There's a New Sheriff in Town

There's a New Sheriff in Town is the seventh episode of . 
==Story==
===Day 19===
It is now Day 19 at the Nuku tribe and the tribe is still talking about the previous night's Tribal Council when Jeff Varner revealed to everyone that Zeke Smith is transgender. Sarah Lacina tells Tai Trang that she has not forgiven Jeff yet. Tai understands and starts to cry as he thinks about how difficult it was for Zeke last night. Sarah had never met a transgender person before Zeke. She really likes Zeke and her feelings about him have only gotten stronger, since she found out he was transgender. 
With everyone in the tribe gathered around the fire, Zeke tells everyone that he was very touched by their support last night at Tribal Council. He often finds that when people find out he is transgender, they focus on that and don't really get to know him. 
He feels that he had many of these qualities before being on Survivor, but does feel that the game has helped him get through difficult issues like Varner outing him last night. Zeke is so impressed that his tribemates have been so generous and supportive about this issue. 
As the Mana and Nuku tribes walk up the beach towards Jeff Probst, the host, they are thrilled to see a long table full of food. They also see a table next to Jeff that is covered, so they are not sure what to expect. 
Jeff is glad that Ozzy notices the covered table next to him. He informs everyone that they have one last decision to make as tribes. In order to enjoy the amazing meal, one person from each tribe must volunteer to not take part in it. Everyone is distressed to hear this. If one person from each tribe does not volunteer to sit out of the feast, then the feast goes away and they will celebrate the merge with one cracker each and a swig of ice tea, which Jeff uncovers on the table beside him. Brad volunteers to sit out for the Mana tribe and tells Jeff that he is sure his wife Monica would have done the same. 
Tai volunteers to sit out for the Nuku tribe. Jeff then announces that the two tribes are now officially merged. Everyone is so happy to make it to this portion of the game. Jeff sends Brad and Tai down the beach to sit on a log, while the rest of the merged tribe runs towards the table with all the food to start enjoying the huge feast. 
Sierra is so happy to be eating and hopes she doesn't get sick.
Sierra still has that legacy advantage, which she can use when either 13 or 6 people are left in the game. The current count is 13, but she would like to keep it as long as possible. Cirie keeps a close eye on everyone as they eat and talk. She knows all too well that the pace of the game speeds up after the merge and she wants to be ready for it. Everyone appreciates Brad and Tai for giving up the merge feast, so they could enjoy it. 
Brad and Tai fill each other in on what's happened, since they were on a tribe together. Brad trusts Tai. He tells Tai that he is close with Sierra and Troyzan and wants to get out Michaela or Hali next. Tai is glad that Brad still wants to work with him. Meanwhile, back at the merge feast, Debbie is dancing and enjoying herself. 
Tai screams when Debbie moons him from afar.
She knows that close relationships are crucial to her success at this point in the game. The entire merged tribe of 13 people arrives at the old Mana camp. Debbie gives Brad a hug and apologizes for getting upset with him the last time they were together. She is following the advice that Cochran gave her on Exile to mend fences.
As the entire tribe gathers around the fire, Zeke decides to answer the questions of why was Varner voted out. Everyone that was not at that Tribal Council is shocked to find out that Varner accused Zeke of being deceptive for being transgender. Zeke admits that he is transgender. Zeke says, "I'm like all of you and am forever changed and forever evolved by my experience on Survivor as was a much stronger and capable person in that moment." The tribe is impressed with how Zeke is handling this difficult situation.
Brad, Ozzy, and Troyzan meet to confirm that they are all still working together and find out who else can be part of their group. Brad suggests that they target Michaela first, because he does not trust her. Troyzan and Ozzy agree. Next, they spread the word to their allies in the tribe that Michaela is the next one to go. Ozzy tells Zeke and Sarah. Troyzan tells Tai and Tai tells Hali. Brad tells Sierra, who then informs Cirie and Aubry of the plan. Sierra is happy to get rid of Michaela, since she is a challenge threat and always interrupting her conversations with others. Everyone seems to be on board with the plan. Meanwhile, Michaela is busy helping to paint the tribe flag with the name Maku Maku.
