On this week's episode of “Survivor,” the outsiders on both tribes began to work their way off the chopping block and back into the game, and the results were mixed. 

The episode began with the first significant cracks in Ozzy's alliance (which shall now be referred to as Savaii Five-O).  Jim began noticing that Elyse was hanging out with Ozzy, and knowing how Ozzy could dominate the game with his physical prowess and a close relationship with gorgeous eye candy, he began to feel threatened by the veteran.  But instead of targeting Ozzy and risking possible repercussions should Ozzy come back from Redemption Island, he decided to target Elyse in order to weaken Ozzy for a possible elimination later on.  Jim went to Cochran with this plan, and Cochran, seeing a possible way out of the chopping block and a chance to show his strategical side, took up the offer.  Mutiny is brewing in Savaii now…

Meanwhile, over at Upolu, Brandon tried to do damage control following his erratic behavior in the first week of the game.  Most of the tribe didn't buy it, especially Mikayla and Stacey, who felt that Brandon had placed them on the outer fringes of the tribe with his actions.  But Brandon found a buyer with Edna, when he revealed to her that she was lowest on the totem pole in Coach's alliance.  It wasn't a lie, but it did have a major impact on Edna's social game, as she began to try and talk with her tribe some more to gain their favor.  Instead, it annoyed most of the tribe, except for Coach, who enjoyed Edna's walk massages.  It's good being a veteran, ain't it, Coach?

Next, the Redemption Duel took place between Christine and Mark.  Before the challenge, Brandon, who chose to be one of the two spectators for Upolu, tried to apologize to Christine for spreading rumors about her.  Christine simply responded by saying, "I accept his apology, but I don't know if I buy it."  The Duel was a test of skill, as Christine and Mark attempted to throw weighted balls onto the tops of ten crates.  The race was extremely close and came down to the final box, but Christine pulled off a long throw and ensured herself a few more days on Redemption Island.  

Back at Savaii, Cochran began to plot Elyse's demise by approaching her fellow outcast: Dawn.  With Mark gone, Dawn was now the oldest member of the tribe, and she was worried that the younger players might see her as a liability.  Cochran told her about the plan and how it could give both of them new life in the game, and she agreed to the plan.  The blindside plot was almost complete, but with seven people in the tribe, Jim, Cochran, and Dawn still needed one more vote to succeed should they go to Tribal Council.

The next Immunity Challenge was an old Survivor favorite: the weight game.  Two guys and one gal from each tribe balanced a pole on their backs, while the others placed ten-pound weight bags on the poles.  Last person standing wins immunity along with food in the form of a rooster and two hens.  

When the challenge started, both tribes decided to place weight on the men first, and soon enough, Jim and Brandon found themselves carrying 240 pounds, more than any other person that had participated in the challenge.  Eventually though, the weight was too much for both of them to handle, and the challenge came down to an endurance contest between the two women that ironically enough needed immunity more than anyone else: Stacey and Dawn.  Both women held on for over an hour, carrying a maximum of 140 pounds, but Stacey lost her grip on the pole, and Savaii won immunity.  For Dawn, it was a breakthrough moment for her, as she proved her physical prowess and bought some more time for her new alliance to find a way to knock Ozzy down a peg.

But for Upolu, another heated Tribal Council was looming.  Stacey used the challenge as evidence of her value to the tribe, and campaigned to get rid of Edna instead.  She explained to her tribe mates that she had shown her worth, but Edna had done nothing significant at challenges or at camp other than be talkative.  But at Tribal Council, Coach's alliance stuck together and kept their vote puppet Edna in the tribe.  Stacey was unanimously voted out, and Stacey, feeling betrayed by her tribe, ignored a group hug and swore that she would return as her torch was snuffed out.

Both Christine and Stacey were cast out by a tribe that they felt was being completely manipulated by Coach, but on next week's episode, they will have to face off to stay on Redemption Island.  Who will stay in the game, and will Jim's scheme pay off?  Find out next week!

Reach writer Jeremy Fuster here