Week 7 Story: Survivor - Amba is Back
Author's Note: So I am a big fan of the TV show Survivor and seeing the name Amba in the Mahabharata made me think of the most famous couple from the show Boston Rob and his wife Amber Brkich. Rob has a very thick Boston accent and to immitate his voice via text messages to my mom I always spell his wife's name "Amba". So this had to happen, a survivor episode whose plot as been derived from the story of Amba in the Mahabharata. I tried to keep the theme of revenge and rebirth from the original but I obviously changed a lot to fit the context. If you have never seen Survivor here is what you need to know: a group of people live on an island together with limited resources for 39 days, someone is voted out every few days at tribal council and at the end the people who have been voted out pick one of the remaining players to win.
Season 40: Episode 10 | Amba is Back
Host Jeff Probst: Previously on.. SURVIVOR. At tribal council on night 3, Amber looked to Tyson and Kim to help her stay on the island but in the end they sided with Sandra and Amber was voted out. She waited 32 days on the Edge of Extinction for a shot to get back in the game. At the challenge, Amber demolished her competition and earned a place in the final six. Now she is looking to take. Sandra. down. as revenge for taking her out of the game. With just 4 days left in the game, who will be voted out tonight?
Amber: I did it! I did it! I'm back and I'm coming for you Sandra. You messed with the wrong girl.
Boston Rob: I'm so proud of Amba. She worked wicked hard to get back in the game and she did it. I came out here to play with my wife and after 35 days I finally get to do it. We're going all the way to the end, baby.
Boston Rob: What happened? How did you get voted out way before me?
Amber: Sandra wanted me gone and she told everyone to vote me out.
Boston Rob: I can't believe she would do that. Sandra should know better than to mess with my girl.
Amber: Now she'll pay the price. She's got to be the next to go.
Boston Rob: Sandra, Sandra, Sandra. I want to help you. I do. But you know you messed up.
Sandra: Listen, you know that the two of you in this game was just too much trouble. I was just doing what I had to do.
Boston Rob: But now I have to send you home. I don't want to it but I have to.
Sandra: Rob, do you really think any of the rest of those bozos still in this game think they can get away with keeping the two of you in this game? Look, you know my philosophy, as long as it's not me. I'll vote for anyone. You want Ben gone, he's gone. You want Ethan, it's Ethan. Just say the word.
Boston Rob: Can you promise you won't write my name or Amber's name down tonight.
Jeff Probst: Come on in guys! For today's immunity challenge you will climb up onto one of these poles and hang on for as long as you can. Last one left wins immunity.
Jeff Probst: Boston Rob, wins immunity! Congratulations, you are guaranteed a spot in the final five. As for the rest of you, going to tribal council tonight, somebody will be voted out.
Sandra: As long as it's not me.
Boston Rob: There is no way I'm not voting for Sandra tonight. Ben and Michelle are goons. If I say vote Sandra, they'll vote Sandra. Ethan and Sandra might try to do something crazy but who cares. Sandra's butt is going home.
Ethan: When we get back to camp, Amber seems like the easiest vote but I don't know, maybe that makes this the perfect time to blindside somebody else.
Sandra: So I am totally down to vote out Amber when all of a sudden Ethan comes to me and he says lets vote out Ben. He's not expecting it. I tried to tell him I really think we shouldn't keep Amber around but he just goes on and on. So now I got to work with Boston Rob and Amber and vote out Ethan. Normally, I'd have no problem lying to Boston Rob but I think this time I have to keep my word and not right down Amber's name tonight.
Jeff Probst: Welcome to tribal council. I've got a surprise for you. This is going to be a short and sweet tribal council. I will not ask you guys questions for an hour before we vote. We're gonna get straight to it. It's time to vote. You cannot vote for Boston Rob, anyone else is fair game.
Jeff Probst: I'll read the votes. First vote. Ethan.
Sandra. That's one vote Sandra, one vote Ethan.
Sandra. That's two votes Sandra, one vote Ethan.
Sandra. That's three votes Sandra, one vote Ethan.
Sandra. That's four. That's enough. Sandra, bring me your torch.
Bibliography:
Indian Myth and Legend by Donald A. Mackenzie (1913).
Archive of Stolen Images:
Amber Confessional
Boston Rob Confessional 1
Amber and Boston Rob
Boston Rob and Sandra Fist Bump
Sandra Confessionals
Individual Immunity Challenge
2 Hours Later Spongebob
Boston Rob Immunity
Boston Rob and Sandra Talking
Boston Rob Confessional 2
Ethan Confessionals
Jeff at Tribal Council
Jeff Reads the Votes
Sandra Voted Out
Season 40: Episode 10 | Amba is Back
Host Jeff Probst: Previously on.. SURVIVOR. At tribal council on night 3, Amber looked to Tyson and Kim to help her stay on the island but in the end they sided with Sandra and Amber was voted out. She waited 32 days on the Edge of Extinction for a shot to get back in the game. At the challenge, Amber demolished her competition and earned a place in the final six. Now she is looking to take. Sandra. down. as revenge for taking her out of the game. With just 4 days left in the game, who will be voted out tonight?
Amber: I did it! I did it! I'm back and I'm coming for you Sandra. You messed with the wrong girl.
