Reality Check

"Reality Check"
Season	Survivor: The Cursed Idol
Author	IAmNothing712
Episode Number	8/13
Episode Chronology
Previous	"She's Joshing Me!"
Next	"Queer the Pitch"

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

Previously on Survivor

The Cebu and Davao tribes merged into the new Salamat tribe, where the fearsome foursome alliance of Wes, Carly, Brock and Adrianna met for the first time. At the Reward Challenge, the alliance plus Cyrus won the Reward Challenge, where they met their loved ones at the merge feast.

The next day, the alliance initially planned to make a 4-3-3 vote against the two other tribes, but after a suggestion from Adrianna's boyfriend Garrett, Brock hatched a new plan, to make the alliance successful without being detected. First he and Wes gathered the Davao tribe to vote out April, due to her aptitude at puzzles. Carly and Adrianna on the other hand coerced the all-girl Cebu alliance to secretly vote for Cyrus, who has Davaos' Cursed Idol. At Tribal Council. Carly's possession of the Cursed Idol did not matter, but it was Cyrus who fell into the alliance's plan and was blindsided in a 6-5-1 vote. Nine are left who will be voted out tonight?

Challenges

Reward Challenge: Tinikling
The Salamat tribe will be divided into three groups of three. A professional dancer will be visiting camp to teach the survivors how to perform a dance called Tinikling, where the dancers will jump over and in-between two bamboo poles. The same night, the instructor, plus two other judges will judge their routine. The team who gets the best score from the judges wins reward.
Reward: The winners will be immediately flown to Boracay island, the Philippines' premiere summer getaway, where they will enjoy a 5-star hotel check-in. They may take a bath, eat food and do activities a typical beachgoer would do during a hot summer day. They will return in time for the next Immunity Challenge.
Winners: Brock, Adrianna and Belinda

Immunity Challenge: Philippine History
Each castaway will have a mannequin (which looked like the survivors themselves) over a trapdoor with three ropes supporting it. The castaways will be asked a series of questions on people, places and events in Philippine history. When a castaway answers a question correctly, they are entitled to cut through one of the ropes attached to their opponent's trapdoor. Once all three of a castaway's ropes are cut, the trapdoor will open, dropping their mannequin to a fire pit, thus eliminating that player. Last castaway with their dummy intact wins immunity.
Winner: Serena

Story

Night 21

At Salamat camp, while the other five tribemates were sleeping, the fearsome foursome alliance of Brock, Adrianna, Wes and Carly started to congratulate themselves for a job well done in keeping their final four pact a secret without getting caught. Adrianna wondered who might have the Cebu Hidden Immunity Idol.

“	I'm so happy our plan worked. It's like bringing us back to Survivor: Borneo, where the outsiders look like dolts for being unaware of what's going on.	”
–Brock

“	There's no way that the Cebu idol is still hidden at this point.	”
–Adrianna (on Cebu's Immunity Idol)

Day 22

Early morning, Brock checked the Tree Mail if there were any messages for their next challenge. Instead, a boat docked at camp, where a professional folk dancer Eleanor and four assistants arrived at Salamat beach. Eleanor asked the tribe to divide themselves into three. She then introduced them to a popular Philippine folk dance called Tinikling. After three hours instructing the survivors, Eleanor told them to practice, because the next Reward Challenge will be held tonight. The teams are: Adrianna, Belinda and Brock, Alanna, Serena and Curtis, and Carly, April and Wes.

During their rehearsals, Team 1 had donned their routine perfectly, whilst Team 3 bickered due to April's poor coordination, which made her trip from the bamboo poles several times, even spraining their ankle. At the actual performance, Team 1 and 2 shone, while April's injury reflected on their routine. In the end, Adrianna, Belinda and Brock won the challenge, and were sent to Boracay island immediately after the challenge.

When the trio arrived at the hotel, they were welcomed by a buffet feast. After taking a bath, the three winners sprinted to the buffet table, while real folk dancers performing in front of them, showing how Tinikling should be danced. During the feast, Brock enjoyed the dance too much and joined in the fun, while Belinda proposed a deal with Adrianna by telling her she had the second Hidden Immunity Idol, and she would give the idol to her, but only if she agreed to help make an all-girl alliance.

“	Adrianna looks like the smartest person of the tribe, and I want to use her for my schemes. She would take blame, and the credit goes to me.	”
–Belinda

“	Belinda has the second idol, now she is now proposing she would give it to me. Now I have to throw the next Immunity Challenge to get that idol from her and vote her out at the next Tribal.	”
–Adrianna

Back at Salamat camp, Carly was furious of why April did not tell her groupmates of her injury before the actual performance, but April did not want to make them worried.

