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Survivor
Blood Vs. Water
CBS 8p ET Wednesday

Recaps by Chico Alexander & Chris Wolvie, GSNN

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Over a month prior, ten former Survivors brought their Loved Ones to play the game WITH them...only to end up playing AGAINST them. Over time, people were sent to Redemption Island...and from there sent back home (though one was a quitter and should NEVER play again). Now there are four Jury members, four still in the game and three waiting for the final Duel which will put them back IN the game. It's all the drama you'd expect from the final episode of Survivor: Blood vs. Water!

NIGHT 35 - KASAMA: TORN BETWEEN TWO TEAMMATES...NOT FEELING LIKE A FOOL

Another tough vote, another "Galang Strong Alliance" victory. Monica forgives Ciera for the nasty things she implied to her, knowing it was just part of the game. She hopes that her mum Laura will AGAIN win Redemption and return to her side as an ally. Really, she's thinking WHOEVER wins Redemption will be her ally against the GSA. Meanwhile, Tyson confirms to Monica what he told her three nights before: he has the 3I. In fact, Tyson wants to GIVE Monica the 3I because it's wasted on him! Monica is OK with playing as "Tyson's lap dog" for now...because she'll be on BOTH sides (Tyson/Gervase and Ciera/Redeemed) going down the stretch and will pick which one will bring her to the Final Three when the time is right!

NIGHT 35/DAY 36 - REDEMPTION ISLAND: HAY-DONE!

"Hayden," shouts Tina and Laura as the would-be manipulator joins the two moms. Hayden tells about Ciera winning the Immunity Challenge and how the last two Tribal Councils have be chaotic with a capital "K". He tells the girls that he really doesn't want to vote for ANY of the GSA...and that whoever is Redeemed tomorrow should work to bring it down for good somehow. He likes his chances that he's playing against "two grandmas".

So, when the sun comes up, the RI crew gets this Tree-Mail:

Tina knows this is a big day and that, if she comes out of Redemption Island Arena not completely out of energy, she'll know why she lost. Laura knows Ciera's waiting for the "calvary" (aka her mother) to rescue her from the GSA. And Hayden...he's hoping for one more chance to stick it to the GSA!

FINAL REDEMPTION DUEL: A LEG UP

We are live (sorta kinda) at RI Arena where your MC, Uncle Jeff, welcomes Gervase, Ciera, Tyson and Monica to watch this last Duel and see who joins them back at camp! And here come today's Duelists: Season 2 winner Tina "No -Ality About It" Wesson, two-time voted-out player Laura "Third Time's The Charm" Morett and Big Brother 12 winner Hayden "Get Outta My House" Moss!

Uncle Jeff explains the Duel (a Final Duel, appropriately enough, from the original Redemption Island): each Duelist will put a foot on a seesaw while a ceramic vase will be placed on the other end. Vase drops on the rocks below, you're out. Last one standing gets Redemption; they return with the rest of Kasama and will compete in Immunity Challenges until voted out again or the Final Three. The other two will become Jurors #5 and #6 who will decide who gets the million bucks in four nights' time.

The feet go on, the braces on the seesaws drop...and the Duel for Redemption is on!

One thing about the seesaws: they rotate. So the Duelists not only have to keep constant pressure on their end but they must remain steady; one lateral jerk will send that vase - and their chances for the million - crashing down. Laura - who had WON fove of the six Duels she's been in - is QUITE shaky, the seesaw swaying back and forth. But she gets it together...and we settle in.

It's another hot day in the Philippines (125F), but there is a breeze blowing so the 15 minutes so far spent doesn't seem like an hour. Tina's fine. Hayden's fine. Laura...not so much. She tries to reposition her planted foot...but this causes the seesaw foot to shake wickedly. The vase shakes and rattles...but, somehow, it doesn't roll off the seesaw as Laura settles down. Ciera breaths a HEAVY sigh of relief. Hayden tries to wipe sweat out of his eye with his thumb and rattles HIS seesaw...but HE can't recover! CRASH! Hayden is out of the Duel, out of the game and into the Jury where, like it or not, he HAS to pick a million-dollar winner!

