User blog:StrangerAtaru/Search and Do Not Destroy - Where Trent is a Player...and is Played

-It just feels really hard by this point to really take Gwen/Trent seriously. I mean, when you first see it in "The Big Sleep", it doesn't seem that bad. But then came "Phobia Factor"...and "Up the Creek"...and this episode...honestly it just feels like they want to find ways to ruin Trent just to make the two of them get separated. But then again...

-Leshawna really needed to talk to Chris about how long a prize can last, particularly one that allowed for her to have space like that trailer. I get he doesn't want her to be getting an advantage over the others but at least get it off the island first instead of blowing it up!

-For a guy from a sea-fairing province like Newfoundland, Chris is a terrible pirate. And it's not just the terrible accent, it's just...something unnerving. And is it just me or are the characters still separated in the stadium by Bass/Gopher?

-Most of the challenge just feels like filler this time due to the whole structure of the story so I might as well list it off again:
 * Trent was smart in eliminating the sharks but somehow I was afraid he was going to pull another Justin with them.
 * Once again, we have a problem with skuns but it is with Gwen this time. I guess you should have a bit of consideration for skunks but I guess in this show you can do what you need to.
 * Somehow I sort of expected more of Heather's challenge in getting past Chef. The part where she sneaks in to get the key was pretty cool, but I think they went through it too fast just to get her to "the rest of the story".
 * A fire hoop...is that all you got for Duncan?
 * Leshawna...well, I think after the bear last time, they made it specially hard for her with the crocodiles.
 * Lindsay...well, she just has a lot of problems with bugs this time. First she has a hive of bees chase after her even with Izzy's help, then the whole bit with the cockroaches.  I guess when you're as sensitive in her kind of life, bugs are the last thing you want to be around.
 * Geoff has this tenacity of getting into stinky stuff lately, first with the dirty laundry in the X-treme Sports challenge, now with the whole septic tank. I think it's punishment for something but I'm not quite sure what.
 * DJ had a woodpecker problem...and that's about it. If this was a future season, he'd nearly kill it...but it's just sensitive season 1 DJ.
 * Izzy and the snake...oh boy, Izzy and the snake. Well, at least it was Izzy who got the snake and not DJ again.  At least she knows it likes her.
 * Owen seems to suddenly hate bears now after obsessing in catching one way back in "The Sucky Outdoors". I guess the whole scare then made him terrified and thus putting up with one this time was a pure nightmare for him.  Honestly it was all luck of the draw this time.
 * And Bridgette...well, soemone needed the Killer Rab...er, Bunny!

-Somehow you should have really expected Gwen and Trent to have kissed before this episode, but the whole nonsense regarding them was just made so they'd have more drama and so on and so forth. At least Chris had the time to show it off a bit more in his own sadistic way.

-After the last several episodes of being more quiet than usual (last time she did was back in "If You Can't Take the Heat...", I guess she wanted everyone to forget about that with how everyone finally seemed to turn on her), Heather begins to start being devious again due to all the Gwen/Trent mushiness. Of course, it obviously seemed easier for her to set-up a "betrayal" incident for the three of them than to get a key from Chef...but of course Chef is hardcore like that.

-Lindsay should probably just remember which stall she's going to the bathroom is...but it's Lindsay so we forgive her.

-And now we reach...this moment. Unfortunately the whole "Heather manipulates Trent to ruin Gwen" bit is obviously forced, but of course Trent falls for it hook, line and sinker due to how naive he is. It's weird that characters like Leshawna and Beth can realize that Heather is just a manipulating witch being on a team or an alliance with her, yet Trent just keeps trusting everyone believing in the good of them on an island like this. When dealing with Heather, especially at this point, you have to be careful by anything she says and does lest it will get you in trouble. And of course, by the certain kiss that happens here, that's exactly what happens: hook, line and sinker. That's what you get for being around Heather and trusting Trent, Gwen...nothing but heartache, misery and someone eliminated from the game.

-Obviously Leshawna would know that Heather was up to no good and prepared to eliminate her, but it seemed strange how she was easily able to find everyone within an hour (the "Meeting" between Heather and Trent was at 5 and the treasure chest opening was 6) to get an alliance with everyone to eliminate her. But Leshawna's been putting up with Heather since day one so of course she would know that it was an urgent thing...and it was easier to convince some characters than others.

-It's really hard to imagine if any of the "treasure" found in the challenge was going to be useful to anyone...but of course, probably the only ones that were was Duncan's chips...and Heather's "invincibility". Sadly from here on Heather seems to control the game in this way allowing for her power to slowly grow and the people she peeves off to increase up to the end...you'd wish she wasn't but then there would be no villain.

-Sadly Trent was for the most part dragged out due to an unholy turn of events, but it is hard to imagine who else could have been targeted. Bridgette had more woods problems and DJ keeps breaking trees apart but that's par for the course. And Owen...well, at least he got the key even if chance gave him a duyd. So...yeah, manipulation ended up winning out in the end even if Trent did what he was supposed to. At least Gwen still has a boyfriend...for now.

-And in the end...well, septic water on Heather is just the latest in a line of revenge but that's just karma playing out for letting a witch continue on and on.