Sierra encourages Zeke to stick to the plan tonight. Michaela walks up on their conversation, which annoys Sierra. Sierra hopes that they will be able to get rid of Michaela next without her knowing that she is the target. Later, Zeke, Cirie, and Andrea get a chance to talk in the shelter. Zeke sees a battle between his group, which includes himself, Cirie, Andrea, and Sarah and Brad and Sierra's group, which includes Tai and Troyzan. At this point, the two groups are working together, but soon they will come after one another. Zeke wants his group to make the first move. 
===Day 21===
It is now Day 21 at the Maku Maku camp. Hali is seeing that she is being left out of all the conversations going on around camp. 
Hali hopes to work with Michaela to turn things around. So, Hali tells Michaela that she is in danger of being the next person voted out. Michaela is upset to hear this. 
Michaela asks Cirie for advice. Cirie is honest with her and recommends that she control her emotions and try to get along with others more. Cirie understands Michaela, because she was like her when she was young.
Cirie encourages Michaela to be more open and warm to her tribe mates, so she draws them in versus pushing them away. Michaela listens to Cirie's advice. 
Cirie is happy to mentor Michaela and hopes that she will gain an ally and vote that she can count on in this game. Jeff Probst welcomes the Maku Maku tribe to the first individual Immunity Challenge. He reveals the individual Immunity Necklace that they will be competing for in this challenge. He then explains the rules of the challenge. They will each stand on their toes with a block wedged between their head and the top of the frame. The longer the challenge goes, the more fatigued their legs will become. When they finally give out, the block will drop and they will be out of the challenge. The last person left standing wins immunity and is safe at Tribal Council. One of the losers will be the eighth person voted out of this game.
 
The challenge begins and within seconds, Hali is the first to lose her balance and drop out. Troyzan, and Zeke are right behind her. Now 10 are left in the challenge. Jeff reminds them that they cannot touch the frame or the block during the challenge. Cirie is the next one out. Michaela talks to herself to keep her mind focused on the challenge and to get through the pain. Debbie is the next person out, followed by Michaela. At only five minutes into the challenge, seven people are left standing. Ozzy, Aubry, and Brad are out next. After 25 minutes, Andrea, Sierra, Tai, and Sarah are still in it. Sarah and Sierra are the next to fall. So, Tai and Andrea battle it out to win immunity. In the end, Andrea is the last person standing and the first woman to win this Immunity Challenge. She is happy to have Jeff place the coveted Immunity Necklace around her neck.
The Maku Maku tribe congratulates Andrea for her win as they get back to camp. Sierra feels like she is controlling the game and the vote for this Tribal Council.
Sierra tells Andrea and Sarah that Hali is much more confident than she was when they played together in their last season, so she is worried that Hali has an idol. Sierra, Andrea, and Sarah agree to split the vote between Hali and Michaela, just to be safe. Sierra then instructs the rest of her group to split the votes. When Michaela and Hali check in with Sierra, she tells them to vote for Zeke, because he is too dangerous. Both Hali and Michaela feel very vulnerable tonight. Cirie would prefer that Hali goes tonight, so she can keep her ally Michaela around. So, Cirie warns Zeke that Sierra's group will gain Hali as a number, if they vote out Michaela.
Cirie and Zeke want to make sure that Hali does not stick around and add a number to their competing alliance. Zeke asks Sierra why they are putting more votes on Michaela, if they are worried about Hali having an idol. Sierra feels that Michaela is more annoying than Hali. 
Cirie tells Michaela that she is fighting to keep her in the game, but warns her not to let anyone know and to vote for Zeke as she was told. Cirie wants to make sure that no one knows that she was the one who changed the vote tonight. 
Jeff Probst welcomes the Maku Maku tribe to Tribal Council. He instructs Cirie to light her torch, since she has not been to Tribal Council yet. He reminds her that this is part of the ritual of Tribal Council, because in this game fire represents your life. When her fire is gone, so is she. With one big tribe of 13 people, Zeke points out that it is near impossible to keep track of all the people and who they are talking to. Andrea feels that the first vote after the merge is where lines are drawn and it sets the tone for the rest of the game. Debbie feels confident she knows who is going to be voted out tonight. Hali feels like she is a likely target. Michaela also feels like she is in the dark about the vote and hopes that everyone is voting for the most dangerous person. Ozzy points out that getting rid of a person that may have an idol is also a factor in this vote. Feeling vulnerable, Hali offers to prove to everyone that she does not have an idol. No one takes her up on that offer. Hali then recommends that everyone be smart tonight and take out a huge risk and not her. Sierra is not sure that this is the right time to make that move. Jeff then calls for the Maku Maku tribe to vote. Before revealing the votes, he asks if anyone would like to play a Hidden Immunity Idol. None are played. Jeff reveals the votes. Zeke gets 2 votes. Michaela gets 4 votes and Hali gets 7 votes, which is enough. So, Hali Ford is the eighth person to leave Survivor: Game Changers and the first member of the jury.
