S42.E12: Caterpillar to a Butterfly

[Whimsy]

Quote

Only 6 castaways become 5 in the penultimate episode. One climbs the stairway to victory and wins immunity at tribal council.

Original airdate 5/18/22

[truthaboutluv]

The best part of Mary Anne getting Omar is that in the end, she didn't even need Mike and Jonathan's votes. 

[momlyd]

Wait! 

 

Did Romeo have an immunity idol?????

[Carey]

Healthy Internet scratch

Edited May 19, 2022 by Carey

[vb68]

MaryAnne is a player, bitches!

Damn that was beautiful.

 

Edited May 19, 2022 by vb68

[DEL901]

Omar played over confident. Lindsey played foolishly….they were not residing a f6 idol.   The big guys played scared.  And MaryAnne just demonstrated why she is a contender.  
 

 

 

2 minutes ago, momlyd said:

Wait!

Did Romeo have an immunity idol?????

No.  He has no advantages.  

Edited May 19, 2022 by DEL901

[LadyChatts]

Hee hee, Lindsey was all smiles in her TC shot when voting for Jonathan.  This was the icing on the cake of a beautiful blindside.  I like Omar, but damn he and Lindsey were the poster children for overconfident and arrogant this episode.  I'm so over Lindsey and her obession with Jonathan.  I enjoyed Jonathan talking with her about the vote, and being more perceptive that she was lying to him than her realizing he was also lying to her.

Mike's an idiot.  The plan to vote off Omar was perfect, and I'm glad MaryAnne didn't back down.  If Lindsey played her idol for Omar, Jonathan was going home.  Mike knows that, right?  And he can always play his idol.  No rule that it has to only be played at the final 5.  And why is Mike such a threat again?  He said in the beginning it's because he's likable, but then acts like he and Jonathan are the two titans.  

MaryAnne is a rockstar.  Even more so that no one knows about her immunity idol.  

Edited May 19, 2022 by LadyChatts

[Guest]

I've never related to Jonathan more than when he dropped his ball toward the end of the maze and called himself an idiot. That is exactly what I would do 😆 Also amused by his reorienting move after the spinning part of the reward challenge where he pointed at the nets like "which one of these is mine?"

Oh, I'm sorry Maryanne, you feel hurt that Lindsay didn't tell you about her idol? Like the one you have that you didn't tell her about? Hypocrisy grows by leaps and bounds the closer people get to the million.

Too bad my secondary rooting interest is gone, so Lindsay is my only hope. She didn't exactly have the pulse of the group this episode, but I still like her!

Edited May 19, 2022 by tracyscott76

[Carey]

Lindsay has to know there's more to the game than beating Jonathan.  And hats off to MaryAnne.  Especially if you watch early content, and then 5 seconds later, watch the final segment of the Penultimate episode

[truthaboutluv]

4 minutes ago, momlyd said:

Wait! 

 

Did Romeo have an immunity idol?????

No. Mary Anne just likely realized that Omar and Lindsey were definitely going to be voting for Jonathan. Mike and Jonathan, afraid of an idol play from Omar, were definitely going to vote for Romeo. At that point, that left Romeo and Mary Anne to decide which way to vote. But Mary Anne having an extra vote advantage made their two votes, three votes and suddenly Omar's out.

[MerBearHou]

I liked Omar (Omer) very, very much but that was awesome gameplay.  Proud of MaryAnne.  And way to go on her part for pulling in Romeo which was a game changer.

Lindsay’s facial expressions were something to observe — at the beginning of the vote reading, quietly quite pleased for the Jonathan votes, then changed to WTF when the Omar votes came up and he was ultimately voted out, her gleeful smile casting her vote for Jonathan because she absolutely positively thought she’d been the engineer for a Jonathan departure.

[Carey]

Plus, Omar sorta has no "sway" with the jury.  He can avenge his ouster against MaryAnne or anyone else really.  Hai and Drea would say no thanks!

[Whimsy]

There is no preview talk allowed in the episode threads. 

