Lay Low

This is the tenth episode of *Survivor: Gonave Island*

## Challenges

**Immunity Challenge:** *Splash Back*
The castaways would stand on small platforms and hang on to a rope while leaning backwards over a pool of water. The rope would have knots tied along its length. In five-minute intervals, the castaways would have to move further down the rope to the next knot, increasing the angle at which they were hanging over the water. The last castaway to hang on to the rope would win.
**Winner:** Tanner Cozart

## Story

### Night 24

The final ten returns from Tribal Council where Gerard was blindsided and made the first member of the jury. Tanner goes after Gretchen, saying she is lower than dirt for swearing on her parents that she would vote with them. Gretchen states that she had more options with the other alliance and doesn't regret her choice. Tanner gives off a scoff and goes to the shelter. Kenneth calmly asks Gretchen why she swore on her parents if she wasn't gonna vote with them. Gretchen states she came to her decision at Tribal.

### Day 25

Gretchen and J.T. are the first two up and tend to the fire together. J.T. thanks Gretchen for voting with them and knows the other alliance is upset with her. Gretchen says it doesn't bother her since they will be going to the jury anyway. Gretchen also states that she's happy they're running the game. J.T. rolls his eyes but continues to talk to Gretchen. As everyone begins to wake up, Gretchen begins making rice.

As they eat, Tanner goes after Gretchen's character, something Barbie doesn't take lightly. As Tanner attacks Gretchen, Barbie intervenes, calling Tanner childish. The two argue, with Tanner saying Gretchen screwed him over and has reasons to be mad with Barbie saying Tanner shouldn't attack anyone. Kim and Franklin try to intervene, but Barbie continues her enraged attack on Tanner. Tanner simply ignores her and leaves.

In the woods, Kenneth has a conversation with Kim. He asks if there's a way to stay longer than his allies, with Kim saying that she wants him to stay the longest due to their relationship. Kenneth then offers his vote, saying that since he has basically no one, his vote is up for grabs. Kim considers using Kenneth in the future.

Franklin and Barbie go off alone as well, with Franklin berating Barbie for her argument with Tanner. The culinary student says she lost her cool when Tanner attacked Gretchen on a personal level, saying it was disgusting. Franklin agrees, but says that they can't show any weakness to the other alliance. Barbie agrees and asks to be alone to calm down.

At the beach, Tanner and Jason talk game. Jason jokes, saying they're doomed to be in the minority at all times. The musician says that he would need immunity in order to avoid a split vote. Jason reminds him that they are unable to split the vote yet as they have six and they have four. Tanner says their best bet is for him to win immunity because they might target Elisabeth or take out Gretchen since they no longer need her for a majority.

### Day 26

At the beach, Kim takes out her luxury item, a letter from her boyfriend. She reads it out loud to herself, nearly coming to tears as she does. When she's finished reading it, she folds it up and puts it in her bag and stares out into the ocean.

Kim returns to camp where J.T. is cutting coconuts for the tribe. As he cuts, he slices the top tip of his finger, causing him to scream in pain. Everyone rushes to J.T. as he holds onto his finger. The medical team comes out to camp and treats J.T. by cleaning his wound and stitching it. Kenneth jokingly asks if J.T. will have to evacuate J.T., causing J.T. to chuckle through the pain. The medical team stitch J.T.'s finger, bandage it, and put a glove on it to protect it from the water.

As Gretchen goes back to collecting water, Elisabeth follows with the intention of apologizing and getting her to flip. She catches up but as Elisabeth apologizes, Gretchen simply ignores her. Gretchen continues to ignore her on their way back until she can't handle it anymore. Gretchen unloads on Elisabeth, saying that her calling her out after Edward left was another reason she went with the other alliance, as she felt she has more of a say with them than with Elisabeth. Gretchen then storms off.

Elisabeth relays her conversation with Gretchen to Kenneth and Tanner, saying that one of them need to win immunity and send anyone but J.T. to Exile. When asked why, Elisabeth explains that J.T. doesn't trust Gretchen and has been wanting her out since the swap. Kenneth says it's their best bet as the three disperse.