===Day 22===
The sun is rising on Day 22 and Michaela is so happy that Hali was voted out last night at Tribal Council instead of her. 
Cirie warns Michaela not to let anyone know that she helped her last night, so that they can quietly continue to work together. Michaela feels a special connection and trust with Cirie because they are both black American females.
Zeke takes a walk with Cirie and Aubry to discuss the game plan. At last night's Tribal Council, Cirie followed Sierra's master plan by voting for Michaela and having Michaela vote for Zeke. Now, Cirie wants to follow her own plan. She tells Zeke and Aubry that she would like Brad or Sierra out next. 
Cirie proposes that they target Sierra first. Zeke tells Cirie that it should be easy to get others to make that happen. Cirie feels she can count on Zeke, Andrea, Sarah, and Michaela to vote with her and she is pretty sure that Aubry and Ozzy will join them.
Aubry feels like she is in the middle of a war that is coming. She is happy to be on Cirie's side. Next Zeke joins Andrea in the hammock to see what she is thinking. Like Cirie, Andrea would also like to get rid of Brad and Sierra.
Andrea tells Zeke to not tell Debbie or Tai her plan, because they are too close to Brad and Sierra. Zeke is unsatisfied, because he is not in control of this game. On his first season, he feels he made big moves too soon in the game, but now he is ready to take control of this season.
Zeke feels confident that he could get either Cirie or Andrea out at the next vote. Jeff Probst welcomes the Maku Maku tribe to their first Reward Challenge as a merged tribe. He then tells them the rules of the challenge. They will be divided into two teams of six. Two players from each team will swim out and retrieve a net with wooden fish in it. They will bring it back to shore, where two other tribe members will untie those fish, hook them to a pole and then carry it to the finish. The two remaining tribe members will use the fish to solve a puzzle. The first team to get it right wins reward. Jeff reveals the reward to be a day of luxury that at the Marshall's Lounge where they will enjoy a shower with luxurious towels, robes, soaps and lotions. In addition, they will enjoy a meal of comfort with burgers, fries, and apple pie.
 
The two teams are chosen via a Schoolyard Pick. Sarah is the captain of one team and choose Brad, Aubry, Michaela, Cirie, and Sierra. Andrea is the other captain and she chooses Ozzy, Troyzan, Tai, Debbie, and Zeke to be on her team. The challenge begins. Brad and Sarah are the swimmers for the orange team, while Troyzan and Ozzy are the swimmers for the blue team. Although Brad and Sarah get their fish net untied first, they lose a fish and have to go back for it. So, Ozzy and Troyzan make it back to shore first with their fish net for the blue team. Andrea and Tai then go to work on untying the fish and putting them on their hooks. The orange team is not too far behind as Aubry and Michaela start untying their fish for the orange team. Each team has to untie 14 fish and place them on hooks and then transport them up to the puzzle station. Andrea and Tai lose time for the blue team, when they transport only 13 fish to the puzzle station and have to go all the way back for the last one. This allows the orange team to now take the lead as Aubry and Michaela get all 14 of their fish to the puzzle first, where Sierra and Cirie start using them to assemble the orange team's puzzle. Finally, Andrea and Tai get all of their fish to the puzzle, where Zeke and Debbie use them to work on their blue team puzzle. In the end Zeke and Debbie come from behind to solve the blue puzzle first and win the reward for themselves and their teammates of Ozzy, Troyzan, Andrea, and Tai. Sarah is disappointed with losing the reward, but she is glad to have options in the game. 
Brad, Aubry, Michaela, Sarah, Cirie, and Sierra head back to camp after losing the Reward Challenge. Cirie and Sierra feel awful for not solving the puzzle in time to win their team the Marshall's Lounge reward. Sierra feels like she could just break down and cry at any minute. 
