Survivor 42, Episode 5 - I'm Survivor Rich
IKA (Night 9)
Fresh off cutting Swati lose, Romeo is tasked with rocking Rocks in his arms and explaining the move to the single worst social game player this season.
At least Rocksroy is aware of how weak he is in the social aspect of the game. Tori hates Rocks, doesn’t want to work with him, and likely doesn’t think he deserves to be playing the same game as her. I agree with her. Rocks is probably a great dad but this is Survivor. His game to this point has been totally exploited and as a result he has. no chance of winning. Best case for Rocks is being a small pebble in someone’s game.
TAKU (Day 10)
At TAKU, Jonathan escapes to flash his abs and his ability to provide fish for the tribe. But, what he really is doing is avoiding the the ticking time bomb that is the annoying, young, and advantage loaded Maryanne. We have been tracking this all season long and it’s time. At this point she is just annoying. Despite the edit, we knew this would happen and it really comes through the tv leavin me debating finding the remote to hit the MUTE button.
If only Jonathan could do exactly that. Instead, Jonathan’s in a terrible spot. He’s the best asset in the game at this stage and Maryanne is the worst. For him, he knows that because of his physical strength, he is a HUGE target. Therefore, he cannot lose his cool and draw any negative attention to himself.
VATI (Day 10)
VATI couldn’t be more opposite in terms of actual surviving. For one, they don’t have Jonathan. Another reason they are struggling is the best shot they have at catching fish is Daniel. Daniel? Really? What we learn here is that nobody on the tribe is vibing with Daniel. Plus, everyone doesn’t want there name to be brought up, so why not bring up the guy who flip flopped at Tribal and sent Jenny home.
The other thing we learn from this segment is Hai is growing in power and influence around camp. He is definitely riding the wave of momentum from his power move over Daniel and now is doubling down on Daniel being useless when he decides to snorkel/spear fish despite not being able to compete in swimming challenges. In other words, if someone contradicts themself in any way, it will be used against them.
ROMEO AND DREA GO IDOL HUNTING
Romeo is a pageant coach back home in NYC. Romeo’s hero is his mother and her strength. He sees that in Drea. The bonds between castaways on VATI, TAKU and IKA are starting to take form and Romeo and Drea may be leading the way with their bode of trust in one another via an idol hunt. Rocksroy isn’t capable of being in this type of gameplay and Tori has already been bitten by the idol hunt early in episode 1 but it wasn’t fatal. Drea finding ANOTHER advantage in the game, may be fatal for everyone else.
Drea is not just “Survivor Rich” but her portfolio is diversified! For those keeping score, Drea has the AMULET ADVANTAGE (with Hai and Lindsay), an EXTRA VOTE, and now the last piece of the 3 WAY IDOL. If she can activate it.
“Potatoes have skin. I have skin. Am I a potato?
Stupid phrases 3.0 here. I get that they are silly and stupid and random on purpose so whatever. Moving along.
At this point the 3 way idol has been found by each tribe. Drea at IKA, Maryanne at TAKU, and Mike at VATI. Drea now cannot vote, BUT she does have an EXTRA VOTE and an ally in Romeo. So, even at a disadvantage, Drea is still on an even playing field. Drea can bounce back and leap frog everyone into the position of most power in the game if Mike decides to serenade the tribes with his nonsense about the grace of soccer. Mike is not ready to say his secret phrase and reveal that he and VATI have an idol. By not revealing it, he keeps the target off himself and his tribe. Come on now Mike. How foolish do you think we are?
IMMUNITY CHALLENGE
Maryanne kicks off the party with her bunny rabbit phrase. Drea follows suit piggy backing off Maryanne and her talking about food and she sneaks her potato line in there. Then, judgement time. Will Mike talk about the grace in the game of soccer?…You bet!
CHALLENGE
Up and over the ramp/net, untangle the braid to release a key, unlock a machete to slice a rope releasing sandbags, and slingshot the sandbags into 3 targets.
REWARD - Large Tarp (1st), Small Tarp (2nd)
TAKU is cut! They’re NOT a machine, they’re human!! Aka, they aren’t able to “Drago” the competition again because Omar is absolutely terrible at the braid. Shocking. Like how does he not get it? How does he not figure this out quicker? Ultimately, he’s there for an uncomfortable amount of time, and Jonathan looked like he was going to Hulk smash Omar. In the meantime, IKA wins the challenge and the most important reward of all, a large tarp.
Omar finally finishes and releases Jonathan from the cage he was keeping him in. Guess what happens, Jonathan knocks down the targets just edging out VATI and saving himself, and TAKU from Tribal Council. Shocker.
JOURNEY TIME
Lydia and Rocks
What an interesting pair. It can’t be more opposite. They are two of the more uninteresting game-players thus far. Like, what are they going to talk about and connect on? Hahaha
Lydia and Rocks both PROTECT their vote. Of course they did. They aren’t social game threats and so running the risk of losing their vote and then manipulating the vote in their favor isn’t their strengths. They need other people to do that work for them. Lydia relies on Hai and Rocks is on his own rock alone. I think this journey could have been edited out.
