The Buddy System on Steroids

The Buddy System on Steroids
Episode Information
Version	United States
Season	Winners at War
Episode Number	5/14 (588)
Original Release	March 11, 2020
Viewership (in Millions)	6.91
Ratings/Share (18-49)	1.4/6
Episode Chronology
Previous	"I Like Revenge"
Next	"Quick on the Draw"
Subpages

The Buddy System on Steroids is the fifth episode of Survivor: Winners at War.

Story

Day 12

	Nick	“	I was so relieved to have Tyson out of here. Tyson was the only guy rocking the boat, and to get rid of him, it really feels like we're a cohesive unit now. And on top of that, I was looking in my bag this morning, and I found... this parchment here. This definitely changes my opinion of Tyson in the game a little bit. I'm thinking in another situation, I would really love to work with Tyson, and maybe that situation will come up and-and this could be, like, a token of appreciation. And, hey, I don't take this lightly.	”

	Yul	“	I know Jonathan Penner because Jonathan is someone I played with on Cook Islands. We've become very close friends and I've become close with his family. And over the past year, his wife Stacy Title, who's an amazing woman, was diagnosed with ALS, Lou Gehrig's disease, and it's been an absolutely, devastating knockout punch. Stacy has lost control of her— most of her body, except for her eyes. And, I mean, there's no cure right now. They're under a tremendous amount of strain, emotionally, financially, and it just broke my heart (cries). Obviously, I have very strong feelings for Jonathan, his wife, his family, and, you know, I feel like no one deserves this. You know, if there's something that I or others can try to do to help them, their kids and everyone else in that situation, I just feel like it's the least we can do. This season of Survivor, I feel like I'm not just playing for myself or my own family, but I'm playing for something bigger than myself. I would just love to use this opportunity try to raise awareness of anyone who's suffering from ALS and their families, who really are in need, you know, much more than any of us are.	”

On Day 12, a Tribe Switch occurred.

	Rob	“	This is the part of the game that I really don't like too much. The first time this happened to me was back in Survivor: Marquesas. I had complete control of my tribe and they did a tribe swap. The next thing you know, I'm on the bottom, and that was the end. But, hopefully, this time, the cards fall in my favor.	”

The castaways were then swapped into three tribes of five, introducing a third tribe, Yara.

Denise Dakal	Jeremy Dakal	Kim Dakal	Sandra Dakal	Tony Dakal
Michele Sele	Nick Sele	Parvati Sele	Wendell Sele	Yul Sele
Adam Yara	Ben Yara	Rob Yara	Sarah Yara	Sophie Yara

	Michele	“	Oh, my God, how the heck did I get stuck stranded on an island with my ex-boyfriend? Wendell and I dated briefly, which is a saga in its own. Even though our relationship didn't necessarily work out, I'm hoping this can work a little bit better than our dating.	”

	Adam	“	I should be ecstatic by this swap, but I'm not, because this is a really fractured trio of Ben, Rob, and myself. We burned a lot of bridges with each other. And that could be catastrophic to my game.	”

	Jeremy	“	Oh, my God. The Dakal camp, it's crazy. First of all, the shelter is unbelievable. So I'm George and Denise is Louise because we're moving on up. But coming in down three original Dakal to two Seles, I need to find who is on the outs in that three. So I would really like to get a big glass, a nice big tall beer of information so it can quench my thirst for knowledge.	”

	Jeremy	“	Kim seems like she's been on the outs, and that's a good sign for me, 'cause that's the weak link that I'm looking for.	”

	Denise	“	I'm starting to feel like maybe Kim is not as tight with Tony or with Sandra, or maybe she'll be willing to either pull me in or that she's maybe willing to step out... and join maybe Jeremy and I. There's a little bit of a security, because I have an idol, but I feel safer just with there being some options here in terms of we may be down in numbers, but I don't think we're out.	”

	Tony	“	The biggest fear of a swap is exactly what happened to Denise and Jeremy. They're on the bottom of the numbers. But we have to be very careful, because there's gonna be hyenas in this game, there's gonna be the lions in this game. If the lions go against one another, the hyenas are gonna come in and just clean up shop, and I don't want to get eaten by a hyena. And when there's five people, there's always one in the middle, and right now, in this tribe, I believe it's Kim in the middle. I'm gonna try my best to try to convince her— in order for our game to move forward, we have to stick together.	”

	Kim	“	I'm as agreeable to Tony at the moment of staying Dakal strong, but I'm not sure that that's the best option for me.	”

	Kim	“	Tony and Sandra, they're probably the people I have the least trust built with, and I do feel like I'm making a connection with Jeremy and Denise. In this tribe, at this moment, I am smack dab in the middle, and that could be a really good spot for me.	”

