Survivor 42, Episode 9 - Game of Chicken

Previously on Survivor…

KULA KULA (Night 16)

Post Tribal Council

“All these people are fake and I don’t like them.” - Romeo

Romeo is bitter and rightfully so, but I love Romeo’s raw authenticity in this moment. I think it has become commonplace for people to put the experience of Survivor always at the forefront and seemingly at times hold back from allowing emotions to speak. Well, Romeo gave us emotions and let them fly with that quote and some others, and I like it. It showed tenacity. In addition, his comments also showed an acute awareness for acknowledging his angry feelings, but most impressingly, he’s able to compartmentalize them and play the game how he needs to. Not everyone can do that.

But, Romeo isn’t the only one who is pissed off. One of my favorites to win (see rankings at end of blog), Hai, or “HYE” got a vote from Romeo and he is not happy. Hai isn’t an idiot, he knows Romeo voted for him. However, despite top level gameplay thus far, he didn’t show the same savvy I was hoping to see from him in this moment. He showed too much emotion.

“Even though I knew he wasn’t going home I wanted to see him squirm.” - Romeo

SUCCESS! Hai was squirming. Hai showed too much emotion that could be turned against him, but at this moment it raises some questions in my mind.

• Hai squirmed, but is it squirming if Romeo is the only one to see it that way? Remember, Romeo is NOT in the majority alliance and almost let his paranoia lead him straight to Jury chair #1. I think Romeo’s goal was to use his position of limited power and influence as best he could, even if for himself. For that, I think he succeeded.

• Is it too early or the wrong timing for Hai’s behavior to actually result in people turning on him? From what we see, I’d say yes. It is too early. Hai gives me vibes of a more outspoken version of Ricard from 41. Hai has a solid alliance with many including Mike and the alliance seems to not be ready to make any big time game moves. Love the effort and idea though Romeo.

WHO’S NEXT?

Rocks is pissed! Him and Jonathan are taking care of camp and providing. Rocksroy, I REPEAT, ROCKSROY, is ready to make a move. What does his zero social game brain come up with?…

Guys alliance. Of course he came up with that.

• The Rationale - they outnumber the girls 6-4, the “guys” never come together, and Mike, Rocks and Jonathan are all in on having the “man’s man” archetype win.

• The Argument Against - Omar doesn’t stand a chance against the “guys”. Hai is “not part of the misogyny club” and Rocks is too much of a guy.

• Reality - the game is more complicated than the men Pagonging the women.

All that being said, Rocksroy is ready to start Pagonging the women one by one by one. Seems easy enough, but there are two problems. One, like I said above, the game is more complicated than this “Old School Survivor” gameplay strategy. It just is. Second, the problem with his plan is that the “guys” aren’t actually a 6-4 numbers advantage. In my opinion, the numbers are actually 3-4-3. 3 “guys” (Jonathan, Rocks, Mike), 4 women (Lindsay, Maryanne, Tori, and Drea) and 3 not in on the “guys” alliance (Romeo, Hai, Omar). Romeo is in “do anything to survive” mode and Hai and Omar are not in on any set alliance but rather a broader intergender alliance. Hence why they are my favorites to win.

iMMUNITY CHALLENGE

Before the challenge begins Jeff lays out the next twists for 42. The final 10 are divided into 2 teams to compete for 2 Immunity Necklaces and a kebob reward for the winning 5. The major twist is that both teams of 5 will go to Tribal Council INDIVIDUALLY, losing team first and immediately followed by winning team. I like this twist. It throws the game off its axis and forces players to reset and refocus their gameplay. I don’t mind it being in the ballpark of a player being “swap screwed” and ending up on the wrong side of the split tribe and getting their torch snuffed.

STAKES

• 2 immunities

• 2 eliminations

• Food reward for your color team

TEAMS

• Orange - Rocks, Hai, Romeo, Mike, and Omar

• Blue - Jonathan, Lindsay, Tori, Drea, and Maryanne

The wind and swells play another MAJOR role in a water challenge. The challenge is balancing on a small floating platform and ledge. The challenge starts and quickly ends for several players. It was like tipping over a bookshelf and seeing which book hits the floor first. It happened that quickly and the challenge was down to Lindsay, Hai, and Hercules. Even at 6’4” and boats for feet he was still able to outplay everyone and earn his first individual immunity win and the kebob reward. Hai finished 2nd and also won immunity. The swells actually made the challenge more watchable and exciting. Weird that multiple water based challenges have been dramatically impacted by the waves. Feels like that hasn’t happened ever before but should have.