“	I hate April. She's so selfish, she didn't even disclose her sprain to us! Since I am craving for food these last few days, and she denied me of that, I want her head on a platter.	”
–Carly (on April)

Day 23

At the Salamat camp, Curtis was again feeling uncomfortable, feeling nauseous and dizzy. The Survivor medical team came at camp and gave him medications, but his condition was not severe enough to evacuate him from the game.

“	Being an Alaskan since birth, cold climate is my niche. But twenty-three days in, I still struggle with this hot climate. I may probably have the most in-game medical check-ups in Survivor history.	”
–Curtis (on being sick)

“	I will probably vote Curtis tomorrow not because he is a threat. It's because his health was a total hot mess since he stepped on Philippine shores.	”
–Serena (on Curtis' sickness)

At the hotel, with Belinda still asleep, Adrianna went to Brock and told him that Belinda did have the idol and she wanted to make an alliance with her, with Belinda willing to give up her idol to close the deal. Adrianna proposed to him a plot to seize the idol and eliminate Belinda at the same time. She said she would act like she was going home, prompting Belinda she would give the idol. They would then go to Tribal Council with Adrianna not actually using the idol and ultimately vote her out. Later, while Adrianna was on a bathroom break, an already-awake Belinda approached Brock and told her she had the idol, but she was willing to give it up to potentially remove a big target on her back.

“	Now, having the idol is a concern to me more than an advantage because I just don't know when is that opportune time where I can use it. So as an alternative, I decided to give it up instead. With that, the target goes in a different direction, and hopefully, that direction leads to Adrianna, my biggest threat.	”
–Belinda (on giving up the idol)

Later, the three enjoyed a banana boat ride and a parasailing session. While Brock was hoisted to the parasail, Belinda secretly handed Adrianna the hidden idol.

“	I hope Adrianna thinks she's not in trouble today so she does not play the idol. But it is inevitable to suffer a heavy blow if my plan backfires.	”
–Belinda (on giving the idol to Adrianna)

“	Belinda is in desperate need of a reality check. She successfully kept her idol a secret, now she parades it to everyone? Ridiculous.	”
–Adrianna (after receiving the Hidden Immunity Idol from Belinda)

Day 24

After one last breakfast, Adrianna, Brock and Belinda reunited with the other Salamat tribe members for their next Immunity Challenge, where they were questioned about Philippine history, folklore and general knowledge. After a close competition between Alanna and Serena, Serena won immunity for the second consecutive time.

List of questions (correct answers are in bold letters)

1.) Who is the national hero of the Philippines? (Jose Rizal, Emilio Aguinaldo, Manuel Quezon) -- Everybody but Carly answered correctly Adrianna hit Alanna (first hit) Belinda hit Adrianna (first hit) Brock hit Adrianna (second hit) -- Brock whispered to Adrianna that he was just helping her implement the plan Serena hit Curtis (first hit) Wes hit Serena (first hit) April hit Carly (first hit) Alanna hit Adrianna (Adrianna eliminated) Curtis hit Brock (first hit) 2.) Who was the local chieftain who was said to be the killer of Ferdinand Magellan? (Lakandula, Lapu-Lapu, Sikatuna) -- Only Carly, Wes and Brock answered the question All three hit Belinda's ropes (Belinda eliminated) 3.) Following the previous question, where did the battle between Magellan and Lapu-Lapu took place? (Manila, Cebu, Davao) -- Only Serena answered correctly (chose to hit Curtis; second hit) 4.) 4 July is when the Philippines celebrate their independence day as of today (True or False) -- Serena, Brock and Curtis answered correctly Curtis hit Serena (first hit) Brock hit Alanna (second hit) Serena hit Brock (second hit) 5.) Castaways must estimate the number of islands under Philippines territory, the top five people whose answers are the closest to the exact number will have the opportunity to chop (7,107) -- Top five: Serena (7,106), April (6945), Alanna (6,343), Carly (6,253) and Curtis (6,252) Serena hit Curtis (Curtis eliminated) April hit Carly (second hit) Alanna hit Carly (Carly eliminated) Carly hit April (first hit) Curtis hit April (second hit) 6.) Who is the male person in the Philippine P500 bill? (Ferdinand Marcos, Ninoy Aquino, Jose Rizal) -- Serena and Wes answered correctly Serena hit Brock (Brock eliminated) Wes hit April (April eliminated) 7.) What is the official language of the Philippines? (Pilipino, Tagalog, Filipino) -- only Serena answered correctly (chose to hit Wes; first hit) 8.) How long did the Spanish stayed in the Philippines? (345 years, 333 years, 465 years) -- Alanna and Serena answered correctly Alanna hit Wes (second hit) -- Alanna has one chop left Serena hit Wes (Wes eliminated) -- Serena has two chops left 9.) The remaning population of the endangered Philippine eagle is concentrated where? (Manila, Cebu, Davao) -- Only Alanna answered correctly (chopped Serena's second rope) 10.) This season's tribal Immunity Idol is a what? (Bul-ul, Tiyanak, Aswang) -- neither answered correctly 11.) Manila is the most populous city in the Philippines? (true or false) -- Alanna answered "True," while Serena answered "False" -- Serena wins immunity.

