Secrets and Lies and an Idol Surprise: Days 22-24 - November 10

Night 21: Like school on Saturday...

As the Xhakum return to camp, Bobby Jon and Jamie have at it... again. Jamie quips to Rafe that Bobby Jon, with no right to judge him at Tribal Council (where everyone is judged), has no class. "I ain't angry; my feelings are hurt." Rafe tells him that he should bite his tongue and not react. Bobby Jon replies that he was addressing Jamie's action during the challenges and maybe he wasn't as clear as he should've been, which breaks what's left of Jamie's heart. "Saying 'no class' is like saying I'm white trash." Judd thinks that Jamie was just letting off some needed steam. The two shake hands and peace reigns over the ranks... for now. Rafe: "If Jamie does not use this as an experience to learn and change from, then I am going to change up this game."

Day 22: The tale of the hidden Idol... Part 2.

If you remember, there was only three original Nakums going into the merge: Gary, Danni, and Bobby Jon. They think that that is the pecking order, which raises the question of that hidden Idol from the last show. At this point, to any three of them... it's like gold. Although for the day, it feels like looking for a particular piece of hay in a haystack (because a needle would be easy to look for). Gary: "I'm going to pull out everything I can to get as far as I can."  BJ: "I need that idol now!"

Well, the search for Guatemalan Idol will have to wait...

R-CHALLENGE: Atlatl (for a meal AND a clue to where the Idol is located)

Now to your semi-educational moment. Because we have to have one of these every episode. The ancient Mayans had a weapon called an "atlatl" to use as a sort of slingshot. Today, the nine Survivors are going to use these suckers to launch arrows at a target in a precursor to the javelin throw. The reward: a feast and a clue to where the hidden Idol is located.

Now here's the rub. What you get to eat is dependent on where you finish in the challenge. Obviously, if you hit the bullseye, you're almost guaranteed steak and lobster. If you're last place, you may be lucky to get a few grains of rice.

Judd set himself up for victory early on. Bobby Jon is next... Not even close. Rafe... puts BJ at third. Cindy now in second with her toss. Lydia is defeated at the start. Danni moved into third with her toss. Gary squeezes between Rafe and Danni. Steph moves her ahead of Gary. Jamie slings it, and he's at #4. BUT! Jamie is willing to forego his meal for the worst possible dish as a show of solidarity to his tribesmates. Jeff... is willing to grant him that wish. "We are one tribe now, and I'm sorry I didn't see that sooner." Rafe notes, "It shows that Jamie learned a lot, and I think it is awesome." Ending order: Judd, Cindy, Danni, Stephenie, Gary, Rafe, Bobby Jon, Lydia, Jamie.

At the lodge, Pepito the dog greets our Survivors as Judd gets a table for himself. And sure enough, he gets surf & turf with dessert and an open bar. Lucky dog. Cindy gets chicken and veggies. Danni gets spaghetti and meatballs. Steph gets the meal for Jamie... burger and a beer. Gary gets a slice of pizza. Rafe gets a ham and cheese sandwich. BJ gets a baked potato. Lydia gets a fish and water. Jamie, meanwhile... gets nuts and boiled camp water.

And of course, this wouldn't be an individual reward without Jeff asking Judd to invite someone to partake with him. Judd picks the two returning survivors, Bobby Jon and Stephenie. No particular reason. Bobby Jon didn't really overdo it out of respect. Meanwhile, Gary says, "Two hours of watching them gorge themselves and get drunk: not my idea of fun."

In all fairness, you DID get the pizza, Gary.

Night 22: Legend of Drunken Doormaster

Here's one for you, is it possible for Bobby Jon and a slightly inebriated Judd to ignite a fire for camp? The two go out and get a tree for firewood... A tree. An entire tree. After failing miserably, they decide to heed Jamie and Gary's advice, and wait until morning. But not before Judd takes a nasty spill.

Day 23: The tale of the hidden Idol... Part 3.

Welcome to snoring and throwing up, the aftermath. Turns out that Judd got pretty sick. And the cameramen have the documented evidence of Judd's festering upchucks to prove it. "It's all a blur to me, man." I wish it was a blur to us.