Back home, Cirie has worked so hard to make sure her family has what they need. Not winning today makes her feel like she didn't provide for her family and make her feel worthless. Sierra assures Cirie that it wasn't her fault.
Andrea, Ozzy, Troyzan, Tai, Debbie, and Zeke are so excited as they arrive at the Marshall's Lounge Reward. 
Everyone is thrilled by the wonderful smelling shampoos, lotions and candles and the very comfortable towels, robes and lounges. They start by taking showers to get their bodies clean and smelling good again. Tai surprises the group when he runs around without any clothes on after his shower. He has always wanted to streak.
Next they enjoy delicious hamburgers and pie. Zeke loves relaxing and being at the reward, but he still takes time to talk strategy with Debbie and Tai. He warns them that Cirie and Andrea are bigger strategic threats than Brad and Sierra. 
He wants to be the one to start and control the direction of the war. Zeke then tells Debbie and Tai, that Andrea told him not to tell Debbie about her plans. Debbie immediately recommends they take out Andrea next. She wants Zeke to think that she believes what he is telling her, but she is not sure that she can trust him. 
===Day 24===
Jeff Probst welcomes the Maku Maku tribe to a classic Immunity Challenge that Ozzy has played and won twice before: Get a Grip. Sierra has done this challenge once and did not win. Each of them will hang onto a pole for as long as they can. When they lose their grip and drop to the ground, they are out. The last person left hanging wins immunity. One of the losers will be the ninth person voted out of this game.
The challenge begins and everyone is hanging on to their pole. From the first second, it is difficult and painful. Before a minute has passed, Cirie drops and is out of the challenge. Brad, Aubry, Debbie, Zeke, and Sierra are the next ones out. So, only six people, which is half of the tribe remains. Troyzan and Sarah slip down their poles and are now out of the challenge. So, Michaela, Andrea, Tai, and Ozzy are the four remaining. After 20 minutes have gone by, Ozzy tells everyone that he plans on breaking his record. With that, Michaela makes her way down her pole and jumps off. 
Forty minutes have now elapsed. Andrea falls off her pole, because her muscles are now numb. So, now it is a battle between just Tai and Ozzy. In the end, after more than one hour and 35 minutes, Tai outlasts Ozzy and breaks his winning streak. So, Tai wins the coveted individual immunity.
The Maku Maku tribe is now back at camp. 
He begins by telling Sierra that Cirie, Andrea, and Aubry want to vote her out tonight. Sierra is surprised to hear this, especially from Zeke who seems pretty close with those three. Zeke tries to convince Sierra that he would prefer Andrea go home tonight and not her.
Sierra goes right to Cirie and tells her that Zeke said that people are suggesting she go home tonight. Cirie is shocked to hear that Zeke betrayed her and immediately lets Andrea and Ozzy know about Zeke revealing their plan. Andrea is mad and hurt that Zeke did this. Cirie suggests that they vote for Zeke tonight, since he can no longer be trusted. Ozzy comments, "Timing is everything." He wants Cirie on his side and plans on voting with her. Cirie and Andrea let Sarah know what Zeke did and encourage her to vote for him tonight. Meanwhile, Sierra talks things over with Debbie. Sierra proposes that they vote for Zeke tonight too. Debbie suggests they vote for Ozzy instead. Sierra likes this idea. Debbie spreads the word to vote out Ozzy to her alliance of Brad, Troyzan, Tai, and Sarah.
Debbie would prefer not to use her extra vote this early, but she wants to make sure that she has enough votes to get rid of Ozzy. Sarah finds herself in the middle of two alliances. One that wants to vote out Ozzy and the other that wants to vote out Zeke.