Now, which "grandma" is joining him in said Jury Box? Well, Laura begs Tina to let her have it, but Tina says, "No way, sister!" So...it's up to longevity. Tina remains rock-solid...and Laura still jerks around a little. 30 minutes have elapsed...and both women are still holding on. Tina starts to shake a bit now. Laura is STILL swaying. Who will submit to pain and fatigue?

Tina SHAKEs...but, though the vase tilts, she saves it. Laura hops around more...and the vase DROPS!! TINA WINS REDEMPTION!!!

Hayden, who lasted 35 days (?? days longer than GF Kat), and Laura, who won Redemption once before, are now parts of the Jury. Hayden appreciates his family back home and he's gonna give Kat a BIG kiss when they get home. But, for now, Hayden's been "evicted" from the game. He burns his Buff(TM) and heads for the Jury. Laura has been telling her children to "finish strong"...and she didn't this time. She won all those Duels, but she couldn't win the one that counted. Ciera says it's OK; Laura showed her how to be a better person than she ever thought she'd be. Laura sniffles and says, "How can you walk away saying you lost after that?" She hugs her daughter, tosses HER Buff in the fire and goes to join Hayden.

Oh, wait, there's one more clue to the 3I...and it's Tina's decision who it goes to. And, since she's back in the Tribe, she can choose to give it to HERSELF. And so...she does, stuffing it down her shirt. Tina takes her torch and leads the rest of Kasama back to camp.

AFTERNOON 36: ALL-GIRL OR ALL-GALANG?

As expected, Ciera's heart sank when her mom dropped the vase. Now she knows she's alone. Tina is stoked to be back, but knows that she needs to a) find a 3I or b) talk Monica into joining a "three-mom alliance" to beat the GSA. Tina reads the clue along with Ciera (again, won't show it because the 3I is taken) and starts to look in the same tree Hayden and Ciera searched last time. But...to no avail. Ciera says there's a chance that Tyson already found it.

So, the two go back to camp and, while Tyson's out picking a peck of pesky plantains, they work on Monica. Tina says the Jury is POed at Monica for all she did to them...which upsets Ciera, thinking that this will put Monica MORE entrenched in the GSA. Ciera steps in and says that what the Jury thinks right now doesn't matter as much as if Monica makes a "big move" and turns on the ones holding her chain. After an hour, Monica knows she has some sorting out to do before she decides which side she's on

DAY 37 - IMMUNITY CHALLENGE: A BIT TIPSY

The Final Five enter Challenge Clearing and Ciera gives the Immunity Necklace back to Uncle Jeff. The Challange is simple (AND original) yet complex. The Tribespeople each pull on a rope to level out a table on a hinge and place one wooden block upright on it. Then, still holding the rope, they make their way out to different platforms to grab nine more wooden blocks and place them on said table. If any blocks fall, they must stop and straighten them out before getting the next block. First one to have all ten blocks on the table and stablized gets a one-in-four chance at the million...while the others see which one of them will become Juror #7. The five pull on the ropes and set their first blocks up.

"Survivors, ready...GO!"

Gervase and Tyson get to the first new block...but the rattling knocks their inital block down. They have to put the new blocks back BEFORE resetting. The girls charge ahead with two blocks apiece before the guys can catch-up. With three blocks on each platform and the furtherest a good thirty feet away, a balance between reckless and cautious needs to be set. Monica and Tina clean out their first platforms first, with Ciera in a close third...and Tyson close behind. Gervase...keeps knocking 'em down.

En route to the second platform, Monica spills. En route BACK from said platform, TINA spills...as does Ciera. This opens the door for Tyson, who plants #5...and then #6 before Ciera can get #5. He gets to #7 as everyone starts to get the gist.

Now to the far platform goes Tyson, being very methodical and patient. By the time everyone (except Tina) is ready to GO to the far one, Tyson is back with #8. Gervase and Momica get #8 back just before Tyson gets #9. Uncle Jeff says they have to hope Tyson screws up on the last one...

But it's them who screw up and dump. Tyson stays slow and steady, plants #10, and gets the reverse three-count from Uncle Jeff! TYSON WINS IMMUNITY!! FINAL FOUR!!

