Ticking Time Bomb

Ticking Time Bomb is the thirteenth episode of.

Day 30
After being voted out by the Upolu Five, John Cochran entered Redemption Island to meet up with current inhabitant Ozzy Lusth. Cochran vocalized a realization that his big move at the Merge may not have been as good as he expected it to be, as the Upolu alliance (consisting of Coach Wade, Sophie Clarke, Albert Destrade, Rick Nelson and Brandon Hantz) used him but did not repay the debt by keeping him in the game. Ozzy told Cochran that the way to get back at Upolu would be to cast his Jury vote for him if he got to the end. Cochran was reticent to commit to that, and discussed his big move and Ozzy's attitude in confessionals: "redemption"

- The big move I made at the merge in jumping over to Upolu, in retrospect, may not have been the best move. I absolutely feel like Upolu used me. The fact that they did absolutely nothing to show any gratitude apart from lip service is insulting to me. [...] I'm not ready to commit to that [vote for Ozzy]. And it's kind've insulting that's it's already a forgone conclusion in his mind that I'm going to lose at the Duel.

Although Ozzy told Cochran he had a chance to beat him (and that he would vote for Cochran at the end if he could make it there), he flatly stated in a confessional: "redemption"

- He really doesn't stand a chance.

Day 31
Brandon summoned the tribe together for a morning prayer by the campfire. However, Edna pointedly excused herself from the ritual, as she was "not really part of this tribe." Instead, she found a secluded place where she cried and gave a confessional: "tetuna"

- When Brandon announced that he wanted to pray with the tribe, he made it clear to me yesterday at Tribal I'm not part of the tribe. I'm next to go. You sleep next to these people and they tell you from Day 1 that you're included in the tribe, blah, blah, blahblahblah, and we're gonna preach honesty and integrity. I feel like Cochran has. I feel duped. Coach - El Heffe -how can you be not the leader? And he's the one preaching day in and day out that this is reality; this is real life for these individuals. And to treat me like a second-class citizen? Is that true life?

Edna then confronted Coach about the situation, stating that contrary to his argument, there was no six-person tribe and that the individual game began at five. Coach attempted to deny it, and Edna continued by stating her disbelief that a 19-year-old high school dropout could dictate her destiny in the game.

Simultaneously, Brandon returned to camp bearing Tree Mail: a Sprint phone. The tribe gathered to watch video letters from their loved ones: Katie (Rick's wife), Debbie (Edna's sister), Thurston (Sophie's father), Annie (Albert's mother), Pete (Coach's brother) and Shawn (Brandon's father). Edna and Brandon spoke about the letters in confessionals as the tribe departed for the duel: "tetuna"

- It was very emotional to see my sister because she's a small version of me: an over-achiever. I'm very proud of her. I don't tell her enough. "tetuna"

- To see my father was amazing today. I love him and I can't wait to just see him whether I get to spend time with him or not.

At the Redemption Island Duel, Ozzy and Cochran were welcomed into the Arena by Jeff Probst as Te Tuna looked on. Jeff announced that the Duel would have a twist, but it would be revealed after the challenge. He then outlined the challenge, Puppet Master. Ozzy quickly retrieved his three bags using the grappling hook, while Cochran slowly managed to get the hang of the technique following advice from Albert on the sidelines, and verbal support from the rest of the tribe. Ozzy gained a big lead on the hanging table maze, but Cochran managed to make up a lot of time with an aggressive manipulation of the maze. Ozzy lost his ball at the last hole, but Cochran lost the lead soon after. However, his aggressive comeback saw the two once again on equal footing at the center circle of the maze. As Ozzy made it into the final circle, Cochran attempted to flip his ball into the middle, but it rolled back out, allowing Ozzy to claim victory.

Ozzy congratulated Cochran on his strong effort, and Cochran described coming so close to beating him as "dream fulfillment." Tearfully, Cochran spoke of his passion for the game of Survivor and his transformation over the course of the show. Waving goodbye to Te Tuna, he then exited the Arena.

The attention returned to Ozzy, with the aforementioned twist revealed: Ozzy would choose which of the remaining Te Tuna contestants would get the opportunity to spend an afternoon at Redemption Island with their loved ones. Jeff called in the loved ones one-by-one, with tearful hugs on reception. Sophie asked her father for Reese's peanut buttercups, banana bread and a hamburger at the airport on her return. Edna reassured her sister Debbie's concerns about her well-being. Coach and his brother Pete shared a bear hug, whilst Rick and his wife Katie shared an intimate embrace. Albert's mom Annie told him how great he looked and how much she loved him, while Brandon and his father Shawn shared a silent but emotionally-charged hug.

