Survivor Season 36: Ghost Island Week 4 Recap

This is season 36 of Survivor. This time, twenty players (16 remaining) are competing in Fiji, and, for the first time ever, the show will revolve around a new game-changing element: the mistakes of castaways past, the talismans of which are scattered on a land dubbed Ghost Island.

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Now, first of all, let me say that I am in no way an expert in any kind of way about this show. Actually I am only a few seasons in, but I'm starting to get the hang of it. This blog post is my way of helping me keep all things sorted out. So take it easy on me if I make mistakes.

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Malolo

The Naviti 5: Desiree, Kellyn, Sebastian, Bradley, and Chelsea.

The Outnumbered Malolo: Stephanie, Jenna, and Michael.

First and foremost we learn that the way Michael played his idol for two players at tribal last week was a bluff. Basically everyone was like damn good move bro, but now see him as a serious threat.

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Naviti

The new guys from Malolo: Donathan, my Ghost Island crush Libby, Laurel and James.

Naviti that stayed Naviti: Domenick, Chris, Angela, and Wendell.

This is tribe is still split down the middle. Donathan shared his story to Laurel. Chris saw he was upset and saw a chance to talk and connect with him.

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Reward Challenge/Ghost Island

This was a challenge where the whole team had to leap over three obstacles, and then uncover a lever covered by large sandbags. Malolo got to the lever first which dropped 60 sandbags. These had to be all collected in a basket. Naviti was the first to get them all collected so they could start throwing them at a target that spun downward with each hit. Chris popped all three flags for Naviti before Sebastian could even hit one of the targets.

Naviti won the coffee and pastries, and decided on rocks for Ghost Island. Stephanie pulled the white rock.

Ghost Island - Stephanie pulls the "Nope. Not Today" from the urn and get to spend the night alone on the island with no reward.

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Immunity Challenge

This one involved many parts as usual. To start off, three people had to run across a floating bridge and retrieve a bag. They carried with them a body board hooked to a rope. They would then dive into the water and be "reeled in" by the rest of the team. Wendell got out to a big lead over Chelsea for Naviti, but Libby (sigh) lost and then regained the lead from Desiree (who basically did a submarine all the way back to shore). Wendell and Chelsea went again with the same result as the first time.

Naviti got to open their bags to pull out sets of numbers, as Chelsea fell off her board and slowed Malolo even further. Naviti unlocked the key with the combination, which let them unlock the slide puzzle first, but Malolo was right behind. Everyone knew immediately that it spelled out "Ghost Island", it would just be a matter of who could the the pieces in place first. Naviti did.

Malolo goes to tribal again.

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Tribal Council

Here we go with the Naviti 5 again. Who would they target among Michael, Jenna, or Stephanie? Everyone scrambled to make an alliance. Michael said he would vote against Malolo if it would save him. He also offered his strength in challenges to Bradley in an effort to stop them from losing and going to tribal. Jenna is seen as the weaker player, but started flirting with Sea Bass (and he knew it). No one was sure what Stephanie got on Ghost Island, even after Desiree went through her bag.

At tribal, Stephanie never said what happened on the island and left it out there as a bluff. Michael pointed out that the Naviti 5 has already won, but what about going forward? They might be at a disadvantage after the merge if they voted out all the strong players. Jenna expressed that she was still trying to learn and grow inside the game.

Desiree got one vote, but after that something was up because even the Malolo voted for Stephanie who got the remaining seven votes to be sent home.

So that leaves us with (total tribal votes received in parentheses):

Malolo: Michael, Jenna, Kellyn, Chelsea, Desiree (1), Bradley (4), Sebastian.

Naviti: James, Laurel, Wendell, Chris, **Domenick*, Angela (3), Libby (1) and Donathan (1).

Voted out (in order): Gonzalez, Jacob, Morgan, Brendan, Stephanie

*Has a Hidden Immunity Idol. Domenick found his idol in Week 1. Michael found one in Week 2 and played it in Week 3.

**Has a Secret Advantage. Jacob willed it from Ghost Island to Morgan in Week 1. Morgan was voted out in Week 2, and willed it to Domenick.

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