If Hating Him Was an Olympic Sport, I'd Have the Gold Medal

This is the 9th episode of Survivor: Upolu!

Disclaimer: This episode contains scenes that some may find disturbing and/or offensive.

Challenges
Reward Challenge: Signal Fire The castaways must use slingshots to break three plates hanging from a mast in order from bottom to top, transporting a fire to the crow's nest. If a player smashes a plate out of order, they can't light their crow's nest, and are eliminated. Run in three heats of three, the winners move on to the final round, where the same thing happens.

Reward: Helicopter ride to a remote location followed by a feast of pastries, including pies, sausage rolls, danishes, cinnamon rolls. etc. complete with beer, wine and soda Winner: TBD

Immunity Challenge: Gang Hang  The castaways will hang from a bar for as long as they can. After twenty minutes, they will be allowed to use only their legs to hold them up. Once they drop from the bar, they are out of the challenge. Last person left hanging wins immunity. Winner: TBD

Night 21
(After Hans' elimination, the nine remaining castaways returned to camp.)

Vinny: Jeez, what a disaster.

Josephine: (angrily) You can say that again!

Kiki: I'm just so relieved to still be here!

"steve"

- Tonight's Tribal was the most nervous I've ever been in this game. When the votes tied, my heart was in my throat. I was positive Nathaniel or Josephine would flip, but thank God they didn't. But now Hans is gone, so we're down in numbers. This is all Ruben's fault. We deliberately voted Johannes so he'd flip back, and he didn't. I hate that guy so much. He's screwed us all over. I'm at the point where I wanna wrap my hands around his scrawny little neck and pop his head off.

Vinny: It's just bad luck that Hans ended up picking the rock.

"steve"

- (shaking his head) I can't believe it. I thought I'd gotten through to Ruben. I'd opened up to him and let him know he had a friend on this side, and once again he threw it in my face. You know what? Fool me once, shame on you. Fool me twice, shame on me. I'm done trusting that damn kid. I'd take great pleasure in voting him off next.

Josephine: Well we're all screwed now. They're up 5-4 and no way are they breaking apart. It was stupid to vote Johannes in the first place!

Nathaniel: Hey, cheer up. We've still got a fighting chance. Hans may be gone, but that doesn't mean the four of us will follow next.

"steve"

- My alliance may be down 5-4, and I may be in danger of going home, but I'm not going to sit here and pretend to be sad that Hans is gone. The fact is that Hans brought this all on himself by pursuing his own selfish vendetta. If he hadn't voted Rebecca off we wouldn't have gone to rocks. In fact we'd have probably gone into the vote with an 8-2 majority, but no. Now thanks to Hans and Kiki both playing for themselves rather than the team, the other group is up 5-4. If we'd stuck to the plan of voting Sasha tonight instead of the hair-brained idea of voting for Johannes, we could have gotten them to flip back. I don't understand why these guys are acting like they're the victim of some selfish 19 year old brat when this was entirely their doing.

(The camera then changes to Skanda and Johannes as they walk back to the sleeping shack, confused about the vote.)

Johannes: What the hell happened tonight, dude?

Skanda: I don't know, but we're damn lucky we voted with Desiree's group tonight.

Johannes: I know, dude. Like, damn.

"steve"

- I don't know what the hell went on tonight, because we told no one we were voting Desiree but, like, something must have happened, because if I hadn't voted with Apolima, I'd be gone. I guess I'm on the bottom now? I dunno. But, right now, the only people I trust are Skanda, and Desiree's alliance. They kept me alive in this game, man. I kinda owe them.

Desiree: Well, you guys made the right decision. We were enemies once, but we'll rule the game as allies.

(As the group all enter the sleeping shack, the camera zooms in on Desiree, who wears a cunning smile.)

"steve"

- So, my plan didn't go 100% the way I wanted, but it's still worked extremely well. Josephine may not have voted our way, but thanks to some stupid move on the part of Namua, we have a numbers advantage and Johannes and Skanda are now firmly on my side. I need those two for numbers, but I do not trust them one bit. I have a feeling they, Skanda especially, could turn on me at any moment. You know what they say: Keep your friends close, keep your enemies closer. (smiles at the camera)

The camera fades to black from Desiree's confessional.

Steve Tribe
The day opens with everyone awake and doing chores in preparation for breakfast. Everyone in the camp is calm, save for Josephine, who is on fire duty and striking the flint so hard she's close to breaking it. The camera focuses on her furious expression as she tries to start the fire.

