Italian Banana Split: Survivor 47 Episode 12 Recap and Power Rankings
Wow. Wow is all I can say (except for the entire rest of this recap). That was a combination of great strategy, awful strategy, emotional crashing out, fun editing, and intrigue that everyone is looking for when they turn on Survivor. I loved all of it.
Beka Beach, where bad things happen
After the vote, we got Sue celebrating getting Kyle out — I can’t believe he voted for her pre-merge, what a villain — while the editing team gave her the clown background music. Couldn’t frame it any better myself.
Genevieve apologizes to Andy for not respecting his game and in a confessional she says she wants to “shrink her game.” I wouldn’t say she accomplished that feat, but who cares? Genevieve also went to Teeny and said Rachel was the biggest threat, but Teeny — clouded by her emotions — didn’t buy it and lashed out. The edit has done a clear job showing that Teeny, at this point, is an erratic player that is more wrapped up in their emotions than game strategy. Juxtaposed with Genevieve, who is completely aware of her emotional wall and where it is and isn’t put up, and you see why there is a strategic difference between these players.
For all the meatballs
The castaways lost their minds while Jeff described the Italian food reward for the challenge, like beyond how much they normally lose it for food. Rachel was leading for a lot of the challenge, but Sam came in and just blew through the rope crawl. It was still close at the end, but Sam pulled it off.
Then came the tough part. Jeff revealed that this reward also included letters from home and Sam had to pick two people to go with him. First, he picks Andy, saying he told Andy he would and Sam sticks to his word. This surprises Andy, who acknowledges they’ve been up and down in the game and aren’t exactly on the same page at the moment. Then, Sam picks Genevieve, which sets Teeny off.
Teeny goes off when Jeff asks her what she thinks, berating the now-departed Sam for making a horrible strategic move by not taking her or anyone else he could flip their vote. Back at camp, this tirade continues, and Teeny goes on about how Sam is annoying and is like this All American athlete-type guy who annoys her. Teeny makes it clear she wants Sam gone, which is crucial to the rest of the episode.
Mission: Impossible — Jeff Reckoning
This is where the title of the episode “Operation: Italy” gets sprung into motion. After feasting on Italian and reading letters from home, Andy convenes the two others who are on the outs of the final seven. But he has a plan, if they choose to accept it.
With no real choice, they do. But it is a long shot, and I mean LONG SHOT. It is designed to split the vote of the majority, avoid Rachel playing her block-a-vote, utilize a fake immunity idol, and not get caught doing any of this. Without them knowing, they also had to make sure Sue didn’t play her idol on Caroline and Rachel didn’t play her immunity idol either — neither of which they knew about.
All signs point to this not working, but with two people sitting dead in the water and Andy feeling like his game isn’t respected — it’s worth the risk.
As soon as they get back to camp, the plan is put in motion.
La franchigia
The immunity challenge was key for one main reason — Rachel won immunity again. This did two things. First, it changed the target of Operation: Italy, which was originally Rachel, to Caroline. Second, this unknowingly helped Andy, Sam, and Genevieve because if Rachel were vulnerable there’s a higher likelihood she would’ve used the block-a-vote or her immunity idol that no one knows about. Rachel winning was the best thing to happen to Operation: Italy and they didn’t even know it.
Saucy
After the immunity challenge, Operation: Italy, was full steam ahead. Andy was pushing for the split vote, insisting Genevieve had a hidden immunity idol, but Teeny was very adamant that Sam needed to go. Andy pushed back, saying they needed to flush the idol, but Teeny wanted to just tell Genevieve they were voting for her but put four votes on Sam and just one on Genevieve.
Teeny goes to check on Genevieve and Sam, and this is when the plan sinks its teeth into the majority. Genevieve is convincing enough that she wants the votes on her, and flashes the fake immunity idol. Despite asking to see the paper, in the commotion of Andy also walking up, it works well enough to convince Teeny after seeing it for a split second. In this world, Teeny can tell Genevieve it’s her, they can split the vote, flush the idol, and Sam will still go home. It’s a win-win-win for Teeny. This, and her emotions clouding her judgement with how bad she wants Sam out, is what allows the fake idol to work.
Finally, it’s all on Andy to convince Rachel to save her block-a-vote and to weasel himself into the majority part of the split so he can effectively flip. It’s pure acting and Survivor cunning from here on out.
Mission: Successful
The episode sets the scene for tribal. We’re still not sure what’s going to happen. Are they going to pull it off? It’s so improbable. Will they trip the suspicion of Rachel’s block-a-vote, or Sue’s willingness to play her idol on Caroline? Or will the split vote have blown up and Andy backs down from his position.
The answers at tribal council leave it up to interpretation. Everyone casts their vote. Jeff delivers one of his famous line: “If you have a hidden immunity idol, now would be the time to play it.”
Tension builds.
Genevieve and Sam pantomime as if she has the idol, but she acts as if she’s OK with how the vote will go and she doesn’t play it. It’s all a ruse.
Jeff reads the votes, it’s tied two Sam, two Genevieve, two Caroline. Did they pull it off?
Jeff reveals the final name: Caroline.
She’s stunned — Sue, Rachel, and Teeny are stunned. Andy, Sam, and Genevieve revel in their victory as Caroline walks off. Operation: Italy was a success.
Power Rankings
Rachel
Andy
Sam (+1)
Genevieve (+2)
Sue
Teeny (+1)
X - Caroline (Previous: 3)
Biggest Winners
Sam and Genevieve are the obvious winners here. First of all, somehow they’re both here, and they added an amazing move to their resume in the process. It was an incredible boost for them, but with only six players left, there’s not much room for movement. Andy (my other winner) made this move with them, still has some flexibility to flip back against Sam and Genevieve, and isn’t seen as much of a threat as they are — that’s why he remains above them. But, due to a secret hidden immunity idol, a block-a-vote, and a resume with yet another individual immunity win on it, Rachel stays atop the power rankings.
Biggest Losers
Well, that leaves two. Sue is a bigger loser than Teeny on this. She lost her other number one ally (after Gabe was booted two episodes ago) and held onto an idol in her pocket that she wanted to use to save Caroline. She had agency, didn’t make a move, lost the vote, and lost an ally. The only reason she’s ahead of Teeny is because she’s a bigger goat and has an idol, so she’ll probably make it to the end as a zero-vote finalist. Teeny dropped because her emotions were on full display as a weakness. She can’t control them, she has not ability to get her way in the game, doesn’t have a winning resume, but is still more of a threat than Sue, so she is more likely to be booted. This was the final nail in the Teeny coffin in Survivor: 47.
Next Boot
New thing I’m trying (yes, very late into the season). But here I will try to pick the next boot, why they get booted, and how the vote goes. It’s a total shot in the dark, so let’s see.
I think Sam winds individual immunity, pitting Rachel against Genevieve (like in the preview for the next episode). I think Rachel blocks Sam’s vote and votes Genevieve off and it’s actually rather uneventful. The hidden immunity idol remains a secret.