The Power of the Idol

The Power of the Idol
Episode Information
Version	United States
Season	Panama
Episode Number	9/16 (178)
Original Release	April 6, 2006
Viewership (in Millions)	16.36
Ratings/Share (18-49)	5.6/17
Episode Chronology
Previous	"An Emerging Plan"
Next	"Fight for Your Life or Eat"
Subpages

The Power of the Idol is the ninth episode of Survivor: Panama.

Story

“	Terry decides it's time to reveal the Idol to some castaways. How will the power of the Idol affect the game? When two tribe members are sent to Exile Island, an unexpected bond forms. Will this newfound friendship affect their alliance and change the course of the game? Determined to expand their alliance, the La Mina group pressures several Casayas. Can they secretly break up the Casaya Six? At the Reward Challenge, one Survivor demonstrates clever leadership skills and forges a win with a weaker group.	”
—Episode Synopsis

Day 19

Both Terry Deitz and Austin Carty are feeling good after surviving the vote, with Austin in disbelief that he wasn't voted out. In a confessional, Courtney Marit remembered last night's Tribal Council and felt they voted out the wrong person. La Mina talked about Tribal Council and how shocking Nick Stanbury was voted out. After looking back on his actions, Austin viewed telling everyone he was faking weakness as stupid as it would make them view him as untrustworthy. While collecting snails, Aras Baskauskas likens them to La Mina because they are slimey and difficult. Danielle DiLorenzo believed he was playing cutthroat, which Aras says La Mina is playing cutthroat. He then started lobbying against Austin because he work everyone, which Courtney agreed. Knowing they be going after Austin, Terry decided to get one of the girls to flip, stating in a confessional that there is always hope. Courtney and Sally Schumann return with Tree Mail and the former reads it out loud. Sally viewed the challenge as good for the former La Mina in order to create conflict between Casaya. Jeff Probst tells Gitanos they will be competing in three teams and the winning team would win a trip to bed and breakfast. The purple team (consisting of Cirie, Courtney, and Danielle) fell out early on. The black team (consisting of Aras, Sally, and Bruce) defeated the orange team (consisting of Austin, Shane, and Terry) in a close race. The winners had to exile a member from each losing team. They chose to exile Austin and Danielle. The pair immediately departed to Exile Island.

Day 20

Day 20 starts out with heavy rains, flooding the camp. Sally makes a confessional about how Breakfast in Bed is interesting with Aras and Bruce Kanegai. Aras was anxious for the boat to arrival and realizes how the challenge made him a target. The boat arrived and Aras, Bruce and Sally arrived. The reward was on a single bed on a sandbar in the middle of nowhere. The bed was soaked from the rain, which the castaways had to share. Things was made better by the first serving, a tray of biscuits and cinnamon rolls.

Back at camp, Terry believes that Austin and Danielle are hating life now. Terry wonders why Danielle was picked over Courtney. Shane Powers and Terry both agree that Danielle would handle exile better that Courtney. Terry then talked to Shane about his final four plans. Shane revealed that his final four would be himself, Aras, Cirie Fields and Courtney. Terry decided to get Danielle and Bruce to flip.

Day 21

On Exile Island, Danielle and Austin huddle under a blanket to stay dry. Both Austin and Danielle made confessionals on how horrible Exile Island is, although both are glad to be stuck with each other.

At the water hole, Terry and Sally talk about Austin on Exile Island. Terry reveals he found it on day one, much to Sally's delight. The tribe gathers for the Immunity Challenge, and Austin and Danielle returned. They talked about the horrid experience on Exile. In the first round, Sally, Danielle, Courtney, Terry, Shane, and Austin all advanced to the next round. In the second round, In a close race, The former La Mina made it to the next round. In the third round, in a close race, Austin was eliminated and Sally and Terry advanced to the final round. In the final round, Terry defeated Sally for immunity.

