‘Survivor 46’ episode 12 recap: Who was voted out in ‘Mamma Bear’? [LIVE BLOG]

John Benutty and Marcus James Dixon
·10 min read
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Heading into the penultimate episode of “Survivor 46,” the remaining castaways had just voted out Venus Vafa with her brand new hidden immunity idol. That left the Top 6 people still in the game: three from the original Siga tribe (Ben Katzman, Charlie Davis and Maria Shrime Gonzalez), two from the original Yanu tribe (Kenzie Petty and Q Burdette), and one from the original Nami tribe (Liz Wilcox). So which castaway had their torch snuffed by host Jeff Probst just prior to the Final 5?

Below, read our minute-by-minute “Survivor 46” Episode 12 recap/live blog of “Mamma Bear” to find out what happened on Wednesday, May 15, 2024 at 8:00 p.m. ET/PT. Then be sure to sound off in the comments section about your favorite castaways on CBS’s reality TV show, who annoys you the most and who you think will ultimately join the “Survivor” winners list and take home the $1 million grand prize.

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SEE‘Survivor’ deaths: Full list of castaways we’ve lost

Keep refreshing/reloading this “Survivor 46” live blog for the most recent updates.

8:00 p.m. – “Previously on ‘Survivor’!” In the 11th episode, Maria won the combined reward/immunity challenge and had the difficult decision of bringing two people with her to a pizza party. She chose Ben and Q, which angered a very hungry Liz (for the second week in a row). Elsewhere, Venus found a hidden immunity idol but decided not to use it because she thought Q was the target. Big mistake! At tribal council, Venus was ousted 5–1–1 over Q and Kenzie, sending her to Ponderosa.

8:02 p.m. – This time after tribal it was Ben who had explaining to do because he was the one that threw the hinky vote in Kenzie’s direction. He quickly admitted to the vote and said that he “drew a blank” when he got to the booth and had a “slip of the brain” writing Kenzie’s name instead of Venus. He recognized Kenzie as a friend who had helped him through his night terrors and so it was important to him to clear the air that it was an accident. Kenzie realized that he was either “telling a really dumb lie or telling a really dumb truth,” but she chose to not focus on it and move on. Later that night, Ben had another night terror and Kenzie woke up with him to take a walk and help settle his anxiety and fears.

8:04 p.m. – Maria was upset that Venus came for her character at the tribal council and the decision that she made at the previous reward challenge. She was concerned that she painted a picture of Maria as not nice, but everyone rallied around her to assure her that they don’t hold anything against her.

8:08 p.m. – The next morning, Liz had the big announcement that she finally “had a BM” for the first time all season. Then, later, Charlie met with Kenzie and Ben to reaffirm one of his “pathways” through the next vote where there’s a plan to “take out Maria and Q.” Ben said that his slip in voting for Kenzie presented them with an opportunity to exploit that to them as a “wedge” that will help blindside them in the next vote.

8:16 p.m. – Jeff brought the final six together for a reward challenge to compete for a Chinese takeout lunch at the sanctuary. To earn that lunch, they’d have to run through an obstacle course and then sink a ball through a table maze. Maria and Q were the first two players to reach the table maze and then Charlie in third, all before the other three even reached the third section of the course. Eventually all six players were on the table maze at the same time, on an even playing field, because the three leaders had dropped their balls through holes in the maze multiple times. Kenzie got to a point where she was closest to the end, but then her ball dropped and the door was open for both Charlie and Liz to compete for the win. In the end, Charlie had the soft touch that allowed him to get the ball in the inner circle and clinch the reward win.

8:23 p.m. – As the winner of the reward, Charlie obviously got to choose people to join him, but Jeff “complicated” that decision by adding that they’d receive letters from home after the lunch. Knowing that everyone needed the letters from home at this point in the competition, Charlie stuck to his own personal plan to choose the two people that had missed out on the previous reward feast by selecting Liz and then Kenzie to join him. That meant that Maria, Q and Ben would all miss out on the letters.

8:32 p.m. – At the reward lunch, Liz was happy to finally be eating, but she also realized that she was finally at a point in the game where she was “working with people that want to work with” her. She was hopeful that the discussions she was having with Charlie and Kenzie were real and they’d move forward together against the twosome of Q and Maria. Charlie was particularly torn by his decision to not bring his closest friend in the game, Maria, with him, but knew that she’d understand his decision.

