Opening Pandora's Box

Opening Pandora's Box is the third episode of.

Day 7
As morning broke over Galang, the tribe gathered around the campfire, discussing Tyson Apostol’s cupcake belt buckle and joking about food temptation (“Who wants to take a lick?”). Colton Cumbie, however, tried to divert the conversation once more to strategy, wanting to plan ahead for who would sit out the upcoming challenges, but was quickly shut down by the rest of Galang. Later, Colton talked with Aras Baskauskas about his place in the game. Aras admitted that Colton was in trouble, but tried to persuade him that it wasn’t over yet as there was still an opportunity for someone else to make themselves a bigger target. Colton begged Aras for a second chance, but Aras said he couldn’t commit to that, leaving him with a simple directive to “enjoy yourself.” "galang"

- These people are nothing like the people I played with in One World. No one wants to talk about strategy. I mean, it’s like they just all want to sit around and hear each others’ life stories! And I’m so frustrated because it’s like I, like, love the strategy component of this game and apparently that’s threatening to people. And I think that’s why they’re scared of me.

"galang"

- Colton is a poison out here and he’s poisoning everyone’s mind. He doesn’t get this game. He thinks this game’s about creating chaos, so he might have dug his grave.

"galang"

- I know that my days in this game are numbered. Y’know, unless you’ve got people who are willing to roll with you, there’s not a lot you can do.

Later that day, the tribes convened at Redemption Island Arena for the second Duel. Galang got their first look at the new Tadhana tribe, with Rachel Foulger voted out at the last Tribal Council. Rachel, Candice Cody and Marissa Peterson then entered the Arena, ready to compete in the challenge. Jeff Probst turned to Tyson and asked him about his reaction seeing his girlfriend voted out. He admitted that it was probably a smart move if the other tribe was trying to lure him into taking her place at Redemption. Rachel agreed with the theory behind her elimination from Tadhana, and revealed that Brad Culpepper was controlling the votes on her former tribe. Jeff asked Tyson if he was going to take Rachel’s place, but Tyson told Rachel it was her decision. She told him that she felt he had a better chance in the game, and supposed that he was in a good place in Galang, choosing to stay at Redemption herself. Tyson then stood up, threatened Tadhana that if he ended up at Redemption, none of them would “have a chance in hell” and addressed “Mr. Football,” (Brad) warning him that "you can be big, but that is the worst thing you can be in this game".

Brad retorted that Galang hadn’t had to make the difficult choices of voting out peoples’ loved ones. Marissa interrupted him, arguing that the votes should have been easy, and that they should voted out the weaker players instead of their two strongest women. Brad tried to brush the comment aside, and Marissa cussed Brad out twice, eliciting a strong reaction from the contestants and prompting her uncle Gervase Peterson to warn her to tone it down.

Out of the blue, Colton broke down in tears. Jeff asked him why he was crying, and he answered that he didn’t want to be in the game anymore. Jeff pointed out that Colton had wanted to come back and rehabilitate his image, but he was doing the exact opposite. Colton responded that he didn’t care about his tribe and that quitting would be the best move for him, which Jeff defined as a purely selfish move. Jeff continued by saying that he believed Colton was quitting for a second time, having feigned appendicitis in One World, but Colton denied it, saying he had been treated for a bacterial infection after his evacuation.

Growing more distraught, Colton rationalized that when he was under pressure, he reverted to the unpleasant person he had been in his first season, but Tyson interjected that he had turned into that person “before his back was against the wall.” Tina Wesson then added Colton knew he had no chance to win the game, and was merely upset because the rest of the tribe didn’t want to play his game. Jeff then asked Colton definitively if he was quitting, and Colton confirmed it.

Jeff turned to Colton’s fiancée Caleb Bankston, who admitted that his heart was “crumbling” knowing that Colton was such a fan of the game. However, Jeff pointed out that watching the game and playing the game were entirely different things, adding that he believed Colton should never have gotten up off of the couch. A tearful Colton crossed the bleachers to embrace Caleb, and told Caleb that the latter had a chance to win whereas he didn’t. An unflappable Caleb responded, “If you need to do this, just do it. You know me, I don’t care.” An incredulous Jeff denied Colton the honor of burning his Buff (“we’ll keep that reserved for people who compete”) and dismissed Colton from the game, making him the second person eliminated from.

