Editor's Note: Chart the progress of Eastern Michigan University junior Erik Reichenbach on "Survivor Micronesia" each week at the "Reich-O-Meter." Reichenbach is a member of the revised Malakal tribe (a mix of Survivor" fans and favorites) who are squaring off against the Airia Tribe, also a fusion of fans and favorites. The show usually airs at 8 p.m. Thursday on CBS, but will be broadcast at 8 p.m. Wednesday this week due to the NCAA Tournament.
The beginning of the sixth episode of "Survivor Micronesia" was a rude awakening for Eastern Michigan University's Erik Reichenbach.
Returning to camp after just seeing his ally, Joel Wright, blindsided and voted off the island, Erik realized, from this point forward, he wasn't going to to be able to maintain his core values and expect to win the $1 million prize.
 |
PLAYING THE GAME: Erik
Reichenbach, an EMU junior,
takes time out to strategize
during episode six of "Survivor
Micronesia: Fans vs. Favorites."
Photo courtesy of CBS.com |
"I felt pretty shafted to see Joel go. Those guys are as tough as nails. You cannot trust the favorites. They're tanks. They have armor on. If the playing field has been lowered to lying and just tricking people straight to their face, I think I may just have to do some of that," Erik said as he addressed the camera.
Reichenbach didn't lie, but he certainly did his best to blow the game wide open. With Chet Welch begging to go home because of a nagging ankle injury, Erik and fellow fan Tracy said they had Favorite Ami Cusack on their side, creating a prime opportunity to vote out Cirie Fields, who had already masterminded two key votes. But, Erik upped the ante and threw out the possibility of taking out Ozzy Lusth, the player Erik idolized as a TV viewer.
Erik pleaded with Chet to make the play happen.
"You can help take Ozzy down. He's not expecting it. It would be the craziest play ever in the history of this game if you help us do this," Erik said, with Tracy by his side. "...If you would do this, it would be the biggest gift you could give us on the way out. Me and Tracy would be so grateful that you could use your last dying breath to do something for us in this game."
Chet said he would consider it. The ploy would have worked.
During Tribal Council, Ozzy told Survivor host Jeff Probst that everyone knows Chet is going home. Ozzy did not play the immunity idol when Probst asked if anyone wanted to use it before the vote.
In the end, Chet got his wish and was voted off the island.
Erik was likely motivated by a conversation he had with Tracy earlier in the episode. Tracy told Erik he's likely the next target and that the other tribe doesn't want to compete with him.
"That pisses me off," Erik said.
While Erik is looking like a future target to vote off, a number of other plot points developed. Jonathan Penner, a member of the revised Airia tribe, was forced to leave the game due to an infection in his knee. A medic told him the infection was spreading to his lymph nodes and was life-threatening if surgery was not performed. Penner's tribe was emotionally devastated to lose him.
Jason Siska, an original member of the Fans and now a member of the new Airia tribe, was sent, with Chet, to Exile Island after the reward challenge. While there, Jason found what he thought was the individual immunity idol. In reality, it is a fake idol that Ozzy had carved and placed under the rock where he had previously found the real immunity idol.
