Week 4 Summary: Survivor South Africa: Return of the Outcasts (08-11 August) at 18:00 on M-Net
Pre-Mergers vs Post Mergers: Who Plays Better?
Four Survivor South Africa: Return of the Outcasts Castaways joined the Jury this week, with the ‘No BS’ alliance of Dino, Phil, and Felix – all pre-mergers in their previous seasons – taking control of the post-merge game.
By making big moves, taking advantage of cracks in the majority alliances, and seizing opportunities presented by overconfident Castaways, they managed to remove major personalities and Idol & Advantage-stacked competition to put themselves in the pound hammock as the game races towards its R2 million conclusion on 24 August.
Snuffed
Toni became the first Castaway to have her torch snuffed and join the Jury on Monday’s episode, as she was targeted by the majority of Steffi, Killarney, Marian, Shane, Dante, and Meryl. Tejan played his Hidden Immunity Idol to nullify the three votes against him from Felix, Dino, and Phil, but ultimately wasted it. As Nico snuffed her torch, Toni turned to Salan and warned them that she would be the ‘Mayor of Ponderosa‘ and that if Dante made it to the Final Tribal Council, he’d have her vote.
- Voting for Tejan: Felix, Dino, Phil. Votes didn’t count as he played his Hidden Immunity Idol).
- Voting for Meryl – Toni.
- Voting for Dante – Tejan.
- Voting for Toni – Steffi, Killarney, Marian, Shane, Dante, Meryl.
Despite a mid-Tribal Council scramble to convince Marian to ignore Tejan’s overtures and to ask Killarney to trust him and vote for Dino, Dante became the 11th Castaway to be voted out of Survivor South Africa: Return of the Outcasts – and onto the Jury –on Tuesday.
He joined Toni at Ponderosa as the second member of the Jury in an epic blindside, with Marian, Shane, Steffi, Killarney, and Tejan writing his name down, while Dino’s sole vote came from the out-of-touch Dante, while Tejan picked up a vote from Felix. Nobody was able to cast a vote against Meryl, as she was wearing the Individual Immunity Necklace – though she’d also sacrificed her vote in exchange for the 50/50 Coin at The Outpost, meaning she couldn’t write down Dante’s name.
- No vote: Meryl.
- Voting for Dino: Dante.
- Voting for Tejan: Felix.
- Voting for Dante: Marian, Shane, Steffi, Killarney, Shane, Tejan.
Steffi’s torch was snuffed on Wednesday – and she headed to Ponderosa with an unplayed Hidden Immunity Idol tucked in her bag. Dino had chosen Meryl, Phil, and Steffi to join him to share the spoils of his Immunity Challenge win, hoping that would set the wheels in motion back at camp to send Meryl home. When Steffi confirmed to Felix the next morning that the vote would be for Meryl, with Dino next out, he decided that she’d become too comfortable and set about swaying the ‘No BS’ Alliance to vote her out, instead.
He also won Meryl over by telling her that her alliance was planning to boot her, securing another vote for Steffi while Dino was all too happy to find out that he was in Steffi’s sights and return the favour. With Tejan positioned as the swing vote, Meryl bribed him with her Outsurance Reward Send Token to secure his buy-in.
- For Meryl: Steffi, Marian, Killarney, Shane.
- For Steffi: Felix, Dino, Phil, Meryl, Tejan.
The ‘No BS’ alliance pulled off their second consecutive blindside to send Meryl packing for Ponderosa on Thursday. Just like Steffi, Meryl headed to Ponderosa with an advantage in her pocket in the form of her 50/50 Coin. Marian, enraged by the Steffi blindside and blaming Meryl, told Felix and Dino about Meryl holding multiple advantages. When Marian pipped Tejan to win Individual Immunity, Meryl told Phil that she would play her Tribal Pass to send Marian back to camp, evening out the votes and sending Shane or Killarney home. With the No BS Alliance amused by Meryl’s plan, Phil’s revelation of the plan to Marian sealed the vote against her.
When Meryl duly played her Tribal Council Pass, Marian countered it by bequeathing her Individual Immunity Necklace to Shane. Meryl still had her 50/50 Coin in reserve if she felt unsafe, but, confident that she had won over the No BS alliance, she didn’t play it – and then found herself on the wrong side of the vote when Shane, Killarney, Phil, Dino, and Felix wrote her name down.
- Votes for Killarney: Meryl, Tejan.
- Votes for Meryl: Killarney, Shane, Felix, Phil, Dino.
Challenged
Expecting a major Merge feast on Monday’s episode – but only finding a box of Futurelife and a bunch of bananas at camp – the Castaways learned that they would have to work for their meal.
At the Reward Challenge, the tribemates had to use a slingshot to shoot down targets before they could proceed to the feast table, where they must choose between displayed food rewards and covered items. Some Castaways played it safe, but others opted to uncover the mystery items and Dino and Meryl struck it lucky. Dino landed a leather pouch containing a Save the Date Outpost visit for Day 32, and Meryl clinched the Outsurance Outbonus Reward Send Token, allowing her to send herself or anyone else on a reward. Phil has also received a key, which will open a box with a surprise waiting for the entire tribe back at camp – which turned out to be a box containing beer and soft drinks.
