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Want to See the Elephant Dung? is the season premiere of Survivor: Gabon.

Story[]

Day 1[]

The game began with Jeff Probst asking everyone to say their name and their jobs. Most of the contestants were truthful. Crystal neglected to mention she was an Olympic athlete because it might make her a bigger target. Jeff then asked the oldest man and oldest women (Bob and Gillian) to pick a mat and go over to it, where they would pick the tribes. Bob beat Gillian in rock-paper-scissors so he began picking first. He picked "baldy" (not knowing Ace's name), so Ace joined the Kota tribe. Gillian picked Crystal. Ace picked Sugar, saying it wouldn't be appropriate for a photographer to not have a model. Crystal picked Susie, in order to have all three moms on the same tribe, thinking that moms have to stick together.

S17 charlie t
Charlie
Okay, now we're playing stupid Survivor because this makes zero sense. Like, she clearly is not an athletic person. I am so confused, like don't you want to win immunity?

Sugar picked Marcus next while Susie picked Matty. In the next round, Marcus chose Charlie (much to Charlie's excitement) and Matty chose Randy. The next choices were Charlie picking Paloma and Randy choosing Dan. Then Paloma chose Kelly and Dan chose GC. Kelly chose Jacquie and GC chose Ken. Jacquie chose Corinne, completing the Kota tribe. Michelle tried her best not to seem visibly upset she was picked last, and then was selected by default to complete the Fang tribe.

 Bob
Kota
S17 bob t
 Gillian
Fang
S17 gillian t
 Ace
Kota
S17 ace t
 Crystal
Fang
S17 crystal t
 Sugar
Kota
S17 sugar t
 Susie
Fang
S17 susie t
 Marcus
Kota
S17 marcus t
 Matty
Fang
S17 matty t
 Charlie
Kota
S17 charlie t
 Randy
Fang
S17 randy t
 Paloma
Kota
S17 paloma t
 Dan
Fang
S17 dan t
 Kelly
Kota
S17 kelly t
 GC
Fang
S17 gc t
 Jacquie
Kota
S17 jacquie t
 Ken
Fang
S17 ken t
 Corinne
Kota
S17 corinne t
 Michelle
Fang
S17 michelle t

Jeff explains the first challenge to the first tribe. They will have to race to the top of the hill where there are two individual Immunity Idols, a bag of rice, and an extra bag of corn and beans. The castaways need to decide whether they will work together to get the food or selfishly go out ahead to retrieve individual immunity. Crystal and Gillian slow down the tribe in the challenge, causing an embarrassing loss for the Fang tribe. Marcus received the idol for Kota, and GC received the idol for Fang.

S17 michelle t
Michelle
Really don't think the Fang tribe, really, is that smart. I was the last one picked, and I was the first girl up there, so... they can kiss my ass.
S17 matty t
Matty
I think we're just screwed in a lot of the physical challenges, because Gillian is just gonna be a huge, huge, huge load to carry. She's a slow-moving human-being.
S17 crystal t
Crystal
I know I can run, but climbing that hill was so hard. I had on a dress and on top of that, my two shoes way at least ten pounds.
S17 marcus t
Marcus
Being as far out in nature in the middle of this huge forest is definitely an unnerving experience. You don't know what's around the next tree, it's really, really scary. We emerge from the jungle and we look down and we see the flag for Kota waiting in the breeze. There's this beautiful lake and in front of it are a couple of broken down huts. It was such a joy to see that there was some shelter kinda established. This is a wild, wild place and you don't want to be out there exposed to the animals. I mean, the rest of the tribe could be sitting there and we could be eaten by leopards and noone would know the difference.
S17 sugar t
Sugar
I'm excited this place looks beautiful, but there's really wild animals around here. This is really Africa, so I'm not gonna get in the water right now. I'm not gonna be bathing, or swimming in the lake with my tribemates.

Bob immediately took charge at camp by working on the roof of their shelter hut as it is looked like there was a possibility for rain. His tribemates lent him moral support as he worked.

S17 corinne t
Corinne
Ugh, Bob, he's just like the forever boy scout. Bob, he totally like gets us together, he has the camp running smoothly. He's 57 years old and he's awesome.
S17 bob t
Bob
I've done a lot of stuff around camp, to me it's common sense. I come from Maine, that's what we do in Maine. I don't like to spend money on stuff, so I tinker. If I don't know how to do it, I go to the library and get the book. Look it up, and go do it.

Marcus and Charlie solidify their alliance, and although he's appreciative of Charlie's affection toward him, he does not return the romantic feelings. While Kota gets off to a good start with their camp, Fang is less productive. Ken and Michelle eat termites together. Later that night, Randy hit his head and suffered a cut in which he was bleeding fast. He asked for Gillian, the tribe's nurse, for assistance but could not do much since it was dark. They had medical take a look and Randy received a few stitches. Initially worried he would have to leave the game, Randy felt recovered the next day.

