Season 50, Episode 3: Secrets and Lies and Betrayals (oh my)
Day 7 and time for a tribe swap!
The new tribe breakdowns:
Cila (orange): Cirie, Rizo, Jonathan, Dee, Kamilla, Charlie, Devens
Kalo (teal): Genevieve, Aubry, Coach, Chrissy, Joe, Colby, Tiffany
Vatu (pink): Ozzy, Mike, Angelina, Emily, Q, Stephenie, Christian
(I will not be saying anything about Jeff's rap other than it amused me to think of him having to memorize that.)
The secrets and the lies:
Christian getting Devens to claim to be the one to find the idol. Devens seems happy to oblige, but I don't really get way. I'm not even sure I understand why Christian thinks it's important to not have the "stink" on him. He found the idol, yes, but he doesn't have it his possession. This whole thing really makes no sense to me, but it absolutely IS A HOOT when we see Christian's acting when Devens tells Cirie about it.
An sort of betrayal:
At Kalo, Genevieve is busy getting out Aubry's name. Again, it's weird. What happened with Genevieve and Aubry? Genevieve says she's building relationships and it appears most of the players are cool with hearing her name (even though she's kind of doing what Jenna did that got her voted off--playing really hard and fast in a new dynamic without first getting some reads). Tiffany is the only one who reports the situation back to Aubry and tucks her under her wing, to Aubry's relief. I appreciate Tiffany's move here. Not only because I'm feeling frustrated for Aubry in being an outsider, but because Tiffany is seizing an opportunity. Why someone else's game? She can play her own.
The betrayals:
"Christian, I've made a terrible mistake."--Emily
Emily freaks when Christian whispers to her about the idol he gifted to Aubry. She's not taking this as helpful, but a slam. Why didn't she know before? Can she trust her alliance? So what does she do immediately after the swap? She tells Q and Ozzy about it, betraying her alliance with Christian and Devens. About Christian she says to them, "I can't trust him as far as I can throw him." What, Emily? I'm curious about this reaction. Her immediate response to Christian's attempt to clue her in on info is met with confusion and distrust which leads her to lash out impulsively. I have to think just being on those islands and playing the game primes one for both paranoia and heightened sensitivity to perceived betrayal. But Emily is seasoned (I mean, they all are) and she's a critical thinker, a strategizer. I'm a little baffled by her quick, messy moves. Still, for whatever reason, she's afraid and looking to secure safety, which Ozzy and Q seem to be offering and so she tells him about Aubry's idol, betraying both Christian and Devens.
(Which then gives us the wonderful confessional moment from Q when he says, "When you come to my house, you better bring a dish." God, I love that man.)
Of course she regrets this pretty much right away and confesses to Christian, who--via confessional--we see as rightly perturbed, but ultimately forgiving. There must be a lot of trust here they build previous to this, because Emily showing herself to be unreliable with a secret is a pretty big thing to let slide. In fact, I'm not sure about what Emily's goal is either before this episode or during. She's a confusing player, often seemingly easily moved and swayed. One minute she's gunning for Ozzy, the next she's wanting to work with him and solidify a bond. At the start of the swap, she's excitedly throwing in her hat with Q, but then she's sitting down for "genuine" conversations with Angelina where she tells her about the plan to go after her. What is her strategy? Hard to know. I love Emily Flippen, I do. But I'm just not sure what to make of her behavior so far this season.
A past betrayal wound triggered:
Charlie is still hurting from his season's end when he lost to Kenzie because his number one didn't vote for him. So Rizo telling his new tribe that he didn't vote for his number one at the end (which the audience knows--if they saw season 49--is an obvious lie), makes Rizo enemy number one for him. Charlie recognizes this might not be rational, but he doesn't care.
On the new Kalo, Coach is schooling Chrissy against continuing to talk too much, as he wants to save her from getting voted out. Chrissy doesn't necessarily feel betrayed by Coach, but she does feel hurt and betrayed by the people she was trying to connect with and take care of. And it's hard to see her tears when it feels so unfair for her to have been targeted for her having been too chatty and or being too much of a mom. Let the woman mom. It's nice to see her bonding with the women on her new tribe.
The challenge is one of the oft played blindfold ones with Kamilla, Christian, and Chrissy calling orders about where to go and what to do. Gather rings, bring them back, then put together a puzzle. Christian struggles. Kamilla thrives. Vatu loses and has to go (chicken-less) to tribal. At first, things don't look great for Angelina but Mike gets his way and Q goes home, blindsiding him and Stephenie. It's a weird move. Not only because Q brings strength--which they'll need to win future challenges--but because it's a big move to do early. Mike seems comfortable enough to put himself in a calling the shots position to not only save Angelina, but take out a threat. But Q is an obvious shield. More than that, he's really liked and he's Stephenie's ally. So, your potentially pissing off Stephenie and making her scared, stressing out Ozzy and making him scared (because why would he not believe himself to be next), and losing muscle. Trying to save Angelina is noble and of course she's a number for him, but I'm not sure it will prove worth potential fallout. Shortsighted move, possibly. Is Mike moving too fast? Is he drunk with power? Also, I will miss Q and his amazing confessionals and greek chorus moments.