Ozzy was then told to select one person to grant time with their loved one, and he chose Albert. He was then told to choose one more, and selected Coach. When the given the opportunity to select one final contestant, he granted the reward to Brandon. The three who were not selected returned to camp, whilst the others joined Ozzy for the afternoon at Redemption Island, marking the first time contestants still in the game visited Redemption.

Later in Redemption Island, Ozzy introduced Albert, Brandon and Coach (and their loved ones) to the camp. As the group took pictures with the Sprint phone, Coach discussed the reward and its strategic side in a confessional: "tetuna"

- This is a once-in-a-lifetime experience to be on Survivor. It's a once-in-a-ten-million opportunity to get to the Loved Ones visit. First of all, any type of technology... You could bring out a phone from 1995 and it would maybe look somewhat cool out here. And here's this flat-screen phone. It's crazy! So this couldn't have come at a better time. This is an incredible pick-me-up at this point in the game. But, I mean, I think Ozzy picked me in the hope I would be in his corner. But I've got one better for ya, Ozzy. I'm in your house? I want to talk to you.

Coach then approached Ozzy, and asked him to keep the contents of their dialogue under wraps. He offered him a Final Three deal after Ozzy returns from Redemption Island. Coach gave him his word as a "Christian man" (a phrase he elaborated on in a confessional), and Ozzy eagerly agreed to the offer. "tetuna"

- If you notice in this game, I'll say, "Hey, it would be great to take you to the Final Three." But when I say "as a Christian man" I promise you that this is what I'm going to do. This is an irrevocable promise. I want to take Ozzy to the end. Two noble warriors fighting it out to see who the Sole Survivor is.

Meanwhile, Brandon talked to his father Shawn about his gameplay. Fervently, he declared that the million dollars did not matter to him if it meant that he had to disobey his moral code. Despite his son's urging that he wanted to be "an example for Christ", Shawn attempted to dissuade Brandon from that line of thinking by reminding him that he was on the island to win the game and provide for his family. Shawn elaborated in a confessional (the only confessional during the season to be given by a non-contestant): "redemption"

- I'm seeing Brandon frazzled. I'm seeing him - I don't like what I see. I'm really glad that I came today because if I had to grade Brandon on the way he's playing right now, I'd probably give him about a C. I don't know how he hasn't gotten voted off yet. He's gotta begin to play the game and play it to win it. 'Cause the Hantz way, baby, you got to put yourself into this Final Three and then, y'know, then at the point, that's when it's up to God!

Shawn then approached Coach and his brother Pete, and tried to shore up Coach's commitment to taking Brandon to the end of the game. Although Coach did not appreciate the move, he smiled and nodded to Shawn's terms that Brandon would look to Coach and do exactly what he was told to do. "tetuna"

- Brandon Hantz's dad - a chip off the old block. They're all cut of the same cloth. Brandon's dad comes out here and basically tries to bully me into making sure that his son goes all the way to the end and wins a million dollars. It's all about manipulation and control and the Hantz family are the kingpins. But I'm not going to have anybody browbeat me and handcuff me into a Final Three alliance with Brandon. The kid's a loose cannon. And tck-tck-tck-tck-tck... Brandon's a ticking time bomb and guess what? That tick-tock is not your time bomb. It's your clock. You're about ready to be expired on this island.

Day 32
Jeff called in the Te Tuna tribe for the Immunity Challenge, and recollected the Immunity Necklace from Albert. He then described the challenge, Flip Out. The challenge began with each contestant at the corner of the hexagonal game-board, with the following randomized order: Sophie, Albert, Brandon, Edna, Coach, Rick. Sophie moved first, with turns moving clockwise. Jeff asked Coach if the challenge was a metaphor for the game, in that early moves dictated the result and the Dragon Slayer agreed. Brandon, peculiarly moved directly toward Albert, and when Edna (who was already finding herself being squeeze out by her neighbors) cut off his options, he was nonchalant. Albert was the first out of the challenge as he was forced to move into the center space of the board.