Jeff Probst welcomes the Maku Maku tribe and Hali, the first jury member to Tribal Council. Ozzy feels this season is more difficult and cutthroat with higher stakes than any other season he has played in. Sarah is not sure who is with whom after all the switches and swaps this season. Ozzy feels vulnerable not having the Immunity Necklace on, but he reminds everyone that he is valuable, because he feeds them when he fishes. Aubry tells Jeff that this season is much tougher physically and mentally, then her first season. Zeke admits that his goal is to go to the end with the right people and to convince them that they can beat him in the end. Tai is impressed and intimidated by the complex strategies that many of his tribe mates like Zeke have. Debbie points out that another challenge to Survivor is that you cannot trust that everyone in your alliance is really on your side and not planning to backstab you. Cirie says that she plans on basing her vote on who has shown or not shown that they can be trusted. Jeff then calls for the Maku Maku tribe to vote. Before Jeff goes to tally the votes, Debbie pulls out her extra vote advantage that she got at Exile Island. Jeff instructs her to cast her extra vote. Before revealing the votes, Jeff asks if anyone would like to play a Hidden Immunity Idol. None are played. He then reveals the first 11 votes. Sierra and Aubry both get 1 vote. Zeke gets 4 votes and Ozzy gets 6 votes, which is enough. So, Ozzy is the ninth person to leave Survivor: Game Changers and the second member of the jury.
==Challenges==
<tabber>Immunity (Day 21)=Challenge: Keep on Your ToesCastaways would each stand on a small wooden perch in a rectangular frame, adjusted to their height. They would brace a wooden block on their head and keep it in place using the wooden board above them. The structure would force the contestants to stand on their toes slightly, increasing the difficulty. If they fall off the frame, drop their block, or touch either the structure or their block, they would be out of the challenge. The last person left standing wins.Winner: |-|Reward=Challenge: New SchoolTwo tribe members would swim out and untie a net with fish puzzle pieces. After taking the net back to the shore, two other tribe members would untie the puzzle pieces from the net and hang them on hooks. They would then carry the log with the hooks to a puzzle station, where the last two tribe members would use the puzzle pieces to complete a puzzle.Reward: Trip to Marshalls lounge with a feast of burgers.Winners: (, , , , , and )|-|Immunity (Day 24)=Challenge: Get a GripThe castaways must hang on to a pole for as long as they can. When they drop from the pole, they are out of the challenge and have no chance of winning immunity. The last person left hanging on wins immunity.Winner </tabber>
==Tribal Council==
===Day 21===
colspan="2" 	
VotedAgainst	Voter
 	
 	
 	
colspan="2" 	
====Voting Confessionals====
Michaela and Hali were shown writing Zeke's name down on the parchment, and Sierra was shown writing Hali's name down, but neither gave a confessional.
====Final Words====
===Day 24===
colspan="2" 	
VotedAgainst	Voter(Debbie used Extra Vote advantage)
 	
 	
 	
 	
colspan="2" 	
====Voting Confessionals====
Sierra was shown writing Ozzy's name down on the parchment, but did not give a confessional. Cirie's vote was not shown during her confessional.
====Final Words====
===Still in the Running===
									
									
==Trivia==
===Secret Scenes===
*Let's Name The Tribe: The merged tribe settles on "Maku Maku", a "conglomerate" of Mana and Nuku, as Debbie Wanner says it. Hali Ford designs the tribe flag, and the tribe pitches in with the painting of the flag.
*Debbie Has A Crush On Me: Debbie brings up Brad Culpepper and Sarah Lacina's liaison to Brad and wants to clarify the situation with him. Brad takes notice of Debbie's overreaction to the innocent conversation and believes that she is unstable and needs to be constantly kept in check so as to keep her as an ally.
===Life at Ponderosa===
*Hali's Ponderosa
*Ozzy's Ponderosa
===Unaired Confessionals===
===​Other===
* No footage from Day 20 and Day 23 are shown in the episode.
* This episode marks the first time that Brad Culpepper and Michaela Bradshaw have reached the merge in their respective Survivor careers.
* Ozzy Lusth becomes the first four-time contestant that has made the merge in every season he has competed in, and the second contestant to sit on three juries.
* This is the first time this season that Cirie Fields is vulnerable at Tribal Council for elimination.
* This episode marks the first time that a Split Vote plan was employed with the no-revotes mechanic.
* This is the second time Hali Ford becomes the first member of the jury in her Survivor career. Similarly, this is the second time Ozzy has been the second member of the jury in his Survivor career.
* Debbie Wanner is the first person to cast an Extra Vote advantage against the contestant eventually eliminated.
==References==
Category:Survivor (U.S.)
Category:Episodes
Category:Survivor (U.S.) Episodes
Category:Survivor: Game Changers
Category:Game Changers Episodes