by Lynette Alice

Created on: April 02, 2010

The story on Survivor during week 6 was not so much about the challenges or about the failure of the heroes tribe yet again to do anything correct, it was about the villains and the vote. Who was the tribe going to speak to next? What was going to happen in the showdown between Boston Rob Mariano and Russell “the nut” Hantz?

Rob and Russell have gone back and forth with each other since day one almost and it was obvious there was nothing between the two contestants to make them remotely like each other. As the previous left off, Russell had engineered a huge blindside of Tyson that left Boston Rob and his buddies wondering what happened? Had Rob lost control? Did anyone doubt his abilities after he took the team to victory one challenge after another at a pace that hadn’t previously been seen on Survivor?

The first cracks appeared when the Heroes tribe won a challenge leaving the Villains tribe going back to camp with nothing. As Colby said, “We dropped the hammer”, and it couldn’t be more accurate, The villains looked lost and confused, like a beaten animal licking its wounds. As soon as they got back to camp the wheels were turning, but with the tribal immunity challenge left there was still some breathing room.

In the immunity challenge Rupert was obviously hobbled but pushed through. The Villains looked like they had it in the bag almost as coach opened the lead up to what seemed like it should be enough to be safe. Somehow Rupert made up a little ground and Courtney couldn’t get her act together for the villains blowing the lead and challenge for all intents and purposes.

By the time Coach got the last flag back and the villains started their puzzle, too much time had elapsed foe even Rob and Sandra who are very good at puzzles to make up any time. In the end it didn’t matter and the villains took it on the chin. That set the stage for the Showdown at the O.K. Corral. Everyone knew it was Rob or Russell even though Courtney should have been the player heading home.

Rob needed Courtney in his alliance, Russell was sure he had the votes to kill Rob off. Each wanted the other gone and Coach was the swing vote - at least so far as Rob thought. But Coach wanted to get rid of Courtney, and as much as he said he was with Rob something in his tone said different and he immediately switched sides and blindsided his “best friend” by not voting with the alliance and opening the door wide to let Russell take over.

Coach for all the talk and all his meandering about being smart and loyal showed he had no spine and is in reality pretty stupid. He lived up to the villain name, and Boston Rob deep down had to know it. Jerri for her part played the snake she is and worked both sides of the coin as well. As the first ballot was cast Boston Rob, one of the great survivors ever seemed to know he was beat. His gut instinct was right as it usually is. Coach did in fact vote with his idea of what was best rather than alliance and because of that sent the man he said he would be loyal to until the end home by not forcing the tie - Boston Rob Mariano.

Learn more about this author, Lynette Alice.
Click here to send this author comments or questions.