Turning back to the Duel, Jeff explained the challenge: ‘’Domino Effect’’. Each contestant would place a series of dominoes along a sloped platform, avoiding trip wires that could cause the platform to move and knock over the dominoes and force them to restart. The first two people to complete their row, and push them over like dominoes to release a ball to smash a tile, would remain in the game at Redemption Island. Additionally, the first place finisher would also be given the opportunity to give a clue to the Hidden Immunity Idol to anybody still left in the game. The last person to finish the challenge would be permanently eliminated from the game.

All three women got off to a solid start as the blaring sun bore down on them. Candice pulled out to an early lead, and pushed down her dominoes, successfully smashing the tile and winning the Duel. She rushed to the bleachers to kiss her husband John Cody. Meanwhile, Marissa and Rachel fought for the last remaining place on Redemption. Marissa made an attempt to push over her dominoes, but it fell short. Rachel then tripped the platform, costing her almost half of her pieces. With moral support from their loved ones, the two women fought the heat, the panic and multiple failed runs and accidents. After 45 minutes, both women were only a few blocks away from completion. Marissa got her dominoes falling first, with Rachel only seconds behind. However, Rachel’s fell short whilst Marissa’s succeeded, earning her the last remaining place at Redemption.

Tyson entered the Arena to farewell Rachel, asking her if she had had fun during her time on the Island. Tearfully, she assured him that she had, and burnt her Buff as she departed the Arena, making her the third person eliminated from. Candice once again chose to give the Hidden Immunity Idol clue to her husband John, and she and Marissa returned to Redemption Island to await their next Duel.

As Galang returned to camp, Tyson assured his tribe that he was holding up well despite the loss of Rachel. Aras assured them that he’d made the right move to not take her place at Redemption. Conversation also passed over Colton’s unexpected quit, with the tribe agreeing that he simply couldn't handle their unwillingness to play by his rules. Monica Culpepper, meanwhile, noted that she was only struck by the abuse hurled at her husband Brad, and in a confessional, Tyson noted the awkwardness of the situation, knowing that Brad had been responsible for Rachel’s elimination. "galang"

- It was hard to see Rachel at Redemption. I knew she was going to be there. It was the only move for them that made sense, really, if they wanted to try and win challenges. So now, I have to get all the way to the end or I would regret not stepping in for Rachel. When she lost, I got to ask her if she had fun. She said she did and for me, that was enough. ‘Cause it is a game, y’know? Too many people take it too serious and it shouldn't be. And it ruins their lives and makes them angry and a good example of that is Colton. Right now, being here with Monica is a little weird. I mean, who wouldn’t be bothered by that? Y’know, I know her husband was the main reason Rachel got voted out. But he doesn’t know how to play the game. All he’s doing is creating a larger target on his back.

Meanwhile, at Tadhana, Brad asked his tribe if he was acting tyrannical, and they assured him that he wasn’t. He expressed frustration towards the Redemption Island twist, since the people they voted out still got a chance to air the “dirty laundry,” but in a confessional, revealed that he still felt secure in his game, despite being targeted by Marissa and Tyson at the Duel. "tadhana"

- At Redemption Island, we walk in and all of a sudden: WHAM! Tyson started blaming me for getting rid of his girl. And then Marissa directed some vulgarities towards me about me being some kingpin-leader over here and I’m, y’know, ruling the roost and making all the decisions. I am, but I’m making everyone else feel that decisions are being made as a group – not by me. So, I’m not worried about me at all.

Later, John snuck out of camp to read the next clue for the Idol: ''The waterfall is refreshing, but not as refreshing as power in this game. Find the “serpent” in the trees and dig for the power to save your flame.'' Deducing that the Idol was buried on the way to the waterfall, John decided to share the clue with Brad, hoping to assuage any suspicions that he was being sneaky. On a water run, he told Brad about the location of the Idol, but when Brad suggested they work together to find it, John said that he was worried that if the two of them went out Idol-hunting together, it could arouse suspicion from the rest of the Five Guys Alliance. John suggested that he continue to look for the Idol on his own, prompting Brad to worry about John’s true allegiances. "tadhana"

- Candice kicked ass again at the Duel which was great for me, ‘cause I got a clue to the Immunity Idol. And, y’know, it’s sort of a double-edged sword because everyone’s gonna assume I have found the Hidden Immunity Idol, so I’m gonna have a target on my back whether I find it or not. Originally, I wasn’t going to tell anybody about the clue, but I like Brad a lot and I didn’t want him to think I was being really shady or be paranoid about our alliance.

