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The remaining players come back from tribal council and once Ciera falls asleep, Tyson and Gervase try to make sure Monica is solid with them.  They know that no matter who comes back from Redemption Island tomorrow, they will be joining Ciera, so the three of them need to stay tight.  Monica says in the interview piece that she wants to be on both sides so that she is guaranteed final three no matter what.

Hayden arrives on Redemption Island, the ladies, Tina and Laura, greet him with sorrow… they did not want to see Hayden there.  Hayden explains to them how it all went down and that Ciera won immunity.  He says he likes his chances competing against two grandmas in the final duel.

Tina

Redemption Island: The contestants need to put one foot on the end of a balancing board, a vase is placed at the other end.  They have to keep their foot up there and not let the vase drop.  Person who lasts the longer is back in the game.  Laura starts wobbling almost immediately.  15 minutes have passed and everyone is still in it.  Hayden gets something in his eye, loses balance, and the vase falls.  Laura is still wobbling all over and Tina is holding steady.  Laura says “just let me have it.” Tina says “not a chance, sister!”  Seriously…. the BIGGEST duel so far, are you kidding me?   Tina starts shaking, vase tips, but then saves it.  Laura wobbles too much and her vase drops and Tina is back in the game!!!!  Ciera is in tears to see her mom go home.  Hayden says this experience has made him appreciate what he has at home even more… his family and his girlfriend.  He drops his buff into the flame.  Laura feels she failed and she didn’t “finish strong.”  Ciera comforts her mom and says how proud she is of her.  Laura says “how can you walk away saying you lost after hearing that?”  She drops her buff in the flame, and she is now on the jury.  Tina gets the clue to the hidden immunity idol (the one that Tyson has) and decides to keep it for herself.  I would have been happy no matter who made it back in, but I do love Tina and happy she gets another chance!

Back at camp Kasama, everyone congratulates Tina and welcomes her back.  Tina says her plan is to try to make an all girls alliance and bring Monica on board with Ciera.   Tina begins looking all over camp for the hidden immunity idol.  Tina approaches Monica and says that the jury is pissed at Monica.  Ciera doesn’t feel like Tina’s taking the best approach being confrontational about it, so Ciera starts trying to playing to Monica’s ego and building her up and saying that now is the chance to prove to everyone that she isn’t just Tyson’s “lap dog” that she has a mind of her own.

Immunity Challenge: Pull on a rope connected to a table that levels the table, contestants have to hold that steady while placing 10 blocks in a row on the table.  The blocks are spaced out on three different platforms that the contestants have to walk to while hold the rope and table steady.  The first person to place all 10 standing up wins.   Tyson is holding steady in the lead.   His blocks haven’t fallen while the others have had quite the struggle.  Tyson has just one block left.  He’s going very slowly as no one is even close to him now.  Tyson wins immunity and makes final four!!

So Tyson now has individual immunity and the hidden immunity idol.  He says he’d like to keep the hidden idol as a souvenir for his girlfriend, Rachel.  Tyson’s alliance is discussing whether to vote out Ciera or Tina.  Monica wants Tina out because she doesn’t feel Tina has any enemies on the jury.  Gervase doesn’t trust  Ciera and think she can worm her way into people’s heads.  Gervase and Monica are having it out over if it’s going to be Ciera or Tina.  Gervase says “Ciera voted her own mother out – that’s a big move!”  Monica breaks down and says she’s tired of being bullied by everyone.  Monica starts talking to Tina and Ciera saying that she might be willing to vote for Gervase.  Monica says tonight is her night and she’s going to do what’s best for her.

Tribal council: Jeff flat out asks where Monica sits.  She says she feels like she’s in the middle again.  Monica says that the girls came to her and said “let’s vote out the villains.”  Gervase says he’s never seen himself as the villain, he’s just playing the game like everyone else.  Monica says with tears in her eyes that the last 24 hours have been really hard on her and it’s the first time the game has really gotten to her.  For the first time she’s not going to do what’s best for her alliance, or what’s best for the other alliance, but she’s going to do what’s best for her.  Jeff Probst goes to tally the votes… Tyson hands the hidden immunity idol to Gervase and Gervase plays it.  All votes for Gervase won’t be counted against him.  1st vote: Gervase (does not count) 2nd vote: Gervase (does not count) 3rd vote: Ciera 4th vote: Ciera… 15th person voted out is Ciera.  So basically Monica just caved and went with the bully.  Her vote didn’t even count.  Monica’s last chance to make a big move and she completely failed.

