S40.E13: The Penultimate Step of War

[Whimsy]

Quote

In a crucial immunity challenge, the remaining 7 castaways make their final push towards the $2 million prize.

Original airdate 5/6/20

Please don't post in this thread until the episode is over.

[Eolivet]

Me at 9:50: Huh. We have 10 minutes left.

Me at 9:56:

 

[Guest]

That was a nice and unexpected monologue from Amber about Edge of Extinction.

Nothing else to say, really.

[mojoween]

When they voted at 8:40 I thought Michelle was going to play the coin for Jeremy, he would be safe and then it would be a tie between Michelle and Ben and then a re-vote.

BUT NOPE.  Nick was a moron.

Holy fuckballs if the final three is Sarah, Ben and Tony it will be the worst final ever.  Ever ever EVER.  I don’t remember all 39 Final Two/Threes but I will not waver from this. (I think Devon was in the final in Ben’s season?  and he wasn’t heinous.  I think)

You assholes made Natalie feel worthless.  I hope you all feel badly you jerks.  

[LadyChatts]

Nick's an idiot.  I think Denise may slightly be an idiot for going with Ben/Sarah/Tony.  Ben's a moron for thinking he's a threat to win.  

I still don't get the deal with Jeremy.  Why did Ben want him gone so bad?  It's gotta be more than they thought he could win.  I feel like Jeff outlined the reasons why he couldn't win tonight (no baby on the way this time).

I loved Tony's spy shack.  I didn't like how they (in her words) blackballed Michele.  Chances are slim but I hope she can make it to the end.  Never thought I'd be rooting for her, but at this point, the only outcomes I won't be disappointed by are a Michele or Tony win.  Sarah, maybe.  I think Michele made a valid point to her that everyone thinks Tony is running the game, whether its true or not (and it appears to be true).

I was surprised that they put the disadvantage on Ben in the challenge, but good call there.

[vb68]

Well to say that episode petered out at the end is quite an understatement.

We didn't need a 15 minute commercial for next week. It was a complete waste of time.

I'm more and more convinced that Sandra was the smart one on Extinction.

In other news Nick is a big dumb idiot.

And why is NO ONE targeting Tony??  

[LadyChatts]

9 minutes ago, vb68 said:

Well to say that episode petered out at the end is quite an understatement.

We didn't need a 15 minute commercial for next week. It was a complete waste of time.

I'm more and more convinced that Sandra was the smart one on Extinction.

In other news Nick is a big dumb idiot.

And why is NO ONE targeting Tony??  

I'm amazed that his name isn't even COMING UP.  I mean, everyone keeps saying he's playing the game, running the show, a threat to win.  So let's vote out Jeremy and Nick.  But I like Tony.  I just can't believe he's still there and vote less so far.

I think.  Is he the only one left to never receive votes?  And Sarah?

Edited May 7, 2020 by LadyChatts

[AncientNewbie]

I’m actually not going to complain too much this week.  None of them rose too much in my estimation but at least production added some slight tension about who was going to the edge each hour instead of just Tony hijinks. 

Okay, correction—Michele really got good coverage this week. It was good to see her game. 

[NYGirl]

I was so looking forward to this season, even with the dreaded EOE.  It went off the rails fast and even though most of us are just stuck in the house without lives, I can't wait for it to be over.  I hate everybody!!!!  I don't even have anybody left to root for, especially if Natalie is the one who comes back. 

I can't wait for that game show 🙂

[Lantern7]

Well, at least the penultimate episode was entertaining. Also, Jeremy used the word "penultimate" correctly.

For all the hype that padded out the last ten minutes, I think we're going to get blueballed. Somebody who isn't that popular wins their way back into the game, that person won't make it to the end, an we'll get a winner that will induce eyerolls for many viewers. Also: because the last two seasons (EoE and IOTI) sucked copious amounts of ass, and the Reunion is going to be really different this season, AND this will probably be the last season until at least early 2021 . . . we'll probably look back an give W@W a pass on the harsher criticism.

I mean, if Tony wins, would that be the absolute worst thing? Like I've said, the guy can hustle. Sure, he's more of a cartoon (Probst's second fave category for males) than an alpha, but he's been working. Of course, given the last few years, either Tony or Ben wins. Or one of the EoE guys. The game just cares a lot more for guys.

Natalie should get back into the game. Given the number of tokens she wound up obtaining, she should have been able to buy her way back outright. The others can compete for another spot, but the hard work for her to make a comeback should stop now. I think she had sixteen tokens before she spent them on advantages and peanut butter. She actually got Nick to pay eight tokens to screw Ben's game. EIGHT! If fire tokens return, she would be the main reason why they'd come back.

