Survivor: Blood vs. Water - Episode 7 - Recap and Results - Swoop In For The Kill

Welcome to the recap and results for Episode 7 of Survivor: Blood vs. Water, "Swoop In For The Kill"!

Refresh throughout the night, as I'll be updating with results as well as my analysis! Also, check back after the West Coast airing for videos, including challenges, secret scenes, and more!

After Tribal

-Kat is proud that she didn't cry, but she's furious at her tribe for their decision. In an awkward moment, she assumes that Hayden will dump her over the embarrassment of his girlfriend being such an early boot. She's so upset that we find her sobbing on the beach the next morning, talking about how disappointed Hayden will be, which seems like a wild overreaction since Kat wasn't exactly a world-class competitor in her past season. But at least she recognizes this time around that she made mistakes, admitting that she played the wrong kind of game.

Credit: CBS

Redemption Island

-Anyone else find the complete non-reactions from the loved ones strange? Maybe it's simply an internal reaction, because Hayden maintains a total pokerface in front of his tribemates as Kat enters the arena. In fact, Kat is more upset about Hayden's reaction than Hayden seems to be about Kat being voted out, breaking down and asking him for a hug. She sobs into his arms and apologizes for letting him down, but Hayden reassures her that that she has nothing to worry about, adding that their relationship will be just fine. When questioned by Jeff, Hayden states that his relationship with Kat supersedes the game.

Of course, this being Blood vs. Water, Probst gives him the opportunity to put his money where his mouth is, offering him the chance to take Kat's place. And like that, we smash to the opening credits! I'll actually be pretty surprised if Hayden doesn't at least offer to take Kat's place. I'm not sure why I feel that way though. I suppose Hayden just comes across as the kind of guy who'd fall on his sword like Rupert did.

Credit: CBS

-Kat asks if Hayden is okay where he is in the game, and then says if it were up to her, she'd switch. Kat says she has no hope of doing well in this challenge, since it's a puzzle and she "can't even spell." Hayden asks what she thinks is best for the two of them, since he plans on being with her long-term. "Who has the better chance of winning this game?" he asks, and though it's an honest question from a guy who's clearly weighing his options, it comes across as a weirdly confrontational line of inquiry.

Kat, who's completely in tears at this point, says that Hayden is the one with the best chance, and that they've both known this. She tells Probst that Hayden is such a great player, and such a loyal, honorable guy, that she's never heard anyone ever say a bad word about him. Hayden kind of indicates his willingness to switch places with her (although he doesn't really come out and say "I'll take your spot if you want me to," he sort of just dances around the issue). Kat, however, decides to take the challenge on herself so Hayden can preserve his game.

Redemption Island Duel

-The challenge is the puzzle Cochran won to make it to Final Tribal Council last season, a puzzle shaped like a flame. After hacking a rope to bring down a bag full of pieces, the castaways must assemble the flame. First person to finish wins the clue to the hidden immunity idol, while the loser is sent home.

-John makes relatively short work of the puzzle and wins first place, leaving it down to Laura and Kat. At this point, the dynamics get interesting, as Tadhana is rooting for Kat (with Gervase shouting hints at her) and complaining about how Laura is cheating by looking at John's completed puzzle, which is a pretty silly complaint given the precedent. Is it a shortcut? Sure. But it's far from cheating. And Probst agrees, stating that there is no such thing as cheating in this challenge. "Your games, your rules!" he says. While Kat makes up considerable ground, it isn't enough to get the win. Laura finishes second and stays alive in the game.

-Kat and Hayden share an emotional goodbye hug, and then share a laugh together when Kat asks Hayden if he's going to break up with her for losing. He assures her they're fine, and Kat goes on her way.

KAT is eliminated from Survivor: Blood vs. Water!