Back at Salamat camp, the alliance of Wes, Carly, Brock and Adrianna updated each other on what happened to both parties over the past two days. Brock revealed that Belinda had Cebu's immunity idol, but she gave it to Adrianna in hopes of blindsiding her. Adrianna proposed that they should add Serena as an unofficial fifth alliance member, stating they can use Serena's Immunity Challenge wins to stroke her ego and catch her off-guard later. With all agreeing to the plan, Adrianna approached Serena and revealed about Belinda having an idol and gave it to her, and the existence of the cross-tribe alliance. Excited to make an upset, Serena agreed.

“	While Adrianna has the idol, I trust her more than Belinda, since we're tribemates from Day 1.	”
–Serena

Meanwhile, Belinda was making her own campaign. She approached everybody (including the still-secret cross-tribe alliance) to vote Adrianna out by telling her she had an idol, but not telling them she was the one who found it. Alanna, April and Curtis nodded to the plan. Belinda also approached Serena, but was unsure of what to do.

“	I hope after this bold move, my biggest threat [Adrianna] goes home tonight.	”
–Belinda

“	Though I know now Adrianna has the idol, Belinda's snaky moves scare me as well. Who should I vote now? The person who finds the idol, but gives it away, but is still manipulative, or the person who has the idol right now?	”
–Serena

At Tribal Council, Serena's Cursed Idol vote was not counted since she had immunity. After the vote, Belinda expected Adrianna to use her idol, in which she did. Jeff pulled out four consecutive votes against Adrianna, with Belinda looking very excited. But to Belinda's horror, four consecutive votes were cast against her. Jeff then pulled the final vote...Belinda.

In the end, with no idol to save her, Belinda was blindsided in a 5-4-0 vote, sending her to the jury with Cyrus. Before leaving, Belinda handed the Cursed Idol to Curtis, saying he was too sick to continue.

Tribal Council

Tribal Council 8: Salamat
Voted Against	Voter
Belinda (5 votes)	Adrianna, Brock, Carly, Serena, & Wes
Adrianna (4 votes)	Alanna, April, Belinda, & Curtis
Serena (has individual immunity)	Cyrus (via Cursed Idol; vote not counted)
CURSED IDOL RECIPIENT: Curtis
VOTED OFF: Belinda Redford

Voting Confessionals

“	Brilliant move, but not brilliant enough.	”
–Adrianna

“	I'm scared of you, seriously.	”
–Alanna

“	Sorry Adrianna, but having an idol hanging around brings uncertainty to my game.	”
–April

“	Sorry Adrianna, I have to do this. Nonetheless, you're a talented girl.	”
–Belinda

“	Belinda. Threat. End of story.	”
–Brock

“	Shake your head, bye Belinda, going home tonight.	”
–Carly

“	Sex on legs must be amputated tonight.	”
–Curtis

“	Belinda, I love you, goodbye.	”
–Serena

“	Great person, but that move will destroy our final four plot.	”
–Wes

Final Words

“	Damn, Adrianna outwitted me. I shouldn't have done that because I was never targeted in the first place. But on the flip side, you gotta make big moves in the game to make it far, and I did that to take the target off of me and transfer it to someone else. As for giving Curtis the Cursed Idol, I gave it to him because he is too sickly to continue on. I hope Adrianna makes it to the end, because I'm gonna vote for her.	”
–Belinda Redford

Next Time on Survivor

• With their cover blown, the cross-tribe alliance makes their next big move, but newcomer Serena makes a power play.

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

Author's Notes

• During her confessional, Carly sings the nursery rhyme Bow Belinda.