Day 2[]

Day 3[]

After another blowout loss, a deflated Fang faced Tribal Council. They had a dilemma between voting out the clear weakest player in Gillian or the clear worst attitude on the tribe in Michelle. Ken warns Michelle that since she does not talk to anyone else on the tribe besides Ken, she could receive some votes tonight. At Tribal Council, Michelle continues to express her discontent with how the tribe stands. Through the tribal discussion, Fang nominated GC as the tribe's leader. In a unanimous vote, Michelle is the first member voted out of the game.

Day 4[]

The Kota tribe seemed very satisfied with their decision coming back to camp. They were most excited about starting the fire, and newly appointed leader GC took control of the task.

S17 gc t
GC
We had our first Tribal Council tonight and it sucked. We lost Michelle and we were lucky enough to get flint tonight.

Day 5[]

Day 6[]

Challenges[]

Challenge: One For All
The tribes would have to race across the plain and up a hill. The first castaway from each tribe to the top of the hill would win an Individual Immunity Necklace that would only be good at their tribe's first Tribal Council. The first entire tribe to the top of the hill would win the reward.
Reward: An extra bag of corn and beans
Winners: GC Brown and Marcus Lehman (immunity); Kota (reward)

Challenge: Temptation Valley
Six tribe members would be belted together and race through a swamp, over a net wall, and under and over a series of hitching posts. These six would then have to dig up three bags of puzzle pieces and deliver them to the three remaining tribe members. These three would then assemble the puzzle pieces to win the challenge.
Reward: Flint.
Winner: Kota

Challenge: Lemme Go Rock 'N' Roll
The tribes have to roll a large ball through a series of gates. At two points along the course, a tribe member has to climb atop the ball to retrieve two sets of keys. At the final gate, the keys unlock three chains that block the gate. The first tribe to go through all the gates and roll their boulder atop a short pedestal wins.
Reward: Fishing gear.
Winner: Kota (exiled Dan Kay)

Tribal Council[]

Day 3[]

Tribal Council 1:
Fang
Voted
Against
Voter
S17 michelle t
Michelle (8 votes)
S17 crystal tS17 dan tS17 gc tS17 gillian t
S17 ken tS17 matty tS17 randy tS17 susie t
Crystal, Dan, GC, Gillian, Ken, Matty, Randy, Susie
S17 gillian t
Gillian (1 vote)
S17 michelle t
Michelle
VOTED OUT:
S17 michelle bw
Michelle Chase

Voting Confessionals[]

Edited versions of Michelle and Gillian's confessionals were shown in the episode.

S17 randy t
Randy
(voting against Michelle) Go warm up.
S17 gillian t
Gillian
(voting against Michelle) My vote for you is simply based on the fact that so many people want to be here so desperately and it looks like you haven't been from the moment you got here. And it's been a drain for you and I think for everybody else. Good luck to you and sorry about it but I don't think you want to be here, and with your whole attitude, I don't think you should be.
S17 crystal t
Crystal
(voting against Michelle) Last one chosen, first one to leave, maybe your life lesson in this is maybe you'll learn to speak your mind.
S17 michelle t
Michelle
(voting against Gillian) I think you're the weakest one on the tribe, that's pretty much it, for weak ones, but you are the weakest.
S17 dan t
Dan
(voting against Michelle) Michelle, I don't like doing this but you broke my trust with Kenny and if I can't trust you, you're useless to me in this game.
S17 ken t
Ken
(votes for Michelle) Michelle, I tried really hard to save you but if I didn't vote with the group, then they wouldn't trust me at all. I'm very sorry.
S17 gc t
GC
(voting against Michelle) My vote is for Michelle because that's the name I heard the most today and I was trying to vote with the rest of the group, so sorry it had to be you.
S17 susie t
Susie
(voting against Michelle) I voted for you Michelle tonight because socially it's hard to interact with you, and quite honestly, you are stronger than I am, I mean you kicked ass at that first challenge. Good for you, and we'll see you soon.
S17 matty t
Matty
(voting against Michelle) Michelle, I know it's been a rough couple of days, I know its been hard to keep our attitudes up, you're just too negative, you're bringing me down, you're bring the rest of us down, I'm sorry.

Final Words[]

Michelle's full final words were uploaded online.[2]

