Who's Really in Control Here?

This is the ninth episode of Survivor: Japan - Civil War

Previously On Survivor...
After tribal council, Kyle confronted Bryce over his vote for Hannah, reasoning that he should stay loyal to the original Ashikaga members due to their disadvantage in votes come the merge. Initially defending his actions, Bryce soon understood Kyle's logic, and the two men agreed that if Kamakura goes back to tribal council before the merge, Patrick would be the next to go.

The next day, the daimyo of each tribe was sent to a designated spot, where Jeff presented them with two crates; one filled with new buffs for a merge tribe, and another filled with new buffs for a second tribe swap. Not knowing which one held which, the daimyos choose the crate on the left, which turned out to be the one filled with merged tribe buffs. Chuck chose to name the merged tribe Kasai, the Japanese word for fire.

The remaining castaways gathered at the Kamakura camp to celebrate the merge. During the celebratory feast, Bryce found a clue to a special hidden immunity idol, which could only be played before the voting process, in a basket of dinner rolls. Dave surprised the majority of his tribemates by revealing that he had run for a government position in California, which instantly invoked Kyle's mistrust due to the latter's disdain for politicians.

The next morning, Bryce went looking for the idol at sunrise and found it. He then pretended that his search has been fruitless and got into Phoebe and Shannon's alliance, although Phoebe was not convinced that he was trustworthy. She told Shannon about her idea of aligning with Dave, Chuck, and whoever had Tokugawa's idol, but Shannon deemed it too risky.

Kyle convinced his old tribemates to stick together. The original Kamakura tribe also formed a voting bloc, which held a slight advantage due to Donna having the right to cast two votes due to her status as the tribe's daimyo. This alliance, however, remained undecided as to whether to get rid of physical threat Bryce or strategic threat Kyle first.

After Chuck and Reyna won individual immunity, the Kamakura alliance agreed to vote out Bryce, fearing that if they didn't, their opportunities to do so in the future would be limited. Emma then approached Landon about the Ashikaga alliance's plans. Landon initially lied about their target being Donna, but then decided to take a bold gamble by informing her that they were targeting Dave, who was seen as a more versatile threat than Donna, as well as a less obvious target. He tasked her with convincing Chuck and Dave to give their idol to Donna.

At tribal council, as insurance in cast Emma hadn't done her job, Landon openly, and dishonestly, announced that the Ashikaga tribe was voting Donna. Spooked, Donna subtly asked Chuck and Dave for their idol, and got it. Before the voting, Bryce shocked everyone by playing his idol, making him immune from the vote and forcing the Kamakura alliance to switch to Plan B: Kyle. After the votes were cast, Donna played the idol. However, as Emma betrayed her alliance, it turned out to be Dave who needed it, as he was blindsided in a 7-6 vote.

Eleven are left. Who will be voted out next?

Challenges
Reward Challenge: The castaways will be divided into two teams. In a series of one-on-one matchups, they will try to keep their balance on a revolving log situated over the ocean. The castaway who outlasts his or her opponent scores a point for his or her team. The first team to three points wins.

Reward: Pizza and beer (Soft drinks for the underage Landon should his team win).

Immunity Challenge: The castaways would have to go through an obstacle course of digging underneath a log, crossing a balance beam, and under a rope crawl. The castaways would then run across a field to where a spinning series of ten mathematical symbols would be displayed. The castaways would have to memorize the sequence of symbols, run back to starting line through the obstacles, and use the symbols in the correct order to solve a math equation. The first castaway to solve the math problem would win.

Kasai
Upon returning to camp, Shannon and Hannah congratulate Landon on his plan's success at tribal council.

Shannon: I can't believe that worked! How'd you convince one of them to flip?

Hannah: Yeah, getting Donna to waste Chuck and Dave's idol was one thing, but that would have meant little if you hadn't secured that one vote we still needed.

Landon: Quite frankly, I don't know how I convinced Emma to flip. I'm kinda surprised that it worked, too.

Hannah: That was amazing, but don't get cocky. We may still be facing a tied vote next time.

Landon: You're right. I'll take care of that, don't worry.

Meanwhile, Donna confronts Patrick and Reyna about the switched vote.

Donna: Did either of you switch your votes to Dave?

Patrick: No, I didn't switch my vote. Getting rid of Kyle was my idea, remember?

Donna: Reyna, was it you?

Reyna: Why would I vote for Dave? I thought he and Chuck had the idol.

Patrick: It must have been Emma.

Donna is quick to seek out Emma.

Donna: Did you switch your vote?

Emma: No. And I have no idea who did.

Donna: It wasn't me, and it couldn't have been Chuck or Dave. Patrick and Reyna said they didn't do it, either. And frankly, I'm more inclined to believe them than you.

Emma: If you get rid of me now, you'll be at a numbers disadvantage, and then you'd probably be the first to go after me.

Donna: We'll see.