"tadhana"

- At this point, I’ve got such a good relationship with John, he actually told me the clue to the Hidden Immunity Idol. And I wanted to help him find it. But John said we probably shouldn’t go together ‘cause it’s gonna seem too obvious. And I’m thinking, hmm... I don’t know what this really means. Does he trust me or not? This is gonna be a litmus test with John and I. Is John with me? Is he my guy? Or is he not? Because if he doesn’t trust me, I don’t know if I can trust him.

Day 8
Monica returned to the Galang camp with Tree Mail about the upcoming challenge, revealing that it was to be a physical fighting challenge. The group discussed who they would like to fight, with Aras saying he would like to challenge his brother Vytas Baskauskas. The feeling was mutual, as on Tadhana, where Brad was doling out pointers on how to go into such a challenge. Vytas hoped to finally best his brother in a challenge. "galang"

- We read Tree Mail and it’s huge because my brother has been a bully in my life, to put it really simply. When I was a kid, my brother never looked out for me. It’s always been ‘Mom’s not looking,’ so if he could get a punch in, he was gonna take it. But this is a chance for us to compete on an even playing field.

"tadhana"

- I can’t say that I was a great older brother to Aras, but the truth is, he’s always been a little more athletic, a little stronger, a little bigger than me. Like, he got Best Body in high school, like, college scholarship to play basketball. Y’know, like he was the golden child, he always wins. Won Survivor, won a million dollars. And I’m like, finally, for once, like, can I win please? This is my chance. I’ve got to beat him at something.

At the Immunity Challenge, Jeff took back the Immunity Idol and then revealed the rules of Sumo Wrestling. One member from each tribe would square off against each other on a floating platform. Using padded bags, they would attempt to knock their opponent off of the platform to score a point. The first tribe to five points would win immunity, as well as a choice of comfort (a tarp, pillows, blankets, mosquito nets, hammock and rope) or fishing gear. To even up the tribes, Monica sat out for Galang.

In the first round, Brad took on Gervase. Gervase made the first move, and held up a fight, but Brad bested him to score the first point for Tadhana. Next, Laura Boneham took on Katie Collins, where Laura bulldozed Katie into the water to even up the score at 1-1. John then challenged Aras and won out in the evenly-matched pairing to give Tadhana a 2-1 lead. Ciera Eastin and Kat Edorsson blew kisses to each other before the challenge, but when Kat knocked Ciera into the water with a single push, she once again evened the score.

Hayden Moss and Tyson shook hands before their bout. Hayden hit hard with his first push, and Tyson immediately jumped into the water, giving Tadhana a 3-2 lead. However, Tyson revealed that he had heard his shoulder pop during the challenge and the Medical Team was called in to examine it. Dr Ramona assessed the injury as a popped shoulder with a potential torn tendon. However, she noted that these injuries did heal quickly and although he couldn’t compete in the challenge, he was okay to stay in the game. "galang"

- When Hayden hit me, I knew that I’d hurt myself. I really couldn’t move it at all and I thought my whole game’s screwed.

In the first loved ones matchup, Katie and Tina squared off, with Tina trying to make her daughter laugh to throw her off. Katie gained an early advantage, getting Tina on the ground, but the mother regained her feet and managed to push Katie in the water to even the scores once again at 3-3.

Brothers Aras and Vytas were next on the mat and Jeff quizzed them about sibling rivalry: Vytas said that Aras had been “afraid of [him] since he was a little kid,” and Aras admitted he felt like he was seven-years-old once again, but wanted to take on the bully. Aras gained an early advantage, with Vytas losing his balance and staying down. However, Vytas stayed firm, preventing his brother from rolling him off into the water. Eventually exhausted, Aras backed up, telling his brother to stand up and offering to start the bout again. However, Vytas took advantage of his brother letting his guard down and attacked Aras unexpectedly. However, Aras fought back and finally bested his older brother to give Galang the lead, 4-3. Jeff asked Aras about how it felt to win, and choking back tears, he explained that it was difficult, because he loved his brother and didn’t enjoy fighting against him, but was proud that he’d won out the battle. Vytas echoed the sentiment.

