The Chain

The Chain
Episode Information
Version	United States
Season	The Amazon
Episode Number	9/15 (085)
Original Release	April 10, 2003
Viewership (in Millions)	19.10
Ratings/Share (18-49)	7.1/20
Episode Chronology
Previous	"Sleeping with the Enemy"
Next	"Amazon Redux"
Subpages

The Chain is the ninth episode of Survivor: The Amazon.

Story

“	The castaways received Tree Mail, along with blow guns, spears and bow and arrows. They were instructed to practice for the reward challenge. Alex won the reward. He chose Jenna to join him on the reward. While Alex and Jenna enjoyed their reward, Deena plotted to oust Alex as she felt he was a physical threat. When Alex and Jenna returned to camp, Heidi revealed Deena's plan to Jenna. Jenna then told Alex that Deena was targeting him for elimination.	”
—Episode Synopsis

Day 25

Before day breaks on Jacaré, Rob is discussing strategy with Matthew regarding how the women are not happy about Deena's leadership within the tribe. What Matthew does not know, however, is that what Rob is telling him to look into are nothing more than "wild goose chases" as Rob puts it. He also dupes Matthew into informing Butch of the fake intel he has been given. This is the beginnings of what Rob, Matthew, and Butch would later call "The Chain". In the morning, while Matthew and Butch are fishing, Matthew informs Butch of the fake intel he's received from Rob. What they don't know, however, is Rob is back at camp with the other tribe members, where they all laugh at what Rob has managed to do. Rob again speaks in confessional about how him and the other tribe members would like to get rid of Matthew as soon as possible, and to also blindside him so "he doesn't find out and kill us all".

Tree Mail arrives not long after, along with various Amazonian weapons, such as a bow and arrow, javelin, and blow darts. Each of the tribe members take turns practicing with them before the upcoming Reward Challenge. Matthew whispers to Rob that he is thinking of throwing the challenge so as to not be perceived as a physical threat. Rob responds by telling Matthew that Matthew is beginning to learn how Survivor is meant to be played, though he is also saying this so Matthew will hopefully let his guard down during the Immunity Challenge.

	Rob	“	Coming to this game, the only spears I knew about were Britney, and broccoli, and asparagus.	”

At the Reward Challenge, Matthew and Alex Bell make it to the final round. While Matthew hits the middle ring, Alex manages to shoot his arrow closer to the bullseye, winning reward. After Jeff Probst gives him a choice of who he can bring along with him to enjoy the reward, he chooses to take Jenna Morasca. They feast on donuts and other pastries while drinking their coffee. Back at camp, Deena gathers Rob and the women around and tries to plant the idea to get Alex out should Matthew win immunity, while at the reward, Alex and Jenna talk about their mutual wariness of Deena. In back-to-back confessionals, Rob talks about his secret alliance with Deena, while Deena talks about how she is in control of the game at the moment and trying to put into place as many back-up plans as she can, and that thinking about strategy 24/7 is starting to make her head hurt. When Jenna and Alex return from reward, they share cookies they managed to smuggle out to the rest of the tribe, and the tribe jokingly debate whether to eat Matthew and Butch's share of the cookies since they're on the river catching fish.

As night falls, Jenna and Alex pull Heidi Strobel aside and talk strategy, with Heidi telling them all of Deena's plans. Once the word of Alex's blindside gets to him, he later pulls Rob aside to try and confirm this with him, to which Rob confirms. They make a plan to keep Butch and Christy Smith and instead vote out Deena should Matthew win immunity. While the tribe is asleep, a spider crawls into the shelter and bites Heidi in the knee. The bite has caused her knee to swell dramatically to a point where she can barely even bend it without pain.

	Heidi	“	I feel so ret*rded right now because of some spider bite. It started off sore and it started turning black and blue. I am not even able to touch my knee without extreme pain.	”

Day 26

Day breaks, and Tree Mail informs the tribe of a clue of what the challenge might entail. Deena once again confirms her original plan via confessional, though she is unaware that a majority of the tribe wants to vote her out. As Probst tells the tribe to come in for the Immunity Challenge, Alex is seen carrying Heidi to their red-colored platform. At the final round of the Immunity Challenge, Deena faces off against Matthew where they must eat a large live beetle larva. Deena is immediately grossed out by it and barely wants to touch it. And she also knew that Matthew was a fast eater and knows that he would beat her before she could get it in her mouth. In what seems to be a record time, Matthew swallows it whole, to the shock of even Probst who can't believe he managed to swallow it without so much as taking a bite out if it. Matthew mimes how it feels going down and that he'll likely be able to digest it without much issue, while the rest of the tribe hail Matthew as if he were king.

