Queer the Pitch

"Queer the Pitch"
Season	Survivor: The Cursed Idol
Author	IAmNothing712
Episode Number	9/13
Episode Chronology
Previous	"Reality Check"
Next	"Stuff It in Your Face"

This is the ninth episode of Survivor: The Cursed Idol.

Previously on Survivor

On Day 4, Belinda secretly found the Hidden Immunity Idol. Eighteen days later, she decided it held too much power for her to bear and may put a target on her back. So after winning the Reward Challenge with Adrianna and Brock, she made a bold move by giving her idol to Adrianna, and plotted to oust her with the idol in her back pocket. After Serena won her second straight immunity, Belinda secretly campaigned to vote Adrianna out, but unknown to her, Adrianna was plotting against her as well.

Adrianna pulled Serena aside and made her the unofficial fifth member of their cross-tribe alliance. In the end, Serena sided with Adrianna; and with no idol to save her, Belinda was blindsided. With two immunity idols in her possesson, will these secure Adrianna's spot at the Final Tribal Council? Eight are left, who will be voted out tonight?

Challenges

Reward Challenge Moving House
Divided into two teams of four, tribe members must transport a Nipa hut, with detachable pieces across an 200-yard course with obstacles. First team to rebuild their hut at the designated place wins.
Reward: An overnight spa experience with finger foods to boot. The winners will return in time for the next Immunity Challenge.
Winners: Alanna, Wes, Brock, April

Immunity Challenge: Survivor Smorgasbord
On a spinning wheel are various exotic Filipino delicacies (balut, woodworm, mole crickets, ant caviar, fried frogs, soup number 5 and papaitan). Wherever the wheel stops, the players eat. In a tournament-style competition, players will have to eat the delicacy. Last person standing wins immunity.
Winner: Brock

Story

Night 24

After a hair-raising Tribal Council, where Adrianna essentially stole Belinda's idol before the latter got blindsided, Adrianna approached Serena before going to sleep, asking her to stay in the alliance. Though Serena was happy she was accepted to a strong alliance, she had reservations for it.

“	I never imagined they made this alliance since the tribe switch. But being a latecomer in this alliance makes me nervous. It could be demise, like, how could I be sure they wouldn't vote me out after we get to the [final] five?	”
–Serena

After Serena had fallen asleep, Adrianna went to her alliance to talk about Serena. Adriana proposed to give Belinda's idol to Serena to fully gain her trust, and if Serena was about to do something, she would happy voting her out. While the alliance was yielding the plan, they agreed.

“	I am planning to give the idol to Serena not as a symbol of goodwill, but as a puppet string. If she things go awry because of her, her strings will be cut loose.	”
–Adrianna

“	If things go with what Adrianna have in mind, we're the final four baby!	”
–Wes

“	Adrianna's pulling bold moves all the time, and it scares me. I may have to cut her loose.	”
–Carly

“	Adrianna has to pull it off. If not, Serena might just pull a blindside under her belt, and that would add plus points to her winning resume'.	”
–Brock

Day 25

As day 25 began, the eight remaining members of the Salamat tribe were increasingly bored, but Adrianna found a way to alleviate boredom—an island fashion show! Using whatever piece of clothing they have, the survivors dressed up and walked to their make-believe runway and strutted their stuff. Mimicking a model on ridiculously high heels, April "tripped" on the runway, sending the tribe in stitches.

“	It's nice to take a break from the game for a while. We were just having fun, like friends at home would.	”
–Adrianna

“	Good thing Hallie's gone! She'd kill us for this!	”
–Carly

Day 26

The Salamat tribe met Jeff Probst for their next Reward Challenge. After drawing stones, the teams were:
Team 1: Alanna, Wes, Brock and April
Team 2: Adrianna, Serena, Curtis and Carly

At the challenge, Team 2 was visibly mismatched from the start, with only one (let alone, sick) male teammate, Curtis. While Curtis fell thrice, Adrianna called the shots for her team. Though the challenge still ended a close battle, when Team 1 struggled rebuilding their hut, they still prevailed first, winning themselves a spa reward.