On their way to camp, Danielle is glad not to be on Exile. Danielle revealed how she was mad about being exiled. Aras claimed the reason was she was tough as nails. Austin felt in deep water with immunity. Terry revealed to Austin his plan to get Bruce and Danielle to flip by using the idol as a bribe. Austin was impressed by this. Austin and Terry immediate start working on Bruce. Bruce talks about this in a confessional and states that everything is up for grabs. Aras and Courtney argued about whether to vote out Austin or Sally. Aras viewed Sally as a safe vote in case Austin was given the idol by Terry. In a confessional, Aras assumes (correctly) that Terry has the idol. Courtney objects, viewing it is crazy not to vote out Austin. She also believes that even if Terry (which she think he doesn't has) has the idol, he wouldn't give it away. Aras points out he and Shane are the ones in danger. Cirie told Aras to go with Shane and talk about this later. Courtney talked her fight with Aras and it was the first time he freaked her out. The women talked about Aras and his aggressiveness towards Courtney. In a confessional, Courtney states that Aras should be voted out at some point. Aras, in a confessional, talks about Courtney and her lack of intelligence. Austin talks to Danielle about flipping.

At Tribal Council, Jeff asked about what happen at the Reward Challenge, Danielle and Austin's experience on exile, how is tribe getting along. Also, about the Hidden Immunity Idol and anyone is looking ahead. When the vote came, Austin received the most votes, 6-3. Without the idol, Austin was voted out and became the first member of the jury.

Challenges

• Reward
• Immunity

Challenge: Rock the Boat
In three teams of three, the castaways must take 100 coconuts from their bin and place them into the others' boats, then row theirs to a floating crate, grab a flag and net, return to shore, and use the net to haul the coconuts back to the bins.
Reward: By boat, the winning team will be picked up and be brought to a private beach where they will find a bed and breakfast waiting.
Winners: Black Team (Aras Baskauskas, Bruce Kanegai, and Sally Schumann) (exiled Austin Carty and Danielle DiLorenzo)

Challenge: Ups and Downs
First, the nine castaways must dig a hole beneath a fence and crawl through. First six move on. Those six must use four clues to correctly place nine rocks in a grid, run over a sandhill, through a net maze, and over another sandhill. First three move on. They will use two planks to cross a knotted rope bridge to a platform, jump into the water, and climb a steep sand bank. First two move on. The final two will have to crawl through a cage-like network of ladders, dig through a sandpile blocking the exit, and cross the finish line.
Winner: Terry Deitz

Tribal Council

Tribal Council 8: Gitanos
Voted Against	Voter
Austin (6 votes)	Aras, Bruce, Cirie, Courtney, Danielle, Shane
Aras (3 votes)	Austin, Sally, Terry
VOTED OUT: Austin Carty

Voting Confessionals

Edited versions of Austin and Terry's confessionals were shown in the episode. Bruce was shown writing the letter A on the parchment.

	Austin	“	(voting against Aras) You can win this whole thing if you play your cards right. Best of luck to you, buddy.	”

	Cirie	“	(voting against Austin) You're a really big threat right now. Sorry. Part of the game.	”

	Bruce	“	(voting against Austin) Austin, I've been truly blessed to meet someone like you, and it was great to do battle with you.	”

	Danielle	“	(voting against Austin) Austin, I'll never forget you buddy.	”

	Aras	“	(voting against Austin) Austin, brother, your time's up.	”

	Courtney	“	(voting against Austin) You're a beautiful man. I'm sorry, but you're just too much of a threat at this point. Can't wait to see you in L.A..	”

	Shane	“	(voting against Austin) The creepy Christian goes home.	”

	Sally	“	(voting against Aras) My vote is for Aras. You're just a huge threat, and hopefully we'll be able to knock you out one of these times.	”

	Terry	“	(voting against Aras) Another shot in the dark. I think I'm going to be saying this a lot at the next couple of Tribal Councils, but you are my biggest threat.	”

Final Words

	Austin	“	This was, bar none, the hardest experience I've ever gone through in my life. It was very difficult for me to negotiate the line between integrity and playing the game of Survivor. I'm incredibly proud to have made it to the jury. To my whole La Mina tribe, you guys were an absolute joy to be around. Terry, you are superhuman and I'm wishing him the best.	”

Still in the Running

Tina 16th	Melinda 15th	Misty 14th	Ruth Marie 13th	Bobby 12th	Dan 11th	Nick 10th	Austin 9th
Aras Gitanos	Bruce Gitanos	Cirie Gitanos	Courtney Gitanos	Danielle Gitanos	Sally Gitanos	Shane Gitanos	Terry Gitanos

Trivia

• After Austin's elimination, Aras is the only remaining member of the former Viveros tribe.
• This is the first episode in which multiple people are exiled.