Boston Rob: I'm so proud of Amba. She worked wicked hard to get back in the game and she did it. I came out here to play with my wife and after 35 days I finally get to do it. We're going all the way to the end, baby.
Amber: Sandra wanted me gone and she told everyone to vote me out.
Boston Rob: I can't believe she would do that. Sandra should know better than to mess with my girl.
Amber: Now she'll pay the price. She's got to be the next to go.
Sandra: Crap, Amber is back in the game. When I got rid of her on Day 3 I didn't think she would be the one to get back in the game. I especially didn't think Rob would still be here either. I know that they are pissed and probably tryin' to vote me out but I have a knack for getting myself out of trouble
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Sandra: Listen, you know that the two of you in this game was just too much trouble. I was just doing what I had to do.
Boston Rob: But now I have to send you home. I don't want to it but I have to.
Sandra: Rob, do you really think any of the rest of those bozos still in this game think they can get away with keeping the two of you in this game? Look, you know my philosophy, as long as it's not me. I'll vote for anyone. You want Ben gone, he's gone. You want Ethan, it's Ethan. Just say the word.
Boston Rob: Can you promise you won't write my name or Amber's name down tonight.
Sandra: I promise. As long as it's not me.
Jeff Probst: Come on in guys! For today's immunity challenge you will climb up onto one of these poles and hang on for as long as you can. Last one left wins immunity.
(2 hours later)
Boston Rob: Vote Ethan, tonight.
Sandra: As long as it's not me.
Boston Rob: There is no way I'm not voting for Sandra tonight. Ben and Michelle are goons. If I say vote Sandra, they'll vote Sandra. Ethan and Sandra might try to do something crazy but who cares. Sandra's butt is going home.Ethan: When we get back to camp, Amber seems like the easiest vote but I don't know, maybe that makes this the perfect time to blindside somebody else.
Sandra: So I am totally down to vote out Amber when all of a sudden Ethan comes to me and he says lets vote out Ben. He's not expecting it. I tried to tell him I really think we shouldn't keep Amber around but he just goes on and on. So now I got to work with Boston Rob and Amber and vote out Ethan. Normally, I'd have no problem lying to Boston Rob but I think this time I have to keep my word and not right down Amber's name tonight.
Jeff Probst: Welcome to tribal council. I've got a surprise for you. This is going to be a short and sweet tribal council. I will not ask you guys questions for an hour before we vote. We're gonna get straight to it. It's time to vote. You cannot vote for Boston Rob, anyone else is fair game.
Jeff Probst: I'll read the votes. First vote. Ethan.Sandra. That's one vote Sandra, one vote Ethan.
Sandra. That's two votes Sandra, one vote Ethan.
Sandra. That's three votes Sandra, one vote Ethan.
Sandra. That's four. That's enough. Sandra, bring me your torch.
Jeff Probst: Sandra, the tribe has spoken.
Indian Myth and Legend by Donald A. Mackenzie (1913).
Archive of Stolen Images:
Amber Confessional
Boston Rob Confessional 1
Amber and Boston Rob
Boston Rob and Sandra Fist Bump
Sandra Confessionals
Individual Immunity Challenge
2 Hours Later Spongebob
Boston Rob Immunity
Boston Rob and Sandra Talking
Boston Rob Confessional 2
Ethan Confessionals
Jeff at Tribal Council
Jeff Reads the Votes
Sandra Voted Out
Hi Hannah!
ReplyDeleteI love that you found a relation between Amba in the Mahabharata and Amber from Survivor! It created a really unique and creative story for this week. I’ve never seen survivor, but you did a great job explaining it and narrating the episode, so I never felt confused about the plot. Also, I think you did a great job with the dialogue, the characters conversations sound exactly what I would imagine in a reality show like Survivor.
Hi Hannah,
ReplyDeleteI like how your story lined up with an actual TV show. I don’t think I’ve seen any stories like that so far. I like all the pictures, and I like how it reads. I really feel like I’m watching the show!
I lost a little bit of the Mahabharata story in here. Maybe your Author’s note could have gone into more detail about showing the connections between Survivor Island and Amba’s story. It may have been your stylistic choice to make your story less Mahabharata-y. If you wanted too, you could have made the Amba/Amber character brood and plan more when she was voted out. Also, I’m assuming Sandra is like Bhishma. In your story I didn’t like Sandra at all, but I mostly liked Bhishma. Maybe you could have made Sandra more likeable to match the Mahabharata.
Hey Hannah!!
ReplyDeleteI have never watched survivor but I absolutely loved this story!! You had me hooked once I started reading. I have to admit, I was kind of confused in the beginning because I had never watched the show but all my confusion went away instantly once the story began. I also think it was really helpful to have pictures of each person to help me visualize what was happening. I also definitely started reading Rob's part with a Boston accent in my head
Hannah,
ReplyDeleteLoved this modern rendition of a classic tale! I wrote a story earlier this semester based on The Bachelor and this story kind of reminded me of my own. The sneaky people, liars, backstabbing contestants... yep, it's all there. LOL. Now that we have all the time in the world, I kind of want to look into starting this show! If it's on Hulu or Netflix, I'm down.