[LadyChatts]

I went back and watched Omar's blindside again, and was so worked up over the vote that I didn't realize Probst slicked his hair back.  Not a good look for him, so it's time for a haircut.

[LadyChatts]

9 minutes ago, Brendan Birch said:

You know, it's ironic that the title of the episode referred to Maryanne's metaphor about Omar when, in reality, it could apply to her, too.  She was playing the game from the background, making the small moves here and there while she observed what happened among her fellow castaways, and tonight was probably the move of the game, and one orchestrated by her!

Omar may have become a butterfly with the move against Drea last week, but in a lot of ways, Maryanne became an even bigger (and far more beautiful) one.

I actually thought she said it about herself, but your right that it could apply to both.  Omar because his journey is done, and MaryAnne because she bloomed into something bigger and brighter with her game play tonight.  I won't lie, I was a little worried that she was going to blow it by insisting to Mike to vote off Omar.  She didn't need his vote, all she needed to do was know that the other 4 were splitting their votes, and that she would have the majority with Romeo and her extra vote.  Her name never came up in discussion, but I was still holding my breath.  Once I saw the Jonathan and Romeo names I knew she was good.  The problem is, now she's established herself as a bit of a strategic threat.  I'm glad she has her idol, and here's hoping she doesn't let it slip to anyone that she has it.  Or that people go snooping and find it in her bag.

I realize that Omar knew something was up when Romeo's name popped up.  

[vb68]

43 minutes ago, LadyChatts said:

He said in the beginning it's because he's likable, but then acts like he and Jonathan are the two titans.  

Oh man, I chortled so hard when Mike said he was too likeable to go to the end that my dog looked up and stared at me.

I also laughed hard at Romeo voting "Omer".

15 minutes ago, Brendan Birch said:

You know, it's ironic that the title of the episode referred to Maryanne's metaphor about Omar when, in reality, it could apply to her, too.  She was playing the game from the background, making the small moves here and there while she observed what happened among her fellow castaways, and tonight was probably the move of the game, and one orchestrated by her!

I was thinking along the same lines when Probst gave his little speech to all the kids out there after Omar's challenge win. Maryanne's move tonight upped that times ten. 

Edited May 19, 2022 by vb68

[OutOfTheQuestion]

49 minutes ago, truthaboutluv said:

The best part of Mary Anne getting Omar is that in the end, she didn't even need Mike and Jonathan's votes. 

Ha, I kept saying that during the scene when she was trying to convince those two.  As long as she had Romeo and everyone else was splitting the votes, Maryanne was sitting pretty.

Great twist this episode, I thought Omar was looking like a sure bet to win the season.  Now it's up in the air again.

Edited May 19, 2022 by OutOfTheQuestion

[choclatechip45]

Awesome move from Mary Anne! 

[LadyChatts]

I also thought it was interesting in the beginning of the ep when Jonathan said it was time for Taku to break up, yet voted for Romeo while MaryAnne actually voted out a Taku player.   I wonder if Mike and Jonathan underestimated Omar's ability to win.  It bugged me that MaryAnne told Mike they may not have an opportunity to get him out again, because what if he wins the next immunity-Mike seemed like he thought about it for a split second but then was all 'no, Romeo, Lindsey's going to play her idol for him.'

What's funny is that it was initially Mike's move to get Omar out, and MaryAnne was hesitant, yet she ended up completing the move and got credit for it.

[bankerchick]

Am I correct in assuming that nobody knew Lindsay's idol expired tonight?  They certainly knew she had one.  I thought once she said that it was the last night it could be used, it would have been the same for the other idols and we would have half of the crew immune. I could not figure out why Maryanne kept pushing to vote Omar because Lindsay no longer needed the idol and would likely give it away but I guess if they thought hers was good for another week (like theirs) they assumed she would keep it.  If she had given it to Omar, there would have been a tie and likely Jonathan would go on the revote.  So ultimately Lindsay blew her own game by trying to be too clever and not giving her idol to Omar so that it wouldn't be put back into the game (which seems unlikely at Final 5.)

ETA:  Drea is stunning.  Like, wow.

