'Survivor: Nicaragua' Episode 12 recap

The episode begins with the group returning to camp and reflecting on NaOnka and Kelly Purple's surprise decision to quit the game early. Holly expresses frustration with the departures as so many try to get on the show and she thinks it is a terrible thing to give up such an opportunity. However, Sash is pleased that two more have left as he believes it means that he is closer to winning the game.

Sash later tells Benry, Chase and Fabio that he would like to get rid of his immunity idol in order to keep the target off his back and hopefully convince his fellow competitors to keep him around longer. Chase then tells Sash that he promises to take him along on the next reward challenge that he wins, which Sash appreciates as he says that he is "starving" in the jungle and is one of the only people not to have experienced the prize.

The groups then meet Jeff for today's reward challenge which is a collection of past tasks. The course will see competitors go through a mud maze, find a ball in a stack of hay and then bounce a ball off a board and land it in a barrel. The first four to succeed will move onto a second round where they will lift a key from a high post which will unlock a chest which will contain 4 sandbags which will then need to land on top of the same barrel. The first two to complete this part will move onto a final round where they must land three rings on a target. The first person to succeed will be taken to a private resort where he or she will stay overnight in a clean bed and will also be able to take a shower.

Chase, Jane, Benry and Holly all move onto the second round while the others are eliminated. Once through to the next section, Chase becomes the first person to move onto the final round while Benry follows close behind. In the last section, Chase quickly completes the ring toss and is declared the winner of the challenge. He is then told that he can bring two people along to share the prize and he chooses Holly and Jane without hesitation, breaking his promise to Sash.

Upon returning to camp, Sash, Fabio and Benry discuss Chase's decision to take the two women on the reward challenge. Sash deems this a "stupid" choice as he is in possession of the immunity idol and he later suggests to the men that they should all re-evaluate their game plans and be honest with one another about how they will move forward. Dan also expresses frustration with Sash as he believes Sash may side with the three reward winners going forward.

Later, Holly admits that she believes Chase made the wrong decision in choosing to bring Jane, which he agrees with. Holly says that if Sash decides to side with the other group, her own position as well as Jane's and Chase's is in danger. Chase realises that he has been "so stupid" but vows to return to camp tomorrow to pick Sash's brain and figure out how to proceed.

Upon returning to camp, Jane is upset that the men have killed and eaten "her" chicken which was won in a previous week. She says that they had more than enough rice to eat and decides to hold a memorial on the beach.

Speaking on the beach, Benry and Chase discuss strategy, with Benry insisting that he would vote along with Chase's decision so long as it meant he was able to stay in the game longer. Later, Chase meets with Sash and apologises for choosing Jane over him in the challenge but insists that he did it as a gesture of faith in their alliance.

Sash then asks Chase to promise that he will take him to the final two or three before Holly joins the men and they discuss their plan to stick together for the remainder of the game. Benry then goes back to Dan and Fabio to say that Sash is not to be trusted and that their plan of bringing Sash to their side is "doomed". Benry says later, however, that he will attempt to appeal to Chase and Holly in order to ensure a new alliance for himself. After meeting with the group in the forest, Fabio's name is brought up as the next target for elimination, which Benry agrees to.

The next day, the competitors meet Jeff on the beach for this week's immunity challenge. Players will be attached to a hitching rope and must move over and under a post to release more of the rope's length. They will then attempt to grab a bag of gold coins. The first three to get the coins will move to a final round in which they will solve a "gold coin puzzle". The person who solves the puzzle first will go on to win immunity during this week's Tribal Council.

Benry, Fabio and Sash move onto the second round but all seem to struggle with the difficult puzzle. Fabio and Sash begin to make progress, and Sash eventually completes the task first and wins immunity.

After returning to camp, Fabio asks Sash to tell him if his name comes up as a potential target for elimination as he got a "funny feeling" that day. Sash promises to do so, though Fabio admits that he still believes Sash is a "swing vote" and could go either way. Benry also admits that he feels sorry for lying but will do what is necessary to preserve his spot in the game.

At Tribal Council, Benry is eliminated with three votes. "I'm extremely surprised, I just got straight blindsided. It wasn't what I expected when I came into Tribal Council," he said after leaving. "I'm definitely going to have to assess the mastermind idea behind deciding to send me home. I guess they felt threatened by me, and that's part of the compliment."

Survivor: Nicaragua continues next Wednesday on CBS

> Click here to read our interview with Benry