	Nick	“	I think if I was able to pick my tribe, I couldn't have done a better job, because I was super tight with Yul and Wendell. They were probably my two most trustworthy allies on Dakal. And on top of that, we have a numbers advantage. So I won the lottery.	”

	Parvati	“	Sele is outgunned by the Dakal, and I am desperate to find an opportunity for Michele and I to actually work our way in. So I played with Yul before in Cook Islands, and Yul and I were never on the same side, but he told me that his wife loves me and that I'm her favorite player. So I think that's like a little bit of an in with Yul.	”

	Parvati	“	And Nick told me that he had a crush on me when he was in high school... so that was awkward. Speaking of awkward, Michele used to date Wendell and I don't think they ended on good terms, and then they're on the same tribe.	”

	Parvati	“	And so I'm, like, cringing for her. I can't even imagine having dated someone, having it ended badly and then being on the smallest, tiniest tribe with them. I'm like, nowhere to hide, nowhere to go.	”

	Wendell	“	So, there are peop— there-there are people— this is the season of, like, histories, and past relationships. That could be the theme of this season: Past Relationships. And then you have people that might have hung out together. Me and Michele kicked it, you know? She— we kicked it before. So, yeah, everybody has pre-existing relationships out here. And, yeah, some of mine will spill over into this game.	”

	Michele	“	Wendell, when he got here, he kept his distance from Parv and I, and, honestly, I'm not very surprised that he's playing this game like that, because that's how it was in our relationship in the first place. Wendell, right now, is sending me the 'You up?' text and I just wanna be like, 'New season. Who dis?' It's really hard to have Wendell here and not have bad blood, because I wanna be like, 'You've broken my trust in real life, and you hurt me because of it.'	”

	Michele	“	Of course I don't wanna get burned by Wendell again in this game like I got burnt dating him. This is a game for 2 million dollars, and better believe that I can separate my relationship with Wendell from playing this game and I will take him out if that's necessary.	”

	Ben	“	So, we arrive at Yara, and it's not the prettiest of beaches that we've been to here in Fiji. On paper, we should be sitting pretty, right? With the three of us from Sele and then the two gals from, uh, Dakal. But I'm here with Rob and Adam, the two people that have blown up my game and lied to each other and then told everybody secrets about each other, and it's just like... (groans loudly) I can't get away.	”

	Sarah	“	I definitely did not want to swap. We had a phenomenal group at Dakal. Right now, I have the Steal a Vote advantage. So I can save Sophie and I through one Tribal. But it's not something that I want to use unless necessary, because then I've got nothing.	”

	Sarah	“	Sophie and I are asking the boys questions, and you can feel the tension. Either they're gonna stay blue strong, or are the boys three free agents for Sophie and I to scoop one of 'em up?	”

	Sophie	“	Immediately, our first conversation on the beach got me a little excited, 'cause I realized there are cracks up the wazoo. The only thing that scares me is that there are so many cracks that they're all gonna realize their best option has to be to stay together. Everybody assumed there's a Hidden Immunity Idol at this beach, and it's gonna be critical a-as to who finds it.	”

	Rob	“	I mean, traditionally, there's always a new Hidden Immunity Idol at each beach. So we decided to go look for idols here. I'm pretty much watching everybody else, 'cause I'm new to this. I found an idol on Redemption, but I had clues. I have a tough time with the idol. I'm looking, I'm doing, I'm trying to adapt and do what these new-school guys do, but I just have very little experience. I'm not usually in this spot, where I have more questions than answers. I usually have the answers. But this is a tough season. It's a tough game. Tough players. Good players. Smart, you know? I underestimated 'em at first. I won't make that mistake again.	”

	Sophie	“	So, I emptied my pockets with the rest of them, but I'm terrified, because I knew I can't be seen looking happy. Because while the whole group is looking for the idol, I found this lovely new bracelet. (shows idol) I was given half of Kim's Hidden Immunity Idol. And then I gave it back to Kim before the swap. But I can now see Kim's dilemma.	”

	Sophie	“	I've never really been able to read Sarah. But I really felt, after giving her this half of the idol, she felt like, 'This is a girl I can work with to the end.' And being in the minority position on a tribe that's really divided, that might even be more powerful than the Hidden Immunity Idol itself.	”

Day 14

	Rob	“	Look, it's never good to lose immunity on Survivor. I hate to lose. But, in retrospect, it's not that big of a deal 'cause we got expendable members here. We got people that we can get rid of, preserve our overall numbers. All we got to do is decide which of 'em is headed home.	”

	Sophie	“	(sighs) Leaving that challenge, being somebody who was part of the puzzle-losing duo.. I felt my game potentially slipping through my fingers.	”

	Sophie	“	Adam and Ben have really convinced me that they want to work with us. But as much as I've tried to ingratiate myself over the last two days, I can't deny that I'm in the minority, and that makes me an easy person to pull the trigger on.	”

