At the challenge, which he won handily, he went with option B, sending Parvati to Exile and taking Amanda on the reward. Natalie? Steamed barely begins to cover it. And Cirie worked her magic, pushing Natalie's buttons and making her get even more frustrated with Erik. At the reward, Erik tried to wheel and deal Amanda some more, but that eventually backfired.

Before the immunity challenge, Erik talked to Cirie about going to the final three with Parvati, since Natalie and Amanda are both big jury threats. But he totally failed to notice that Natalie was within earshot. Shortly thereafter, Amanda, Cirie and Natalie compared notes, and discovered (not surprisingly) that Erik was playing all sides. It only took one glance in their direction for Erik to realize that he was in trouble, at which point he began lamenting how dumb he'd been. (And yet, he was just getting started!)

At the immunity challenge, Erik once again handily dispatched the competition, and afterward, the four women were discussing how sad it was that one of them would have to go home. Then Cirie pitched the seemingly ridiculous idea that Natalie should make him feel bad enough to give her the immunity necklace. The idea was that it would be a good-faith move and prove to Cirie that he could be trusted, and then the three of them would target Amanda. Natalie's reaction was one, that it would never work and two, that she felt dumber even hearing the idea, but she went for it anyway.

Erik seemed somewhat amenable to the idea but committed to nothing. So again, it looked like we were being set up for a possibility at tribal council that would never, ever come to pass just so there would be some element of drama.

But lo and behold, at TC, Erik GAVE THE IMMUNITY NECKLACE TO NATALIE. What? What? Really? (This, by the way, was also the reaction of the jury.) And then he promptly got voted out.

Best part was probably James saying audibly from the jury bench that he could now give up his reign as dumbest Survivor ever. Or Erik literally sprinting away from TC after having his flame snuffed. Or the women openly hugging and giggling after he turned over immunity.

I have to note, though, that Amanda, Cirie and Natalie at least seemed to feel a tad bit bad about playing him so hard during the cast-the-vote footage. Parvati just called him dumb. Which was also true, but didn't do much to counteract her Mean Girl rep.

So anyway ... poor, poor, naive and starstruck and easily manipulated Erik. That was practically tragic, but it sure was dramatic and unexpected. After this much drama, I fear for the next couple of seasons of Survivor. If a strong tribe totally Pagongs another tribe, it's going to be sooooo boring.

That means Sunday is the finale, when (cue dramatic voice, in this case of Jeff Probst) ANYTHING CAN HAPPEN!

What do you think about this final four and how we got here?