"Australian Survivor" 2024: Episodes 7-9 Quiz

Answer: Tribe Swap

It has become almost a tradition that a tribe swap will occur in an "Australian Survivor" season...and it always seems to come at an inopportune time, and this time it was instead of a reward challenge. The new Titans tribe consisted of three original Titans (Valeria, Charles, and Winna) and the rest original Rebels. Likewise, the new Rebels had three original Rebels (Sarah, Rhianna, and Alex) plus six ex-Titans (Mark, Viola, Caroline, Kitty, Eden, and Jayden).

There were whoops and hugs all around, but there was also underlying concern and anxiety about broken alliances and the uncertainty of having to make new ones.

Answer: Pick a tribe

At tribe swap, there was an unequal number of players (does this indicate the swap was brought forward in the production timeline?) so one player was unassigned. It was Raymond who drew the empty buff. He had to pick which tribe he wanted to join. He was the second cab off the rank out of 19, so he did not know who was on whose tribe.

He asked JLP if he could wait until the end but JLP cruelly denied him. He picked the Titans which was fortunate as that was where Feras and Garrick, his allies landed. Raymond became the tenth member of the new Titans tribe.

Answer: Volunteered to be the tribe cook

You had to admire Valeria. She found herself on the New Titans with only two other original tribe mates and separated from bestie Viola and Mark who had migrated to the Rebels. Not one to wallow in self-pity, she decided to make herself invaluable by volunteering to be the tribe cook. She reasoned that this would buy her a few more days at least, time to build some relationships and trust.

Answer: Caroline

It was the biggest blindside of the season so far. Mark had built an alliance with Viola and Valeria as well as being part of the Middle-aged Mafia Alliance of Eden, Caroline, Kitty, and Mark himself. However, it is very difficult to manage two overt alliances: The smart thing would have been to make one super-alliance, which Mark chose not to do at his own peril. Caroline was rightly suspicious of Mark's other alliance - she saw Mark as being duplicitous. She saw an opportunity to break up the alliance by corralling buddies Eden and Kitty as well as correctly choosing Sarah and Rianna from the other tribe. (She did not need Alex's vote as he was moving within groups and retelling tales.) She gave Eden a job to do by convincing Jayden to vote with them. (Jayden appeared to be playing an anyone-but-me game - he was likable and an asset in physical challenges but had little strategic gameplay in his repertoire.)

Mark and Viola thought they were voting out one of the original Rebels ("Men on Sarah and women on Rianna") though Viola is keen to move in on Caroline, but was reassured by Mark to play it safe "for one more vote".

At the TC, JLP asked the minority three why they should be kept. Alex wordlessly shows his biceps in response. (Oh pleeaase, physical strength without strategy tools and few social connections will not get you far in this game.)

It was at the TC voting confessional that Caroline delivered the immortal lines: "I've delivered thousands of babies, but tonight I'm delivering my first blindside. And guess what? It's a baby girl." Very cocky but accurate. It was prime material for "Australian Survivor" highlight reels.

It was a shame Viola went home early - She was a good player and deserved to stay in the game longer.

Answer: Caroline

Up to episode 8, Mark had played a logical if flawed game (two alliances on one tribe - really?). However, he had been blindsided when his alliance buddy Viola was voted out and now he wanted Revenge with a capital 'R'. Mark, Mark, Mark - When you start playing with your emotions instead of intellect, your gameplay unravels. Haven't you heard that revenge is a dish best served cold? Caroline understood this. Mark had broken her trust and she wanted him gone but she knew she would need to bide her time.

Mark concocted an elaborate plan to blindside Kitty and Caroline. He discussed with Alex (who was left out of the Viola decision because he had played both sides) and they agreed to take out Kitty as this would destabilise both Caroline and Eden. However, Mark needed to get the other two OG Rebels, Sarah and Rianna, on board. They are not too keen as they both earned trust of Kitty and Caroline by voting with them on the last Tribal.

Part 1 of Mark's plan was to get the Middle-Aged Mafia, with Jaden and Alex roped in, to vote 3-3 on Rianna and Sarah. This part goes smoothly. Part 2 of his plan was to then get the three OG rebels to vote for Kitty. The plan's flaw was assuming that Rianna and Sarah would vote as instructed.

