Survivor 44 episode 6 recap: Plans, backup plans, and the ensuing chaos

Survivor 44 episode 6 gives new and longstanding fans a glimpse into why this show continues to be magical every week. There are a few “simple” rules to try and follow, but it’s much more difficult to do when castaways find themselves on the beaches of Fiji and they’ve eaten very little after 12 days.

The new era of Survivor has given its players less wiggle room to bond with each other in the 26-day season, along with having to take risks if they want to earn advantages. Although there have been new twists and turns, some things will always have a vital role in the structure of the CBS show. For example, when the players come together on one beach to merge, or in this case, “earn the merge,” it’s important to be careful of what you say and to who.

The ”earn the merge” challenge in Survivor 44 episode 6

After the players were brought together onto one beach, there were a lot of conversations happening – and many of those were between players who had not shared any time together to this point. There’s excitement from meeting new people, but there’s also anxiety from having to acclimate to a new situation after navigating through one tribe for nearly two weeks.

The players were divided into two tribes of six at the immunity challenge, with the winning tribe earning merge buffs while also avoiding any chance of being voted off. Even though every player will attend tribal council, only the six from the losing tribe will be vulnerable. If only it were that simple because that immunity challenge looked devastatingly difficult.

Players had to dig a gigantic ball out of the sand before pushing it through an obstacle course. Not only did this ball weigh a lot, but it had to be pushed over various hurdles. Some of these hurdles were quite high, which made this challenge seem quite dangerous. If a player fell while this ball was trying to be pushed up so high, thinking about the potential risk of injury was unavoidable – or at least it was for my wife and me as we watched.

Fortunately, no such thing happened and the players made it through despite some bumps from the massive ball along the way. In true Survivor fashion, the physical challenge closed out with a puzzle. As the winning tribe put the final pieces together, Carson was a one-person wrecking crew when it came to solving it. His 3D-printed puzzles back home included a replica of one performed in tonight’s episode, which made the final part of this challenge a blowout.

Who won and why are we happy two were on the winning tribe?

If anyone has been paying attention to this season, Frannie and Matt have hit it off since day one – and Survivor 44 episode 6 amplifies their bond once again. The pair have a sincere connection where they enjoy each other’s company, while discussing potential dates after their season of Survivor ends. Their chemistry is rock solid, but both understand how a tight pair can be perceived as a definitive threat in the game.

Despite their apprehensions about being seen together too much or telling others about how close they are, it is clear that these two are happy in each other’s presence. Although I won’t speculate beyond what’s been aired on the show, their bond is worth rooting for. So, it was probably a relief to them (and fans) to see them on the same tribe for the challenge, and the fact they won immunity was icing on the cake.

A close duo can be problematic if others believe it’s time to separate them, but it can also work to their advantage. Being a part of conversations in Survivor is vital to anyone’s gameplay, but having a trusted ally where information can be exchanged and potentially sway votes one way or the other is a huge element of the reality TV show – and Frannie and Matt seem like the tightest pair of the entire group.

Chaos comes in the form of saying the wrong thing

Survivor 44 episode 6 proves one thing: Don’t say the wrong thing to the wrong person. Most of the group wanted to vote out Josh, but they needed a backup plan if he played an idol. For this vote, Kane was the backup. Everything will go smoothly if everyone sticks to the plan and doesn’t say anything to Josh or Kane. Right?

As much as Carson dominated the puzzle, and has shown exceptional skills in adapting to the game and making relationships, he was the last player to pull a straw in this proverbial game of KerPlunk before all the marbles fell to the ground. Carson told Kane he was mentioned as the backup, which led to all you-know-what breaking loose.

Kane went to Brandon. Brandon went to Carson. Everyone started shuffling the primary and backup votes and they seemed flustered about what to do. It seemed like Josh’s fake idol might’ve created enough uncertainty to move the target to Yam Yam, while Josh and Yam Yam even discussed putting their votes on Kane. Amidst all of this chaos, what was real or unreal?

Who went home in Survivor 44 episode 6?

Tribal council showcased the uncertainty of not knowing exactly what was going on. After the first three votes were read, there was one vote for Josh, Yam Yam, and Kane. Things slowly began to shift with each vote, as a large majority ultimately unified to determine who was sent home.

In the case of an idol being played by Josh, there was a second person on the “chopping block,” and that ended up being Yam Yam. Fortunately for him, Josh did not have an idol to use and received most of the votes. Despite the chaotic conclusion, it will be up to the castaways who held control tonight on whether that will continue or if there will be fractures moving forward – and does that mean breaking up tight pairs or removing potential threats in individual immunity challenges?

What did you think about the challenge in Survivor 44 episode 6? Will Carson recover after telling Kane about the plan? Were you happy to see Frannie and Matt safe from the vote? Share your thoughts in the comments below!

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