He already had Immunity (unless Monica actually took the 3I from him) but, now, he has Double Secret Immunity as Uncle Jeff drapes the jade necklace around his neck (while Tyson kneels like he's becoming Sir Tyson of Kasama Manor). He's happy for it...but he's not relaxing yet; he needs to work out who's going home tonight.

AFTERNOON 37: THREE TRIBEMATES, TWO IMMUNITIES, ONE VICTIM...

So...the GSA stands tall yet again. And the next step is choosing who gets sent home: Ciera or Tina? Gervase says he can beat Tina in the Final Three as Ciera is more sympathetic and made a bigger move. Monica thinks Tina should be out because she wasn't responcible for anyone being in the Jury and, thus, could get a MORE sympathetic vote from them. Tyson says he'll go along with what the other two agree on. Gervase thinks Tina is choosing on emotion instead of logic and strategy. He certain the Jury will not make Tina the first-ever two-time Sole Survivor. But Monica is just tired of being bullied...by Tina, by Gervase, by EVERYONE!

So, while Tina and Ciera ruminate over which one of THEM goes home, Monica comes by with another option: Gervase! After all, if Tyson has the 3I (which Monica KNOWS he does), he won't know who to protect, him or Monica. Tina seems to recognize that Monica is a double agent and that she is the PENULTIMATE "swing vote" now. Monica is loving this: the girls are drooling over getting her on their side and the boys think she's the "lap dog" of the GSA. Tonight, though, she decides what's best for one person: Monica Culpepper!

TRIBAL COUNCIL: "WITH THE FIRST PICK OF THE SURVIVOR DRAFT..."

Beachfront Circle of Doom...Uncle Jeff...the Jury: Aras, Vytas, Caleb, Katie, Hayden and Laura. One of the Final Five will join them in the Box soon enough.

Ciera and Tina admit that they're the anti-GSA alliance (AGSAA? AGA? Whatever.)...but where does Monica sit in this? She feels like a first-round draft pick, with both sides wanting her on their "team" as it were. She says the girls wanted her to help them "take out the villains"...which bugs Gervase a bit. But Ciera says that the men kept telling her that "Monica is an easy vote". Tyson argues that he never said that, saying that she's a loyal alliance member.

"The last 24 hours have been extremely difficult," says Monica. She admits that the politic s of the game have finally "gotten to" her. Tonight will be HER "big move"...and it won't be for the GSA or the anti-GSA...but for HER! Gervase...is suddenly scared...

It is time to vote! Ciera, Tyson, Tina, Gervase and Monica head to write the votes. No RI this time; the loser is out of the game and on the Jury. All we hear if Monica's comment about her vote: "I love playing the game with you. I have so much respect for you...but, tonight, it's about me." Uncle Jeff tallies the votes. He then asks for 3Is, claiming this is the last night it can be played...and, after a commercial break, Tyson reaches into his bag, pulls out the 3I...and hands it to Gervase! Gervase then hands it to Uncle Jeff meaning all votes for him are null and void.

Ut-oh...

Now to said votes:

Gervase (not counted)...

Gervase (not counted)...

Ciera...

...and Ciera!

(As it turns out, Monica voted for Ciera as well; the GSA stays firm!)

Ciera joins her mother as Juror #7. Everyone waves good-bye as her torch is snuffed (and this time LEFT there). Tina, Monica, Tyson and Gervase have made the Final Four...and there will be one last Immunity Challenge tomorrow.

NIGHT 37/DAY 38: SHOCK TREAMENT

Tina was shocked that SHE wasn't the one going to the Jury tonight. Still, she knows her only hope now to make it to the Final Three is to win the Final Immunity Challenge. Monica wasn't QUITE as shocked that Tyson gave Gervase his 3I, knowing that would happen if she wasn't 100% in with them. She thinks SHE must win Immunity or SHE'll be toast.

Stil, as Tina watches the sun rise over the Philippines (unaware that Mother Nature is about to deal them a near-fatal blow [please keep giving help, people]), she can't help but take in the beauty and know, deep down, that she's made it once again to the near-end of the game. She has spent 80 total days in this game of Survivor...but she knows she needs to get the job done to make it 81.