Not even having to answer the call of nature during an incredibly tough Individual Immunity Challenge could stop Phil from claiming the safety of the Individual Immunity Necklace. The Castaways had to line up on tilted platforms, leaning out over the water and change their holds on a rope that rendered them more and more horizontal.
On Tuesday, the Castaways played for Individual Immunity and Reward, with sprints up and down energy-sapping sand dunes, a set of keys and a puzzle standing between them and safety. Despite an initial misstep, Meryl completed the puzzle first to claim the second Individual Immunity title of the season.
Her Reward was a trip to a secluded spot to enjoy some Chinese food, in the company of three Castaways of her choice. She selected Phil, Dino, and Steffi – but when they were presented with the chance to enjoy their feast or forego it and take blankets back to Salan, they opted for the latter. Travelling with them was a bowl of fortune cookies – with Meryl’s the only one to yield a clue: a trip to The Outpost, where she picked up The 50/50 Coin.
On Wednesday’s episode, a tough Individual Immunity & Reward Challenge saw puzzle master Dino pick up his first-ever Individual Immunity Necklace – and a brand-new Mahindra XUV300. Added to his spoils was the chance to select three Castaways to accompany him on a test drive and enjoy a tapas & wine feast. He selected Meryl, Steffi, and Phil in the hope that the other Castaways would plot Meryl’s demise, back at camp.
A rock draw also sent Marian to the Outpost, where she chose rice for the tribe over a clue to a Hidden Immunity Idol.
On Thursday, Tejan found himself coming a close second in a second consecutive Individual Immunity Challenge but was beaten by Marian who dissolved into tears and proclaimed that she’d never been prouder of herself than at that moment.
Tools
In the Game at the end of Week 4
Save the Date – Dino
Dino selected an uncovered item at Monday’s Reward Challenge, which landed him a little leather pouch with this advantage inside. It will send him to The Outpost on Day 32. Even though his tribemates know that Dino has this advantage, he didn’t disclose what it is. Will Dino still be in the game on Day 32? Will he find a way to use this advantage for his own benefit, or will it end up serving someone else’s gameplay?
Outsurance Outbonus Reward Send Token – won by Meryl and used to bribe Tejan to vote for Steffi
Meryl landed the advantage when she chose a covered item at the Reward Challenge. With this token she can send herself or anyone else on any Reward, until six players remain in the game. Tejan now has it and will hopefully use his advantage more cleverly than Meryl and Steffi.
The Individual Immunity Necklace
The Individual Challenge has been won by four different players so far – Phil, Dino, Meryl, and Marian. Who will clinch it next?
Played
Hidden Immunity Idol – Tejan
Tejan found a Hidden Immunity Idol on Monday’s episode and immediately played it at Tribal Council when he felt his position in the game was in jeopardy.
Tribal Council Pass – Meryl
Meryl found this advantage at the FreshStop Survivor Shop reward won by tribe Yontau and can use it until six players remain in the game. She shared her secret with Marian, who was with her on Yontau. She used it against Marian on Thursday to nullify her vote, but Marian then bequeathed her Individual Immunity Necklace to Shane to keep him in the game – and Meryl went home.
Not Played – out of the game
Hidden Immunity Idol – Steffi
Steffi found her Hidden Immunity Idol early in the game on Masu, and her Full Package alliance members, Marian, and Meryl, know about this. Confident that she was safe on Wednesday, she chose not to play it and went to Ponderosa with it safely in her bag.
The 50/50 Coin – Meryl
Meryl walked off this advantage at The Outpost on Wednesday’s episode and decided not to share the news with anyone. In exchange for the chance to take it back to camp, she surrendered her vote. If Meryl suspects that she might get votes at Tribal Council, she can flip the coin when Nico asks if there are any advantages or Idols the castaways want to play. If it lands on “safe”, any votes cast for her will not count, but if it lands on “not safe” the votes against her name will count. The 50/50 Coin is valid until seven Survivors remain in the game. She chose not to play it on Thursday and subsequently found herself heading to Ponderosa.
Invalid tools
- Dino has a Hidden Immunity Idol, but the Castaways don’t know until when this Idol, which expired at merge, is valid.
- Shona’s fake Immunity Idol is still at Tribal Council – Phil and Dino know about this.
- Seamus’s fake Immunity Idol is also at Tribal Council, but nobody knows about this.
Survivor South Africa: Return of the Outcasts is broadcast Monday-Thursday on DStv’s M-Net Channel 101 each week until the Finale on 25 August, where South Africa’s richest-ever Survivor prize will be awarded. There’s also an omnibus broadcast on M-Net on Saturdays 15:30-19:30 and, of course, every episode is available on DStv CatchUp. For more about Survivor South Africa, visit the official M-Net Website and join the conversation using #SurvivorSA and #MNet101 on Twitter, Instagram and Facebook.
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