Blood Vs Water Episode 9: No More Miss Nice Girl

A bitter Tina trashes Tyson

Back at camp, Vytas tries to play it cool with Tyson, but Tina feels the need to speak up. "That's five jury votes that you'll never get" she tells him, though I'm not entirely sure she's got her math right there. She soon shuts up when it comes out that Aras had an alliance with...everybody in the game. The next morning, Tina gives Katie her blessing to play her own individual game and do what she needs to do. Aww, her youngling is old enough to fly the nest.

The gross food competition returns for the first challenge of the episode, and the first thing on the menu is mealworms. Advancing from heat one is Tyson, Monica and after a struggle, Vytas. The second heat sees Hayden, Gervase and Caleb go through after Ciera and Tina both quit. Wait, Caleb is still in the game? The second round is cow intestines. This is the grossest one. Monica is the first one through. Gervase tries pulling it apart, and it seems to work, as he beats Vytas to advance to the final round.

Foiled by an old enemy

The final round is Gervase vs Monica. And it's a rematch 13 years in the making, as Gervase tackles the same grub he couldn't get down in season 1. Well, not the same grub but...yknow. Gerv's strategy is to put both of them in his mouth at the same time and just chew as frantically as he can. Monica takes her time, but gets there eventually and wins immunity. She celebrates by hugging Jeff. I'm happy for her, although she did ruin a great story. Gervase seems so disappointed, partially because he failed to get the closure he wanted.

Laura wants to do a split vote on Vytas and Katie, and Tyson goes along with it, not wanting to expose his idol. Vytas is resigned to voting off Katie and gives Tyson some arguments for why he should too - it gets another pair out of the game, and he'd be more likely to give Tyson his jury vote. Monica wonders what all the scrambling is about and this bugs some of the other players  - especially because she's the only one safe tonight.

At tribal council, Jeff asks about the aftermath of the Aras blindside and Tina admits she should've kept her mouth shut. Vytas goes on a rant about wanting to fuck them all over for voting out his brother under the guise of not going on a rant about it. He then takes shots at Monica, Gervase and Tyson because he knows he's on the way out. His ship well and truly sunk, Vytas ends up voted out overwhemingly. So much for the split vote!

Back at camp, Monica explains she switched her vote to Vytas following the attack he made on her at tribal council. And more importantly, it allowed her to get in a Brad shoutout. Gervase is livid she didn't stick to the plan, knowing that could've screwed him bad if an idol had been played.

The yin and yang of Redemption Island

Vytas blames Aras for his elimination and has a bit of a moaning session with him. Aras reminds him they're not out of the game yet, whereas Vytas is less optimistic and calls their current locale "purgatory". Great analogy!

Tina would fall on her sword for Katie

The next immunity challenge is to balance coins on the end of a sword. This was a challenge in Nicaragua, but I don't remember anyone being in any rush to see it again. This time, Monica is the first one out and Ciera doesn't follow far behind. Tina is next and decides to cheer on her daughter. Soon Katie is left against Tyson and Hayden, and she manages to beat the boys to win the necklace. Tina still celebrates even though it'll probably be the end of her. That's family!

The three stooges get outfoxed by Tina of all people

Back at camp, Tina congratulates her daughter...and then bolts to look for the idol. Tyson assigns Hayden and Caleb to shadow her, but they somehow manage to lose her in the jungle. When they find her, she decides to stay still, as she doesn't want them to know she doesn't have it. The group discuss splitting the vote again, until Monica raises a valid point: with Katie immune, who would be the decoy boot?

At tribal council, Tina plays up that she might have the idol and decides to lay into Monica a little bit because she thinks it's obvious she's on the bottom of the alliance. Monica admits that might be true too, but tells the group it would be stupid to vote her out as she's loyal...despite her raging bouts of paranoia.

In the end, Tina is voted out and sent to Redemption Island. Not the first time a double boot has ended up so predictable...but can you really see this alliance of seven sticking together to boot freakin' Katie? I can't.

STAR OF THE WEEK: TYSON APOSTOL

Tyson is long overdue for a star of the week, but why am I giving it to him on one of his quietest episodes? Well, that's exactly the reason why...he's doing a great job of staying under the radar and off the chopping block. Not an easy feat for such a physical powerhouse. He didn't bow to the pressure and reveal his idol, which was the correct decision. If he can get to the end, he's earned the win.