"steve"

- To say I'm furious about the vote would be a gross understatement. I can't BELIEVE what happened last night! Ruben, the little brat, turned on us despite the fact Vinny had made it clear to him he wasn't just a number. And now, my closest ally in the game, the person who I've been with since day four, and the one who got my damn game started, is gone! And it's all Ruben's fault! I'm going to give him a piece of my mind today. He deserves to be torn apart.

Seeing his ally's agitated state, Vinny wanders over and crouches beside Josephine.

Vinny: (laying a hand on Josephine's shoulder) Hey, hey. Calm down, okay?

Josephine: (striking the flint angrily) I freaking hate the guy! I'm going to talk to him today and rip him a new one.

Vinny: Well, let me come with you, alright? We don't want you snapping the guy in half.

(Josephine continues her hard striking of the flint.)

Vinny: Okay, stop. Give that to me. You're going to break it if you keep it up.

(Josephine slaps the flint into Vinny's hand and sits back with her arms crossed, glaring in Ruben's general direction as he is shown sweeping the camp. As Vinny works on the fire, he is shown with a concerned expression.)

"steve"

- Seeing Josephine so angry today has me worried. She's got all this animosity towards Ruben which last night's vote only escalated. Now she wants to go talk to him, and while I agree he needs to be talked to, it would be irresponsible for me, both from a gameplay and moral perspective, to allow her to go to Ruben on her own. I wouldn't put it past her to punch his lights out or do some serious damage, and not only would that ruin my alliance, but I couldn't live with the guilt of having known that Josephine was so riled up before doing serious damage to Ruben, no matter how much of a brat the kid is.

A timeskip occurs before the tribe is shown eating breakfast. Particular attention is paid to Skanda as she chews with a slightly angry demeanour while looking in Nathaniel's direction.

"steve"

- I'm not going to lie, I am a little upset with Nathaniel for not telling us how he was voting. I mean, I know we betrayed him too by siding with Apolima, but the fact that he just went along with the Johannes plan bugs me to no end. It makes me wonder if his loyalty really ever was with us or if he's been stringing us along the whole time. If the latter's the case then we have a problem, and that problem will need to be rectified. I think it's time the three of us had a talk in regards to where he sits, because I grew to like Nathaniel when we were at Apolima together, and I don't exactly want to throw that away.

(Having noticed Skanda looking in his direction, Nathaniel shifts uncomfortably and adjusts his shirt collar before attempting to slide away from her view.)

"steve"

- I know that I wronged Johannes and Skanda last night but voting against the former. We did have an alliance and, in my eyes, still do, and I hope they believe that. For me it was just a matter of being outvoted and losing maybe one Jury vote as opposed to four. Skanda's stare has been burning a hole in me all breakfast, so I know she's very angry. I just hope I can explain things without one or both of them flying off the handle and turning the tide against me in a revenge vote. (looks away nervously)

(​Shortly thereafter, as the breakfast dishes are cleared away, Skanda and Johannes approach Nathaniel.)

Johannes: Yo, dude, mind if we go down the beach for a chat?

(Nathaniel obliges, following the pair. Josephine and Vinny then approach Ruben.)

Vinny: Hey, Ruben, why don't we go into the forest for a little talk?

Ruben: Umm... I don't want to.,

Josephine: That wasn't a freaking request. Get up.

Ruben: Ugh. Whatever.

(Ruben rolls his eyes as he gets up after Vinny and Josephine, who lead the way into the forest.)

"strike"

- (groans) Here we go! Called it! They're gonna bitch and moan, and bitch and moan, and play the victims again, just like they do ALL THE TIME! (huffs) These guys need to get real. As if I was gonna vote with them when I have a solid alliance with Desiree, and when it was gonna get me sent home at sixth? Pfft! Do I LOOK like an idiot!? But of course, NONE of this is THEIR fault. It's not like they made it ABUNDANTLY clear that I was the next to go before the tribe swap on Namua or anything, and it's not like they're so obviously in their little gang that I'm the extra number. (rolls eyes) Nooo, it's all MY fault. Ugh. These guys are just being babies, but I'll let them have their tantrums.

(The camera cuts to Johannes, Nathaniel and Skanda as they arrive on the beach.)

Steve Tribe
The day opens with everyone awake and doing chores in preparation for breakfast. Everyone in the camp is calm, save for Josephine, who is on fire duty and striking the flint so hard she's close to breaking it. The camera focuses on her furious expression as she tries to start the fire.