Back at Salamat camp, while Curtis is asleep, Adrianna and Serena contemplated about Curtis health. While Serena proposed to keep Curtis, because pulling himself from the game was still his prerogative, Adrianna felt that voting him out is the right thing to do. Serena then demanded assurance of her position in the game. Given she had won two consecutive Immunity Challenges, plus her transgender story a potentially strong case at the Final Tribal Council, Serena knew she was in a precarious situation if she gets left alone at the final five. Adrianna promised to report any plots against her, and finally her Belinda's Hidden Immunity Idol. Adrianna instructed Serena to not use it for a while, until she gets enough information about any plans of voting her out.

“	I think it is in my best interest to keep Curtis. Because him getting sick gives me more chances to win challenges.	”
–Serena

“	For ethical reasons, I would rather vote Curtis out. He's increasingly sick and tired. He needs to go before something goes terrible here at camp. We can't just call for medics every now and then to keep him healthy. Go to the hospital dude.	”
–Adrianna

“	I know giving Belinda's idol is a dangerous move, but I have to make this risky move. She has to trust me.	”
–Adrianna

“	After Adrianna gave me an idol, it kept me thinking. What should I do? Trust the alliance by having the idol as a mere symbol of trust, or use this as leverage to achieve power? Adrianna fooled me before, and I have to make sure she's not gonna play me again.	”
–Serena

At the spa reward, Brock, Wes, April and Alanna were enjoying their massage, until April talked strategy to Brock. With the cross-tribal alliance finally in the open, April asked Brock where he stood in the alliance. Brock did not reply and acted asleep. When Brock actually fell asleep, April turned her sights to Wes, asking him if there are any cracks in the alliance. Wes safely replied that they were solid since the tribe switch.

“	April's starting to play me. I already have a strong alliance, I don't need her anymore. Oops wrong. I still need her...jury vote.	”
–Brock

After a short dinner, both men called it a night. On the other hand, Alanna and April remained awake and made a cross-tribe alliance of their own. Alanna suggested to bring Curtis and Serena in order to take down the fearsome foursome alliance.

“	If I have to make a move, I have to do it now. I have bested Adrianna before, so I can definitely do that again.	”
–Alanna

Day 27

The reward winners reunited with the tribe for their next Immunity Challenge. Much to Curtis' chagrin, it was a tournament style food challenge based on exotic local dishes.

Round winners are in bold:
First Round
Alanna vs. Adrianna (ant caviar)
Brock vs. Curtis (balut)
Wes vs. Carly (woodworm)
Serena vs. April (soup #5)

Second round
Adrianna vs. Serena (fried frogs)
Brock vs. Serena (papaitan)

Final Round
Serena vs. Brock (wheel will be rotated three times, because they will eat three selected dishes on wheel—Mole cricket, woordworm and fried frogs) -- Brock wins immunity

Back at camp, a terrble storm forced the entire tribe to huddle in the shelter, unable to strategize. Adrianna, who was beside Serena murmured to Serena to vote for Curtis, whose medical condition worries them. When the rain subsided, Brock, Adrianna, Wes and Carly stayed in the shelter, while Serena approached April and Alanna, telling them she had an idol, and she would be willing to join forces with them to overthrow the other alliance. Serena leaked information on the alliance voting for Curtis. After Serena left the conversation, Alanna and April weighed their options, with Alanna stating that this might be the perfect time to oust Serena as well, branding her as a serious threat. April on the other said they need all the help they can get with Serena, and they can just eliminate her in the future. Meanwhile, Adrianna informed her alliance she gave the second idol to Serena, stating it was the only way to keep Serena's trust and their numbers.

“	Adrianna thinks she's running the show. So let's queer the pitch, pun intended.	”
–Serena (on betraying Adrianna)

“	As much as I would want to scold Adrianna right now, it makes sense to give the idol to Serena. With that, she gets the taste of power, but we'll take it from her in one full swoop.	”
–Carly (on Adrianna's move)