As for helping Tyson . . . I think at this point, she'd rather the show burn to the ground if she doesn't get back. And what is even worse than Chris spending two-thirds of the game on EoE last year? Tyson getting voted off, winning his way back, getting voted off again . . . and winning in the end.

Hey, we didn't get whispering this week! It probably got cut out. Maybe the editors realize how tedious they've become.

Two more standard Challenges . . . and if Nick hadn't handicapped Ben, the big guy would have smoked everyone on the blockinoes.

From the Live Viewing thread:

11 minutes ago, susannot said:

But we know that Jeffy gets a stiffy over [Tony].

I think it's pointing towards Ben. He's basically Colby + Rupert. Probst probably has a body pillow with Ben's picture on it.

Edited May 7, 2020 by Lantern7

[susannot]

10 minutes ago, LadyChatts said:

I'm amazed that his name isn't even COMING UP.  I mean, everyone keeps saying he's playing the game, running the show, a threat to win.  So let's vote out Jeremy and Nick.  But I like Tony.  I just can't believe he's still there and vote less so far.

I think.  Is he the only one left to never receive votes?  And Sarah?

Right.  WHY!!  I will be happy with any of the 3 remaining women winning.  Not the men because Jeffy has pushed the alpha male storyline all season. I hate him.

[ByaNose]

I was taken aback by Natalie giving Tyson an idol. I guess Jeremy isn't her bae after all. 

[Growsonwalls]

I can't believe it but I'm rooting for Michelle. 

Nick was an idiot for voting out Jeremy instead of Ben. Oh well.

As for Jeremy and Ben, this is a hunch but when someone dislikes another person THAT much without much reason, usually race is involved. Not saying Ben's a racist, or even aware that he has this attitude, but obviously he blows up Jeremy as a HUGE THREAT and if Jeremy weren't like a buff black guy, would Ben have SUCH an intense dislike? 

No one else seems to have a personal beef with Jeremy. They might not have voted with him but they don't seem to viscerally hate him. 

The EoE + recap taking up 15 minutes of the episode = major eye roll. 

[willco]

I know Michelle isn't the most popular cast member, but I kind of like her ! I like the hustle, even though it's coming too late. She HAS to hustle to even survive at this point. But at least she didn't give up.

 

If someone does come back from Exile and ends up winning, I guess I wouldn't mind seeing Natalie win. To be clear, I don't want anyone from that group to win because I don't think it's fair-- but, she has really worked for it. And I'm afraid that someone from there WILL win, and in that case I guess she wouldn't be the worst choice.

 

As long as Tony doesn't win, I think I can live with it. Don't like him, never have !

 

 

[Maggie Mae]

What I heard from Natalie after they got the menus was that she maxed out buying advantages for the challenge and had an immunity idol from the last time.  I believe there will only be one Tribal Council left that an II can be used. She also bought the peanut butter.  She and Tyson must have bonded on Edge so she also bought him an II.  It doesn't hurt her in the come back challenge but sharing her peanut butter might.  She will definitely be the Queen of Extinction whether she comes back or not. 

Nick is an idiot. Ben needs to go. Denise is too full of her supposed awesomeness. Tony is still crazy. Sarah is stupid for not getting Tony out since she cannot win against him and payback is a bitch. Michele is getting prettier as the days go by and yes she is the underdog at this point.  Who doesn't love an underdog. Go Michele....at least until Natalie comes back (fingers crossed)

Edited May 7, 2020 by Maggie Mae
an immunity necklace is not the same as an immunity idol

[Alice Mudgarden]

The biggest tease this show has given me isn't that unnecessary 10 minute montage at the end, it's another week where the idea of voting Ben out is floating through the air only to have it not happen again.

A big part of me wants Michele to win just because I called it when the cast was announced and I want the bragging rights.

[blackwing]

I'm glad that Jeremy was finally voted out.  He deserved it.  Hated his bug eyed "please Michelle" pleading with his eyes and I was happy she declined to give it to him.  I don't understand why Jeremy was so attached to Tony.  Why couldn't Nick, Michelle, Jeremy and maybe Denise band together to vote out Tony or Ben?  

Since when did Denise get in bed with Tony?  Wasn't she on the bottom before?  In the second hour, why didn't Michelle, Denise and Nick try and get out one Ben or Tony?