Tina and Monica talk about the sunrise...while Tyson and Gervase look upon them with a mix of grief and anger. Tyson is suddenly nervous; with no 3I anymore to keep him safe, it's "do or die" for him. Gervase says this about the game, "It's about to get interesting, to say the least".

The "walk the path of the fallen" is implied, I'm sure, so we go straight to the...

FINAL IMMUNITY CHALLENGE: RISE TO IT

Challenge Beach Clearing is set up with the slides and a mess of other stuff. Looks like it'll be a Challenge of Challenges again. Uncle Jeff sees them at the top of the slide and takes the Immunity Necklace back from Tyson one last time. The Challenge starts with running an obstacle course collecting bags of puzzle pieces. When two are collected, the Survivors run up to the top of the slide, drop off their pieces and head down the water slide to get the next two. Once all six are collected, the pieces are dumped out and put together into a phrase. Using the clues in the phrase, they then do a combination lock and release a flag. First to raise their flag will get to plead their case to the Jury for why they deserve a million bucks. For the other three, one of them gets to be ON said Jury while the other two join the winner in the Final Three.

"Survivors, ready...GO!!!"

The girls run one way, the boys the other. Monica gets her first bag walking the wooden fence, Gervase across a net, Tyson on step-poles and Tina pulling herself in a cart. Monica then goes through a net tunnel for #2 and Tyson passes her on the way to HIS second. Gervase take the rope bridge to get his second and Tina the fence. Monica and Gervase hit the steps, but Monica is Gandalf to Gervase, as in "You shall not pass!" They both drop their bags and slide down. Tyson is third up the tower while Tina lags behind.

The entire GSA are at the same obstacle group, grabbing their third bags as Tina slides down. As Gervase goes over to the other side, Tyson and Monica grab #4 and race up the steps again, though Monica has a severe lead this time. Gervase is behind, but not as far as Tina, who seems to be running out of energy.

Fifth bags are quick to get as Tina slides down again. The GSA each grab their final bags at about the same time and head for the steps. Tyson is in first, Gervase second and Monica third. The pieces start to get dumped and the puzzles put into place. They have to finish the ENTIRE puzzle before they can work on the lock. The wording in the puzzle are half done for the others by the time Tina WALKS up the steps to start her own.

ALl four work feverishly on their puzzles, both trying to put them together and trying to work out the words. Tina's wondering what "number of peaches" has to do with anything, but she is making serious progress. But it's Tyson who finishes the puzzle first and gets to read the clues:

Tyson's combination lock has signage saying "PIECES, LETTERS, STAIRS", meaning that the numbers need to be in THAT ORDER, not the order in the puzzle. The puzzle has 21 pieces. The runway says, "Blood vs. Water" so that's 12 letters. But what of the steps? Tyson slides down to get that info. As the others keep working on the puzzles, Tyson climbs back up and starts spinning the 8-sided dials on his lock. He puts in "211226", meaning 26 steps to the top. Does it work?!

He pulls the rod from the lock...all the way out! The green flag that says "IMMUNITY" unfurls...and that's EXACTLY what he has!! TYSON WINS THE FINAL IMMUNITY!!!!

No kneeling this time; Tyson humbly accepts the Immunity Necklace one more time from Uncle Jeff. He's in the Final Three and has a gaurenteed chance at the million bucks. Tina, Gervase and Monica...not so much. Tina is sure it's her...unless she can convince Monica to make another "big move".

AFTERNOON 38: AUSSIE, AUSSIE, AUSSIE...OUT, OUT, OUT?

Tyson only made it to Day 27 in Tocatins and Day 15 of Heroes vs. Villains. This is the first time he has a legitimate shot at the title. Gervase is less bummed about losing than he is about Monica blocking him...mostly because they're on the SAME SIDE! Still, Tina DIDN'T win so...that makes things REAL simple: the GSA will vote Tina out and someone NEW will win the seven-digit check.

That doesn't mean Gervase can't be friendly with the one he's about to oust. He talks to Tina about being called a "villain" at last TC...and Monica suspects that he trying to get a Jury vote out of her. So...she does what she HAS to do: suck up to Tina and says maybe she WILL side with her this time. She tells tina that she DIDN'T know about the 3I that Tyson handed to Gervase last night and it pissed her off. Tina puts out the plan: the girls vote Gervase, the boys will prolly vote Tina and the deadlock will turn into a fire-making tie-breaker.