Final Immunity Challenge: An obstacle race collecting puzzle pieces.  Solve the puzzle, it will help give you the combination to the lock.  Figure out the combination first, you win.  Probably the most extensive obstacle course I’ve seen in a long time on Survivor.  Monica and Gervase have an early lead.  Monica is in the lead now with Tyson close behind.  Tina is far behind needing two more bags of puzzles pieces while everyone else is on their last.  Tyson starts on his puzzle first, then Monica, then Gervase.  Tina finally working on her puzzle, but she’s way behind all the others.  Monica and Tyson are in the lead.  Tyson finishes his puzzle.  Figures out the clues, and figures out the combination.  Tyson wins final immunity – he’s in the final three.  My prediction right now is that he will end up winning the whole thing.   Tyson isn’t my favorite, but since he made it to final three, I don’t care who he takes with him, I can’t see anyone else beating him.

Tina starts scrambling and trying to get Monica to vote Gervase out.  Monica acts like she’s perceptive to this idea, but I still don’t see her doing it.  She’s the one that wanted Tina out the night before because she didn’t feel she could beat her in the final three.

Tribal Council:  Tina’s honest about trying to get Monica to vote with her.  Jeff Probst points out the Monica checked Gervase during the immunity challenge… almost unnecessarily.  Monica said that Tina was trying to work her, but the boys didn’t even approach her.  Jeff tallies the votes…. 1st vote: Tina 2nd vote: Tina 3rd vote: Gervase 4th vote: Tina.  Ugh so boring.  It wouldn’t make sense for Monica to vote for Gervase and create a tie, but nobody has made a big move.  I’m glad the rest of this season was really good, because this finale is a big snoozefest!

The final three have their big feast and reflect on the past 39 days.  Final tribal council… this is usually my favorite part of the finale if the past contestants are bitter and angry and really let the finalists have it.  I love that drama.  Just not sure there will be much of that this time.

Opening statements: Gervase first… he says his biggest move was getting out Ares and he had a 13 year break between his seasons of Survivor and he was able to come back and make it to the final three.  Monica says she wants to address the elephant in the room which was the fact that she was dragged along by the men the whole time like a dog on a leash.  Monica says her strategic plan was to stick with Tyson and Gervase because she doesn’t have as much blood on her hands as the two of them.  Tyson gives an emotional speech about how when Rachel got to redemption island he made the decision that he had to make it to day 39 and everything was done for strategy not out of malice.

Jury addresses the final three: Vytas is up first – He explains his last play was that he told Tyson if you vote me out I am not going to give you might vote in the jury house.  He says he’s standing by that and tells Gervase he had an unwillingness to adapt.  He says to Monica she was the only one who stabbed him in the back.  So he doesn’t know who he’s voting for.  Katie says to Tyson that he did do something out of malice.  When she drew the white rock, he stood up to hug her and pointed to the jury seat and said “that seats for you.”  Katie says that was done out of malice.  Tyson apologizes and says that was the one thing in the game that he regrets.  Caleb asks Gervase what was your big game changing move.  Gervase said it was voting out Ares, and Gervase says he was never the target.  A lot of the moves came from him, not Tyson.  Caleb tells Monica to answer from the heart, not the head.  Monica says the last 21 years have been about her husband, Brad, and the NFL, and this time it’s about her.  To give her something other than just being Brad’s wife or a mom to her sons.  Ciera asks Tyson if he sees himself as the villain or the hero.  Tyson says everything he did was for pure strategy.  She asks Gervase if he was ever going to be with Tyson.  He said he was waiting for the time that was right to do it.  If it made more sense to stick with him, then he would.  Laura says to Monica she doesn’t know who she is.  Monica gives a heartfelt answer about being 100 lbs, weighing half as much as the men, and she’s sitting right there.  Tina asks each of them to use one word to describe them.  Monica says Generous, Gervase says Honorable, Tyson says fun-loving.  Hayden asks Tyson if he had the idol when they drew rocks and where was it.  Hayden addresses Monica then and says she’s been a little fake.  Monica addresses the jury and says “have you never met a nice person?  Have never met a person who’s not selfish?” Hayden says he just doesn’t feel he knows her.  Ares tells Gervase to tell him why he should vote for Tyson or Monica.  He talks Tyson up, says he had a great social game and a strategic player.  Monica says he should vote for Tyson.  Tyson said he would vote for Monica and that her big move was being able to get information out of people that Tyson and Gervase couldn’t get.  For the last time, it is time to vote for sole Survivor.  They show Caleb votes for Tyson, Vytas votes for Monica, and the rest are concealed…

At the live reunion now:  Tyson, Monica, and Gervase sit awaiting their fate.  Tyson’s hair is straight and flowy. Jeff reads the votes: 1st vote: Monica, 2nd vote: Tyson, 3rd vote: Tyson, 4th vote: Tyson, 5th vote: Tyson, 6th vote: Tyson.  Tyson is immediately in tears and hugs Monica and Gervase.  WINNER OF SURVIVOR BLOOD VS WATER: TYSON!!!!