Survivor 51 Recap: An Extra Vote Twist Paves The Way For The Season's Wildest Tribal Council Yet

The women of "Survivor 51" are in serious trouble. Dropping like flies, even! After five episodes, only one male castaway has exited the game — quitter Rob — and Wednesday's episode unfortunately didn't change that stat. Two more female castaways voted out?! Rough stuff. 

We knew it would be a double elimination thanks to last week's previews, but a never-before-seen twist adds new layers to the game, which is already both unwieldy and unpredictable. (Permanent uncertainty!) After Toka once again secures its safety, the tribe must choose one player to forfeit his or her share of the pastries reward (bummer) in order to visit another camp of his or her choosing. Mike, Maggie, and Kristin all volunteer, but after a random selection, it's Maggie who boards the boat.

And we viewers hit the jackpot with that one! Let's dig deep and discuss the happenings on both losing tribes, as we recap this insane double elimination... and what Maggie did to set everything in motion. 

The new Savu — now consisting of Ori, Jelly, Devin, and Alexis — seem tight. After bonding over their "whys" for competing in the game (which was both touching and emotional to watch), it feels extra cruel that they gotta vote out one of their own. But with just four players left, there are still many possibilities for what could've gone down. Devin has an extra vote. Jelly has an idol (that no one knows about). And Alexis was putting in WORK.

The criminal defense attorney from Atlanta knows she needs Jelly's vote. She also knows that Jelly wants to play her own game and "not just be Dev's sidekick." On top of that, Jelly doesn't want to see another woman leave this game. Jelly even tells us that Devin isn't good for her game! He's not even connected to anyone she needs moving forward. Plus, Jelly says, she can lean on the fact that she wanted to protect another woman as a defense on why she had to cut her ally. So, Devin's next in line to get the boot, right? RIGHT?! 

Wrong. A wrinkle Alexis is likely unaware of is the helicopter alliance. When I spoke to Jenna last week, she confirmed that she had no idea about Ori's Day 1 connection to Devin and Jelly. Unfortunately here, it seems like Alexis believed Ori was 100% on her side and that she was working to avoid a tie-vote situation. (I'll confirm that in our exit interview Thursday.) But in the end, the helicopter alliance prevails, and by a vote of 3-1, Alexis becomes the sixth person to leave the game.

Dina also has a date with Jeff Probst, but before they head to tribal, they get a special visitor in the form of Maggie. Maggie also has a big decision to make this episode. She's given an extra vote that she must gift to someone on the tribe of her choice (Dina). And Maggie wants to help her former Tokas Lewis and Kilby in any way she can. Seeing as they have a previous relationship (and worked together on the Patt vote), and knowing that Lewis and Kilby are in the minority on their swap tribe, she gladly hands them this bonus vote. But that isn't enough to save their hides, so she presents them with another gift: Her extra vote that she snatched out from under Carter and Brady!

My first thoughts: Don't do it, Mags! Save your own extra vote to help yourself down the road! But when I gave it some more thought, it's still a bold move, but I like it. Lewis and Kilby are now going to be 100% locked-in as her allies. They now owe Maggie their lives in this game. So the big risk now is a planted seed that can bloom later in the game when she needs people to trust. But then again, this could've gone awry in soooo many different ways. Lewis could've flipped on Kilby and pocketed the extra vote! Kilby could've flipped on Lewis and done the same! But neither of them choose the easy route. Instead, they force the tie vote (and re-vote) at tribal, putting pressure on Sharonda, Eric, Christian, and Kilby to discuss whether they want to draw rocks or not.

And we are truly living for it. (Thanks, Maggie!) 

Kilby takes it a step further. He's down to draw rocks and he doesn't change his mind for a single second. (Brave.) His wild style of gameplay and zero-effs-given attitude causes the three former Savus to squirm. But after Kilby continues to stand 10 toes down, Sharonda, Eric, and Christian all admit that they can't go to rocks to save Linnea, and Linnea becomes the seventh castaway voted out of "Survivor 51." She's so shell-shocked, she forgets to bring her torch up to Jeff for the ceremonial snuffing.

Before we bow out and go full tilt boogie in the comments, we'd be remiss to not at least mention Lewis' hail mary play. Before the extra votes were in their possession, Lewis tells Sharonda that his Irish wedding ring is actually a "blood ring" that ties his fate to the player of his choice for two tribal councils. If he's voted out, she is too, but at the third tribal council, the ring turns into an immunity idol for the person he cursed/gifted it to. Of course, it was all a cockamamie plan, to which Sharonda almost immediately asks, "Where's the paper?" Smart. Can't blame a guy for trying!

Now it's your turn! Thoughts on Lewis, Kilby, or Maggie's big moves? Surprised that two more women are out of this game? Drop some comments below.