Still in a drunken haze, Judd decides to share his clue with Stephenie... The clue reads:

Where else could it be? How about the trees? "Basically what it said is, it is not on the ground." The clue said that, Steph! So in an attempt to be fair (but not), Judd reveals to the others that the hidden Idol is somewhere on the ground. "I don't have a problem lying to the other guys at all. That's what the game is all about."

Day 24: Jamie the Paranoid Android

Jamie meets with Rafe, wanting to be sure that he won't turn on him. Rafe assures him that they were cool, BUT... "I'm not sure [past actions] were out of the kindness of his heart…. I don't really think it was, so I don't trust Jamie." Jamie then goes to Gary with Rafe's assurance, saying that the three of them werer going to get rid of Bobby Jon. Gary agrees with the plan, lest he wants to be dead, but little does Gary know that he is the target today, thanks to Jamie's confusion. "He seems like a loose cannon, and he could ruin our entire plan," Steph says.

Gary doesn't want the six former Yaxhas to turn on him, so he had better vote alongside them.

And above all this... TREEMAIL!

The message reveals that the Immunity Challenge will involve balancing on a beam maybe, so that gets Gary and Danni to practicing. Jamie thinks that the Yaxhas could align with Gary and Danni to leave him out of the loops. Then again, Jamie has a long history of overthinking.

I-CHALLENGE: A Bridge Too Far

The challenge is done in three parts. 1) a balance beam walk across two paddles to grab two planks. First four move on. 2) Two planks will be used to make their way across balance ropes. First two move on. 3) Last two survivors must walk across a balance rope. Last one standing is immune at Tribal tonight.

First phase goes to Stephenie, Gary, Jamie, and Rafe. Two of the three Pag... Nakums remain. Jamie and Rafe knock said two out to move to the final. Finally, Jamie makes it across the rope to win Immunity. So at least we won't hear anything about how he's so paranoid anymore.

Day 24: Pre-Tribal... The tale of the hidden Idol... Part 4.

Well, that's one petard hoisted, as Steph's plan to get rid of Jamie was put in jeopardy. Steph, Rafe, Judd, and Jamie thus formally agree that Gary is the target tonight, however Steph worries that things are getting too easy. "Gary is a huge physical threat, so unfortunately he just needs to go."

Meanwhile, the old Yaxhas are pretty sure that one of them is going home. Gary said, "I don't like going to Tribal Council, and I really don't want to go tonight, because it could be me." Gary asks Steph if the plan is to get rid of him tonight. She says that she would tell him if it were. He wants her to look her in the eye. Gary says that it's not enough, and that he's got to find that Idol.

Meanwhile, BJ, Jamie, and Judd warn each other of Steph's "million-dollar grin." In turn, they reassured Bobby Jon that he was not the one being voted out.

Then Gary renews his efforts of looking for the hidden Idol... seeing Judd looking for the same thing. But while Gary is looking on the ground, Judd, the one with the clue, starts looking through the trees. "If it is on the ground, I wonder why he is looking in the trees." When Stephanie and Rafe realize that Gary was on another search for the idol moments before Tribal Council, Stephanie exclaimed, "That would be amazing if he found it."

Night 24: Tribal...

Danni wonders whom she can trust in a game about numbers. Rafe says that there is a lot of paranoia around camp, thinking that everyone needs to maintain their focus. Gary says that there is no rule against lying. Duh. But he hasn't. Look... you're lying right now. Judd says that he hasn't lied either. Cindy knows better, though, saying that she will be sure that in the end, everyone will have lied to someone. 

Then comes the million-dollar question... Does anyone here have the idol? Gary pulls the idol out and, like that, he too is immune from tonight's vote. Time to do just that...

Jamie: BOBBY JON - "Wow... Sorry."

Bobby Jon: STEPH - "You've got control of the game. I don't know how long it'll last, but better now than ever."

Steph: BOBBY JON - "I'm glad that you made the jury, if you're the one that goes tonight. I could be wrong if it's not you. Congrats."

The other votes:

Danni: STEPH
Gary: CINDY
Lydia: BOBBY JON
Judd: BOBBY JON
Rafe: BOBBY JON
Cindy: BOBBY JON

That's seven to two to one, and Bobby Jon, THE TRIBE HAS SPOKEN. It becomes clear that the game will center around lying. This time, though, you're lying to the jury.