Nice To Perish With Good Company

Nice To Perish With Good Company is the ninth episode of Survivor: Pearl Islands.

Day 21 (Night)
After a shocking tribal council, the remaining nine players return to the newly merged Balboa camp, having just witness Luke's self-destructive personality once again send him out of the game.

The five ex-Drake members end up sleeping earlier than the ex-Morgan members, who seem concerned given they are now at a clear 5-4 disadvantage.

Day 22
Holly and Judith go off to collect tree-mail whilst the rest of the tribe sit around camp. The pair read that they will be facing their first individual reward challenge, with the rewards now expected to be bigger and better than before. Despite the excitement, Holly continues to think over the events of the previous few days.

Reward Challenge
Challenge: Signal Fire

The castaways must use slingshots to break three plates hanging from a mast in order from bottom to top, transporting a fire to the crow's nest. If a player smashes a plate out of order, they can't light their crow's nest, and are eliminated. Run in three heats of three, the winners move on to the final round, where the same thing happens.

Notes: The first heat consists of Holly, Jamal and Mina, with Holly moving on to the final round. The second heat consists of Callum, Lang and Michael, with Lang moving on to the final found. The third heat consists of Emma, Grace and Judith, with Emma moving on to the final round. The final round consists of Emma, Holly and Lang, with Lang ultimately winning the challenge and securing the first individual reward.

Reward: Breakfast on a yacht

Winner: Lang (shared with Judith)

Balboa
After the challenge, the group return to camp to wait out the remaining hours of the day. Much of the initial conversation is centred around Lang's big reward win, as both he and Judith struggle to hide their excitement for tomorrow's yacht breakfast.

Mina, Jamal and Emma sit to one side together and mumble whilst the others talk about the yacht reward.

Day 23
The tribe are awoken early as Lang and Judith get up to head on their reward, with the yacht now fully in view for the group to see. Callum, Emma and Michael stand by the shoreline to wish the duo a nice time, as the others stay back to prepare their heavily rationed breakfast.

Back at camp, the remaining contestants scatter around after consuming their substandard breakfast of fried coconut. Emma, Holly and Mina go off to bath in the water, leaving the other four sat around the shelter and fire, theorising what Lang and Judith are up to whilst on the yacht.

Michael continues agreeing with Callum and Jamal's assertion that Judith and Lang are both threats to take the title should they reach the end. Grace decides to observe the conversation in silence, before walking away once the boys' chat heads onto sport.

The girls in the water are looking over at the yacht in envy, discussing what sort of rewards they'd like to experience before they leave the Pearl Islands. The conversation unsurprisingly drifts onto the topic of the previous vote, and the upcoming tribal council.

Day 24
The group receive treemail informing them that they will be facing their second individual immunity challenge, something which all four ex-Morgan members are desperate to obtain.

Immunity Challenge
The final nine arrive at the immunity challenge, where Jeff informs them that they will be partaking in trivia-based challenge, in which those who answer correctly will earn the right to add a coconut to another player's bin.

The first question is answered correctly by all five Drake members, with only Jamal from Morgan getting it right. Jamal adds a coconut into Lang's basket, before being swiftly eliminated as all five Drake members pile their coconut into his bin.

Callum, Emma, Judith, Lang and Mina answer the next question correctly, giving them the right to try and take somebody out.

Lang follows Judith's move, placing a coconut into Emma's bin, with Mina unsurprisingly placing a fourth coconut into Lang's bin. Everybody but Judith manages to answer the third question correctly. Callum places the fifth and final coconut needed into Lang's basket, eliminating him from the challenge. Emma goes next, placing a coconut into Judith's bin.

With still a coconut to pass out, Lang places it into Emma's bin, eliminating her from the challenge, with both heading over to the side bench with Jamal. Michael then places his coconut into Callum's bin, with Mina placing hers into Judith's. Everybody manages to answer the next question correctly.

Grace drops a coconut into Mina's basket, whilst Holly pays Callum back with a second coconut. Judith breaks her promise, placing a coconut directly into Callum's basket.

Michael then shocks everyone by "fixing the balance" and placing a coconut into Judith's basket, which some people take in jest, despite Judith herself feeling somewhat hurt. Mina too adds a coconut into Judith's basket, bringing her total up to four. Callum, Holly, Judith and Mina answer the next question correctly.

All five get the next question correct, with several Drake members now playing the challenge facetiously. Grace and Holly both agree to place their coconuts into Michael's bin, which Michael returns by giving Grace a coconut. Callum and Mina both add their coconuts into Holly's basket, bringing her closer to elimination.

Callum, Grace, Michael and Mina get the next question correct. Callum places his coconut into Grace's bin, with Grace adding hers into Callum's bin, eliminating him from the challenge. Mina and Michael both add their coconuts into Grace's bin, bringing her total up to three. Mina is the only one to score on the next question, which she uses to eliminate Holly from the challenge. All three score on the next question... which opens up the trio to bargaining. Ultimately, Grace gives her coconut to Michael, and Michael and Mina both give their coconuts to Grace, eliminating her from the challenge.

Both answer the next question correctly, bringing their totals up to four, leaving them with a sudden death situation. After another two questions answered correctly, Mina is finally able to get one over on Michael, giving her the final coconut to distribute, and ultimately individual immunity.

Balboa
After the challenge, the group return to prep for tribal council, which is now only a matter of hours away. Mina is given universal congratulations, once again being immune from elimination.

The Drake alliance begin talking quietly as the ex-Morgan members disperse from the shelter. Callum hangs around longer than the others, trying to gain some last minute favour before they make their decision on who to vote.

Elsewhere down the beach, the Morgan four sit and enjoy what is likely to be their final sunset as a group on the Pearl Islands.

At tribal council, the final nine take their seats, believing that they are the individuals who will be present at the final tribal council either as a juror or a finalist. Jeff asks the Morgan four about their current predicament, quickly coming to the conclusion that tonight one of them will be going home, and that they are still unaware who Drake have opted to vote for. Michael claims that keeping it a secret is more about self-preservation rather than to toy with their emotions, although Mina claims this isn't entirely true.

The conversation then steers onto the perception of Michael being the leader of his alliance, and both Judith and Lang being likeable threats who will win should they make it to the end. The trio defend themselves, noting that it is a likely ploy to wedge cracks in their alliance. The Morgan four then put pressure on Holly and Grace, openly asking where it leaves them if they aren't receiving as much credit as the others in their alliance, which Grace admits is worrisome, as the game is about building a resume to win.

The Morgan four sit in anticipation, waiting to see which of them will be receiving their marching orders from the Drake alliance.

Emma hugs her fellow ex-Morgan members, wishing the three of them luck for the remainder of the game. She keeps a large smile across her face as Jeff snuffs her torch, pleased with how her overall experience turned out. The final eight return to camp, with the dominance of the Drake tribe continuing to be the running story of the season.