That SOUNDS nice to Monica, having Gervase EARN his spot in the Final Three...but...does she REALLY think she can beat Tina in Jury votes?

TRIBAL COUNCIL: TINA FLAYED

Four Survivors, seven Jurors...one will go to the other after tonight.

Tina knew the pressure was on. Since she couldn't win the Challenge, she had to go to "Plan B": work Monica. Monica says she "checked" Gervase because of all the smack he's been talking. This is, essentially a continuation of the last TC: Monica is looking out for Monica and no one else.

Monica talks about what Tina told her about the fire-making tie-breaker and Tina says it's about who you want in the Final Three with you. Gervase talks about "big moves" and admits that one on the last Tribal vote would play BIG in the minds of the Jury...and it's downright scary..

Once more, it is time to vote! Tyson, Tina, Gervase and Monica scratch down names...and the audience sees none of them. Uncle Jeff heads for the alcove and collects the casket. No call for 3Is this time; most votes heads for the Jury. Jeff reads them:

Tina...

Tina...

Gervase...

...and Monica's vote is...

TINA!

The Galang Strong Alliance could NOT be swayed! The march to being a two-time Sole Survivor and joining Sandra Diaz-Twine in that club is over. Tina is the eighth and final member of the Jury, to whom the power now swings to. As the GSA heads back to camp to mentally work on speeches, Monica whispers happily, "We did it! We did it! We did it!"

DAY 39: THE FINAL COUNTDOWN

Gervase...the most-veteran of the vets having waited 13 years to get back. Tyson...the only three-time player left. Monica...the one who opened her mouth and inserted her foot back at One World. All three have made it further than they even had before. And, now, they awake on their final night in the Luzon Strait. At the Tree-Mail crate is Mimosa makings and another Feast of bread, eggs and bacon. Tyson din't feel confident he could make it until it get down to 5 or 6 Survivors left. Monica is happy to have made and to have "found herself" again. Gervase believes the game has come full-circle as one of the originals has made it to the end...and it wasn't by luck, either!

FINAL TRIBAL COUNCIL

Hello, Beachfront Circle of Doom. Tonight, we see you for the last time. Uncle Jeff is there and brings out the Jury: Aras, Vytas, Caleb, Katie, Hayden, Laura, Ciera and Tina. The FTC works as follows: each of the Final Three gets an opening statement, then each of the Jury gets to ask questions or make statements which will help them decide who is worthy of the title of Sole Survivor and the million dollars. Afterwards, the Jury will vote...and, once we get back to the mainland, a winner will be crowned.

Gervase counts on the fact that he made it this far despite having not played the game in 13 years and that he used both "old school" and "new school" tactics to get it done. Monica still thinks the Jury thinks she was on the leash of Tyson and Gervase, but she has "less blood on (her) hands" than the boys and she voted using her OWN strategy, not someone else's. Tyson knew he'd be the primary target from Day 1...but when he saw Rachel at Redemption Island and saw her leave the game, things changed and he went from just having fun to playing to win.

After digesting comes the cross-examination by the Jury. First, Vytas says he'll stick to his last promise of NOT voting for Tyson, think Gervase just rode the coattails of a great "new school" player and Monica - the only one he thought he had a "friendship" with - turned on him. So...he's gonna watch everyone else and see who gets his vote. Katie asks Tyson is he regretted telling Katie that the Juror seat she currently occupies is now hers when she drew the white rock...and Tyson admits it and apologizes. Caleb asks Gervase about his "big move" and Gervase replies that it was him taking out Aras...and Tyson taking the heat for it. Caleb then asks Monica to be "vulnerable"...and she replies that her whole life has been about being Mrs. Brad Culpepper...except for now, and she's proud of it. Nothing for Tyson; Caleb returns to his seat.

Ciera asks if Tyson sees himself as a "hero" or the "villain" that she made him out to be, and Tyson replies "hero"; he was strategic and nothing he did was personal. Gervase was GOING to vote out Tyson at the right time...but his best odds was to stick with him because, if TYSON left, HE would've been next! Laura is next and says she doesn't know who Monica is and wants her to confess to an "ugliness" about her. Monica says she felt out of place about being a "lapdog" and "boring"...but, though it brought her to her knees, she fought back HARD and survivied! Tina asks for ONE WORD to describe the "core of who you are" from the Final Three. Monica's word is "generous", Gervase's is "honorable" and Tyson's is "fun-loving" (which I guess qualifies).

