Tribal Council Vote Twist Breaks Up Key Alliance (RECAP)

Let’s Not Be Cute About It

Season 44 • Episode 7

[Warning: The following contains MAJOR spoilers for Survivor Season 44 Episode 7, “Let’s Not Be Cute About It.”]

Survivor Season 44 just hits different. While some of the new twists fell flat earlier this season (RIP, Sarah’s flushed inheritance advantage), the Survivor creators seem to be getting more into the swing of their new format. The most notable change isn’t a departure from the format, but rather a return.

Since the game was truncated from 39 to 26 days, fans have grieved the loss of the dialogue-heavy beach scenes often left on the cutting room floor in Seasons 41 through 43. Season 44 has fixed this, with the last two episodes making the contestants the main entertainment once more. Survivor Season 44 Episode 7 delivered an intriguing twist to the votes — something that’s rarely tampered with. But rather than overpower the episode’s narrative with a confounding change, this tweak set the stage for a tribal council refresh we didn’t know we needed.

Heading into Episode 7, fans knew that Frannie and Matt’s relationship was a target for the newly merged tribe. But the first part of the hour focused on the ally-less Yam Yam, who was still struggling to trust Carolyn after a previous perceived betrayal (in Carolyn’s mind, they’re right as rain). The first immunity challenge of the season changed everything.

Robert Voets/CBS

The balance game came with high stakes for everyone involved. After splitting into two teams (with Carson drawing the sit-out grey rock), one player from each would win individual immunity. The final contestant on each team still had to hold on, as whoever was the last person standing would win immunity for their entire team. But that’s not all. In a shocking twist, Jeff Probst informed the teams that the winning tribe would win immunity but have no other power. Only the losing five could vote.

Frannie won the day for Team Orange, and Brandon won for Team Purple. Frannie’s overall victory meant that she, Carson (who put his eggs in Orange’s basket), Carolyn, Heidi, Danny, and Kane were safe and got the PB&J reward, and Yam Yam, Matt, Jaime, Brandon, and Lauren were in the danger zone. The twists didn’t stop. After the challenge, the losing team was not allowed back to the merge beach (where Matt had left all of his belongings in a woeful display of forgetfulness), and the winning team learned during their feast that whoever found a key would be able to control how one player voted.

Back at the old Soka beach, Matt and Yam Yam went into survival mode. Each of the contestants spent the hours before tribal council pleading their cases to Brandon, Jaime, and Lauren, who were all allied because of their Ratu ties. Yam Yam feared having no allies at all, and Matt feared having no allies with him in this group. Who was the bigger threat in this regard, Jaime asked during tribal council: the vulnerable Yam Yam or Matt, who would soon be reunited with his Soka allies?

Matt’s mistake also meant he wouldn’t find out if his hidden immunity idol was fake or not. Earlier in the episode, Matt made the bombshell discovery (well, a bombshell to him) that his idol was likely a fake when Brandon spilled the tea about the real idol/fake idol setup in the birdcages. Danny’s cagey behavior when searching for the idols became clear in hindsight for Matt. At tribal, he desperately hoped Frannie had the wherewithal to bring his bag for him. Sadly, she didn’t realize he left it behind. All he had to offer Jeff was… a papaya (if you can’t win, at least be memorable?).

Robert Voets/CBS

Heidi had to use her advantage once Jeff announced the vote tally. She chose to control Lauren’s vote, but everyone knew she had an extra vote. Heidi only had control of one of Lauren’s votes, leaving her free to use her long-held advantage or save it for later. Heidi instructed Lauren to vote for Yam Yam. He and Matt both got two votes each, and then the final nail in the coffin came when a third vote was read for Matt.

His final words in the game were telling Frannie — the other half of his Season 44 showmance — he was proud of her for winning the first individual immunity challenge. The episode ended with him and Frannie in tears, as well as Carolyn, who was crying tears of joy over Yam Yam’s safety.

With that, Soka’s Matt is the first member of Survivor 44’s jury. What did you think of this vote twist? Do you think it provided intrigue, or was it an unnecessary twist to something that didn’t need changing? Let us know in the comments below.

Survivor, Wednesdays, 8/7c, CBS