The second episode of "Survivor Guatemala" shows Gary being outed as a pro-athlete by Danni, model Blake stepping up when he's needed in the physical challenge, Tribe Yaxha bonding as a family, and Big Surprise! the dumb blonde who sits around camp, doesn't scheme, and doesn't help, gets voted out.
Me snort ants? Stephenie says no thanks to Rafe and Gary who find a nest and have an ant-scarfing feast. "They have a little zing to them," says Rafe, chowing down. Steph pins her hopes on trying to win real food in a reward challenge.
While the tribes grow hungry and mull over the idea of eating ants, grasshoppers, and minnows ("Good protein!") the reward challenge arrives. The challenge consists of climbing across a rope obstacle course (looked like a big spider web) to retrieve 8 bags, drop in the water, race up the ladder and run back. The winning tribe received hooks, bait, twine and other items to help them catch fish. The finish is close but Blake rallies to snag a win for Nakum. It's a surprise too, cuz while the other men are feeling better after the grueling 11-mile jungle hike, Blake is still ill and dehydrated, but he kicks in and wins for his tribe. Just how sick is he? Is he playin' possum?
Back at camp, Big Judd and Brandon are bitching that washboard abs beauty Blake still can't breathe and is still pukey on day 5. "The guy sleeps all day, man," Big Judd the doorman whines. "He does nothing in camp!"
It hasn't been highlighted on the first two episodes but apparently it's hot as hell in the jungle. In fact, the on-site doctor for every season of Survivor said the Guatamala location (Yaxha-Nakum-Naranjo National Park) has so far been the most dangerous for contestants. Adrian Cohen told the New York Post. "At times, it got to be 122 degrees in the jungle. Even though the show is based around water, it's the first time since we were in Africa that they can't drink the water directly, bathe or wash because of crocodiles."
Then it was off to the Immunity Challenge, a mudpit tug-of-war capture-the-flag duel. The tug was rather boring except for all the blur spots added during the editing to cover naked butt cracks after the taunt rope pulled down several pair of shorts. After 15-grueling minutes, it's a stalemate. The pull off challenge will be best-of-3 individual battles, and the first tribe to nab 3 flags wins. First up, Big Judd beats Gary. Then Brandon defeats Jaime. Then it's Judd versus Jaime, and the big NYC doorman wins again. Immunity goes to Tribe Nakum.
Over at Camp Yaxha, the soap opera scheming begins. Amy tells Stephenie that the men see her as a threat and want to vote her off. Stephenie is shocked. Shocked! She's strong, works hard, and thinks it would be a mistake to get rid of her experience. Well, what about Lydia, they grumble? She's the oldest and smallest. Ah, but Brian comes to her rescue and argues that she's great at camp and besides, they didn't lose the physical immunity challenge because of her. Good point, the others are swayed. That leaves Morgan who everyone agrees doesn't pull her weight in camp ...
Meanwhile, Gary makes much of the fact that he's an ex-NFL player, and it doesn't seem to be any advantage since he's not the strongest male, but he does have the biggest ego. For some reason, he thinks the others will vote him off, so he continues to lie and deny that he spent 10 years as a pro athlete.
So Jeff Proust calls Tribe Yaxha to the tribal council to serve up one of their own on the Mayan sacrifical altar. While it be Steph? The spunky fishmonger Lydia? Or the clueless Morgan? This is an easy one since it's still early in the game, and the tribe overwhelmingly decides they like Lydia's homemaking and food gathering skills around camp rather than any athletic skill Morgan might have to offer in a future challenge. And so, Morgan has her torched snuffed as Tribe Yaxha makes the magician's assistant disappear.
