[Warning: The below contains MAJOR spoilers for Survivor Season 42, Episode 10, “Tell a Good Lie, Not a Stupid Lie.”]
In Survivor Season 42 Episode 10, lying was the name of the game. Two key lies are told in the episode by two different players, but as the episode title implies, only one of them was well played.
Following an intense dual Tribal Council last week that sent Rocksroy and Tori packing, Episode 10 was a merciful break in intensity. The challenges were fun instead of grueling, and outside of some cold, unrelenting rain, it was a pretty chill couple of days for the Kula Kula tribe.
Here, we break down everything that happened in Survivor Season 42 Episode 10, which aired Wednesday, May 4, at 8/7c on CBS.
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After Tribal Council: Maryanne’s Good Karma
Maryanne and Drea made sure they were safe from elimination last week by playing their idols. Their moves were inspired by seeing Rocksroy join Chanelle in the jury, adding to the unfortunately frequent Survivor cycle of Black players being voted off in quick succession.
Back at the camp, Maryanne grapples with letting go of her idol when she knew she was safe. But her risk is rewarded when she finds a no strings attached idol in a tree, telling her she’s playing the game well, both strategically and morally. Lindsay starts to distance herself from her alliance with Jonathan, signaling to other players she’s willing to vote him out.
Mike is upset he let Hai determine his vote in Tribal Council and vows not to let it happen again.
Reward Challenge: Rain On Me
The wind is blowing, the rain is cold, the players are shivering. Jeff Probst tries to chat with the players, but they’re too exhausted and chilly to banter. Jeff reveals their reward challenge will be fun instead of draining. Their challenge: maneuver a sandbag through a series of obstacles and land it on a target. First player to finish wins a night shielded from the elements in the Sanctuary, with cold beer and lots of pizza waiting for them.
The challenge is quick and fun, and Lindsay takes home her first-ever win. She chooses Omar and Mike to go with her to reap the reward. She goes into this night excited to privately strategize with two players she’s been wanting to align with.
Sanctuary: Lindsay, Omar, and Mike Bond
The trio chomp down on the many boxes of pizza. And as they’re eating, ghost-like voices start to ring through their hut. And just like that, photos and video messages from their families start projecting in front of them. Lindsay gets a video from her parents and siblings, and Omar and Mike get videos from their fiancées.
And then, comes the smart lie. Omar is targeting Hai for elimination, and he uses information Mike gave him after Tribal Council to craft a lie that will trigger Mike into leaning further into their growing alliance. Omar says that Hai called Mike his “puppet,” which did not do. But Omar knew that’s exactly what Mike feared and used it against him. Mike wants to vote Hai out ASAP as a result.
Lindsay puts her cards on the table, telling Mike and Omar about the group amulet she shares with Hai and Drea. With the three of them still int the game, they get an extra vote if they collectively agree on who to eliminate. If there are two of them left, it becomes a steal a vote. If there’s only one of them left, it becomes a hidden immunity idol.
“My amulet is stronger if Hai is gone,” Lindsay tells the cameras. This trio is sold on voting Hai out.
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Immunity Challenge: Double the Win, Double the Reward
It’s another easy(ish) game at the Immunity Challenge. Players have to balance a ball on a wooden bow while standing on a thin beam. Each leg of the game requires them to move further down the beam, which gets thinner and thinner. Mike is out almost immediately, but a handful of players make it through the first five-minute leg. The second leg lasts 10 minutes, and only Lindsay and Jonathan make it to the third, which is supposed to last 30 minutes.
In the end, Lindsay pulls out her second win in a row, winning herself a spot in the final seven.
Back at the Beaches: If You’re Going to Lie, Lie Properly
This challenge proved to be key to survival for Hai and Jonathan. Their names are the only ones in consideration for elimination, as all the players see the opportunity in taking out either the strongest strategist or the strongest physical player. It’s just a matter of who to take out first. The logic is that Hai thinks he’s been running the entire game, and in a way, he has.
“I see my husband watching this on television telling me why didn’t I get him out?” Drea says to Lindsay. “He’s playing a f***ing good game.” They agree to get Hai out so their amulet turns into a steal a vote.
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Everyone seems to agree they should take Hai out first.
“Originally, I was wanting Jonathan out. But seems like pretty much everybody is on board to get Hai out, except Hai. And Jonathan’s completely on board, so right now I don’t want to rock the boat. I’m going to stick with the plan and call it a day.”
Hai really is oblivious to the danger he’s in. Unaware of Omar’s lie, Hai tells Mike he thinks they should nix Jonathan. Mike pretends to go along with the plan, and then turns around and tells Jonathan immediately. They agree it’s time to send Hai home.
Later on, Hai plans his own strategic lie, but it’s both badly timed and poorly crafted.
“Every Tribal I go to, I’ve made sure I know who the target is, and I can make the target feel comfortable enough that they do not play their shot in the dark,” Hai tells the cameras. He tries this on Jonathan, not knowing that Jonathan already knows Hai is gunning for his elimination. In Survivor, if someone knows they’re a target, are they really a target?
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Hai’s lie is a little too obvious. He tells Jonathan that he’s going to protect him with an idol that he doesn’t actually have, and then suggests Jonathan votes for Romeo. Even if Jonathan didn’t know Hai’s real plan, this would be a suspicious offer. Jonathan doesn’t buy it for a second, telling Omar it’s “the worst lie I’ve ever heard.” Omar is excited to learn that, unlike him, Hai is a bad liar. But the ease of getting Hai out makes Omar want to switch to Jonathan.
“Everything’s working out perfectly, but then it’s almost too perfect,” Omar tells the cameras. “Cause then, you start thinking, should I just work with Hai now ’cause nobody trusts him? So does that mean, in an essence, that I should take Hai and raise him from his execution tonight?”
Omar starts campaigning for Jonathan, and Romeo — who honestly, has zero strategic game going for him — takes Omar’s suggestion at face value. He says Omar is the only person he trusts, which is likely a mistake for down the road given how good of a game Omar is playing in this episode alone. The tide starts to turn toward Jonathan all because of Omar’s actions. Ten episodes into the season, and no one has caught one whiff of the fact that Omar might be the true puppet master.
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Tribal Council
At Tribal Council, Jeff asks the safe Lindsay what this week’s vote is about. Her answer is vague enough to keep Hai and Jonathan on their toes, but Jonathan’s response implies he knows what’s up as well.
“I feel like tonight’s vote is about making an even playing field. Trying to have everyone feel comfortable that they have a fair shot to get to the end,” she says.
“What she said is somebody is too powerful in some way, and she wants to even the playing field. So I’m wrapping my head around what that means right now,” says Jonathan.
In comes Hai, who still thinks he’s running the game. And his response is clearly meant to make Jonathan (the “target”) feel safe after Lindsay’s remarks.
“That’s a great ambiguous answer. It also depends on your perspective with whatever facet that they’re the strongest in,” he says. “It depends on what you value and want in an ally and what you’re scared of in an adversary. There are eight perspectives here.”
Oh, Hai. If only you realized she was talking about you. Hai becomes the fourth member of the jury, with him and Romeo being the only ones casting votes for Jonathan. It’s a complete blindside that surprisingly delights Hai. And hopefully this will light a fire under Romeo’s butt and make him realize he was left out of a majority blindside vote.
“Well played, gang!” Hai says as he grabs his torch. “Oh my God, that was amazing. That’s how I wanted to go out. Brilliant, brilliant, brilliant. Love you guys.”
No harm, no foul, I guess.
Survivor, Wednesdays, 8/7c, CBS