Edited May 19, 2022 by bankerchick

[vb68]

3 minutes ago, bankerchick said:

So ultimately Lindsay blew her own game by trying to be too clever and not giving her idol to Omar so that it wouldn't be put back into the game (which seems unlikely at Final 5.)

And despite everything she was saying at tribal, I really do think Lindsay was so sure it was going to be a 5-1 vote, so there was no need for her idol. 

[AntFTW]

3 minutes ago, bankerchick said:

Am I correct in assuming that nobody knew Lindsay's idol expired tonight?

I believe she told Mike that the last time she could play it was the upcoming TC, and I assume Omar knew as well. Omar knew about the amulet-turned-idol, but I'm not sure if he knew that particular detail but I would think he knew.

[AntFTW]

10 minutes ago, LadyChatts said:

What's funny is that it was initially Mike's move to get Omar out, and MaryAnne was hesitant, yet she ended up completing the move and got credit for it.

7 minutes ago, Brendan Birch said:

And she did so after Mike got hesitant to do it!  Great irony!

I feel like I'm missing something. Mike only got hesitant on that plan because Lindsey won immunity and he thought that Lindsey would play her idol for Omar, right?

[AntFTW]

5 minutes ago, vb68 said:

And despite everything she was saying at tribal, I really do think Lindsay was so sure it was going to be a 5-1 vote, so there was no need for her idol. 

I'm curious of why would Lindsey think her amulet-turned-idol would go back into the game to be found as if it were a traditional idol. She had an advantage that turned into an idol but it wasn't a hidden immunity idol so I would think that it wouldn't be "rehidden."

She should have used it because it was last day to play it and she had a vulnerable ally.

[North of Eden]

So the lunkheads stuck to their guns to vote Romeo but Maryanne went roguwith her two votes pulled in Romeo. Well played. Well played.

Speaking of Romeo with so many idols in play he best pray Johnathan doesn't win immunity or will be the lease suspensful tribal council in history.

Whew I can rest easy...a great season would have been ruined if Omar was crowned the winner on finale night. I haven't liked him for a while now with his cockiness and what he did to Drea left him dead to me after last week.

Hard to say who is going to win if you have a combination of Johnathan, Lindsey and Maryanne sitting in the final three spots.

On a side note I just heard about AMAZING RACE being paired back to back with SURVIVOR next season. If that means two TAR cycles being brought back I'm over the moon. Doesn't make up for canceling MAGNUM without a proper finale but its a start.

 

[AntFTW]

2 minutes ago, Brendan Birch said:

As I said, going back to Heroes vs. Healers vs. Hustlers, how late did Ben keep finding and playing his stupid "Ben Bombs?"  I recall very, very late in the game.  I could see Lindsay being a bit too cautious that someone could find it all over again very late in the game.

She was too cautious. Very inconsistent considering she took the chance of a lifetime in the last episode.

She risked her entire game when she didn't need to and she was too cautious when there was no risk to her at all.

[bankerchick]

9 minutes ago, AntFTW said:

I feel like I'm missing something. Mike only got hesitant on that plan because Lindsey won immunity and he thought that Lindsey would play her idol for Omar, right?

and

6 minutes ago, Brendan Birch said:

Right.  But Maryanne kept trying to tell him that Lindsay wasn't going to play it on Omar.  Mike wouldn't listen.

This drove me crazy the whole show.  My first thought when Lindsay won immunity was that she would give the idol to Omar.  It was the last time it could be used, why not?  So when Mike mentioned it to Maryanne, I assumed everyone was thinking the same thing and when Maryanne suddenly suggested Omar, I thought WTH?  I wonder how Maryanne was so sure Lindsay wouldn't give it away?  What are the chances that someone wouldn't use it in that situation?  She came out looking like a rockstar, but I think it was also dumb luck.

[LadyChatts]

I just didn't understand why Mike was so afraid if Lindsey did play her idol for Omar.  Because he had an idol.  He acted like he was gone if Omar was safe.  At worst, Jonathan was gone and Mike would lose what he considered his shield.  But again, why is Mike such a threat?  How many times has his name been written down?  I can only think of Chanelle's one vote that ended up costing her with him.

