Survivor: South Pacific "Free Agent" (Episode 6)

Episode 6: "Free Agent"
Original Airdate: October 19th, 2011
American Ratings: 11.24 million viewers

Ozzy is livid as the tribe returns from tribal council. He's furious that the others betrayed the alliance.

I'm now what's called a free agent. I'm now playing for myself.

Ozzy's social and strategic game has often been found lacking in the past, and in his anger he commits another major faux pas by revealing to the others that he has the hidden immunity idol. He reminds them not to forget about Redemption Island, where an athlete like him could potentially dominate.

Though it may not have been a bright idea to unveil all this, you gotta love a cocky Ozzy. The pseudo-hippie guru Ozzy was getting kind of boring.

Day 15

On the Savaii beach, Ozzy still can't believe that the others went behind his back and voted out Elyse. By doing so, they shattered tribe unity.

Jim feels that Ozzy should apologize for the previous night's outburst. He thinks that Ozzy made the worst move by revealing that he has found the idol.

Seriously, he's behaving like a stupid bitch.

Back at the Upolu camp, Coach, now believing that's he's in the driver seat because of the hidden immunity idol, is ecstatic. God knows that Coach has never been the sharpest tool in the shed in past Survivor seasons, but this time around he is smart enough to understand that Brandon could betray him down the line.


Unaware that the hidden immunity idol has already been found, Brandon finds the clue to help locate it. Loyal to his alliance, he immediately reveals the content of the clue to Coach.

Is withholding information lying? It's a gray area.

Excited, Brandon can't stop searching for the idol. Albert warns Coach against telling Brandon that they already have the hidden immunity idol. Albert feels that Brandon might go crazy after being left in the dark.

Keith, Ozzy, Rick, and Sophie will witness the Redemption Island duel. It's a Survivor shuffle board challenge, in which one must knock off your opponent's four pucks out of the game to win. Christine wins her fourth duel in a row.

Is it me, or are the Redemption Island duels a joke??? I mean, if the production wanted to make this such an interesting and important twist, the duelists should have to suffer and give it everything they've got to earn a chance to get back into the game. Survivor used to be about suffering and giving it everything you had. Reaching what you thought were your limits, only to find the strength to persevere and go further, physically and mentally, than you ever thought possible. Castaways never had to work so little for the chance to remain in the game after being voted out at tribal council. . .

Coming back from the duel, Rick and Sophie can't believe how bitter Christine has become. They are acutely aware that she'd flip if she ever returns from Redemption Island.

With no other alternative, Edna continues to try to endear herself to Coach. He claims that voting out Edna before Mikayla would be crazy.

After giving this much thought, Ozzy realizes that he made a mistake following tribal council the night before. He tells Keith that he's willing to look past what took place. He apologizes to the rest of the tribe for flying off the handle. Jim wants Ozzy on his tribe for a while. Ozzy helps him win challenges. And come the merge, Ozzy will be a much bigger target than Jim.

Day 16

For the immunity challenge, both tribes much assemble a wheelbarrow and then manoeuver it through a maze to collect coconuts. They must then use a giant slingshot to shoot coconuts at targets. First tribe to hit all their targets wins immunity. The reward is a picnic and an afternoon at the sliding rocks, a natural waterslide. Edna will sit out the challenge for Upolu.

Dawn and Ozzy have a hard time manoeuvering their wheelbarrow through the obstacle course, and Upolu takes an early lead. Brandon and Rick are getting the job done quickly. Mikayla drives Coach crazy by shooting the slingshot one-handed. Meanwhile, Jim, Keith, and Whitney make a huge comeback to win the challenge.

Coach is furious. He says that it's Mikayla's fault that they lost the immunity challenge. And for that, she should be eliminated.

The Savaii tribe uses the meal to bond once again. The reward brings them back together. Even the whimp Cochran slides down the rocks.

I'm a sparkling water person.

Albert tells Mikayla that he'll go to war for her, for Coach appears set on getting rid of her. She is at a loss as to why they would keep Edna instead of her. Albert works on Rick and Sophie. He claims they'll be in trouble if they lose the next challenge, so they need to keep the tribe strong by keeping Mikayla around. He feels that Edna is smart enough to know that she's the sixth member of the alliance. Come the merge, she could be dangerous. Though Brandon feels more comfortable around Mikayla, he claims that he must keep his word and not betray Coach and his alliance.

Albert and Sophie approach Coach to try to reason with him. Albert maintains that Edna is the weakest player in the tribe and she must go. Yet based on her loyalty, Coach wants to keep Edna around. I have a feeling that this decision could come back and bite Coach in the ass. . . Sensing a potential break-up in the alliance, Coach begins lobbying against Mikayla, and Rick suddenly finds himself as the swing vote.

At tribal council, Coach explains that they didn't compete as a team today and that's why they lost the challenge. Jeff Probst asks Edna about once again being left out of the challenge. He discusses the coming merge with Brandon. At which point, Albert claims that you cannot worry about the loyalty of the people that get you to the merge before you make it to the merge. Brandon blows another fuse and reveals that they have a pact not to vote out Edna. He says that if they start to play the game in a disloyal manner, they can vote him out tonight.

Come on, cowboy. Go for her too.

Edna sees her name come up three times, but Rick sides with Coach and Mikayla racks up the remaining four votes and get sent to Redemption Island.

Voting out their strongest female player may come back to haunt the Upolu tribe. And given her athletic abilities, Mikayla could win a few duels and possibly get the chance to return to the game. And I have a feeling that forgiveness wouldn't be on the agenda. . .