Survivor Kaôh Rōng – Episode 13 Recap featuring Ozlet Special!

The thirty-second season of Survivor, Kaôh Rōng, barrels forward as we approach the final days of the game. After an entertaining penultimate episode, it’s time to recap it! Joining us, we have our recap expert, Clifton, plus Ben and the Ozlets chime in with their thoughts as well! Oh, and we one again bring you the 'Ozlet Special’ to talk through the episode!

(If you haven’t watched this weeks episode yet, clicking the link below will spoil the hell out of it, so if you don’t want to be spoiled then don’t click the link!)

PREVIOUSLY ON… SURVIVOR

“With the million dollars in sight, everyone wanted control of who would go to the end. Tai had an idol and an advantage in the game and thought that he could control the vote. He wanted to take out Michele, who he considered the biggest threat, and he believed that he had the support of his biggest ally, Aubry. He pushed too hard and offended Cydney, who fought to keep her own ally, Michele. At Tribal Council, Tai played his advantage to ensure he got his way, but instead his alliance turned on him, leaving the four strong and Tai unsure of his place in the game. Five are left. Who will be voted out tonight?” ~ Jeff Probst

NIGHT 34

DARA

Back at camp, Joe quickly tells Tai that he had to go along with the will of the alliance, and the others felt very strongly about voting for Jason. Tai confesses that the wasted his extra vote and was left in the dark. He confronts his alliance, saying that they are supposed to be honest with each other. Michele quickly points out that Tai turned on his alliance three times now. He reiterated his previous point that he doesn’t really feel like Michele was ever a true part of his alliance. Michele says that she was in the alliance before he was. Tai again says that she wasn’t truly included.Michele tells him that she doesn’t need to understand him. Tai confesses that Aubry was the only one he really trusted and now she’s not sure where they stand. He confronts her and she says that the rest of the group felt that he was trying to strong-arm the others. He says that whether they agreed with him and voted with him or not, they should have been honest with him. Aubry tells him that she agrees. She confesses that she needed Tai to be in the dark so that she could regain control of the game. Tai confesses that he doesn’t know who to trust and what he should do from this point forward.

Aubry and Tai attempt to clear the air. (Image credit: CBS)

DAY 33

REWARD CHALLENGE

For the Reward Challenge, each contestant must race into the jungle where they will find a large wooden ladder with a sack of sand bags tied to each horizontal rung. They must grab one sack and race back and attempt to launch the sand bags within at a series of five targets. Once they are out of bags, they must run back into the jungle and get the next sack from the next horizontal rung. Once a contestant is out of sacks, they must wait for every other contestant to also run out before before they gather their bags and continue. The winner of the challenge receives and overnight spa trip including food, a bath, and a bed to sleep in. The challenge begins with all the contestants keeping fairly close to each other, except for Joe who lags behind as usual.   Eventually, all four of the younger contestants run out of sand bags without completing the challenge, so they must wait for Joe to retrieve and toss all of his bags. Joe makes some very good throws, but he misses the majority, leaving him with two remaining targets and two remaining bags. With the storybook ending, Joe is able to sink both of the two shots and win the reward, showing that sometimes slow and steady really does win the race. He picks Aubry to go with him on the reward, and upon being asked to select another person, he gives Aubry that choice. She selects Cydney, confessing that things are up in the air with Tai and she needs to evaluate her other options. Michele confesses that she can see that those three are the Final 3, and she needs to find a way to rearrange the pecking order.

Joe gets it done at 71. (Image credit: CBS)

REWARD

Aubry, Cydney, and Joe arrive at their reward and begin feating on steak and chicken rolls.Joe comments that the meat is extremely tender and delicious, although he normally doesn’t eat meat. He’s thrilled to have won because he was running out of fuel. He starts loading up on the protein and confesses that he is feeling refortified. Cydney confesses that she knew from her personal experience with nutrition that Joe was going to have some “problems” later. Joe tells the girls that he would really like for them to be the Final 3, suggesting they vote out Tai next. Aubry reminds him that Tai has an idol, but agrees that he needs to go at the Final 4. Joe is glad to hear it, saying that Tai is Aubry’s only threat.  He says that Cydney and himself are no threat. Cydney chimes in that they are just along for the ride. Cydney confesses that she is just nodding and smiling and going along with what they are saying. Aubry confesses that the conversation made her realize that there is no way Cydney will be content just going along for the ride. She’s a huge threat. Tai might be a better option.

“Joe’s all beef.” (Image credit: CBS)

DARA

Back at camp, Michele comments to Tai that she was pretty sure it would be the three of them going on reward no matter what. Tai agrees, confessing that he is genuinely hurt by Aubry. He tells Michele that he would like to have an honest talk with her at some point. She invites him to come talk by the water now. Tai explains to Michele that he makes relationships and alliances based on interpersonal chemistry and he never felt like she and him had that chemistry. He apologizes if he ever disregarded her, and explains that he is feeling very hurt and confused by the others. Michele lets him know that her door is open. It might be the best thing for both of them to work together. They have nothing else to lose. Tai confesses that Michele might be genuine and he might have missed something. He offers to give her a massage on the beach and they observe that it is a Thai massage by Tai. Talking afterwards, they agree that their move might be to get Cydney to side with them against Joe and Aubry. They also have Tai’s idol as a tool to use.