[KaveDweller]

2 minutes ago, bankerchick said:

This drove me crazy the whole show.  My first thought when Lindsay won immunity was that she would give the idol to Omar.  It was the last time it could be used, why not?  So when Mike mentioned it to Maryanne, I assumed everyone was thinking the same thing and when Maryanne suddenly suggested Omar, I thought WTH?  I wonder how Maryanne was so sure Lindsay wouldn't give it away?  What are the chances that someone wouldn't use it in that situation?  She came out looking like a rockstar, but I think it was also dumb luck.

Maryanne probably knew that Lindsay was paranoid about idols. Or that Lindsay didn't care enough about Omar to bother with the idol. She was his ally, but it is final 5. She doesn't really need him, so why risk the idol going back into play and messing things up.

[LadyChatts]

Okay, I thought there was another case I was missing.  But still, Jonathan and freaking Romeo have had their names written down more times.  Now, in Romeo's case, it's more like an 'eh' throwaway type vote, but still.  These people are all legends in their own minds.

[AntFTW]

9 minutes ago, bankerchick said:

and

This drove me crazy the whole show.  My first thought when Lindsay won immunity was that she would give the idol to Omar.  It was the last time it could be used, why not?  So when Mike mentioned it to Maryanne, I assumed everyone was thinking the same thing and when Maryanne suddenly suggested Omar, I thought WTH?  I wonder how Maryanne was so sure Lindsay wouldn't give it away?  What are the chances that someone wouldn't use it in that situation?  She came out looking like a rockstar, but I think it was also dumb luck.

That drove me crazy too!

Good on Maryanne for making the move but once Lindsey won the immunity challenge, I was on #TeamMike. I also think it was dumb luck. Take the safe choice and vote Romeo. Nobody is giving Romeo an immunity idol and everyone knows he doesn't have one.

I would have been certain that Lindsey was playing her idol for Omar because why not? She's safe therefore she doesn't need it, and it's the last TC she can play it. Why not use the thing for an ally? What's the downside? I don't think there was any downside for her.

Omar seems like the puppetmaster. He was playing a good game. If he made it to the end, I feel he would have won. When Maryanne told Omar Mike's plan, I was screaming "MARYANNE, OMAR WILL BEAT YOU IN THE END!" Why would Maryanne give up the chance of getting Omar out, because Mike's plan was solid if the stars aligned and things worked out.

Why was Maryanne so certain that Lindsey wasn't playing her idol for Omar? That wasn't a bet I would have made.

Edited May 19, 2022 by AntFTW

[AntFTW]

5 minutes ago, LadyChatts said:

I just didn't understand why Mike was so afraid if Lindsey did play her idol for Omar.  Because he had an idol.

Because Omar was his target. He was afraid of his plan not working.

[KeithJ]

1 hour ago, bankerchick said:

Am I correct in assuming that nobody knew Lindsay's idol expired tonight?  They certainly knew she had one.  So ultimately Lindsay blew her own game by trying to be too clever and not giving her idol to Omar so that it wouldn't be put back into the game (which seems unlikely at Final 5.)

ETA:  Drea is stunning.  Like, wow.

Im pretty sure Mike knew her idol expired tonight.  I still don’t understand her thinking that it would be put back into the game if it was used.   It wasn’t a hidden immunity idol.  It was a shared amulet that turned into an idol.  That wouldn’t be thrown back into the game.

Edited May 19, 2022 by KeithJ

[iMonrey]

Quote

I'm curious of why would Lindsey think her amulet-turned-idol would go back into the game to be found as if it were a traditional idol. She had an advantage that turned into an idol but it wasn't a hidden immunity idol so I would think that it wouldn't be "rehidden."

Maybe because she sees that the season is laden with idols and advantages and figures the producers would thrown another idol in there.

That said, she really doesn't deserve to win at this point. She was blindsided just as much as Omar and could have saved him by using that idol on him. Jonathan almost certainly would have gone home in a revote. Lindsay and Omar would have voted for Jonathan, and probably Maryanne too. 