At Tribal Council, Serena was on hot water when her threat status was brought up, plus the fact that she does not have immunity this time. Curtis' sickness became controversial once again. When asked about strategies, Serena bragged about her Immunity Idol, to Adrianna's dismay (over at the jury bench, Belinda was not happy either seeing her idol being possessed by someone else). This gesture sparked a cat-fight between Adrianna and Serena, with the latter saying that she is not the former's puppet anymore. The tribe started to vote, but Serena (who was sitting in the middle) made a last-minute whisper to April, Curtis and Alanna (who are yet to vote) to vote for Carly. Catching her red-handed, Adrianna secretly handed the other immunity idol to Carly, whispering to her that she has to play it. Knowing Serena had the idol, they continued their plan of voting Curtis out, but to everyone's surprise, Serena drew the idol and told Jeff she would let Curtis play it, stating that nobody can dictate their standing in the game but the player itself. But, not backing down, Carly stood up and gave the scond idol. Now, aside from Brock, Curtis and Carly were also immune from the vote. It turned out to be a stalemate, with all five of Curtis' votes (including the Cursed Idol vote from Belinda) and four of Carly's votes were nullified. Jeff instructed the players to vote once again, but told them they cannot vote for Curtis nor Carly anymore.

At the revote, the vote appeared to be a blindside, with Serena receiving all seven votes of the tribe, sending her to the jury. Furious of how the vote turned against her favor, she quietly handed the Cursed Idol to Adrianna. The transgendered castaway walked away from Tribal Council in tears. Jeff remarked that the said Tribal Council was a first, and told them when Serena returns as a juror, she will break all hell loose.

Tribal Council

Tribal Council 8: Salamat
First Vote			Revote (Brock, Carly, and Curtis ineligible for elimination)
Voted Against	Voter		Voted Against	Voter
Curtis (Used Hidden Immunity Idol)	Adrianna, Brock, Carly, & Wes (votes not counted)	Belinda (via Cursed Idol; vote not counted)	Serena (7 votes)	Adrianna, Alanna, April, Brock, Carly, Curtis, & Wes
Carly (Used Hidden Immunity Idol)	Alanna, April, Curtis, & Serena (votes not counted)		Adrianna (1 vote)	Serena
CURSED IDOL RECIPIENT: Adrianna
VOTED OFF: Serena Garland

Voting Confessionals (first vote)

“	You're getting tired. No hard feelings. Peace out.	”
–Brock

“	Your spirit still keeps on saying "yes," but your body already said "no" days ago. Get well soon.	”
–Adrianna

“	You kick some ass, for a sick person.	”
–Carly

“	Your body is not in wonderland at this point.	”
–Wes

“	Carly, I love you to death, but your swagger scares me so much it's not even funny.	”
–Serena

“	Your boisterous personality just don't fly with me.	”
–April

“	Loudmouth with substance.	”
–Curtis

“	Hope our plan works.	”
–Alanna

Voting Confessionals (second vote)

“	The puppet is on strike and wants you down. Thanks for the idol.	”
–Serena

“	Sorry Serena, better you than me.	”
–Alanna

“	Boo-hoo story is starting to translate into one million dollars.	”
–Carly

“	Serena, great person, but winning the game is greater.	”
–Curtis

“	Serena, I'm really sorry for doing this. But this game will tear us apart if you stay longer.	”
–Wes

“	You're messing with the wrong bitch.	”
–Adrianna

“	Threat. Period.	”
–Brock

“	This is painful like salt on a wound.	”
–April

Final Words

“	Getting voted out by the other alliance is understandable, but to be voted out with people you're trying to save is killing me. I tried to make a move, but I guess, nobody wants to be associated with me because I was such this threat. Even people whom I tried to help threw me under the bus. On the flip side, being voted out because I'm a threat is a compliment, and i'll take that. As for the tribe, Salamat for the experience.	”
–Serena Garland

Next Time on Survivor

• Three Survivor Auction items may change the game, and Alanna and Adrianna might finally settle their outstanding rivalry.

Author's Notes

• Soup number five is a soup made from a bull's genitals. It was said to be an aphrodisiac.
• Papaitan is a dish of goat innards in bile sauce (which gives a bitter taste or pait in Filipino)
• Yes, balut is also eaten in the Philippines, not only in Palau and China. Pateros, the only municipality in the Metro Manila (Metro Manila is a collective term pertaining the city of Manila and its surrounding cities, including my hometown, Quezon City—the most populous city in the country) area, is best known for its lucrative duck-raising industry.
• The author does not eat exotic food.