"Burgers, beer, and a bully" - Survivor Guatemala Episode 6 Summary  10/21/05

By Marcus

            You got to give the producers some credit in tonight’s surprise changes to the Survivor game to make it more interesting. For the first time, both tribes faced the dark flickering shadows of the council chambers. And the observer Rafe sat like an ancient Mayan priest listening and learning about his enemy. Will he keep this knowledge to himself and use it for his advantage? Or, will he share it with his own Nakum members? Sometimes, knowledge is power when it is kept to oneself….

            But first, the great ball game. Pairs from Nakum and Yaxha faced off in the jungle as they grunted and cursed their way to scoring points. The testosterone spilt over and erupted into a face-to-face yelling match between Bobby Jon and Jamie. That reminded me of witnessing a stand off between two buffalos in Yellowstone .  But they were fighting over a female cow while these two guys were fighting for recognition as macho man.  Yet without a doubt, it was Amy who displayed the real resoluteness. Falling under the roughly sewed 7-foot diameter ball, she sprained her ankle. Her face expressed her throbbing pain but there was not a single tear to be shed. Some others may have requested a time-out, but not for this rawhide tough woman. She came back with a fierce Spartan determination to fight through the pain and focus on the goal. She and Amy scored against Cindy and Margaret, but only to have their victory undone by the final  Nakum goal. This is the second ankle injury that she has suffered and not a whimper of complaint or an excuse given. If she can stay healthy, she will be a most formidable competitor.

            With beer, hotdogs, root beer and burgers grilling, the Nakum tribe feasted well while Rafe won the first individual immunity necklace. But the “Judd the Brut” evidently helped himself to extras and when caught, he boasted that he deserved it because he alone was the sole reason for their victory. This self-serving obnoxious bully continued his ranting right up to and during the tribal council. The other members of the Nakum tribe are tolerating this loudmouth because of his strength. Or, perhaps out of fear. As is the case with most bullies, he intimates with his size, his bellowing, and his constant interruptions of others. For the time being, he remains needed by Nakum and they joined him in voting out Margaret. It will be interesting to observe how he maintains his power over the others and how the others finally erode this tyrant.

            With Rafe listening to the Yaxha council discussions, he learned that unlike his own tribe, the Yaxha are very focused and appreciative of one another. At least on the surface. After accolades of what a wonderful fellow is Brian, they all voted to kick him out. This means that this tribe is able to come to a single agreement but without the obvious animosity displayed by Nakum. Such unity is a force that will be most powerful.

            The game continues, the injuries heal, the strategy changes, but the jungle always wins.

A Tikal tidbit.  Rafe’s individual immunity necklace face is very similar to several discovered mortuary masks made of jade, shell and bitumen.

See Also:

10/14/05 "The Ax Man and the Grenadier" - Survivor Episode 5 Summary

10/7/05 Smelly bodies. Shrunken bellies. Switching bodies - Survivor Episode 4 Summary

9/30/05 "Paint, feathers, and elbows" - Survivor Summary for September 29

9/23/05 Not a food fight, but a mud fight...... Survivor Summary for September 22