	Rob	“	Even though I don't have great relationships with Ben and Adam, I have to establish trust with some people in this game.	”

	Rob	“	In order for this plan to work, one very crucial step needs to happen.	”

	Rob	“	In the past, in a situation like this, I use something called the buddy system, which means basically myself, Ben, and Adam need to be with each other all the time these girls are around so that they can't try to create any commotion. So far, so good. And I feel like I'm bringing the game back a little bit in my direction.	”

	Adam	“	Ben and I are in the same position where Rob has made it very clear that he wants to work with us, and our group has determined that we would vote out Sarah if we stick together. But there is no trust between the three of us. And yet here we are, saying that we have to maintain trust. And Rob's way of making sure that we maintain that trust is by having nobody leave camp all day.	”

	Adam	“	It's just boring. Nobody can leave. Nobody can talk. That doesn't allow us the opportunity to really play and maneuver.	”

	Ben	“	Rob, this entire game, has just wanted to control everything and every aspect of the game. I have a decision to make. I can stick with the guys, keep my mouth shut and listen to the Godfather or I can go with the Dakal women, but either way, I have to trust my gut here.	”

	Sarah	“	Rob's energy around camp is really negative. I would feel a lot more comfortable if I could have a legitimate conversations with Adam and Ben. But that's Rob's style of play. He implements the buddy system. But, I mean, this is the buddy system on steroids. It's basically babysitter Rob and put all the kids in the playpen. And I'm sorry, but you ain't putting me in a playpen. So, I'm hoping that we'll vote Rob out tonight.	”

	Sarah	“	Ben and Adam, they are technically the swing vote in this. However, I have the Steal a Vote advantage, and if I play it tonight, it takes one of the boys' votes away and adds it to mine and Sophie's votes, and now we have the majority and we pick who goes home. So, I'll have it in the event that I feel uncomfortable. But, I mean, obviously, I would like to hand on to it, because this game's gonna get a whole heck of a lot messier.	”

	Sophie	“	I asked Sarah for the other half of the idol back so that I would truly have a Hidden Immunity Idol at Tribal Council. If I get a wiggly feeling, I can pull it out. But right now, I'm dreaming of a glorious blindside tonight. But I know that there is always a chance that that won't happen and that either Adam or Ben or both of them will get cold feet. I never thought coming out to Survivor, season 40, Winners at War, that I would be going into a Tribal Council having to rely on two strangers who I've only met days before, who the most reassurance they've given me about the fact that I'm not going home tonight is a wink or a thumbs-up when somebody's not looking. Like, I hear myself saying that, and myself 20 days ago at home would want to slap me and say, 'Do something.' But you're out here, and sometimes you gotta trust the wink.	”

Challenges

Immunity Challenge: Block in a Hard Place
Tribes must go over and under a series of obstacles. At the end of the course, they must knock blocks off the top of a ledge using sandbags. They must then stack the four large blocks so that there are no repeating colors on any side. The first two tribes to finish win.
Winners (in order of finish): Sele and Dakal

Edge of Extinction

Edge of Extinction Inhabitants
Amber, Danni, Ethan, Natalie, Tyson
Quit: None

Tribal Council

Tribal Council 6: Yara
Voted Against	Voter
Rob (4 votes)	Adam, Ben, Sarah, Sophie
Sarah (1 vote)	Rob
VOTED OUT: Rob Mariano (sent to Edge of Extincion)

Voting Confessionals

Sarah was shown writing Rob's name on the parchment.

	Rob	“	(voting against Sarah) Sorry. Just got stuck on the wrong side of the numbers.	”

Still in the Running

Natalie On Edge	Amber On Edge	Danni On Edge	Ethan On Edge	Tyson On Edge	Rob On Edge	Adam Yara	Ben Yara	Denise Dakal	Jeremy Dakal
Kim Dakal	Michele Sele	Nick Sele	Parvati Sele	Sandra Dakal	Sarah Yara	Sophie Yara	Tony Dakal	Wendell Sele	Yul Sele

Trivia

Secret Scenes

• "My Best Friend Out Here" (Day 12): It is an extended scene of Michele describing Parvati as her closest friend on the island which relieves the pain of living with her ex-boyfriend, Wendell.
• "Tyson the Day After" (Day 12): Tyson laments his stay on the Edge of Extinction so far.
• "Yara Builds a Shelter" (Day 12): Evening at Yara, the tribe still has not made shelter, which they build the next day.
• "Comedy Hour at Dakal" (Day 13): It is an extended scene of Tony climbing his unsafe ladder to get up a high coconut tree.
• "Yara Gets Tree Mail" (Day 14): Ben reads Yara's first Tree Mail.

Other

• No footage from Day 13 was shown in the episode.
• The episode's title was said by Sarah Lacina about Rob Mariano trying to replicate his famous strategy from Survivor: Redemption Island.