So with a tied vote for Alex and Rebecca, and Stef and Jordan with Immunity necklaces around their necks, it was time for the other 6 from Relampago to cast their votes again, this time only or either Alex or Rebecca. If the votes remain tied again, that means Stevie, Meg, Silas and Tyler are willing to risk their whole game just for the chance to go into Week 19 with a 4-3 numbers advantage. Your host cannot support this risk-taking, afterall everything can change week to week, but it does show loyalty to Fuego and Hielo, which your host appreciates immensely. No matter what happens this week, I’m sure it will remain controversial, but we at Survivor Hamilton are very happy that it is your votes, and 18 weeks of alliances that got us to this point.

Let’s get to the votes. Since no Hidden Immunity Idols were played on the first vote, none can be played for this vote either. I’ll read the votes…

First vote…

Second vote…

Third vote…

Fourth vote…

Fifth vote…

Sixth vote…

So again we are tied. As expected. That means that along with Stef and Jordan, both Alex and Rebecca are SAFE. Since the remaining 4 allowed the vote to go to a tie again, one of them will be eliminated. Typically there is a rock-drawing at this point, but I think that given the controversy this week, and that the game has been going on for 5 months, we should put some control back into the hands of the castaways. So there will be a fire-making challenge for the following 4 castaways:

   

Given the tools to make fire, they will each attempt to build a flame high enough to burn a rope strung above. The first 3 to burn the rope will move into Week 19, and the final 7, while the loser will become the 17th person eliminated from Survivor Hamilton: Fire & Ice.

So they all got to work frantically stacking sticks and working with the flint to pile up the magnesium needed to catch the spark and make a flame. They all hoped that their experience through the game would lead them to safety. But with a 1/4 chance of going home, and tough competition all-around, nobody was ready for THIS to be the way they went home. But it would be the way that one of them went home.

Stevie and Tyler were making progress. Stevie was the first the catch a flame, and the sticks caught immediately. Tyler had a small flame, where Meg and Silas were still striking the flint with their knives. With Stevie’s flame growing higher and higher it was just a matter of time, and the first person through to Week 19 is…

So with Stevie through, the other 3 began to panic. And that panic was deepened gravely when another flame burned the rope, leaving 2 sweating, swearing, and struggling castaways desperate to save their Survivor lives. The person who joined Stevie in safety at this time was…

Tyler could now begin to think about his next week, as Meg and Silas both with small flames, tried to stack their sticks in such a way that the flame would grow higher, rather than wider. The old Hielos were cheering on Silas, and the old Fuegos were cheering on Meg, and the Jury sat there wondering who would be joining their ranks. For what seemed like an eternity these 2 rivals battled it out, with a number of close calls for each of them as their flames grew and then shrunk and then grew and then shrunk again.

But only one of Meg or Silas could move on, and eventually another rope was burned, while one will forever remain unburnt as the last person to join the final 7 is…

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Meg, exhausted from the challenge and the week before it, and the whole season before that, found the energy to congratulate her bitter rival. For weeks they had tried to work together, but for weeks it just wasn’t to be. So all of Relampago came together in appreciation for the sacrifices they had ALL made to get it this far, and congratulated tonight’s loser on 5 months of hard work, deep strategy, and relationship-building…

So after 2 tied votes and a fire-making challenge, the 17th person eliminated from Survivor Hamilton: Fire & Ice is Silas. He also becomes the 5th member of the Jury. We are very sad to see Silas go. Involved in the strategy every week from the beginning, Silas consistently shaped the fortunes of his tribes. Decisions on Hielo left him in the minority once the merge hit, but Silas was able to work with Fuego for a time to survive, but when it came down to it the 4 Fuegos were sticking together, and the 4 Hielos were thick as thieves, so a tie was the only possible result for these 8 stubborn people and someone had to be the one. Silas you’re awesome and I can’t wait to debrief and also get your help next time!

For the rest of Relampago… Week 19 begins TODAY. Later today there will be another Immunity Question posted, followed by the Immunity Challenge post, and Tribal Council tomorrow. Good luck!

Go to Week 19