Answer: Sarah

So now chaos begins. We have the Middle-Aged Mafia thinking they have a comfortable vote, Mark blinded by the need for revenge over logic, and two OG Rebels who are confused. Sarah goes to Kitty and tells her of Mark's plan but Kitty does not believe them. Kitty tells Mark, Eden, and Caroline the two girls are passing disinformation. Awkward conversations follow. Mark stuck to his plan only switching the target to Caroline, not Kitty. His thinking was that Sarah and Rianna might find this move more palatable. Alex adds to the confusion by telling Sarah and Rianna that the Middle-Aged Mafia's real plan is to split the votes between the two of them.

Sarah panicked again and went to Eden to confirm what she had been told but did not get a straight answer. There was still confusion as they headed for Tribal Council.

Answer: Eden changed plans, Sarah was voted out

Tribal Council was utter chaos. Sarah and Rianna were unsure who they were going to vote for going into TC. Sarah, despite panicking, astutely observed "If you're not in the conversation, you are the conversation." She knew she was on the chopping block, so she decided to vote with Mark and Alex against Caroline. Rianna voted for Mark. However, Eden realised that something was not Kosher so whispered to Caroline, Kitty, and Jayden to vote for Sarah, calling off the split vote. This was a smart move as Caroline had three votes against her. Sarah had four votes against her, sending her home. Mark, realising there were too many variables, played his idol but he burnt it when only one vote was recorded against him.

Sarah was blindsided but had votes recorded against her because of poor gameplay. However, now Mark had to explain to his alliance how he betrayed them two tribals in a row.

Answer: They find they have considerable power as a collective swing vote

Incredibly, the New Titans had three discrete groups (Feras's faction with Garrick and Raymond, Kirby's faction with Kelli and Scott, and three original Titans in the middle: Valeria, Charles, and Winna). Aileen was unaligned, but futilely tried to keep the original Rebels together and wanted to pick off the original Titans.

The Rebels were in a similar dichotomous position. Mark vs Caroline - Battle lines were drawn and neither would relent until the other went home.

The New Titans won the reward challenge, which was a Mexican feast (tacos and margaritas make for a "Survivor" feast when you are 20 days in towards starvation.) We saw (Russian) Val get to eat Mexican for the first time and struggle to pronounce "tortillas". Priceless television. Charles sounded out both factions, each one committed to throwing out the other. Charles almost leapt for joy. The three OG Titans were almost resigned to being picked off one by one but now they knew they would be the collective swing vote. They only had to choose a faction to align with.

Answer: Garrick was in trouble and begged Feras to play his idol for him

After the new Titans lost the Immunity Challenge, the three original Titans try to find a way forward but the relationship between Feras and Kirby had too much distrust stirred into the mix, despite Aileen pleading for a truce. Garrick wanted Kirby gone because she had voted for him previously. (Note to Garrick - check in on Mark's progress regarding revenge.) Feras made overtures to the OG Titans Trio, who believed he had secured the three votes.

Raymond has a conversation with Kelli about the idol. (She did not have one but the rumours persisted.) He inadvertently told Kelli that Kirby was the plan when he asked Kelli if she would use it on Kirby. Kelli, like a Hurricane, hurried back to tell Kirby who was considering the truce. with all this uncertainty heavy in the air, they trooped off to Tribal Council.

Answer: No, the Kirby faction and the three OG Titans voted out Garrick

From the outset at Tribal Council, Kirby and Feras go for each other's throats, each convinced they had secured the crucial three OG Titans' votes. Meanwhile, the three OG Titans were in the middle, their heads turning with each verbal volley. Garrick sensed he was in trouble, as did Aileen who begged Feras to play his idol for Garrick but Feras was adamant he had the three swing votes. He didn't, and Yarrick was voted off the tribe 6-3.

Alas Poor Garrick - He did nothing wrong other than let revenge cloud his vision. It should have been Feras who was voted out but his idol (which wasn't played but its presence was known) saved him.

Garrick left, muttering "Dirty Dogs" and the audience was left hanging having to wait five days for the next episode.