Meanwhile, J.T. does talk about the possibility of taking Gretchen out, saying she is a massive wild card, calling her 'The new Kass'. Ashlee doesn't think taking Gretchen out now is the best plan as they have a solid majority and there is no need to break it up. On que, Kim comes up to talk game. J.T. says they could take Gretchen out next and still hold a solid majority. Kim disagrees, as she wants Elisabeth out next, saying she is very strong mentally and physically. J.T. gets frustrated.

Kim then asks the two to help her with coconuts. They get to a large coconut tree. Kim tries to swat the coconuts down with the machete but is unable to. Kim then decides to climb up and as she gets to the coconuts, she slips and falls on the ground. J.T. and Barbie rush to her, but Kim merely laughs it off, calling herself dumb.

### Day 27

The final ten meet Jeff for their next immunity challenge as Kim hands back the necklace.

Kenneth comments how the challenge isn't made for guys, causing the other men to laugh. Franklin tries to readjust himself, causing him to fall 5 minutes into the challenge. After Franklin falls, the remaining nine move down to the other knot. Jason struggles moving down and falls into the water. Barbie soon follows, leaving the other seven hurting on the second knot. Everyone else makes it to the third knot and Jeff tells them that in five minutes, they will move down to the part with no knot. Kim loses concentration and falls into the water. The last six then move down to the final piece of rope and almost immediately, Kenneth and J.T. fall in, leaving Gretchen, Elisabeth, Tanner, and Ashlee. Gretchen is unable to hang on anymore and falls, with Elisabeth falling soon after. Tanner begins too struggle, however, Ashlee loses focus and falls, winning Tanner immunity. When asked who he would send to Exile, Tanner gleefully says Barbie.

The nine Survivors return to camp and split into their respective alliances. Kim stresses that Elisabeth is the best option for the vote since she's the least likely to get the idol. When Gretchen and Franklin leave, J.T. begs Kim to vote Gretchen because of her unpredictability. Kim shoots down the idea, saying that they need to stay six strong. J.T. continues to push the idea, but Kim doesn't bite and leaves.

J.T. asks Ashlee if they should just go with the other alliance for one vote to take out Gretchen. Ashlee is worried that it would backfire, saying Kim is powerful in persuasion and could take them out when she is able to. J.T. disagrees, but Ashlee still has her doubts the move would backfire.

Elisabeth then puts her plan into motion by asking J.T. to help her collect water from the well. As they walk, she tells J.T. that her side is voting Gretchen and this could be the chance he needs to take out Gretchen. J.T. states he does want Gretchen out, but after talking to Ashlee, he does have some worries. Elisabeth tells him that it would help him get farther in the game and take out some power players. J.T. reconsiders blindsiding Gretchen.

At Tribal, Tanner explains the fallout after the last Tribal where he unleashed on Gretchen after swearing on her parents and then betraying them. Gretchen states that she had more options with the other alliance and doesn't regret her decision. She even states that she was never fully with the other alliance and only said what she said in order to keep the target off her back. This causes a verbal showdown between Tanner, Gretchen, and Elisabeth, with Elisabeth saying Gretchen has no chance at winning now, with Gretchen merely shrugging it off. Jeff then calls the tribe to vote.

Despite wanting Gretchen out, J.T. decides not to renege on his alliance and joins them in voting Elisabeth, sending her hope 5-4.

## Next Time on *Survivor*...

* A new duo forms.
* The majority alliance begins to crack.
* Will J.T. finally vote Gretchen out?

## Life At Ponderosa

Elisabeth leaves tribal disappointed. She says she had more to give to the game and felt that if J.T. flipped, she could have gotten to the end.

It is revealed at medical that Elisabeth lost 10 lbs during her 27 days in the game. She laughs in shock at the revelation as medical continues their checkup. She is then taken to Ponderosa and is greeted by Gerard with a hug. He then hands her a beer.

Elisabeth explains that that Tanner unleashed on Gretchen when they got to camp and then fought with Barbie the next day. Gerard laughs at the fights.

Elisabeth looks at herself in the mirror in her room and looks shocked. She says she looks like she's nineteen again.

The next day, Elisabeth sunbathes on the nearby beach while Gerard works out nearby.