Once again, mother and daughter squared off, with Ciera taking on Laura Morett. Before the bout, Laura began to tear up, explaining, “That’s my baby. And to hurt your own child intentionally? It’s never fun.” Ciera gave her mother permission to fight hard and the battle began. Evenly matched, the two women locked up in the middle of the platform, though it was Laura who eventually won out to score the fifth and final point for Galang to win them comfort and immunity. The two women hugged in the water, with Laura asking Ciera if she was angry with her. Ciera told her she wasn’t angry and the two parted ways. Galang headed off victorious, but Tadhana had been defeated for the third time in a row, demoralizing them. "tadhana"

- Ciera lost to her mom. I mean, they’re a team of mothers and grandmothers. Very, very frustrating.

Returning to camp, the tribe discussed the challenge, agreeing that they had been clobbered by the other team, with Ciera and Vytas particularly disappointed by being beaten so handily by their loved ones. The Five Guys Alliance met at the well, with John focusing on the poor challenge performance and noting the necessity for getting rid of the weaker women. He targeted Ciera for her lack of contribution in both challenges and at camp. The alliance agreed, but as soon as John left to walk back to camp (and search for the Idol), Brad suggested blindsiding their ally, fearing that he could reconnect with his wife Candice down the road and abandon them. Brad also shared the Idol clues with the rest of the men. "tadhana"

- I knew going into that challenge that if it was going to be me against Aras that the cards were stacked against me. I wanted to go up against him in hopes that maybe something about, y’know, the balance or maybe he wasn’t eating as much as I had been, but not only did he win, but he won even after I gave him a little bit of a cheap shot.

"tadhana"

- Tadhana’s lost three straight Immunity Challenges and it’s just so frustrating. And now it’s like we’ve got these two girls who I like very much but, like, y’know, if we’re wanting to win challenges, we can’t have people, like, giggling and laughing as we’re losing. I mean, it’s completely asinine. We have the Five Guy Alliance, so I’m not that worried about tonight. It’s gonna be Ciera going home, but you have to be careful because this is Survivor, so I have two clues to a Hidden Immunity Idol and if I can just find the thing, I can put myself in a really good position.

"tadhana"

- Coming back from the challenge, my whole perspective changed. That’s when the lightbulb went: Bing! ‘Cause here’s the deal: I’m running our tribe right now, but John’s wife Candice is kicking it at Redemption Island. And let’s say she gets back in the game: if we go to a merge and they’re reconnected, Brad doesn’t control John anymore. Candice controls John. And I’m just kicked to the curb and I’m second fiddle.

"tadhana"

- We were sticking to the Five Guys Alliance and then all of a sudden, Brad, he’s like, “Boom! We’re gonna get rid of John right now! Big move!” And I was kind’ve shocked. It’s been Five Guys since Day One. If we’re voting one out now, it could be like opening Pandora’s Box. I mean, it really could build distrust moving forward.

Back at camp, the men told Ciera and Katie about the plan to blindside John. However, Brad stuck his foot in his mouth when he bluntly told the girls that if John didn’t go, then they would, and overplayed his hand by telling them that he might still vote for Ciera in order to avoid burning his bridges if John ever got back in the game. Brad’s weaseling out of writing John’s name down did not sit well with the rest of the tribe. Later, Ciera expressed her worries about John’s Idol, and in discussion with Hayden, Katie and Vytas, considered turning the vote on Brad. However, the group worried that it could be more dangerous to risk keeping John and potentially give him more opportunity to find the Idol. Tadhana departed for Tribal with only one certainty: that a blindside lay in wait. "tadhana"

- So Brad mentioned that he wants to be the one guy that doesn’t vote for John. And I’m just not down with it. If we’re gonna make a move like this, we gotta suck it up and do it and say we all did it together. But Brad doesn’t want to be the bad guy. He orchestrated it all, but he wants us to do the dirty work which makes Brad a big target in my eyes. Just to see, like, that level of shiestiness.

"tadhana"

- I feel like every Tribal Council so far, I’ve been on the chopping block, so if the boys are willing to vote out Brad, I would definitely do the same. I’ve always said, “Anybody but me.” I don’t care who, y’know, who it is.

"tadhana"

- There’s a lot of stuff going on. Brad thinks John is a threat. But now I’m starting to think Brad’s equally dangerous. So tonight is a huge decision for us and I don’t know what’s gonna happen, but one thing’s for sure: it’s gonna be a big blindside.