It was a good move on Maryanne's part, I admit. She's going to have a tough time making it to the final three though. Assuming the others realize what a threat she is to win against any of them, she's probably going to wind up in the fire making challenge. She hasn't shown any prowess in immunity challenges. 

[bankerchick]

19 minutes ago, Brendan Birch said:

I'm betting that Lindsay told Maryanne.  As I said above, she might've just gone with Jonathan or Romeo if she'd known for sure that Lindsay would play her amulet on Omar.

I'm surprised that Maryanne would believe Lindsay.  She just found out Lindsay had kept her idol from her and was kind've teary about it.  Never mind she hasn't told Lindsay about hers.

[Chicago Redshirt]

They have not shown much in the way of Maryanne being goofy or tiresome or working the nerves of other players, and they have shown her articulating strategy better than the average bear. Seems like we have a winner, folks! I'm cool with that. I wonder if whats-his-face will be interested in dating her once she's a millionaire.

So both Mike and Maryanne have idols that I imagine they have to play at F5, correct? Which means the next cut is going to be Jonathan or Lindsay. Romeo I think is safe because people will want him at the F3 because he will get no votes.

For all the advantages floating around this season and last -- Shot-in-the-dark, three-way-advantage necklaces, beware idols, and knowledge is power, and extra votes -- Maryanne's extra vote at this tribal may be one of the only ones besides turning back time that actually mattered. If she didn't have the extra vote, she would probably have to either vote off Romeo or Jonathan..

Congrats Romeo, on being on the right side of a vote for the first time in what seems like forever. 

Lindsay's focus on Jonathan seems well-earned. He is the only thing standing in the way of a highly favorable field to compete for the immunity challenge that paves the way to the FTC. 

Edited May 19, 2022 by Chicago Redshirt

[princelina]

IMO Lindsey was so sure that voting for Jonathan was the obvious choice that she didn't worry about anyone doing anything else.  Omar wasn't the only one who was Survivor Confident or whatever he called it 😄. I also think that players want to go home with an idol that they didn't have to use as a souvenir.  Unfortunately for them that's a strategy that often backfires!

[Lantern7]

Looks like the Maryanne bandwagon is filling up in time for the finale. Once again . . . I get how she can be a bit much. I don't hate Jonathan for cringing near her. But she's been fun to watch AND she made a power move to send Omar/Omer to the jury. We had a lady from Canada win S41. Why not repeat that?

Honestly, I'm not feeling anyone else. I can sympathize with Jonathan on a few things, but it's hard to root for an alpha male. Mike is basically "What If Tony Was a Firefighter?" and he's more goat than contender at this point. Romeo is there. Lindsey? Yeah, it would be nice for another woman to win, and a slightly older one at that (hey, 31 is ancient for Probst), but my heart's with Maryanne.

It's been an interesting season, and a lot more fun than S41. The lack of venom at the end of Tribal Councils is refreshing, Yeah, that could turn 180 degrees next week, but this should be three fun hours, even if Probst denies the winner a Reunion victory in favor of warmed pizza and Probst asking more questions than usual.

ETA: "Survivor Confident" should have been the episode title. Great term from Omar/Omer.

Edited May 19, 2022 by Lantern7

[SHERMDOG]

Ugh...anyone for the wine at this point except Lyndsey or Romeo! blech...ar this point I'm for Johnathan or Maryanne.  I'm sure neither of which will happen. Lol

[KeithJ]

At this point, I don’t see how Romeo doesn’t make the final three.  And, would he be the least deserving finalist ever?  He’s done awful in every challenge, been on the wrong side of just about every vote, has no strategy, and is just there.  The only thing he did was take extra rice when nobody was looking.  I can’t even figure out what he could tell the jury when they ask “why do you deserve to win?” Or “what moves did you make to get here?”

[Msample]

Romeo is a lock for the final three….as a goat.

[TVFan1]

Ah, seeing Omar get blindsided was great. Omar thought he was so awesome in the game. So glad to see him gone. Major props to Maryanne for making it happen. She's the one I'm rooting for. 

