seems to enjoy the prospect of new recruits. He looks like he’s having fun, and that’s an advantage in and of itself.
Coming attractions: Next week - it looks like the disgusting food challenge is back.