Survivor 40 - Winners at War

[Oling_Roachinen]

This is where it sucks not having the true rationale shown as they want to keep the vote a surprise. This could be a strong play by Jeremy and Michelle, or it could be just a stupid decision made out of near-spite.

If Parvatti goes, Adam had already told Ethan and Rob, it was him who looks like he was trying to help them out and keep them informed instead of being blindsided by the vote. From Jeremy or Michelle's perspective, you're giving Adam the option of forming a Adam/Robb/Ethan/Denise alliance down the road. At least that was Adam's intention.

But with Ethan going, Parvatti isn't going to work with Adam, they're going to go against each other.

Both Adam, and Parvatti/Robb need to work with Jeremy/Michelle now. Denise just kept her closest ally out and now has to work with Jeremy/Michelle and Ben is just a number for them but an apparently loyal one.

Probably still would have made more sense to just get out Robb though.

[Barnes]

I have to assume that they are all expecting a swap and this tribe is doing terrible. Outside of Jeremy stealing immunity with his ring toss skills, they should be 0 - 4.

If you're on this tribe, you would be thinking you're going to be swapped into a minority and having Adam swap with you allows you to offer him up for a little bit of safety.

[CaptainCrunch]

Valid point.


At the end of the day, though it might be early, but moving Ethan out of the running is probably smart, I mean no one wants to sit next to him in front of a jury, even with 2 million bucks from the game, his story and life long charity work is a guaranteed win, or difficult to over come.


Though out of Pavartti and Rob, he's the least strategic threat. Rob has enough control that he had Adam running to him. Pavartti is a barracuda she's got a ruthless streak that's covered by an understated social game.


They do have to focus on getting Rob out of the game, if in any way Ambuh comes back from exile Island into a merged camp, that could be lethal.

[CaptainCrunch]

I think the first time the other team loses Sandra is on the outs. First of all because of the coasting out of the challenges, and everyone knows what her game is about.

[Cheese]

calgarybornraised takes the boot and Fuzz takes his first hit with Ethan voted off.

[CaptainCrunch]

Team Legion of Boop still rolling on, though I think I'm going to get hammered in the next couple of episodes.

[Flash Walken]

I gotta say, dumb decision made out of spite to vote Ethan instead of Rob.

Adam had identified that Parvati was the most dangerous player on their team. He was/is right. By telling Rob, he's not playing both sides, he's trying to get Rob to go along to get along which I think is a smart strategy.

So Michelle and Jeremy realize that what Adam is saying makes sense, that the 3 person team is controlling the game and are too dangerous. But rather than vote Parv and go along with Adams plan, they still need to take out a member of that triumvirate they decide to...take out the weakest member of that group?

Dumb.

Now Adam knows he doesn't have their confidence, Rob knows they are probably gunning for him and Parvati knows she has a Target on her as well. That's 4-4 in the numbers now, all it takes is an idol or a mutiny for one of those goofs to be sent packing.

Really reactionary, petty decision making. If it's a good plan, you go with it. Changing course to assert control this early is a dumb move. The whole reason they targeted Rob's group in the first place is BECAUSE they had asserted control.

Michelle saying people didn't think she deserved her win might be playing into her trying to be aggressive and may end up costing her, vs trying to get by in the background like how she won her season.

I mean, you're on the WINNERS season. It's just crazy to try to make yourself an early target.

The best case scenario for this season may be to get to extinction island as early as possible to avoid most of the drama and backstabbing that will take place over the next few tribal votes.

[GreenLantern]

On the one hand, I'm glad the messages that Michelle didn't deserve her win got to her, lol..

I honestly think her win came out of a petty jury, and I hate it when that happens.

But Flash Walken basically said everything I was thinking, and we have seen that strategy of laying low at extinction pay off for a win before.

[WhiteTiger]

That was a pretty 'meh' episode, imo. Starting with the Exiles, and then sticking with them for 15 minutes. Who cares. They did a wood challenge. I'm sure it was difficult. It has no bearing on the game at all.

Pretty surprised by how that challenge was blown. Looks like they were trying to build it upside down, and Rob figured out how to build it right-side up, and just slammed through it.

[CaptainCrunch]

Rob was on point on that challenge.



I'm shocked they didn't try to take out Sandra, thought I don't want her gone. But she's just running under the leaves now.

[GreenLantern]

Ya Sandra has hit her true stride, even her comment at tribal about how other people have schemes but she’s just an innocent flower that can cause no harm and will just vote where ever anyone wants her to.

Fact is all info goes through Sandra and if at any point she disagrees the vote will go her way as that’s her true strength, controlling and manipulating. She does it at a Russell level without actually berating and pissing people off, that’s why she’s won twice.

I did like the Sandra sit out bench from Parvati. That was awesome.

And man alive rob has just been a challenge beast this game. When he first showed up I thought oh my god rob is fat and old. But I honestly think he came in with some survivor weight on knowing he would lose it. If you’ve played the game four times you know how to come prepared. And his cardio/strength in this game has been unreal.

As for the wood challenge... not sure how many of you have been in a situation where someone is trying to break you, but that was the point of that challenge. Edge of extinction is all about seeing how far the players can be pushed before they give up and go home. The producers just upped the anti due to the high level of players in the game. In a situation like that it’s mental hell, and those four players showed their mental fortitude.

[Cheese]

Barnes and trackercowe take their first hits with Tyson playing the paranoid card and getting voted out.

[Flash Walken]

Sandra understands that when everyone there is a winner, it's easy to make a case to vote off every person.

So why stick your neck out? Someone else is going to make the case for each vote, she can just decide which way she wants to lean.

"Sandra's Seat" is, to me, an amazing tactical move. She has simultaneously gotten both tribes to view her as weak in challenges, but without being involved in critical challenge errors that might get her sent home.

Nick screwing up the puzzle had a target on him. Sandra sitting there doing nothing had no target on her. No one thinks she's a physical threat, and she's not burning herself out early in the 39 days, either.

Sandra is still the queen. IMO, she's running the game so far.

[CaptainCrunch]

I can see the strategy of sitting out any challenge and not representing a physical threat. Less people will try to vote her out because they believe she'll never in an individual immunity idol.



But these dummies have played the game before and watched the game, and Sandra is playing Sandra, and these dopes can't see that coming.

[corporatejay]

This season is amazing. Everyone firing on all cylinders.

[Flash Walken]

Originally Posted by CaptainCrunch

I can see the strategy of sitting out any challenge and not representing a physical threat. Less people will try to vote her out because they believe she'll never in an individual immunity idol.



But these dummies have played the game before and watched the game, and Sandra is playing Sandra, and these dopes can't see that coming.

Testament to how good she is

[Fuzz]

Most of the smart ones are terrified to throw her name out there.

[Flash Walken]

Originally Posted by Fuzz

Most of the smart ones are terrified to throw her name out there.

that's what makes them smart

[Fuzz]

Kind of. Smart is blindsiding her at some point. Not smart is being so afraid of her you let her win.

[CaptainCrunch]

You can't let a multi time winner build a resume, you just can't the people on the jury are all winners who know about putting game play over the other BS that happens.


I'm starting to wonder if the person that gets the most coins on Exile Island is the one that gets off. No physical challenge to get back in. The person that spend foolishly or doesn't get the coins loses.


I also wouldn't be surprised if there are not caches of fire coins lying around the camps that could come into play.


Suddenly Rob shows up in a heated trailer with a butler and chef because he found a cache of a thousand coins.