Cambodia Episode 12: Breaking Point

Jeremy is nervous about where he stands in the game now, but Spencer is trying to maintain a relationship with him. Kimmi talks to Kelley and is ready to start making some moves...first they want Joe out, and then they're gonna lock down a girls alliance.

Officially a loved one now

At the next challenge, Probst brings out the loved ones after faking them out for no reason. First up is the return of Val, who immediately re-energizes Jeremy and lets him know they're having a boy. We also see familiar faces Dale Wentworth and Vera Gomes, who you may remember from Philippines. Spencer gets an opportunity to tell his girlfriend he loves her, for the first time. Joe gets to see his dad come out, which was apparently his big Survivor dream. Kimmi's dad and Tasha's cousin round out the guests.

Now we have a challenge to run, which is to pull up a rope to unearth several bags, then unscrew a post to get another bag, walk across a balance beam and use the blocks from the bags to spell out a word. Joe throws his ropes over Keith, but it's actually Kimmi who gets her bags out the fastest. Keith overtakes her on the beam, and Kimmi ends up being the last one to cross. Abi thinks she has the word, but she's wrong and Kelley ends up beating her anyway, getting a big cheer from Dale. Now getting to choose who takes loved ones back to camp, she picks Keith, Abi, Kimmi and Joe.

What friends are for

Joe shares a moment with his dad back at camp, who opens up about how much his son means to him for the first time. Spencer is a little heartbroken to not have his loved one, but at least it gets him back in game mode. He tells Jeremy and Tasha that just because he voted out Stephen doesn't mean he's turned his back on them, and proposes they go to the final 3. Great news for Tasha, because now she has two options - this one and the all-women alliance. They discuss their next target, and it's Joe, who has only added to his resume now that he's got through a vote without immunity.

The immunity challenge is to keep a statue balancing on top of a platform, with the pole getting longer and longer as the challenge goes on. One woman and one man will each get a necklace, and the women's odds are cut in half when Kimmi and Abi drop out early. Tasha is out next, and Kelley wins the first necklace. Spencer and Jeremy are next, leaving it between Joe and Keith. Both of them recover from huge setbacks, with the tension mounting. The challenge ends abruptly when Joe collapses and they have to get the medical team in. The Doc's diagnosis is that he just ran out of energy and that he's already looking better after lying down. Jeff sends them all back to camp saying this is a perfect example of what he wanted out of a second chance season. Damn, it was obvious they all wanted Joe to lose, but not like this.

Joe reaches his limits

The girls are gaining ground

As Joe recovers back at camp, Abi compares the challenge to a Brazil vs Germany soccer game...surprised she has fond memories of that matchup! Kelley lets Abi know that Kimmi is down for an all-girl thing and that their fortunes are looking up. Joe tells Jeremy he's targeting Abi, because everyone wants to take her to the end and getting her out frees up a spot. Tasha tells Jeremy and Spencer that the other girls are planning a girls alliance (so now she's the rat?) and that gets them both scared. Spencer notes that it would be easier for Tasha to beat Abi and Kimmi than him and Jeremy. But if they want to keep Joe, they'd need Tasha's vote, and they're not even sure it's the right move anyway.

At tribal council Joe is a little teary-eyed as he recounts his collapse. Kelley however admits that the game is still on, and you can't show too much compassion for something like that. Abi and Joe both think they're on the chopping block, as Joe tries to argue that if they take him out, the other threats will be next. Spencer agrees with the notion that having a goat is no good if they don't actually help your chances of getting to the end. Abi implies that Joe is the bad apple of the tribe. Hmm, I'm sure many would say that about her.

This has been a long time coming for Kelley

Abi votes for Joe and tells him to get a haircut. Spencer calls his vote a winning or losing vote, but we don't see what it is.The votes come back, and Joe was the only vote for Abi, with Keith randomly voting for Tasha and everyone else voting him out. He made it further than last time, but there was still no way they were gonna let him touch the end. He just does not know how to not give 100%.

So what now? Does the women's alliance take over? I'm sure Jeremy and Spencer will regret this vote if they do. Tasha could hold the key to how the endgame shapes up.

STAR OF THE WEEK: KELLEY WENTWORTH

Won two challenges, got out her biggest threat, positioned herself well and still has an idol? Kelley is in the ascendancy right now. But perhaps her biggest acheivement is spending time with her dad without him ruining her game.