-John receives the clue to the hidden immunity idol and, naturally, gives it to Monica. Yet again, Monica burns the clue, keeping the information out of the game altogether. This is actually a pretty shrewd strategy from John. He received the first hidden immunity idol clue, and no one has read the clue since, so he's essentially the only person with any kind of idea where the idol might be. He knows Monica will always burn the clue, which means the information stays out of the game. It could be a huge target on his back like it was before, or it could be a huge boon to his game, provided it's in a place where he can still get to it, post-merge.

Credit: CBS

Tadhana

-There are a lot of interesting developments that breeze by pretty quickly: Hayden is in tears over his decision not to take Kat's place, feeling responsible for her elimination. However, he looks on the bright side, saying that he has more flexibility in the game now that he has no loved one left in the competition. Meanwhile, Aras meditates and confesses that he often fantasizes about Probst declaring him the winner of Survivor: Blood vs. Water. Yet while he's planning out his strategy and meditating alone, Tyson is shoring up his alliance with Gervase, gathering the numbers he'll need to blindside Aras at the next opportunity. Of course, unless they actually lose a challenge at some point, that opportunity is never going to come. I'm not suggesting they throw a challenge, however. That has a way of backfiring on even the most dominant tribes/alliances.

Galang

-Tina is over-the-moon with Vytas, and would love if he took an interest in Katie, although Tina admits that any man courting her daughter will have to "club her over the head and drag her to his cave," since she isn't exactly the flirtatious type. Well, that's...yeah. But Tina says she's ready for grandbabies, so who knows? Maybe Katie can be the next Mrs. Baskauskas.

For his part, Vytas relishes in the opportunity to play a role, saying that the only thing women love more than a bad boy is a reformed bad boy. And so he plays it to the hilt: when Tina asks what he thinks the most difficult aspect of the game is, he innocently says "the dishonesty". I wonder if Vytas isn't playing the role a little too hard though. I'm sure he thinks he's being super subtle, but it genuinely seems like he's trying really hard to come across as the relatable, wounded soul.

But it still seems to be working, for the most part, since the women in the tribe want so badly to believe Vytas is precisely the kind of person he's portraying himself to be.

Yet while Vytas generally remains well-liked, some people are more leery of him than others. Laura B. says that she's still hesitant to go all-in with the guy, and that reticence could potentially endanger her game if Vytas perceives her as someone working against him. Or it could save her game, if she makes it to the merge and hooks up with the right people needed to stop him.

-The group receives Tree Mail about the upcoming challenge, and they're all worried about their underdog roles. Laura B. even breaks down into tears, realizing that if they lose, they'll have to cut Vytas, which no one really wants to do. I feel this might be foreshadowing for Laura B.'s own elimination, since I feel she perceives the all-girl alliance as being stronger than it is. Hell, if it was really all that strong, Kat would still be around.

Immunity/Reward Challenge

-Reward is an afternoon of fried chicken, corn on the cob, mac and cheese, lemonade -- basically, as Tina calls it, a "Southern Feast". As for the challenge, it's one of the more interesting of the season so far: a group obstacle course in which teams of four must race through a course and untie puzzle pieces along the way -- all while connected at the ankles. Once all the puzzle pieces are retrieved, a solver must assemble chain-linked balls that they then must toss onto a rack. First person to land three wins immunity for their tribe.

-The challenge is relatively close all the way through, although members of each tribe frequently end up getting tangled together as they navigate the spider web-like course. It comes down to a tossing contest between Tyson and Tina, who was presumably chosen for this role as a result of her puzzle-solving prowess, and less for her tossing skills. However, Tina acquits herself well here, coming pretty close to winning the challenge until Tyson lands the third and final toss to win things for Tadhana.

TADHANA wins immunity and reward!

-Tina beats herself up over the loss but Laura B. insists it isn't her fault, and that she did everything she could have done.

Tadhana

-We get to watch Tadhana pig out, with Tyson bragging that he didn't even need to win this reward since he hasn't gone to bed hungry since this game started. They all assume they're safe, and it all seems strangely portentous. Like the other shoe is going to drop sooner rather than later.

