'Survivor: Edge of Extinction': Joint Tribal Council Throws Castaways Into Chaos

Survivor: Edge of Extinction is showing it didn't come to play this season, tossing both Manu and Lesu into a mega-sized tribal council immediately after Aubry Bracco was sent packing.

After the veteran player made her way to Extinction Island in an "epic" blindside by the Manu tribe in the first part of Wednesday's all-new episode of the CBS reality show, the Lesu and Kama tribes were shocked to see such a hard-hitting vet sent home so soon.

On the Kama tribe, returning player Joe Anglim especially took Aubry's elimination as a sign that his flawless game thus far could easily come to an end if his tribe were ever to lose an immunity challenge, unknowingly echoing his fellow tribe members' idea to target the strong player at the first chance.

Back at the struggling Lesu camp, which despite winning immunity by a hair last time was left weak and hungry by a lack of rewards and food, things were beginning to splinter. Lauren O'Connell, holding a hidden immunity idol, continued to avoid eating the limited rice available, feeling sick, while Dan "Wardog" DaSilva' constant barking of orders and shifting alliances made Kelley Wentworth and David Right uneasy going into the merge.

The only tribe doing worse than Lesu heading into the second immunity challenge of the episode was the ragtag bunch awaiting an opportunity to get back in the game on Extinction Island — Rick Devens, Chris Underwood, Keith Sowell, Reem Daly and now Aubry.

After earning a cryptic bundle of bamboo sticks with the word "practice" and a secret extra vote Rick awarded to Aubry before her elimination, tensions were high when Keith earned a second power to penalize an opponent, beating out Reem to touch the power after she pointed it out.

While Reem and Eric argued over his comment that her gesturing had "given away" the power, back on the main island, Manu and Lesu were dreading the double tribal they would both be attending after Kama pulled out yet another immunity win. With four players on each side, there was a real possibility of having to draw rocks upon a tie/second vote scenario.

Wentworth finding a hidden immunity idol right above Wardog's head seemed almost poetic as Lauren revealed that she wouldn't go to rocks for him if things came down to it, further shifting the veteran player away from the agreed-upon tribal alliance.

At the actual council, things came down to Wendy, who fell squarely in the middle of her former tribe and her new tribe, not being totally accepted in either — until they needed her vote.

Coming to a tie the first vote around with four votes Wendy, four votes Lauren, the castaways scrambled to figure out if they would truly go to rocks over either one by keeping their votes the same.

In the end, everyone decided they wouldn't, voting out Wendy over Lauren. Heading to Extinction Island, however, will she be back to give her game a second go-around?

Survivor airs Wednesdays at 8 p.m. ET on CBS.

Photo credit: CBS