8:34 p.m. – Back at camp, Maria was reeling from the thoughts of missing out on the letters from her kids, but she let us in on a secret pact she and Charlie made earlier in the season that they’d never choose one another to go on a reward together. In that regard, it was clear that she was truthful in saying that she wouldn’t hold it against Charlie that he didn’t choose her.

8:44 p.m. – After feeling inspired by their letters, the reward attendees turned to strategic talk and all agreed that “someone just needs to beat Maria tomorrow.” They all see Maria as the strongest threat to each of them and noticed that she was even able to make fire. Charlie was in the toughest spot, but he knew that in choosing Kenzie and Liz for the reward gave him this chance to solidify the two of them on his side against Maria.

8:46 p.m. – Meanwhile, back at camp, the others were on another idol hunt thinking that it still hadn’t been found. This time, it was Q that was lucky enough to “snoop around” in the right place. He found the newly replaced idol that was last in the pocket of Venus. Knowing that he only has two more tribals to use it at, Q decided it was in his interest to share knowledge of the idol with Maria because it solidifies her in his corner. He told her that he’d be willing to use it at final five in order to protect the one of them that doesn’t win immunity. Maria knew that she would have to “keep him around” to gain that added protection for herself. Maria told Q that she’s not worried about Charlie “doing anything,” but for the first time put Charlie’s name out there as the most dangerous person and the one that they should target next in a blindside.

8:49 p.m. – When Charlie returned, Maria and him checked in to assure each other that there’s no hard feelings about his decision. They expressed gratitude for having each other to rely on in the game, but also told each other lies to shield from the other that they’re independently considering turning against each other next. Charlie told Maria that at the reward they were discussing getting rid of Q. Maria did not tell Charlie about Q’s idol find.

8:57 p.m. – For the immunity challenge Jeff brought the players to the water and had them navigate a different kind of obstacle course that one again ended with a puzzle. Charlie was the first one to reach the balance beam portion of the course, but like everyone else except Maria, he got stuck there with multiple falls into the water. That gave Maria a massive head start on the puzzle at the end, but eventually everyone caught up to that stage. Ben made the quickest progress on the puzzle, but when he got stuck in one spot, Maria zipped through with piece after piece and secured the win and immunity for herself.

9:09 p.m. – With the immunity necklace around Maria’s neck, the group that had planned to blindside her this vote easily turned their sights to Q and prepared to take him out. Kenzie, Liz and Ben had all been eager to vote Q out for weeks so now they knew that they have the chance to “take down the king and queen.” Meanwhile, Q and Maria solidified their plan to lock in together and take their shot at Charlie this time, knowing that he’s their biggest competition. Q had a moment with Kenzie and Liz later where she communicated to them that it’s time to vote Charlie out, but when he walked away they couldn’t believe that he thought they would follow his lead on this one. Still, they went to Maria to confirm and told her that they’re “down” to vote Charlie out, playing dumb that they’re just happy to stick around.

9:13 p.m. – In another conversation, Charlie was worried that leaving Maria out of their plan to vote out Q could leave them in a tough position in the final five if she wins immunity and pulls in Liz and Kenzie against them. With that in mind, Charlie went to Maria and told her that the votes should go in Q’s direction this week so that she wouldn’t be surprised when he votes Q out. Maria was just happy to agree with Charlie and avoid the conversation that might reveal her actual plan to blindside Charlie. Maria went to Q and told him that he “may get a vote,” but she was confident that it would be Charlie going home.

9:20 p.m. – At tribal council, Charlie explained his decision on who to bring with him on the reward and then applauded the three he didn’t choose for being “selfless” in their reactions to not being chosen. Essentially, the group conversation turned to how close they had all become and that they genuinely feel like a family in many ways. When Jeff brought up the many blindsides this season, Charlie said that the smaller the group gets the more “delicate” it becomes in terms of who to discuss plans with. At that point, they acknowledged that “alliances” aren’t a main aspect of this season and that they basically operate in “power couples” instead.

9:26 p.m. – Once the votes were cast, surprisingly yet again no one played an idol or advantage. Jeff read the votes: Charlie, Q, Charlie, Q, Q, Q. With that, another player went out with an idol unused in their pocket.

NEXT TIME: On the finale, it’s a race to the end for the final five through two immunity challenges and a decision for the jury on which of the three finalists would be the next sole survivor.

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