This week's episode is a vastly different two-parter. It begins with Rupert explosively angry at Jon, exchanging expletive deleted words, over his vote to oust Rupert. Eventually, they agree to start over and work together for the good of Drake tribe. However, just before they leave for the Reward Challenge, Jon and Shawn get into another screaming match over preparing some coconut for the tribe. Shawn opts for the easy way; Jon wants to cut coconut into cubes, fry them as "popcorn."
Rain and lightning do nothing to elevate Morgan tribe's low feelings. They're tired and feeling the lack of energy from their diet. Down to a few handfuls of rice and beans, with no coconut popcorn in sight, Andrew states they suffer from a lack of protein and wish they had Rupert back to fish for them. Osten is feeling particularly low, "checked out," as Andrew terms it. We don't know it at the time, but Osten is making the momentuous decision we've been teased with.
Tree mail brings them to a new challenge and a huge surprise. Host Jeff Probst explains brings back the previously voted off members of both teams, Nicole Delma, Ryan Shoulders, Lillian Morris, Burton Roberts, Michelle Tesauro and Trish Dunn as a third tribe! They call themselves the Outcasts, with a purple flag and Burton as their leader. They, too, have been living on fish and rice and are dressed as poorly as the other two teams.
While Drake and Morgan teams show their shock, having expected the traditional merger about this time, Jeff explains that the three tribes will compete in a locked cage challenge involving three sets of cages per team, an outside member helping the tied up members go from one cage to another with the help of keys just out of reach, until all members of the tribe are free from the cage.
If either Drake or Morgan team loses, they will go to Tribal Council and vote off another member. If both lose to Outcasts, they will each vote off a member in Tribal Council on the same night. The third surprise comes when they learn that the Outcast tribe will vote one of their castaways to take the place of either, or both, Drake and Morgan's ousted member.
Burton announces that revenge is sweet, and the Outcast tribe gives the challenge their all. The challenge begins with Andrew for Morgan, Shawn for Drake and Burton for Outcast running to retrieve their flag planted in the sand, back to dig under the first cage, and untying the first member. The action is fast and frenzied, with the Outcasts taking the lead, then the Drake and Morgan falling behind. However, the Outcasts pull ahead and win the challenge, to the dismay of both Drake and Morgan teams who head back to their camps in shock.
Drake team fears the Outcasts will vote to send Burton back. Sandra worries about his strength as a competitor, but Jon says all the outcasts are losers and don't deserve a second chance.
Do they? Find out on the next page!