WINNERS

• Jonathan - in final and wins kebobs reward

• Hai - in final 8

PRE-TRIBAL COUNCIL SCRAMBLE

Rocksroy got his wish of getting the guys together and he is ready to take the layup and vote out Romeo. Mike is all in on it as well. Seems easy right?

WRONG.

Omar finds the crack and is ready to exploit it. The crack is Rocksroy. He is “exceedingly difficult” to work with and Omar sees the opportunity to use Romeo’s desperation and Hai’s distaste for Rocks to vote him out.

However…

Mike is a man of his word and turning on Rocks by Hai (Mike’s #1) isn’t a good look for long term alliance.

JONATHAN’S BIG MOVE

Jonathan sees the bigger picture. He knows Drea has the idol and is a major threat, so he enlists Maryanne into voting Drea out. She has to trust him though and toughest of all, she has to deal with “the big guy telling the little girl what to do”. Oh by the way, the plan includes him telling Drea that Maryanne is the target. Again, Maryanne HAS TO TAKE A LEAP OF FAITH with this plan.

Next, Maryanne goes to Tori and unveils the voting plan for Drea. Tori doesn’t see eye to eye with Drea so that should seem easy enough. Maryanne, Jonathan and Tori vote Drea and that’s the majority. Done right?

Then, there is Lindsay. Jonathan, ready to make his first big move shares his Manhattan Project with Lindsay who quickly disassembles it looking for contingencies. What if Drea plays her idol? Then, Drea’s one vote on Maryanne votes her out.

TRIBAL COUNCIL #1

Jeff says to take in the moment. The uncomfortable moment of actually living in this reality. Life lessons and once in a lifetime growth through experience? Yes. But, 42 is all about taking moments and shifting them before you have the ability to feel comfortable with any certainty or straightforwardness.

The all male tribe dynamic has two very different feelings to it. On the one hand, it’s Rocksroy and Mike claiming that the unpredictable game and scrambling was minimized and the game decisions didn’t require the same level of strain. In other words, stick to the plan, vote Romeo.

On the other hand, Romeo is clearly aware of votes coming his way from the testosterone alliance and he ping pongs back that the women not being around that the game is going a direction that doesn’t favor him, Omar, and Hai.

VOTES

• Rocksroy 3

• Romeo 1

Rocks takes this shot to the chin like a champ. No fanfare, just straight complements of the move. He is a man’s man through and through. I’d argue that this is one of the toughest ways to get voted out because not only did some allies do you wrong and he’s also a victim of the twist of having two Tribals, but worst of all, it’s straight to the jury. No time to digest or speak your feelings. It’s shut up and go sit at the jury and wait for the next group to shuttle in. Rocksroy now gets to eyeball the next group for Tribal. Not the best consolation prize.

TRIBAL COUNCIL #2

First, check out those facial reactions to Rocksroy’s ousting. Hahahaha.

Could have made the thumbnail photo any facial reaction because they were all cartoon like jaw drops. Always entertaining to get that kind of reaction. Next, Jeff asks Drea what does that tell you? and she says, “I don’t know”. Lot of attention to Drea. The wheels are turning in her head and she’s calculating what that vote means.

MARYANNE’S MORAL DILEMMA

The whispering starts and Tori is the one left out. In a last gasp attempt to sway the vote elsewhere she turns to Maryanne, but Maryanne finds herself in a moral conflict. Two black players have been eliminated and Maryanne can’t bring herself to make it a 3rd. The emotion pours out of her concerning Survivor as a microcosm of real life.

Drea also turns back the idea of her being the one to be voted out by saying she will be playing her idol. Smart move by her, especially because of her treasure box of advantages. Now is as good a time as ever to use one.

DREA’S SITUATION, DREA’S ISSUE, & DREA ADDRESSING IT

All I can say here is that these tough conversations are important to have. In this moment, Jonathan’s feelings were his feelings. Maryanne’s interpretations were her interpretations. Drea’s issue of seeing Chanelle and Rocksroy eliminated was Drea’s issue, and she’s handling it the way she wants to.

The lesson to learn here is a valuable one. When people express their feelings, it’s their feelings and their truth. We don’t always have to internalize someone else’s issues through our own filters. It can be tough, especially if $1M bucks is at stake.

DREA AND MARYANNE STAND UP FOR SOMETHING BIGGER

Easily the most powerful moment of Survivor 42 thus far.