S17 michelle bw
Michelle
I'm not really surprised. Losers stick together, fat people stick together. Can't really quite... I don't really understand the young men's decision on the tribe. I don't see a glimmer of hope in this tribe, and I have a feeling that, if I were put in this situation with other people, smarter people (chuckles), I think that the decision would have gone a different way. I still don't think that my attire is appropriate for this environment, and that might have hurt me a little bit, apparently, and there's really nothing I could have done about that. I did get to choose what I wore, so, whatever. It really doesn't make sense to me that they decided to keep Gillian, who's like, a hundred and five, and me, who's twenty-four and completely fit. I really don't see Gillian being able to do that challenge today that we did. I mean we lost anyway, but we would have lost a lot worse if it was her chucking through the swamp, and over that net, and - not even just her! Susie - everyone that was waiting over there to do the puzzle would not have been able to do that challenge, and I could have done it twice, three times; I could have done it as many times as I had to do it, so, heh, they're all idiots, they're all voting off like one of their strongest members, so it's gonna be interesting to see what happens! Very interesting. I really don't see a leader doing much considering that it was back and forth the whole time, like, Dan saying that he wanted a leader, but at the same time he wanted to make all the decisions. I just, I think that they're all very fickle, and I really don't think it's gonna do much more than what's been happening. I don't think that, I mean - I think they have fire now, so I think they might be a little bit more comfortable, but aside from that, winning challenges and stuff? They're doomed.

Day 6[]

Tribal Council 2:
Fang
Voted
Against
Voter
S17 gillian t
Gillian (7 votes)
S17 crystal tS17 dan tS17 gc t
S17 ken tS17 matty tS17 randy tS17 susie t
Crystal, Dan, GC, Ken, Matty, Randy, Susie
S17 ken t
Ken (1 vote)
S17 gillian t
Gillian
VOTED OUT:
S17 gillian bw
Gillian Larson

Voting Confessionals[]

An edited version of Gillian's confessional was shown in the episode. Randy's vote was not shown during his confessional.

S17 dan t
Dan
(voting against Gillian) Gillian, you're a sweet woman and I'll miss you, but I think this is where the group is going. For all I know, it could be me. I can't intend to be disruptive. Nevertheless, that's what I am going with.
S17 ken t
Ken
(voting against Gillian) Gillian, you may look like a nice old granny, but underneath that mask is something different.
S17 gc t
GC
(voting against Gillian) My vote is for Gillian, I am just hoping to make this a stronger tribe. You're a great woman. I'm sorry that you have to leave.
S17 gillian t
Gillian
(voting against Ken) My vote tonight is for Kenny because basically, I just feel he doesn't have a clue a lot of the time. I don't know if he thinks he as strong as he thinks he is. Good luck Kenny.
S17 matty t
Matty
(voting against Gillian) Gillian, I voted you out of here, I love your energy, but you haven't been able to fit in this tribe like you needed to. Sorry, good luck.
S17 randy t
Randy
(voting against Gillian) Sorry, I wish it wasn't you, but it is.
S17 crystal t
Crystal
(voting against Gillian) Right now, this is a physical game and you just don't have it. I'm sorry, it was great knowing you, but you gotta go.
S17 susie t
Susie
(voting against Gillian) Hey Gillian, I am just voting with the tribe. For all I know, I could be blindsided right now, but anyway, thanks for the tips. I'll miss you.

Final Words[]

S17 gillian bw
Gillian
There's a huge part of me that would have wished that I could have won Survivor: Africa, because I'm still not done with wanting to play it. Guess it doesn't work to speak your mind when you know you really shouldn't. I should have just continued flying low under the radar, and I didn't. It has been an absolutely fantastic experience, and I wish the tribe good luck because I think they're going to need it.

Still in the Running[]

 Michelle
18th
S17 michelle bw
 Gillian
17th
S17 gillian bw
 Ace
Kota
S17 ace t
 Bob
Kota
S17 bob t
 Charlie
Kota
S17 charlie t
 Corinne
Kota
S17 corinne t
 Crystal
Fang
S17 crystal t
 Dan
Fang
S17 dan t
 GC
Fang
S17 gc t
 Jacquie
Kota
S17 jacquie t
 Kelly
Kota
S17 kelly t
 Ken
Fang
S17 ken t
 Marcus
Kota
S17 marcus t
 Matty
Fang
S17 matty t
 Paloma
Kota
S17 paloma t
 Randy
Fang
S17 randy t
 Sugar
Kota
S17 sugar t
 Susie
Fang
S17 susie t

Trivia[]

  • Michelle's final words and the votes during her elimination are not aired. These clips however are available to watch on the CBS YouTube account.[3]
  • The Day 6 Reward/Immunity Challenge would be the last time in Gabon that Randy loses a tribal challenge. He would win the remaining tribal challenges until the merge.
  • The name of the Day 6 Reward/Immunity Challenge, Lemme Go Rock 'N' Roll, references the Kiss song, Let Me Go, Rock 'n' Roll.

References[]

Survivor: Gabon Episodes
"Want to See the Elephant Dung?" · "She Obviously Is Post-Op!" · "It Was Like Christmas Morning!" · "This Camp Is Cursed" · "He's a Snake, but He's My Snake" · "It All Depends on the Pin-Up Girl" · "Apple in the Garden of Eden" · "The Brains Behind Everything" · "Nothing Tastes Better than Five Hundred Dollars" · "I Was Put on the Planet for This Show" · "The Good Things in Life Aren't Easy" · "The Good Guys Should Win in the End" · "Say Goodbye to Gabon" · "Reunion"
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