At Tribal Council, Jeff began by asking John about Tadhana’s losing streak, with John noting that the male brawn was one of the tribe’s strengths, but noted that everybody on the tribe needed to be capable of winning themselves. Katie was then asked about her second time losing to her mother, and she noted that it was unfortunate particularly because the gender imbalance had forced her and Ciera to have to compete multiple times. Ciera agreed that it had been rough, embarsassing and disappointing to the team.

Caleb was asked about the precedent of sending women home set by the first three votes. He bluntly agreed that Tadhana was dominated by the men. Vytas countered that it wasn’t “quite as rudimentary as men versus women,” pointing to the element of trust as the deciding factor in the votes, and that every word or action contributed to that decision. Brad said that such thinking concerned him, particularly because he had been taking the heat for the votes at Redemption Island, and denied being the leader of the tribe.

Jeff turned to John and asked him about the second Idol clue. He said that Candice was a “student of the game” and would have known that the public nature of his receipt of the clue would make him a target, but evidently trusted that he was in a safe place on his tribe. Vytas noted that while the Idol could help one’s game, the fact that everybody knew about John’s clues was worrying, and concluded that he was glad he wasn’t the one holding the clues. Hayden revealed that John had not shared the clues with him, and said that it worried him a little, but at the end of the day, he had to take John on his word. Brad added that it was important to remember that in the end, this is an individual game.

Katie was then called to vote, with John and Hayden following. Ciera cast her vote for a huge threat. Caleb, Brad and Vytas concluded the proceedings before Jeff tallied the votes.

Nobody elected to play a Hidden Immunity Idol, and Jeff read the votes. The first fell for Ciera, but in a unanimous decision, John became the fifth person voted out of. He took his snuffed torch and left for Redemption Island. As he dismissed the tribe, Jeff observed that they appeared to be making votes based on the future, but in doing so, were also weakening their tribe.

John arrived at Redemption Island dumbfounded and awoke his wife, Candice. She asked him what had happened and he answered that he didn’t know. Trying to look on the bright side, John said that it was good that they were her reunited, but in unison, Candice and Marissa returned, “It’s not good! That’s not good!”"redemption"

- No clue that was coming tonight. I feel like there was so much wool pulled over my eyes that I just bought it hook, line and sinker.

Duel
Challenge: Domino Effect

The three castaways each stack domino style wooden blocks on their separate raised courses. Once all of the blocks are properly stacked on the course, the castaway can then start a chain reaction by releasing a ball which travels down the course to the end and smashes a tile. First castaway to break their tile wins.

Winners (in order of finish): Candice Cody and Marissa Peterson (Candice gave Hidden Immunity Idol clue to John Cody)

Reward/Immunity
Challenge: Sumo at Sea

Tribe members engage one on one sumo-style battles using padded duffel bags to knock their opponents off a platform raised over the sea.

Reward: Comfort items (tarp, pillows, blankets, hammock, mosquito nets and rope) or fishing gear.

Winner: Galang

Voting Confessionals
Ciera's vote is not shown to the camera while she gives her confessional. "tadhana"

- (voting for John) I hope this gets you out of the game 'cause you are a huge threat to me.