First, I admire the ability of Drea and Maryanne to separate themselves from the game they are playing for $1M and stand up for something bigger than Survivor. Having the idols allows them the ability to do so, and again I admire their way of handling it. I don’t know that I would be able to ever step outside of the game. $1M is LIFE CHANGING and the opportunity to win it doesn’t come for everyone, but neither does the opportunity to stand up for something that means more to you.

Next, Maryanne TOTALLY REVERSES EVERYTHING YOU THOUGHT SHE WAS. Through this point of 42, Maryanne has been kind of a cartoon character. Infectious smile, big personality, over the top, and super emotional. In this moment she communicates her emotions, beliefs, and intentions as eloquently as anyone ever could, and she lands this character 180 perfectly. Her decision to player her idol as well despite knowing that no votes are coming her way is courageous as hell and equally impressive.

The move to play their idols as a way of preventing the “nothing is off limits in Survivor” from those watching at home shows a level of awareness and authenticity that makes me root for both of them more in the game and certainly in life outside the game. Do I think that people are going to NOT have something to say about them after watching this?, absolutely not. Just check the comments of that YouTube video for proof, but in my mind these ladies are as courageous as they come.

Lindsay’s voice gets some airtime as she sums up the Rocksroy vote brought this real life issue and greater purpose out of Drea and Maryanne. It’s important to note that. If Romeo would have gotten voted out then none of this happens and maybe Drea goes home via blindside. But, that’s not what happened. Instead, the Drea blindside is off, the emotions got cranked up to 100, and once again Survivor as a microcosm of life steered this second Tribal. Also, if the twist didn’t split KULA KULA into two Tribals, I don’t think Rocks goes home nor does this moment happen.

ACKNOWLEDGING THE MOMENT IS BIGGER THAN THE GAME

Tori speaks up about not trying to minimize what Drea and Maryanne are doing by coming back to “game mode”. I admire Tori in that moment too. She knows that Tribal has shifted for everyone personally and on a human level, but also for everyone’s game. Nobody’s game is impacted more than hers and now she is vulnerable, very vulnerable.

DREA & MARYANNE PLAY THEIR IDOLS

Jeff’s ability to read the room and make a real time, in game adjustment to skip the “pomp and circumstance” and keep the moment as authentic as possible is what makes him the best host on television. He’s 100% part of this conversation and moment because of his position and thus he has a role too. Well done Mr. Jeff.

Obviously this moment is about Drea and Maryanne playing their idols as a means of standing up for the people they represent, but I like how Jonathan clarifies about the playing of the idols. This Tribal has not been about the game, but his words do bring everyone, including the viewers, back to the implications of Drea and Maryanne’s actions within the context of the game.

The vote comes down to Lindsay or Tori.

VOTES

Tori plays her Shot in the Dark. No choice but to do it.

VOTES

• Tori 4

• Lindsay 0

It was not to be. Tori is out. My preseason winner pick is out. 😞

Great episode highlighted by a powerful Tribal Council that anyone watching felt. The emotions were raw. The conversation were difficult. The messages were bigger than Survivor. But, like everything else in Survivor, the game keeps going. The effects of both Tribals will have deep ripple effects in everyone’s game but more importantly to everyone’s soul.

RANKINGS

12. Lydia

11. Chanelle (1st on Jury)

10. Rocksroy (2nd on Jury)

9. Tori (3rd on Jury)

NEEDS A MIRACLE BUT IT’S POSSIBLE

8. Jonathan - Will never shake the stigma attached to him.

7. Maryanne - Willing to stand up for something bigger than her game. Unlikely path, but possible now.

LOSING CONFIDENCE

6. Mike - Man of his word until voting Rocksroy, but so did everyone else. Arrow pointing down.

SLEEPERS

5. Lindsay - Will take advantage of Jonathan’s failed Drea blindside. Being a ghost thus far is working for her. Goat status?

4. Romeo - Not many Rocksroy votes out there, but the “stink” may be off him for now.

CONTENDERS

3. Drea - Played idol for purpose bigger than herself. Ready to play with renewed focus. Has Amulet, EXTRA VOTE, Immunity Idol, and Knowledge is Power Advantage.

FAVORITES

2. Hai - Has power to make moves within majority alliance. Arrow still pointing up.

1. Omar - Super likeable and a non threat. Made move to oust Lydia and now Rocksroy without a vote. Relationships with everyone.

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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