Brandon was the next eliminated and happily headed to the bench where he eagerly explained his strategy to ensure a "particular person" did not win immunity. Edna shortly replied that he "might as well use her name from now on." When Jeff pressed the matter, Edna reiterated Jeff's metaphor by saying that just because she wasn't on the beach with other five on Day 1, she was now being pushed out of the game. Rick was then eliminated, followed by Sophie. Agitated, Edna made her few remaining removes, claiming that the attitudes of her tribemates' were "insulting". Coach, who had gained the largest field on the game-board, won immunity. As the tribe departed, Edna asked Coach to "help a sister out", while Brandon reflected on his position in the game: "tetuna"

- Brandon's so truthful, he sticks his freaking smelly foot in his mouth and gets in trouble. But I'm not gonna let this make me down. If she [Edna] wants to put me as her little bad guy today, I'll be the bad guy. Hopefully, my tribe stays strong and as long as we do, I got more game to play and I'm gonna enjoy that breakfast on Day 39.

Later, as the tribe returned to camp, Edna set to work filtering the tribe's water. Brandon tried to sweep the incident at the challenge under the rug by saying he wasn't trying to make Edna feel bad, but she didn't let him get off easy. She told him that the incident had her close to tears and that even bringing up the topic (regardless of whether or not he explicitly said her name) was unnecessary. Meanwhile, Sophie, Rick and Edna recounted their disappointment in Brandon's behavior in confessionals: "tetuna"

- Every day, the people in this tribe surprise me with the things they do and every day, I'm recalculating who I think the Jury's gonna hate and who I think the Jury's gonna love. And Brandon opened his mouth - he was really rude to Edna. There was no reason to tell her "we're all trying to get you out." That's just... I mean, that's just a bullying thing to do.

"tetuna"

- Why d'ya gotta do that, Brandon? And I like Edna. It didn't need to happen. She was clearly gonna not win the game. So why kick her in the guts? Why, y'know? It's like a little dog. Calling a little dog up going "come here, come here, come here" and then whack it in the guts with your foot. Y'know, that's... That's not right.

"tetuna"

- Brandon did verbalize an apology but it's insincere. It's like beating your wife and then apologizing or buying her a diamond necklace! "I bought her a diamond necklace, I apologize, that's it." In his mind, it's like, okay, he apologized, let's move on to the next insult.

"tetuna"

- Brandon, I think, often thinks that his apology absolves all sins and maybe that's true in church. But on Survivor, people are not as forgiving as Jesus Christ is. And Edna's not as forgiving. And the rest of the tribe... It didn't go unnoticed with us.

Later, Edna approached Albert, Coach and Sophie on the beach to plead her case. She emphasised that Brandon's attitudes and behavior (such as lying to his tribe and his numerous emotional outbursts) contradicted the tribe's mantra of honor, integrity and "playing the game like it's real life." The trio silently absorbed Edna's proposal, but Coach revealed his consideration of the plan in a subsequent confessional: "tetuna"

- Edna provocatively put something on the table. Vote out Brandon tonight, keep me, and the four of us will take ownership of this game. Systematically, she just laid it all out for us. I mean, if there is any argument for us to send somebody else home tonight, she put Brandon - she served him up, slow-pitch softball style. A big fat meat-pitch that we can knock out of the park. On a day where we thought Edna was definitely gonna go home, that's not the case anymore.

Edna and Coach then had another discussion on the sand. Edna asked him to put it straight, and Coach replied that he thought Edna was more deserving to stay in the game, but that the rest of the alliance was worried about Brandon winning his way back into the game from Redemption Island. Wanting to explore all her options, Edna then asked if Coach would be willing to play the Hidden Immunity Idol for her, but without hesitation, he refused. When asked what his intentions for the Idol were, he said he didn't expect to ever use it, but using it now would break all trust with the rest of the tribe and he would be the next to go home. He then told Edna to tell Albert and Sophie that "Coach said everything is cool."

As Albert and Sophie reclined on the beach, Edna again broached the subject of voting out Brandon. Albert said he was giving the idea "legitimate thought" but wanted to make sure he was on the right side of the numbers. When he asked her if Coach was 100% in with the plan, Edna confirmed it, saying "I will eat a piece of his  , that's how much of 100% I am that he's in with this." As the tribe then departed for Tribal Council, Albert outlined his thoughts: "tetuna"

- Y'know, Edna... Edna can kinda feel the heat bearing down on her but Edna makes some really good points. Edna said straight-up, "I'm not a threat. I'm not gonna win the game. I'm not gonna be very competitive in challenges. Just save my neck now and I can guarantee you guys a place in the Final Four." And at this stage of the game, on Day 32 of Survivor, anytime you can have a guaranteed place that deep into the game, it's something that's pretty appealing. If I could do that, there's a chance Brandon might have a big surprise tonight.