Deleted Scenes

 * A deleted scene posted on CBS.com took place on the morning of Day 7 at Redemption Island, where Rachel Foulger expressed relief at not having to feign interest in her tribemates, as she could be more "real" with Candice Cody and Marissa Peterson. She particularly singled out her frustration with Brad, and the three women banded together in a "Redemption Alliance" and began to hatch a plan to expose him as a tyrannical dictator at the Duel, hoping to influence the game and see Brad voted out.
 * Additional deleted scenes and confessionals were posted on CBS.com
 * Tadhana Returns From Tribal Council: After voting out Rachel, Tadhana returned to camp where John Cody was on edge after receiving two votes (from Ciera Eastin and Katie Collins). Ciera discussed John's aversion to talking to her, whilst Brad (noting the shrewdness of the girls' plan to put votes on John in case he'd played an Idol for Rachel) pulled John aside to assuage his concerns and assure him that the Five Guys Alliance was still "impenetrable." John was relieved by this news, but said that the votes against him had been a wake-up call, and he needed to prioritize finding the Idol.
 * It Got Me Riled Up: Gervase Peterson discussed the Duel, saying that he'd felt for Tyson's loss of Rachel, but was secretly glad that Marissa would be able to take her on. He was also relieved that Rachel did not urge Tyson to swap with her as it would have significantly weakened Galang. He also discussed the impact of the Blood vs. Water twist, and the difficulty of dealing with the fall-out of playing with people who genuinely cared for each other. He added that he felt that Marissa had been wronged by Tadhana, and he hoped to win every Immunity Challenge so that she could beat her former tribemates at Redemption Island and exact her justice.
 * Don't Want to Get Too Cocky: After her second victory, Candice Cody was elated, but was cautious about becoming too confident. She was glad to have John's support (and advice) in the challenge. Candice also discussed the clue to the Hidden Immunity Idol and revealed that she had considered giving it to a member of Galang in order to try to curry favor, but as she did not know the dynamics of the tribe, nor whether she would be giving help to a potential ally or an enemy, she had decided to keep the Idol information with John alone.
 * It Puts a Target on His Back: Hayden Moss talked about the target placed on John's back after receiving a second clue to the Hidden Immunity Idol, saying that he'd be surprised if a smart person like Doctor John was incapable of finding the Idol with two clues. However, he pointed out the advantages of having an Idol within the Five Guy Alliance, and revealed that he hoped to keep John and Brad around to act as bigger targets at the merge.
 * Caleb Reacts to Colton Quitting: A deleted scene showed Tadhana's return to camp after the Duel, and the tribe consoling Caleb Bankston after his fiancee's quit. In a confessional, Caleb revealed that he felt "a weight lifted off [his] shoulders" following Colton's departure, as he no longer had to worry about him, saying that the difficulty of the game was not for everyone. Although he knew Colton would "never quit [him]," he acknowledged that the couple's game was entirely in his own hands now.
 * No Negative Effect on the Tribe: Tyson Apostol analysed Colton's quit, saying that no one can hide their true colors forever, and stating that he would not be missed as he contributed nothing to camp or challenges, and was always scrambling "like it's two hours before Tribal Council." He believed camp life would be quieter with Colton gone.
 * I Was Shocked: Marissa Peterson said she was baffled by Colton's decision to quit the game, pointing out that "people would pay to play this game," but even though he got to play for a second time, he still gave up even when his tribe hadn't even lost a challenge. She speculated that he'd expected to be able to use Caleb as a crutch, and said she felt for the members of his tribe as the game was still a team sport until the merge. However, she also noted that his quit was better for her as it meant there was one less person to have to beat.
 * He Showed His True Colors: Brad Culpepper was disgusted with Colton's quit, pointing out that the viciousness of the game hadn't even begun yet. He added that he had been enjoying the "Survivor experience," but that the game was on now, and speculated that perhaps Colton was better off leaving if he didn't have the stomach for it. He conculded, "The true Colton came out today. We saw it, and, y'know, good riddance."
 * It's Hard for Me to Hear: Following a sleepless night after the Duel in which Marissa had cussed out Brad, Monica Culpepper stated that it was difficult to stand by as her husband was verbally abused, and noted that she'd seen "deflation" in Brad's eyes for the first time. Whilst she fantasised about the opportunity to write Marissa's name down as a revenge vote, she understood Marissa's position of being young and physically and mentally exhausted by the elements and the game, and agreed that nobody enjoyed being voted out.
 * Tyson Sees the Doctor: Dr. Ramona from the Survivor Medical Team examined Tyson's shoulder injury that he sustained during the Immunity Challenge. She diagnosed that he'd popped his shoulder out, but may also have torn a tendon at the back of his shoulder, which may cause bleeding and inflammation. Although she noted that under normal circumstances, she would send him to an MRI as tendons do not heal themselves, she told him that he was able to continue in the game if he wanted to. Tyson then gave a confessional in which he revealed that his initial strategy to be dominant in challenges had been blown apart, he hoped that he would become less of a target due to the handicap. He concluded, "If I win a million dollars, then I'll say this was a blessing. Anything less than the million dollars, and, to me, this will be a curse."
 * The Challenge Was Rough: After the Immunity Challenge, Ciera Eastin revealed that she had known the challenge was not going to be her forte; and knew she would not be able to beat her mother Laura (revealing that the two often picked fights at home and wrestled, and Laura always won). Ciera then discussed her troubling challenge record, including losing the challenge for the tribe twice, but believed that her strong social game and maneuvering were keeping her in the game when she could have easily been voted out in Marissa's place.
 * No Mercy: Katie Collins also discussed the Immunity Challenge, and the second round of mothers versus daughters in which Tina and Laura had soundly beaten Ciera and herself. She continued by saying that despite the Blood vs. Water twist, the returning players were showing no mercy to their loved ones: "This is not our game; this is their game. And we're trying to make it our game, but they're not going to let us win - at all."
 * I Was a Nervous Wreck: Aras Baskauskas recounted his battle with his brother Vytas at the Immunity Challenge as a proud moment for him and a point of bragging rights between the two of them. He discussed the challenge in the context of their childhood relationship, in which Vytas had been an underhanded bully, and he noted that whilst he was excited to get to compete with his brother on an even playing field, he had been nervous and felt like a seven-year-old as he'd stepped up to the mat.
 * Aras is an Emotional Guy: Vytas Baskauskas echoed Aras' comments about their head-to-head, believing that Aras had tapped into all the pent-up anger and emotion directed towards his older brother, and had been able to express it through the challenge. He added that his younger brother's victory might have been inevitable, but it was "cathartic."
 * I Still Got a Little Bit of Fight: Tina Wesson discussed her battle with her daughter Katie and stated that she had been taken aback by how difficult it was to take her down. She said she'd had an "epiphany" about her age, realising that although her mind was young, she wasn't as strong as she expected to be. However, she concluded by adding that she knew she was fit and ready for a fight despite her age.
 * I Knew She Couldn't Beat Me: Laura Morett also talked about the head-to-head challenge against her daughter Ciera, noting the dichotomy between looking out for family and the need to "detatch your heart", concluding that it was easier to compete against a whole tribe, rather than her daughter alone. Tearfully, she continued that although she had wanted Ciera to be able to knock her off the platform, she had always taught her children that they had to earn their victories (even in trivial family games), and had encouraged Ciera (who she knew to not be physically strong enough to win) to fight hard against her.
 * No Idea What's Going On: Kat Edorsson revealed that she wasn't worried about her boyfriend Hayden continually visiting Tribal Council as she believed he had a strong alliance. She added that she wasn't sure where she sat on the totem pole on her own tribe (contrary to her previous game, in which she'd known where she'd stood), and she wished she could talk to Hayden and tell him to keep losing Immunity, ride his majority alliance and save her from Tribal, and allow them to meet up and work together at the merge.
 * A deleted scene posted on EW.com showed Laura Boneham going on her second fishing expedition on Day 7, catching a fish and finding a small clam. In a confessional, she discussed her contribution to the tribe table, and hoped it would improve her position in the game.

