Episode 2: Morgan Disappears

Morgan Disappears
official title: Man Down

Morgan, the magician's assistant and waitress, disappears at Tribal Council. Blake recovers enough to help Nakum win Reward and Judd is the hero at the Immunity challenge. I'm glad Morgan is gone. I want to see real people play this game and not aspiring actors and models looking to forward their pathetic, nonexistent "careers."

After the recap: at Nakum Blake isn't well. He says he has trouble breathing and eating and drinking doesn't help either (what else is there?). Margaret, the nurse, is worried about him. Brandon tells us in private, in reference to Blake, that sometimes "You just got to 'man up'." Over in Yaxha they're behaving like a happy family. Someone says that it doesn't look like Nakum is having fun. The women braid each other's hair and Stephenie tells us that 'we are family.'

Reward Challenge
Competition: Web of ropes over water
Reward: fishing gear
Sits out: Amy

Eight bags are tied to the web at various places around the web. Race style, one at a time a member of each tribe must run across a net bridge to the rope web, climb onto the web and retrieve a bag. Everyone must go at least once then anyone can go at it. If a Survivor falls of the web without a bag he/she returns and another goes.

After the first for each tribe get bags, Brandon (vs Gary) gets Nakum a bit of a lead. Margaret extends the lead as Rafe is unable to get a bag and then really struggles just to get back to his tribe. Judd promptly blows part of the lead by missing a bag himself. Morgan manages to get a bag for Yaxha, but Brianna doesn't. Danni and Brooke are successful as are Lydia and Jaime.

It is tied 7 bags a piece and Blake and Brian are dead even as they leave the starting line. It is close all along but Blake manages to eke out the win for Nakum!

The next day Nakum get up early (at "the butt crack of dawn" according to Brandon) and go fishing with their new fishing tackle. Blake (pictured) seems to be a little better but then has trouble breathing again later. In private, Judd rants to us about Blake - he does nothing in camp, he sleeps all the time so he is strong for the challenges, and Margaret just babies him "sit down, relax, drink some water." Judd finishes by saying that he'd like to be the hero for once. Danni tells us that she knows Gary was an NFL quarterback.

Over at Yaxha they scrounge for food. Rafe tells us they will try eating anything at least once, (finds grasshopper) "anyone want to eat a grasshopper?" Later Rafe and Gary find an ant nest. Some of them eat ants but not Stephenie, she says they are "nasty". Lydia, the magical fish monger, quietly goes out and gets a bunch of minnows using nothing but the lake, sand and a burlap sack (now that's what I call magic).

Immunity Challenge
Competition: tug of war in mud
Sits out: Brianna

First a group tug of war. They each have a rope around their waists attached to the main rope between the tribes. After 15 minutes there is no winner so it moves to individual tugs of war (tug of wars?). The first tribe to get 3 flags wins immunity. Anyone may compete and as many times as they want. There is a 5 minute time limit and at the end of the time who is ever closer will win the flag.

First up, Judd beats Gary. Then Brandon defeats Jaime . Then it's Judd versus Jaime. Jaime looks like he's going to win on a time out but then he relaxes and Judd makes a last second pull to win Immunity for Nakum.

At Yaxha they are bummed out, but the scheming begins. Rafe tells us it was a rough challenge. Stephenie (pictured) says that this game makes her a big bag of nerves. Gary states that he wants to keep the tribe strong so they don't lose another challenge again. Amy tells Stephenie that the men are thinking of voting her off. Stephenie is mad , she tells us that she's not leaving, she's the strongest woman in the tribe.

Brian asks Gary if he was in the NFL (Danni told Brian sometime during the immunity challenge). Gary denies it, following his plan.

The tribe seems to settle on voting off Morgan or Lydia. Brian clues Lydia in and she has a heart to heart with Gary and says that she contributes, can endure anything and is not ready to home yet.

Yaxha at Tribal Council
(paraphrased by me, not word for word)
Jeff Probst: Let's catch up a little. Stephenie how has your welcome been?
Stephenie: They have been very welcoming I feel like we're a tribe.
Jaime: She knows the game well, she's tough, more like a boy.
Jeff Probst: Lydia you would seem the least equipped physically to compete.
Lydia: I have what it takes to endure.
Jeff Probst: Morgan I'm really picking up a vibe of unity.
Morgan: Yes we're unified because we're honest with each other.
Jeff Probst: Rafe what are you basing your vote on?
Rafe: Keeping the tribe unified. Someone has to go, hopefully we can get over it and move on.

Time to Vote:
Morgan: 5 votes
Lydia: 1 vote

Jeff Probst: I'm confused, you say you're unified, but the person you voted off never saw it coming . . .

Morgan's final words . . . I didn't see it coming. . . I got to see Guatemala and I enjoyed every minute of it.

Alliances
Are little cliques are forming? Amy and Stephenie. Brian and Lydia.

Heroes and Villains
Brian (picrued) gets props from me for helping Lydia. I thought I would like Brandon but he's more like James-lite (the red neck in Palau). Judd has a few rough edges but I was glad he won immunity for his tribe. I wish Danni would get some more camera time.

Won Reward: Nakum
(fishing gear)

Immunity: Nakum

Voted Off: Morgan