Coming off of a high of a big win, a chipped alliance, and about four or five fingers worth of coffee, Rory is hard at work. And for once, he's not the only one, as Scout is also working hard while the other ladies go about their business. If, by business, you mean laying around on their lazy bums.

Rory thinks that Leann, Ami, and Eliza are dead weight as they wake up to the smell of coffee and the prospect of basking in whatever power that is left. Rory, being the gentleman, offers up breakfast on a pot: plantains and coffee. Any thank yous? Nope. Just more complaints: the plantain's too watery, the coffee's too bland, Rory has a Y-chromosome.

Rory has reached a critical point. Yasur's worthless, Eliza's childish, Ami's suffering from delusions of grandeur, the rest of the tribe is stupid, he's outcast, and bottom line from the last man on earth: "I'm ready to get the hell out of Yasur. I really, really, really want to be around some men!"

Well here's a chance to see some men, as we come up to a reward challenge. First, though, Scout is shocked to see that Twila is still there. She tells Jeff that she had a dream that Twila was kicked out.

R-CHALLENGE: Fire Storm (for a chocolate cake that shook the heavens, chocolate chip cookies, and icy cold milk)

One tribe member races to the ocean, fills a bucket with water and throws it to a tribemate. Repeat twice, and then throw just the water to the final tribesman, who will then fill whatever water is left into a bucket. Repeat the relay until there is enough water to hoist a flame to a wick. Wick lights wok, wok secures victory.

Yasur starts with a commanding lead, thanks to Rory's use of shoes, socks, and buff to wring out all the water. On the other hand, Chad and Chris think about strategy, suggesting that they stay low to the ground to catch the water as it makes its final descent. And therefore, the water bucket makes its final descent... for Lopevi. They get cake and we get... jack nothing.

Next day, while Lopevi eats way too much cake for just five people, Yasur waits until...

Day 20: I-CHALLENGE: Jump, Dive, and Wave

Rory arrives with the Pike of Power... broken. Just as well, as Jeff informs us that we will no longer need it. Then comes the three words: "Drop your buffs." Another switch up? No. Lopevi and Yasur... have the urge to merge. So the two tribes are no more. We now have one tribe of orange, one beach at Lopevi, and one individual Immunity to win. And here's how it goes... Players must swim to a spire on the water, retrieve three flags, one at a time, and then return them to shore. First two in each heat of five to do so moves onto the final. Succeed there, and it's immunity for you.

Heat 1: Sarge, Leann, Eliza, Julie, and Chris. Winners: Sarge and Eliza.

Heat 2: Scout, Twila, Chad, Rory, and Ami. Winners: Rory and Ami.

Final heat: Sarge, Eliza, Rory, and Ami. Sarge with the early lead had Rory right behind him. Both ladies tired, as this became a two-man race. Rory tries to catch up, but it's all for naught. Sarge wins the first indy immunity.

After the Challenge: Eat, drink, and be merry... for tomorrow, we die.

It's the traditional post-merger feast. It's your get to know you over the last piece of chocolate cake party, as Chris gets to know Ami and Leann, while Twila and Scout were reunited (and it feels so good). When the players arrive back at camp there is a feast waiting for them. Chris is glad to forget about the game for once and just have some fun.

From cake we go to coffee again, as Sarge and Rory talk about Bubba's demise and how full of crap he and Rory were treated at Yasur. Rory explains that Ami is the Yasur queen. She is the biggest threat. She has to go first. Sarge agrees... as does Chad, who thinks it would be a good idea to pull the fringe women onf Yasur to the Lopevi male fold. So past aggressions are put aside for a Machiavellian purpose: the enemy of my enemy is my friend.

Rory brings forth the Julie-and-Twila factor, with Chad & Sarge thinking that they're up with them. True or not? Rory doesn't know. And after seeing the two together with Ami, neither does Sarge. But perhaps we're getting ahead of ourselves.

Day 21: The fire people...

Scout coins the tribal name: Alinta, meaning "we are the fire". Wow.. Purdy flag. Eliza misses her girls, as all of the tribesmen paint their flags... and each other.  And from the spring of Alinta comes the fall of unity in pursuit of the game... or something to that effect.

Sarge gets nervous over the prospect that the male-female schism may rematerialize. Scout meanwhile senses the men are uneasy around camp. Twila discusses with Julie and Chad taking Rory out. Chad wants to target Ami, thinking it would be better as swings to do so. "The numbers is where it's at, Twila. It's just math."

On the other side, Ami and Eliza conspire to get rid of one of the guys, and Ami wants all the women at the end. *Paging mad feminist*. "Right now, we're at a very critical point. This is a huge turning point in the game and the first vote is going to be everything."

Chris tries to convince Twila to boot Ami. Twila won't bend, mostly insecurity talking. She talks with Sarge, who says that Ami is dangerous as a puppetmaster for the women. "I want her away from Julie." Sarge tries this gambit on on Twila. Twila agrees that Ami is a threat. "We have a pact, and we're sticking to the pact." Twila agrees to vote whichever way Sarge decides.

Chris thinks it's numbers on his side with the women to be picked off one by one. Ami doesn't think Twila and Julie ever really left the Gurl Power Alliance, but could that pact be in trouble? It's the winner's to lose and the loser's to win, and, according to Twila, someone's going to be pissed.

Night 21: Tribal...

Ami advertises the new tribe as the Alinta. After a day of body paint and lobbying to Jeff (Reality rule #15, never appeal to the host, especially if he's a producer), Leann notes that the merger signifies getting further in the game. "This is where it gets fun and interesting and screwing." Rory struggled to get where he was, and finally he got a second shot at the game. Ami thought she would make it to the final part of the game on good attitude. Twila feels stuck in the middle. It's going to be tough anywho.

Sarge has immunity, and he's not giving it up no way. Everyone else is in the hunt.

Leann: RORY - "You're just the unfortunate victim of the master plan."
Rory: AMY (sic) :/ - "This is the first time I made a completely personal vote. You've made for me the last nine days really horrible. I have little to no respect for you, and like a bad rash, I hope you're gone."

One up. The rest of the votes...

Sarge: AMI
Ami: RORY
Chad: AMI
Chris: AMI
Julie: RORY
Scout: RORY

Mouths are agape at this moment.

Eliza: RORY
Twila: RORY

So a vote along gender lines, with six to Ami's three, Rory, THE WOMEN HAVE SPOKEN. That was unexpected... Well, not really. Seven of the remaining nine will be on the jury, and the other two will fight it out for $1 million.

This is it, brothers... Prepare for war.