Other

 * The Duel Challenge, Domino Effect, was used previously in (Nothing Tastes Better than Five Hundred Dollars) and  (Don't You Work for Me?).
 * This marks the second time this challenge has been used for a Duel, following its appearance in Survivor: Redemption Island, making it the second recurring Duel. (The first being Jail Break.)
 * They were also the first two Redemption Island duels in the U.S. version of Survivor.
 * The Immunity Challenge, Sumo Wrestling, previously appeared in (Sumo at Sea),  (Love Many, Trust Few, Do Wrong to None) and  (That Girl Is Like a Virus).
 * This episode marks the first time during the season that a man was voted out, despite the fact that two men had already been eliminated.
 * This episode marks the first time a contestant has quit during a season with Redemption Island in play. This is also the first time a contestant on a season with Redemption Island is permanently eliminated prior to the finale without them having lost a duel.
 * Caleb Bankston is the only contestant (who did not sit out) not to participate in the Immunity Challenge.
 * John received the most confessionals this episode, with four.
 * Caleb, Candice Cody, Gervase Peterson, Kat Edorsson, Katie Collins, Laura Boneham, Laura Morett, Marissa Peterson, Monica Culpepper, Rachel Foulger and Tina Wesson received no confessionals in this episode.
 * This marked the second consecutive episode in which Caleb, Candice, Gervase and Laura M. did not receive a confessional.
 * Ciera Eastin is the only woman to have a confessional in this episode.

Episode Title

 * This episode's title was said by Hayden Moss while talking about how the vote (whether or not to vote out John Cody) could either be a good thing or a bad thing.
 * The quote was also a reference to the Big Brother twist known as Pandora's Box.
 * This is the first episode title that isn't said by a contestant who gets eliminated the very next episode.