Blood Vs Water Episode 14: Hail To The King

Hayden fancies his chances

The final four anticipate the final duel coming up soon, and whoever comes back is likely to be an ally for Ciera. Tyson tries to make sure Monica stays on board by offering her the idol. Smart move, as Monica admits she's waiting to see who comes back and wants to play the middle. Tina, Hayden and Laura get ready for the final duel, and Laura is hoping to get back in the game and provide the reinforcements for her daughter. All three agree that one of them needs to win this game.

The challenge ahead of them is to keep a vase suspended on a plank. Laura starts struggling almost immediately. She keeps hanging on in there though, and manages to outlast Hayden. Tina fights off the pain and pleas from Laura to win the duel and return to the game. Little ol' Tina, Redemption Island champion! Did anyone expect that? Probst asks Laura whether her time in the game was a success or a failure and after hearing her daughter speak about how proud she is of her, the answer is obvious.

You can't win 'em all

After re-entering the game, Tina starts playing hard straight away. She goes up the tree to look for the idol and aggressively tries to sway Monica. Too aggressively, according to Ciera. It's obvious Ciera didn't want Tina back, but she has to work with what she's got.

Tyson wants a knighthood

The immunity challenge is to retrieve blocks from tables and stand them on a board that keeps falling over. The women start off strongest, but Tyson soon takes the lead. When everyone else drops their board, Tyson is given enough time to go as carefully as he wants for his last block, and he wins immunity.

Monica makes Gerv go crazy

Satisfied with being safe, Tyson doesn't care who goes home and leaves the decision up to his allies. Gervase wants Ciera gone as she's the sneakier player but Monica wants Tina gone as she hasn't voted anyone out and has been bullying her. Monica is now starting to feel bullied by Gervase, and might just flip the script. So she suggests to Tina and Ciera they might want to vote out Gervase.

Monica breaks down at tribal council, saying the game is starting to get to her. Tyson denies calling Monica a lapdog. Gervase doesn't like how non-committal Monica is getting right before the vote, and figuring better safe than sorry, Tyson hands his idol to Gervase to null the votes against him. Ciera gets voted out and her mom cries watching it from the jury. Monica didn't actually flip anyway, and feels a little betrayed by the lack of trust in her.

Monica gives a little shoulder charge

Tina watches a beautiful sunset, knowing she has no other option but to win the next challenge. And the challenge in question is a very large, very physical and very fun one that involves them navigating a complex obstacle course for puzzle bags. The contest gets even more physical when Monica blocks Gervase with her shoulder as they're both running up the stairs. Tyson, Gervase and Monica all manage to keep up with eachother with Tina quite a way behind. Tyson finishes the puzzle first, and has to leave his station and check out the course to figure out the answer to his combination lock. He gets it right, and wins immunity again.

Tina's last pitch is to see if Monica is willing to tie the vote and let her make fire against Gervase. Monica likes the idea of getting to add a big move to her CV, but doesn't like the idea that Tina might actually win...as she doesn't want to face Tina in the finals. At tribal council, Monica wants everyone to know that it's her deciding what happens tonight, and nobody else. Gervase tells Probst he knows there's still time for a big move to be made. Tina is voted out, and as she departs tells the final three to be kind to eachother.

It's the final three breakfast, and Tyson says he's been imagining this moment for a long time. Monica is also proud of herself for lasting this long, as she feels she did it all on her own. Gervase thinks he has played a game worthy of winning, he just needs to convince the jury of that.

Gervase, Monica and Tyson go before the jury to plead their case. Gervase says he brought the best of old school and new school. Monica claims she wasn't a lapdog and that facing the other two guys was her best option from a strategic standpoint. Tyson explains he started taking the game a lot more seriously after Rachel left.

It's all about ME!

Vytas is up first and tells Tyson that he already promised not to vote for him and he's sticking true to that. Katie calls Tyson out for being an ass to her when she got voted out, and he apologizes. Caleb wants Monica to be vulnerable, which she achieves by crying about how she's always felt in Brad's shadow.

Hayden becomes the third juror to make Monica cry, and ends up arranging coffee with her. Is Final Tribal Council really the most appropriate place to make dinner plans? He also has a question for Tyson, but just wants to know where the idol was. Aras closes up by getting them to say which of their opponents they'd vote for. Both of the other two choose Tyson, but Tyson surprisingly picks Monica. Bet that disappointed Gervase a little bit.

The jury get up to make their choice. We see Caleb vote for Tyson and Vytas vote for Monica. Back at the studio, Jeff reads the votes. Tyson breaks down in tears as he is declared the sole Survivor with all but one vote.

STAR OF THE WEEK: TYSON APOSTOL

Tyson played a very aggressive and in-your-face game, which is unusual for a man used to playing second fiddle. He made the majority of the decisions, he took big risks and never went the safe route. Definitely the most pro-active player of the season.

Next up - Survivor: Cagayan

It's brawn vs brains vs beauty! I'm not sure how necessary a "beauty" tribe was...nobody has ever wondered whether being attractive makes you good at Survivor, and I haven't seen many challenges where being beautiful comes in handy. But I'll gladly support a return to the three-tribe format.