Credit: CBS

Galang

-Speaking of shoes dropping sooner rather than later, Laura B. decides to announce to Vytas, in front of the entire tribe, that he will be the person going home. She breaks down in the middle of this speech, saying that Vytas is an amazing man and she doesn't want to send him home, but he's too big of a threat in the game. This seems like news to the rest of her alliance, who just look dumbfounded by Laura B.'s gall. Vytas doesn't take the news well, but thanks her for telling him anyway. Almost immediately after the speech, Katie and Monica meet to talk about what could possibly have compelled Laura B. to do something so stupid, since she didn't actually discuss the plan with the rest of the alliance first. She just assumed Vytas would be the next to go. Monica worries about Laura B.'s unpredictability, since this is a game built on trust, and they booted Kat for being similarly untrustworthy.

-Vytas tries to work his magic on the girls in order to keep his place in the game. However, Katie confesses that they might have to cut Vytas anyway, since "You have to start thinking long-term." Katie mulls over her options, as Laura B. is too unpredictable and makes decisions without consulting people, while Vytas is a huge threat in the game. They're in a tough situation, since they're going to need Vytas if a merge isn't forthcoming, yet Vytas isn't the kind of guy you want to risk allowing to get to the merge.

Tribal Council

-Monica talks about how unsettling it was for Laura B. to give up their plan without discussing it with the rest of their alliance. However, Vytas makes the argument that they should keep him around, since it shouldn't be about how many girls you have in your tribe, but how many trustworthy people you have.

-Vytas talks about how he thought he was in a strong position before, but then the tribe swap happened, and now he's on the bottom. Probst asks if he thinks Aras would be proud of the way he played, and he fights back tears talking about how he thinks Aras would be proud, and that he's still trying to reforge the bond with his brother. Laura B., however, theorizes that this is part of why Vytas is a threat, as his relationship with Aras could make them a powerful duo. When asked by Probst, Tina admits that she is compelled by Vytas' story, but mainly because she's the kind of person who gets roped in by that sort of narrative. Vytas, however, says that everyone here has a story, since they're all such amazing people. He says the vote tonight should be based on who is the least trustworthy.

And like that, we get to the vote...

Vytas
Laura B.
Laura B.
Laura B.

Credit: CBS

LAURA BONEHAM is voted out of GALANG!

-Laura B. arrives on Redemption Island, and she's floored that they kept Vytas. Even John is surprised it wasn't Vytas. "If I make it back into the game, I'm not siding with the girls, that's for DAMN sure!" Laura B. vows.

-You know, Laura B. isn't wrong about her assessment here. It's kind of crazy to keep Vytas around, since he's the sort of total package threat that could run the table, although I think the threat of him and Aras coming together is a bit overstated, since Aras isn't exactly on the high end of the numbers. Tyson has designs on getting him out of the game, and unless Vytas brings numbers of his own, he'll be unable to save his brother. Of course, one of them could just win immunity or find an idol, but that's easier said than done. As for Galang, I could kind of see the reasoning behind the decision if a merge isn't forthcoming, as they'll need him if they're going to have any chance of pulling off an upset. But since a merge clearly is on the way, this decision is even more baffling.

Maybe they just assume he'd make it back into the game anyway via RI, and don't want to be on his bad side once he does come back? That's still an awful lot of maybes though. It might have been worth it to cut him loose and just roll the dice at merge if it means you don't have to worry about the other alliance getting one more guy they can now use against you. And I feel like Vytas is the kind of floater who'd keep his options open with any alliance willing to use him. That's a dangerous game to play, but it also makes Vytas a dangerous player. It should be interesting to see if his game evolves as his situation improves, or if he continues to leave his options open.

Thanks for reading my recap! Let me know what you thought of the episode, and the strategy (or lack thereof) on display, in the comments!