Tribes merge on `Survivor,' Jonathan forced to make a tough decision

NEW YORK (AP) Now the chess game begins. <br/><br/>The exquisitely organized competition that has made ``Survivor'' so popular is starting to kick in with the number of players dropping, and it

Friday, November 24th 2006, 11:23 am

By: News On 6

NEW YORK (AP) Now the chess game begins.

The exquisitely organized competition that has made ``Survivor'' so popular is starting to kick in with the number of players dropping, and it forced writer Jonathan into an agonizing decision on Thursday's episode.

The former Aitu and Raro tribes merged into a single tribe with nine members called Aitutong. At the merge, there were five Raro members still in the game, and four from Aitu, and each tribe's members have been fiercely loyal to one another.

Raro member Jonathan, who has switched loyalties more than once, was the key in deciding which former tribe would dominate the next few weeks, with the numbers to pick off the others.

Aitu members were courting him to knock off a Raro member. Since Jonathan had pulled a mutiny and left Aitu for Raro a few weeks ago, he figured he was in a lose-lose situation. No matter which way he went, pretty much everyone else in the game would figure he had betrayed them.

Jonathan was already starting to get annoyed with some lazy Raro members who wouldn't do chores while he was out fishing.

``I'm not going to lose because you kids can't get out of bed,'' he said in an aside.

The choices were between Raro's Nate and Aitu's Yul. Nate was considered untrustworthy. Yul was a target because other players considered the management consultant too smart.

``You don't want that clock tickin' there, homey,'' Nate said of his rival.

Yul, however, had a hidden immunity idol that he could use to save himself after a vote. It made the tribal council, tied 4-4 between Nate and Yul before the final vote was revealed, moot. However, that last vote would tell everyone where Jonathan's loyalty was.

He chose to get rid of Nate.