"steve"

- To say I'm furious about the vote would be a gross understatement. I can't BELIEVE what happened last night! Ruben, the little brat, turned on us despite the fact Vinny had made it clear to him he wasn't just a number. And now, my closest ally in the game, the person who I've been with since day four, and the one who got my damn game started, is gone! And it's all Ruben's fault! I'm going to give him a piece of my mind today. He deserves to be torn apart.

Seeing his ally's agitated state, Vinny wanders over and crouches beside Josephine.

Vinny: (laying a hand on Josephine's shoulder) Hey, hey. Calm down, okay?

Josephine: (striking the flint angrily) I freaking hate the guy! I'm going to talk to him today and rip him a new one.

Vinny: Well, let me come with you, alright? We don't want you snapping the guy in half.

(Josephine continues her hard striking of the flint.)

Vinny: Okay, stop. Give that to me. You're going to break it if you keep it up.

(Josephine slaps the flint into Vinny's hand and sits back with her arms crossed, glaring in Ruben's general direction as he is shown sweeping the camp. As Vinny works on the fire, he is shown with a concerned expression.)

"steve"

- Seeing Josephine so angry today has me worried. She's got all this animosity towards Ruben which last night's vote only escalated. Now she wants to go talk to him, and while I agree he needs to be talked to, it would be irresponsible for me, both from a gameplay and moral perspective, to allow her to go to Ruben on her own. I wouldn't put it past her to punch his lights out or do some serious damage, and not only would that ruin my alliance, but I couldn't live with the guilt of having known that Josephine was so riled up before doing serious damage to Ruben, no matter how much of a brat the kid is.

A timeskip occurs before the tribe is shown eating breakfast. Particular attention is paid to Skanda as she chews with a slightly angry demeanour while looking in Nathaniel's direction.

"steve"

- I'm not going to lie, I am a little upset with Nathaniel for not telling us how he was voting. I mean, I know we betrayed him too by siding with Apolima, but the fact that he just went along with the Johannes plan bugs me to no end. It makes me wonder if his loyalty really ever was with us or if he's been stringing us along the whole time. If the latter's the case then we have a problem, and that problem will need to be rectified. I think it's time the three of us had a talk in regards to where he sits, because I grew to like Nathaniel when we were at Apolima together, and I don't exactly want to throw that away.

(Having noticed Skanda looking in his direction, Nathaniel shifts uncomfortably and adjusts his shirt collar before attempting to slide away from her view.)

"steve"

- I know that I wronged Johannes and Skanda last night but voting against the former. We did have an alliance and, in my eyes, still do, and I hope they believe that. For me it was just a matter of being outvoted and losing maybe one Jury vote as opposed to four. Skanda's stare has been burning a hole in me all breakfast, so I know she's very angry. I just hope I can explain things without one or both of them flying off the handle and turning the tide against me in a revenge vote. (looks away nervously)

(​Shortly thereafter, as the breakfast dishes are cleared away, Skanda and Johannes approach Nathaniel.)

Johannes: Yo, dude, mind if we go down the beach for a chat?

(Nathaniel obliges, following the pair. Josephine and Vinny then approach Ruben.)

Vinny: Hey, Ruben, why don't we go into the forest for a little talk?

Ruben: Umm... I don't want to.,

Josephine: That wasn't a freaking request. Get up.

Ruben: Ugh. Whatever.

(Ruben rolls his eyes as he gets up after Vinny and Josephine, who lead the way into the forest.)

"strike"

- (groans) Here we go! Called it! They're gonna bitch and moan, and bitch and moan, and play the victims again, just like they do ALL THE TIME! (huffs) These guys need to get real. As if I was gonna vote with them when I have a solid alliance with Desiree, and when it was gonna get me sent home at sixth? Pfft! Do I LOOK like an idiot!? But of course, NONE of this is THEIR fault. It's not like they made it ABUNDANTLY clear that I was the next to go before the tribe swap on Namua or anything, and it's not like they're so obviously in their little gang that I'm the extra number. (rolls eyes) Nooo, it's all MY fault. Ugh. These guys are just being babies, but I'll let them have their tantrums.

(The camera cuts to Johannes, Nathaniel and Skanda as they arrive on the beach.)

Polls- During Episode
Do you like Hans' Jury outfit? Yes! No!

Author's Notes

 * The episode was originally called We Could Be Headed Straight for Destruction.