Pirate Master: Episode 4

Did this week's new captain pardon Joe Don?

The latest episode of Pirate Master began with Sean apologizing to Jay. "I'd made kind of a pact with Jay to vote for Cheryl," said Sean, regarding having received $1000 from Jay in exchange for a vote for Cheryl -- and then voting for Alexis instead.

Taking money isn't "kind of a pact," Sean. It's a contract. Or a bribe.

After a relaxing morning under faux-British Captain Azmyth's leadership, it was time for another treasure hunt. Azmyth, Jupiter, and Jay were joined on the Black Crew by Joe Don, Cheryl, Laurel, and Christa. The Red Crew comprised Louie, Sean, Ben, Joy, Kendra, and Nessa.

The Black Crew had the advantage in terms of physical ability, and they dominated the first half of a race through the jungle. On the Red Crew, Joy continued to have knee troubles, and Kendra and Louie lagged behind.

Louie kept an upbeat attitude during his difficult jungle run: "I just kinda look at Nessa's butt and forget about the jungle."

Inside a small cave, each team held up a map, and a sunbeam reflected off a small mirror, creating an 'X' that highlighted the location of the buried treasure. The 'X' fell on a large anchor on the beach near where the crews had tied their boats, and Azmyth lead his team back through the jungle.

But, at the beach, Azmyth had his team looking for an actual giant 'X.' When he didn't see an 'X' near the anchor, he led his team further down the beach. Since Azmyth was the only person on his team who'd looked at the map inside the cave, his teammates had no choice but to follow him.

After a futile search, the Black Crew decided to run back to the cave and have multiple team members look at the map. Meanwhile, the Red Crew started digging in the black sand around the anchor.

Once they'd confirmed where to look, the Black Crew ran back to the beach hoping to make up for lost time. But it was too late. Kendra found the buried treasure chest, and for a second week in a row, the captain was ousted.

Back aboard the pirate ship, the Red Crew elected a reluctant Louie captain. He chose Nessa and Sean for his officers -- a smart move, since he ensured that two of the strongest players would be on his team for next week's hunt.

The treasure chest contained a measly $5000, which Capt. Louie split evenly amongst his crew. But it also contained a Royal Pardon, which would save the person who possessed it from elimination at the next Pirates Court.

Louie was given temporary custody of the Pardon. Pirates who felt they were at risk had a few hours to decide how much gold they'd be willing to pay for the Pardon. The pirate who submitted the highest bid would pay Louie for the pardon at Pirates Court after the votes were cast, but before the results were read.

The only catch was, if the pirate with the Pardon didn't need to use it at Pirates Court, he or she could not save it for the next week -- and would be out all of the money paid for the Pardon. The Pardon would be up for bid again.

While explaining the rules of the Pardon to the whole crew, Louie pointed out that Joe Don had a lot more money than anyone else, and the Pardon was his, if he was willing to pay for it.

Knowing that Louie was out to get him, Joe Don pulled his lackey, Jay, aside. Trying to exploit Jay's friendship with Louie, Joe Don said, "If I get a black spot, me and you, our deal, what we got going on [a loose alliance since the first day] is negated."

The ultimatum angered Jay, who stormed off and bid all of his money -- $6001 -- on the Pardon, hoping to keep it out of Joe Don's hands.

The following morning, after all of the bids were cast, Louie and his officers set about assigning black spots to three crew members. Joe Don got one of the spots, and his buddy, Cheryl, got another.

Louie decided to assign the third black spot to Azmyth, as a way of measuring how the crew felt about Azmyth's leadership style. Louie said that, after any captain was ousted, he should be given the black spot -- and hoped that he himself would receive one after his turn was over.

At Pirates Court, instead of just apologizing for getting his crew lost, Azmyth -- now conspicuously sans fake accent -- said his crew gained valuable memories through his mistakes and got some extra exercise. Cheryl said, in her defense, that she'd never "messed up a clue or put everybody in the wrong direction."

Then Joe Don did his best Jonathan Antin impression and said that he didn't understand why Louie hated him so much. He told Louie, "I don't deserve what you're throwing at me, dude. I love you, brother." Then he said that he wasn't sorry for keeping most of the money from the first two treasures for himself.

The crew cast their votes, and before the results were read, host Cameron Daddo revealed that Joe Don had won the Royal Pardon with a bid of $7000. But it turned out Joe Don didn't need the Pardon after all -- Cheryl received four votes to his three.

As she floated away on her raft, Cheryl said that she hadn't even bid on the Pardon. If her crew wanted her gone, she felt it best just to go.

Next week, Louie's officers, Sean and Nessa, turn on one another.