42 minutes ago, mojoween said:

Holy fuckballs if the final three is Sarah, Ben and Tony it will be the worst final ever.  Ever ever EVER.  I don’t remember all 39 Final Two/Threes but I will not waver from this. (I think Devon was in the final in Ben’s season?  and he wasn’t heinous.  I think)

Completely agree... if it's Tony, Ben and Sarah as final three I refuse to watch.  Would be the worst final three ever.  Ben's final three was with Chrissy and Skinny Ryan (v2), not Devon.  I hated that final three as well.  But Tony, Ben and Sarah would be the worst.  I can't understand for the life of me why nobody has targeted Tony and Ben.  I'm flabbergasted at Denise's decision.  Wouldn't she much rather be against Michelle and Nick, who are viewed as not doing that much, rather than Tony?  I don't get it.

[LizBug]

Didn’t Tyson. Buy peanut butter before he won that challenge to get back in the game?  And didn’t he hide it?  So what happened to it?  I don’t recall seeing it after he went back to EOE.

[killer.noona]

At this point I'm TeamMichele or TeamNatalie.  Ben should have been voted out instead of Jeremy, or several tribals ago.

 

[princelina]

26 minutes ago, Growsonwalls said:

As for Jeremy and Ben, this is a hunch but when someone dislikes another person THAT much without much reason, usually race is involved. Not saying Ben's a racist, or even aware that he has this attitude, but obviously he blows up Jeremy as a HUGE THREAT and if Jeremy weren't like a buff black guy, would Ben have SUCH an intense dislike? 

Nonsense.  Jeremy also hated Ben.  Sometimes people just don't get along.

[Msample]

How the FUCK does Tony’s name not come up for either being voted off or at least being given the challenge disadvantage??

These people are utter and complete morons. At this point, I’m rooting either for Michelle or an EoE returnee to win.

[vb68]

54 minutes ago, ByaNose said:

I was taken aback by Natalie giving Tyson an idol. I guess Jeremy isn't her bae after all. 

I thought she could had given one to Parvati too because they seemed in cahoots much of the time, and it seemed like they bonded. Maybe Natalie was thinking Tyson got back in before, so he stood the best chance to do so again if she doesn't get back in herself?

48 minutes ago, willco said:

I know Michelle isn't the most popular cast member, but I kind of like her ! I like the hustle, even though it's coming too late. She HAS to hustle to even survive at this point. But at least she didn't give up.

I think Michelle's edit got better once Wendall left and she wasn't obsessing about that relationship in practically every confessional. That was highly annoying.

 

27 minutes ago, princelina said:

Nonsense.  Jeremy also hated Ben.  Sometimes people just don't get along.

Jeremy was mostly just confused and frustrated as to why Ben turned on him so badly when they were being friends earlier in the game though, right?  That Ben was acting "like a child."I keep remembering him asking Ben if he wanted to talk.  I'm not Jeremy's biggest fan, but I'll defend him a little there. I think saying he hated Ben is a little strong. 

Edited May 7, 2020 by vb68

[AntFTW]

1) Nick is a fucking idiot. It's a great strategy to vote with the person that knows you lied to them about discussing voting them out.

Its not like he lied and Tony guessed that he lied. Nick outright admitted to the lie after being such a bad liar.

2) Why does it take playing from the bottom to make sense? Thank you Michele for making sense. I don't know why Sara and Ben believe that if they go to the end with Tony, they'll win. They haven't played the game, they rode the wave.

31 minutes ago, princelina said:

Nonsense.  Jeremy also hated Ben.  Sometimes people just don't get along.

It was pretty one-sided when it started. Ben hated Jeremy and Jeremy tried to talk to Ben and see if Ben would work with him... and Ben wasn't havin' it.

[blackwing]

54 minutes ago, willco said:

I know Michelle isn't the most popular cast member, but I kind of like her ! I like the hustle, even though it's coming too late. She HAS to hustle to even survive at this point. But at least she didn't give up.

 

If someone does come back from Exile and ends up winning, I guess I wouldn't mind seeing Natalie win. To be clear, I don't want anyone from that group to win because I don't think it's fair-- but, she has really worked for it. And I'm afraid that someone from there WILL win, and in that case I guess she wouldn't be the worst choice.

 

As long as Tony doesn't win, I think I can live with it. Don't like him, never have !

 

 

Agree with everything here.  I wasn't a fan of Michelle's, I still think she ranks up there as one of Survivor's least deserving winners.  But these two hours, she really made a case for herself.  She played her advantage and then she won immunity when she needed it the most.  She also showed that she is actually doing strategizing and working the game.

The only reason why everyone knew about her advantage is because Jeremy betrayed her and went running right to Tony to tell him about it.  I'm glad she decided not to play it for him, because if she had, it would have been a 2-2 tie with Ben and she likely would have gotten voted out on the revote.