Day 27

Sunrise has already broken into the horizon on Day 27, and Deena and Jenna both talk about how Alex is a threat and that it is imperative to get rid of him. Jenna, on the other hand, can't believe that Deena would stab her, Heidi, and Alex in the back and, while talking in a confessional, wants to see Deena get blindsided at Tribal Council. Jenna then relays this info to Alex, where they also talk about how she apparently has Rob and by extension Matthew (and Butch) wrapped around her finger. Rob talks in a confessional about how Deena and Alex are at war in trying to have the numbers to vote the other one out, and Rob is forced to simply watch and say nothing, ready to take part in a blindside of one of his alliance mates.

That night at Tribal Council, Jeff Probst immediately asks about Heidi's knee, and she responds by saying that it'll heal up in a day or two. Heidi then goes on to talk about how she has two assets in this game: athletic ability and intelligence, and that one of them is now gone. Jeff comically rebuts by asking "Which one?" to the amusement of the rest of the tribe. Deena talks about how the game is on, and how there's a power struggle going on, still unaware that she is a target at tonight's vote. Alex also talks about the moral decisions when it comes to voting someone off, let alone when they least expect it, saying that it's all a balancing act. Matthew talks about how important the Immunity Necklace is around his neck. After closing discussions in talking about how a single nasty little grub was only difference between her and individual immunity, Deena is left totally unaware of the vote coming her way and is blindsided in a 6-2 vote.

Challenges

• Reward
• Immunity

Challenge: Weapons
The first eight will try to hit a target with a blowdart. The four players closest to the center move onto the second round, throwing spears. The two closest climb a tower for the final round, trying to hit the target with a bow and arrow. The player closest to the center wins.
Reward: Afternoon at a makeshift coffee bar
Winner: Alex Bell (shared with Jenna Morasca)

Challenge: Amazon Menu
For the first round, the castaways must eat an Amazonian grasshopper. First six to finish move on. Second round, they eat 10 live coconut worms. First four move on. Third round, five beetles. First two move on. For the final round, they must eat live Amazonian beetle larva. The first to finish wins Immunity.
Winner: Matthew von Ertfelda

Tribal Council

Tribal Council 9: Jacaré
Voted Against	Voter
Deena (6 votes)	Alex, Butch, Heidi, Jenna, Matthew, Rob
Alex (2 votes)	Christy, Deena
VOTED OUT: Deena Bennett

Voting Confessionals

Edited versions of Christy, Jenna, Deena, and Alex's confessionals were shown in the episode.

	Christy	“	(voting against Alex) I vote for Alex tonight because he's a serious threat to the tribe. At the end of the game, I don't think I'll have as good of a chance, so I'm trying to get rid of him tonight.	”

	Butch	“	(voting against Deena) I think you're a good person, but it's coming down to me or you, and maybe another person. Whether it be you or me, good luck to you.	”

	Jenna	“	(voting against Deena) I'm voting for you, Deena, because you played every angle you could possibly play. You told everybody you would pull them up to top three. You lied to me, you betrayed me, you screwed me. Now screw you.	”

	Deena	“	(voting against Alex) Attitude is everything, and you stated from the beginning that this is gravy to you. Well, it's a whole heck of a lot more than that to me. Because you are a mental and physical powerhouse, you're standing between me and the big prize.	”

	Matthew	“	(voting against Deena) We had an alliance, we had an agreement. She broke a pledge and tried to turn the tribe against me. She should go down tonight.	”

	Alex	“	(voting against Deena) Deena, you couldn't even stick by your word for three days, hence the reason your name is on here. I'd actually love to go up against you in court any day, 'cause you're the worst liar I think I've ever met in my life.	”

	Heidi	“	(voting against Deena) Promises were made by you, promises were broken by you, and therefore I find it hard to trust you. I have three other people who have never let me down, and it's too big a risk to take in this part of the game, okay?	”

	Rob	“	(voting against Deena) I don't know if you just got greedy or you got too scared. Either way, don't ever try to make me feel bad for not keeping the deal you were already intending to break. You played with fire and you're getting burned.	”

Final Words

	Deena	“	They saw me as a threat and I wanted to change the, uh, the face of the game a little bit and vote off the people that were the strongest so that we could finish off until the end. Things happen, people change their minds, relationships grow and there's attachments, so I got nixed. But remember that you're gonna have to live with the decisions for the rest of your life, so make sure that they count. Thanks for the ride, I had a good time.	”

Still in the Running

Ryan 16th	Janet 15th	Daniel 14th	JoAnna 13th	Jeanne 12th	Shawna 11th	Roger 10th	Dave 9th
Deena 8th	Alex Jacaré	Butch Jacaré	Christy Jacaré	Heidi Jacaré	Jenna Jacaré	Matthew Jacaré	Rob Jacaré

Trivia

• This episode was the first episode to use Buggin' Out as an individual Immunity Challenge. Unlike its use in "A Big Surprise... and Another", this was the first time the castaways competed in the individual version of the challenge.
• The episode title is said by Matthew referring to how him, Butch and his alliance are part of a chain of information that will be used to further themselves in the game.