Hayden comes front-and-center and asks where the 3I was that second time. When Tyson said where it was, all Hayden can say is "Touche. Touche." He says that the perception of Monica is that she's fake. Monica tears up again and wonders if the Jury never met someone who isn't selfish at all. Finally, Aras steps up. He asks them to prove their game-awareness and tell him why he should vote for either of the other two instead of themselves. Gervase says Tyson had many facets in the game. Monica says Tyson for finding both 3Is and won the last two Immunity Challenges when he needed it. And Tyson says Monica, saying she kept her distance and found out more than the guys could for the GSA.

For the last time this season, it is time to vote!!! Aras, Caleb, Laura, Hayden (votes for Tyson and tells him he hopes he marries Rachel and has a great family together), Ciera, Vytas (votes for Monica for "being a strong person"), Katie and Tina write down who they want to win the million dollars. Uncle Jeff collects the casket...and, as usual, says the tally will have to wait until they get back to the U.S. of A. He takes the casket, walks out of the Beachfront Circle of Doom...and, thanks to the miracle of jump-cuts, walks right into...:

DECEMBER 15, CBS TELEVISION CITY, LOS ANGELES, CA 90036

A cleaned-up Tyson, Monica and Gervase awaits, as does a live audience and the eight Jurors who decided the fate a few months before. Uncle Jeff brings the casket onto the stage and, after shutting the crowd up, explains (like we need it) how this works: THIS time, the Final Three WANT to see their name on the parchment. The one with the most votes (or first to five votes) gets the title of Sole Survivor and the million dollars that eluded them once (and, in Tyson's case, twice) before. Here we go...the votes are:

Monica...

"Ty$on"...

Tyson...

"Tyson :)"...

"Tyson!"...

..."TYSON"!!!!!

TYSON APOSTOL IS THE WINNER OF SURVIVOR: BLOOD VS. WATER WITH AN 8-1-0 VOTE!!!!!!!

REUNION

Out come the nine who couldn't make the Jury or the Final Three (yes, INCLUDING that no-good quitter Coulton) and we have a reunion on our hands. I won't hash on it too mush; you know I dislike them ever since Rosie O'Donnell ruined it way back when. Tyson said that Rachel's sacrifice made it all worth it and Jeff was glad to see him break out of his shell from the last two outings. Monica proved her "badassery", even if it took a while to become something besides Brad's beau. Gervase talks about why he didn't take a leadership role...and HAD the plan to ditch Tyson but couldn't find the time. Ciera was the "big-move-maker" of the season and played to win after a while...PLUS she voted out her own MOTHER, Laura M.! They spoke of Coulton's quitting...and he claimed he couldn't pull himself up by his own bootstraps. Caleb says Coulton went into panic mode. Rupert, on the other hip, has been there FOUR times and stayed through it all...even if it meant sacrificing himself so that wife Laura B. could last to the first Redemption.

Oh, and last season's winner Cochran is in the audience. He said he wanted to write instead of being a lawyer...and he did! He's a writer for CBS' new hit sitcom series "The Millers"! Huh...nice. We then see the sibling rivalry between Aras and Vytas. Hayden says that Survivor is physically tougher than Big Brother...and Kat, so worried about the relationship, says they're still in a long-distance relationship and working to close the gap. Oh, and she had breast augmentation. Candice and John talk about how BvW is so different when the Loved Ones are involved. Sadly, it's not all happy and reflective talk: a few weeks ago Tina's son (Katie's brother) Taylor was in a fatal car accident for not buckling-up. Still the cast of BvW are so supportive of them.

So...where's Survivor going for Season 28? They teased with three "B"s beforehand...and it's going to be SURVIVOR: CAGAYAN - BRAWN vs. BRAINS vs. BEAUTY! Hmm...fascinating. See ya then!!

To see this episode in its entirety or to find out how to become a contestant, go to cbs.com/survivor