Linsday could have gotten Jonathan out and got her way if she played her idol on Omar, but thankfully, she didn't.

[Cheyanne11]

The shocked look on Lindsey’s face at TC made this episode for me.  

[30 Helens]

Wait… Mike is likeable? And a threat?? OK, then.

I didn’t understand why anyone with a Shot in the Dark wouldn’t play it tonight. Since it was expiring, why not? Nobody should ever feel that secure. (Edit: Oops, I was reminded that playing SitD means losing your vote. Never mind. But also— this is what too many advantages does to my brain! Make it stop, Jeff!!)

”You did that?” “I did that!” The best thing about this season is the congenial TCs. Everyone is competitive, yet everyone accepts that it’s a game and nobody seems angry about being blindsided. I love this. Usually, it takes players weeks to calm down.

I love MaryAnne, but I’m a little concerned for her. Until now, everyone seemed to view her as an inconsequential little weirdo, a goat at best. But with this move, she’s revealed herself as a real player with strategic thoughts. I hope this isn’t her undoing, because I want her to win.

Edited May 19, 2022 by 30 Helens

[LadyChatts]

15 minutes ago, Cheyanne11 said:

The shocked look on Lindsey’s face at TC made this episode for me.  

She looked more shocked than Omar.

Quote

Linsday could have gotten Jonathan out and got her way if she played her idol on Omar, but thankfully, she didn't.

That shows how overconfident her and Omar were.  At the time, Lindsey assumed they were controlling the game, and she probably didn't want to make it too obvious that she and Omar were a tight pair.

[jabRI]

2 hours ago, AntFTW said:

She should have used it because it was last day to play it and she had a vulnerable ally.

My thoughts exactly. If it's going to expire anyway, just use it. Arrogance.  I LOVED Omar, so nice to see a positive image of a Muslim on TV, and open to discussing his religion with patience and openness. But I totally agree with Marianne that it was time for him to go. If he were to be in the finals, I could see lots of votes for him. He played a quality game, lots of power moves without making enemies.  And it was good for him to be self-aware that he went in tonight with Survivor confidence, never a good thing.  And I don't get why Mike wanted to vote out Romeo, the weakest player in the final 5, he's no threat to anyone.

[princelina]

42 minutes ago, jabRI said:

  And I don't get why Mike wanted to vote out Romeo, the weakest player in the final 5, he's no threat to anyone.

Because he was afraid everyone else he wanted to vote for would have a idol, but he knew no one would bother giving one to poor Romeo! 😄

[EllenB]

I didn't see Omar as cocky or over-confident. I thought he was so thrilled to be playing, and playing better than he expected himself to, that he was basically squee-ing in his TH's. As much as I wanted him to win, that was a great move voting him out, which he also seemed to appreciate. I will never understand players - or fans - who take it personally when a player maneuvers the TC to oust someone. I liked Drea, too, but Omar's move last week was great. The complaints about plays that eliminate someone's favorite are nearly as annoying as the players who think they deserve to win so how DARE anyone else play with the same goal in mind. This season has less of that, at least with most of the players.

[jabRI]

3 minutes ago, EllenB said:

I didn't see Omar as cocky or over-confident. I thought he was so thrilled to be playing, and playing better than he expected himself to, that he was basically squee-ing in his TH's. As much as I wanted him to win, that was a great move voting him out, which he also seemed to appreciate. I will never understand players - or fans - who take it personally when a player maneuvers the TC to oust someone. I liked Drea, too, but Omar's move last week was great. The complaints about plays that eliminate someone's favorite are nearly as annoying as the players who think they deserve to win so how DARE anyone else play with the same goal in mind. This season has less of that, at least with most of the players.

I agree with all of this. Made this season much more watchable than other seasons, they all seem like decent people.  But they need to do something about all these idols and advantages.  Too many, like I think everyone has one now? Except Romeo, who never leaves the rice pot to go look for one.

[GaT]

Has Jonathan had an idol at all? Have we even seen him looking for one? Is he just counting on winning immunity every time?