Tai’s Thai massage. (Image credit: CBS)

DAY 34

DARA

The next morning, the three reward winners arrive back at camp and Tai is very gracious in the face of Joe detailing the splendors of their time. He tells them that they look so clean and he wished they could have stayed on the reward and had a big breakfast before they returned to camp. Aubry then approaches Tai to attempt to clear the air with him. She tells him that Joe will do whatever she says, and she has no doubt that Tai is the one that they need to go to the end with. Tai agrees that if they stick together they have the best chance of getting to the end. He then breaks down and begins crying, and Aubry embraces him telling him that he is almost there. He confesses that she made him feel so comfortable. It feels right to be back with Aubry. As Tai and Aubry return to camp with the water, Cydney notes their body language and demeanor and says that they appeared to be too close not to be working together. She approaches Michele and they agree that they have to think out every move like two steps ahead. The two of them are solid. Cydney wants to keep Michele around but keep the closeness of their relationship under wraps. Michele confesses that if she does indeed have Tai on their side, they will be able to take their pick between voting out Joe and Aubry.

Michele and Cydney lock up their alliance. (Image credit: CBS)

Joe confesses that he is experiencing discomfort in his stomach. He ate all of the meat yesterday and now he is bloated, and he is not passing urine. Joe tells the rest of the group that he thinks the prostate is squeezing against the urethra and preventing him from urinating. Aubry confesses that she is really worried about Joe because of his personal health but also because she desperately needs him in the game. Michele confesses that people having medical issues is the last thing you want, but if Joe is removed from the game that’s good for her. It’s a two-sided coin. Joe confesses that he is also constipated. Dr. Joe comes to see Joe and Joe explains to Dr. Joe what the situation is. (Not confusing at all, right?) Dr. Joe suggests that they can give him some medicine, but the concern is that if they are not able to get him to pass urine he could do irreversible damage to his kidneys.

Dr. Joe explains the risks to Joe’s kidneys. (Image credit: CBS)

A few hours later, Joe confesses that the medicine helped somewhat and he was able to pass a little more urine, but the pain is constant and making him nauseous. Tai tells him to keep fighting, but Joe tells him that the medicine is not helping enough. He doubles over in pain, and Michele suspects that he is masking the pain to a certain extent. Tai begins crying, saying that it is not fair. They all hug and cry together. Joe confesses that they pain has reached a point where it is unbearable. As the evening becomes night, Dr. Joe comes again, this time with Jeff. Joe’s bloating is visible, and Dr. Joe explains to Jeff the situation at hand, reiterating that even if Joe was able to withstand the pain it would risk destroying his kidneys. Dr. Joe is pulling Joe from the game. Joe says that it is disappointing but he can’t risk his long term health. Jeff says that Joe has taught him to continue to pursue things that exhilarate you and pursue the next adventure on the horizon. He is a massive inspiration and it was a pleasure to watch him socialize with people so much younger than him and play the game. Aubry confesses that it is devastating but she is happy that Joe is going to get the help that he needs. She thanks him for forcing her to make decisions and put one foot in front of the other. He tells her that she’ll keep doing it when the game is over. Jeff tells the new Final 4 that the constant theme of this season is that something changes right when you think you are safe or just when you think you are not.

Jeff talks with Joe before his departure. (Image credit: CBS)

NEXT TIME ON… SURVIVOR

“After thirty-five of the toughest days in Survivor history, we are down to four. With alliances up in the air it is anyone’s game to win. Aubry has lost her closest ally for the second time this season, and she must  scramble to find a new one. Michele has played a game centered around loyalty but now struggles to find someone she can trust. She will have to fight her way to the end. Cydney is playing with fire with competing alliances. Will they carry her to the end or blow up in her face. Tai is without an advantage or an idol. For the first time in the game he is vulnerable. Without a solid alliance, he might have to dray on new resources. It all comes to a dramatic conclusion as these four battle it out for the million dollar prize and the title of Sole Survivor. ” ~ Jeff Probst

The Final 4. (Image credit: CBS)

SURVIVOR OZ SWEEP!

INAPPROPRIATE PROBST!

TWEET TWEET!

IVAN’S THOUGHTS

Joe seemed like a shoe in at least for the final 3 but this brutal Survivor season unfortunately had other plans for him. It’s interesting how in one episode Joe went from the invisible man/comic relief source to the heroic lovable father figure he was earlier in the season and he was cast to be. We did see hints of Joe’s departure notably through his fatigue in the Day 29 immunity challenge. I feel like I’m just stealing lines from Jeff Probst, but this season really is giving meaning to phrases that have become so cliché: the game has changed yet again. With all due respect to Joe and I truly do hate to see him medevaced, he’s the perfect person you want out of the picture to remove stability in this game. Now everything is wide open with this final 4 of Tai, Michele, Cydney, and Aubry. Two beauty, one brain, and one brawn. I’m definitely looking forward to this finale, and I will be satisfied with any outcome. All four have had interesting journeys to get this far, but it all comes down to the final 4 days.

SURVIVOR RE-CAPPER: OZLET SPECIAL

Our thirteenth recap for the season once again features our ‘Ozlet Episode’ as some of your favourite Ozlets talk about their thoughts on the thirteenth episode of Kaoh Rong!  

Join us again next week as we recap and discuss the finale of Kaôh Rōng!

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