At Tribal Council, Jeff greeted the contestants and then welcomed in the Jury (Jim Rice, Keith Tollefson, Dawn Meehan, Whitney Duncan and John Cochran). His first question was directed to Edna in response to her perceived status in the tribe based on the events of the immunity challenge, asking her who she targeted as the alternative vote. She pointed directly to Brandon and outlined his inability to live up to the "Upolu mantra," turning to Coach to force him to admit the statutes of "honor, loyalty, integrity." The Jury was incredulous at the statement, and Edna continued by addressing Brandon's lies about Christine Shields Markoski, Stacey Powell and Mikayla Wingle in Upolu's first Tribal Council and his behavior at the Immunity Challenge.

Jeff then asked how Brandon felt about the accusation moments before the vote. He replied nonchalantly that he had nothing bad to say about Edna, and claimed she had misconstrued the details. Jeff interrupted him to point out that he had witnessed the lie at the first Tribal and Brandon's admission of guilt. Brandon replied that everybody knew about that and Jeff pointed out the contradiction. Brandon answered by stating that Edna was taking cheap shots at him, which he didn't mind unless they were attacking his character. He said that he was open with everybody, and would be hurt if he was voted out. When Brandon continued by stating that he had never had "anything negative to say about Edna" despite her "planting seeds in other people's minds." Edna raised a hand to object, and Jeff turned to her, to allow her to point out that she did not fabricate any of the evidence she raised against him.

Turning to Sophie, Jeff asked what it was like to now have to vote out someone who had been a part of the group for the whole 32 days. Sophie answered that it was hard for a group that had been so trustworthy, and that Savaii had been gleefully pointing to this moment for a long time. She then agreed that this was a day when those tight loyalties were ending. When asked to elaborate, Albert pointed out that a lot of people had contributed to the group getting this far, but pointed out that the decisions now were either based on how the game had panned out versus early promises.

The tribe then went to the vote. Rick voted first, followed by Brandon who cast his vote for Edna, but did not give a confessional. Edna returned the favor, stating: "tetuna"

- Brandon, I know you came out here to cleanse your family name. You're not doing a very good job of it. I'm sorry.

Sophie then voted, Albert hesitated and Coach concluded the ritual. Jeff tallied the votes, Coach remained silent when asked if any Hidden Immunity Idols were to be played, and the votes were read. Edna was unanimously voted out, but paused to receive a hug from Coach as she collected her torch (much to the Jury's confusion).

As Edna greeted Ozzy at Redemption Island and asked him what he wanted to know, she gave her Final Words. "redemption"

- I was very disappointed to see Coach write down my name. His constant fear of looking like he's betrayed the tribe has made me feel betrayed by him.

Duel
Challenge: Puppet Master

Each player will toss a grappling hook to retrieve a bag that contains the ball. After the bag is retrieved, they will move immediately on to the table maze, where they must navigate a ball through a labyrinth using handles connected to the table in a puppet-style fashion. Tilting the table, they manipulate the ball through to the center. If the ball falls into a hole, the player must start over. First player to get their ball into the net wins the duel.

Additional Stipulation: The winner of the duel will chose three people to temporarily join him at Redemption Island with their loved ones.

Winner: (shared reward with,  and )

Immunity
Challenge: Flip Out

The Survivors are to keep moving across a giant puzzle board. The contestants will take turns flipping over a puzzle piece and stepping on it. Once a piece is turned over, they can never step back onto it. Once a contestant is out of moves, they are out of the challenge. Last person standing wins immunity.

Winner:

Voting Confessionals
"tetuna"

- Brandon, I know you came out here to cleanse your family name, you're not doing a very good job of it. I'm sorry.

Trivia

 * This is the first time that non-voted out contestants stay at Redemption Island.
 * This is also the first time in Survivor: South Pacific that the current inhabitant of Redemption Island gets to interact with players who are still in the main game.
 * This is the first time that an Upolu member is voted out since Day 16 (during the events of Free Agent), a span of 16 days.
 * Despite John Cochran's exit, the former Savaii tribe is still not considered extinct, for its last remaining member (Ozzy Lusth) still thrives at Redemption Island.
 * This episode's Immunity Challenge, Flip Out has previously been used in, and.
 * Shawn Hantz (Brandon's father) is the only non-contestant to receive a confessional during this season.
 * Edna Ma had the most confessionals in this episode, with five (including her voting confessional and Final Words).

Episode Title

 * The episode title comes from Coach's confessional in which he describes Brandon Hantz.