PRE-TRIBAL SCRAMBLE
Daniel and Chanelle both decide they need to announce their feeling flimsy in the game and the need to have 1 on 1s with everyone on the tribe. I don’t mind this strategy, but what blows my mind too is that if they feel this desperate or vulnerable in the game, why don’t they go looking for an idol? I know in this new era of Survivor a stunt like that could get your torch snuffed but do something Daniel, do something Chanelle. Talking it out with the people who are making you feel vulnerable is fine and dandy if you want to stay on the bottom. But, since you’re already there, why not go out hunting for idols and try to flip the pressure back on the people on top?
An important factor heading into Tribal for VATI is Mike having his vote back after activating the idol. Mike having a vote is big because it eliminates options for the bottom feeders Daniel and Chanelle. The last piece of the scramble is Lydia. She is off on the journey and could potentially lose her vote, so Hai and Mike are nervous. That power trip that Hai entered into at VATI’s last Tribal is still circulating hardcore in his bloodstream and I like it! Hai has to be top 3 on anyone’s board for best odds to win the whole game at this point.
The vote - 50/50 between Daniel and Chanelle. Hai is the one running the decision making.
TRIBAL COUNCIL (Night 11)
Friendship and the game of Survivor. Chanelle calls out Daniel’s pampering of Mike. Daniel brushes that comment off him.
Lydia - TRUST is what it’s all about. Each tribe will be down to 4 and nobody has numbers going into a potential merge.
My feeling is that sometimes it does come down to trust and in a 50/50 toss up. Seems crazy to boil the decision down to that but this feels like a true 50/50 toss up between voting out Chanelle or Daniel. Both have been sneaky. Both have had mis-steps. Both have been distrustful. Both are likely to flip at a merge abandoning VATI for their own gain. If it were up to me, I’d vote out Chanelle. Or, use Chanelle and Daniel to blindside Hai. I guess that makes me Mike or Lydia. 🤣
VOTES
Chanelle 2
Daniel 2
Mike 1 (surprising vote here by Chanelle)
REVOTE
Daniel 3
Chanelle 0
Daniel is voted out. The dorky, neurotic, and most untrustworthy player of VATI is gone. He was right, he won’t win. However, this vote will have an after shock for sure. Mike’s gametime decision at the Immunity Challenge to activate the idol will be used against him but now someone, aka Chanelle, will have to own up to her MIKE vote or try and wiggle out of it. You can already see next week’s blog’s opening picture from post Tribal with VATI firing away at one another.
CHANELLE VOTED FOR MIKE???
Let’s go back to the original votes. Chanelle voted for Mike. Why? If she just votes for Daniel, not Mike, then Daniel is voted out 3-2 and she remains in the game. But she doesn’t vote Daniel, instead she wrote Mike down. Granted, Mike wrote Chanelle’s name down, so maybe Chanelle knew that was going to happen and she wanted to throw shade at Hoboken’s bravest. The best reasoning that I can come up with is that Chanelle thought Daniel may play his Shot in the Dark. If he did and it worked, then he would have been safe, AND if everyone else voted Daniel then all those votes would have been out the window, except Chanelle’s. Therefore her single vote would have eliminated Mike. Daniel didn’t play his Shot in the Dark and so the vote was a 2-2 tie. Risky as hell by Chanelle. But, it worked out. Except for pissing off Mike.
THE MERGE!!!…sort of. Flashbacks to 41 and this new twist for the most famous checkpoint of the game. I like it. It adds another wrinkle to mess with the castaways and their desire to have any level of certainty in the game. Speaking of a lack in certainty, here’s a power ranking of who has the best chance of winning.
NO CHANCE
Plain and simple, they won’t win.
12. Rocksroy
11. Maryanne
10. Lydia
NEEDS A MIRACLE BUT IT’S POSSIBLE
9. Jonathan - Needs a challenge win streak or he’s done.
8. Chanelle - Seems dead in the water. Needs the merge badly to resurrect her game.
7. Mike - Needs to start some fires and then put other fires out.
SLEEPERS
6. Lindsay - has a solid alliance, a meat shield, and the amulet advantage.
5. Tori (My preseason pick to win) - has battled through the first phase of the game. She’s ready for a new phase.
CONTENDERS
4. Omar - super likeable and a non threat. He needs to make some moves in the next phase.
3. Drea - Survivor rich and ready to cash in.
FAVORITES
2. Romeo - trustworthy, has Drea to take the bullets, but will need to cut her loose eventually.
1. Hai - In power position and not afraid to make big moves!
Thanks for reading. Until the next time, be sure to outlike, outcomment, and outshare the rest all season long. If you like the blog be sure to follow us on Instagram, Facebook, and Twitter, and subscribe to the YouTube channel.
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