[TAG42481]

Doesn't everybody realize Tony is running the game?  Doesn't everybody know that EVERYBODY ELSE KNOWS Tony is running the game?  So why does anyone want to take him to the end?  Unless it's a weird edit and they all plan on stabbing him in the back at some point.

[AntFTW]

51 minutes ago, Maggie Mae said:

Nick is an idiot. Ben needs to go. Denise is too full of her supposed awesomeness. Tony is still crazy. Sarah is stupid for not getting Tony out since she cannot win against him and payback is a bitch. Michele is getting prettier as the days go by and yes she is the underdog at this point.  Who doesn't love an underdog. Go Michele....at least until Natalie comes back (fingers crossed)

I don't understand why both Sarah and Ben believe they can win over Tony. I would love to know.

[TVFan1]

Why is Ben and Tony still in this game??? I want them gone.

Go Michele! At the start of this season I've been Team Michele, and hoping she wins it all. She's so close. She used her 50/50 coin on herself instead of Jeremy, which was smart otherwise she would have tied with Ben. Then when her back was up against the wall and on the bottom, she wins immunity when she needed it the most. I was so glad when she won that immunity. I'm rooting for her to win so much. I love her and her gameplay. I hope you win it Michele. You deserve it.

[AntFTW]

2 minutes ago, TVFan1 said:

Why is Ben and Tony still in this game??? I want them gone.

Go Michele! At the start of this season I've been Team Michele, and hoping she wins it all. She's so close. She used her 50/50 coin on herself instead of Jeremy, which was smart otherwise she would have tied with Ben. Then when her back was up against the wall and on the bottom, she wins immunity when she needed it the most. I was so glad when she won that immunity. I'm rooting for her to win so much. I love her and her gameplay. I hope you win it Michele. You deserve it.

So am I because she's the only one making sense.

[dbell1]

Go twinnie! And go Michelle. 

So sick of Ben and his stupid hat. And Sarah getting annoyed if anyone thinks about voting for her. Tony is running the game, only way he loses is if we have a bitter jury or a EOE in final 3. 

Sad that next week is the end, but only because this show is the highlight of my Wednesday.

[me5671]

The thing that bothers me about Sarah's game is that she doesn't even seem to be thinking about turning on Tony. She demonstrated this when she ran and told Tony and everyone what Michele said to her about Tony being the biggest threat to win.

Sarah apparently thinks that she and Tony will be on equal footing at FTC and that she can argue that they decided together on who would go each week. She's completely forgetting, though, that Tony pulled off the Sophie blindside all on his own. He is perceived to be running the game because he IS running the game. She is just a loyal sidekick. If Sarah wanted to win the game, the Sophie blindside should have alerted her to what a threat Tony is and she should have taken action.  I'm just stunned that Sarah didnt heed Michele's warning at all. 

[TVFan1]

2 minutes ago, me5671 said:

The thing that bothers me about Sarah's game is that she doesn't even seem to be thinking about turning on Tony. She demonstrated this when she ran and told Tony and everyone what Michele said to her about Tony being the biggest threat to win.

Sarah apparently thinks that she and Tony will be on equal footing at FTC and that she can argue that they decided together on who would go each week. She's completely forgetting, though, that Tony pulled off the Sophie blindside all on his own. He is perceived to be running the game because he IS running the game. She is just a loyal sidekick. If Sarah wanted to win the game, the Sophie blindside should have alerted her to what a threat Tony is and she should have taken action.  I'm just stunned that Sarah didnt heed Michele's warning at all. 

Sarah probably believes she can beat Tony, the whole Cops R Us nonsense. Anyone against Tony in the finals LOSES. Sarah probably wouldn't even care if he wins over her.

[AntFTW]

3 minutes ago, me5671 said:

The thing that bothers me about Sarah's game is that she doesn't even seem to be thinking about turning on Tony. She demonstrated this when she ran and told Tony and everyone what Michele said to her about Tony being the biggest threat to win.

Sarah apparently thinks that she and Tony will be on equal footing at FTC and that she can argue that they decided together on who would go each week. She's completely forgetting, though, that Tony pulled off the Sophie blindside all on his own. He is perceived to be running the game because he IS running the game. She is just a loyal sidekick. If Sarah wanted to win the game, the Sophie blindside should have alerted her to what a threat Tony is and she should have taken action.  I'm just stunned that Sarah didnt heed Michele's warning at all. 

Completely agree! Here's what I'm thinking that could light a fire in her...

Whoever the person is that returns from EoE, if that person will tell her that Tony is running the game and now she has some jury insight and knows how the EoE players were thinking.

[Lady Calypso]

Yeah, I'm not sure WHY so many players were playing badly here, especially so SO close to the end, but it feels like either most of them are naive into thinking that they can win against Tony, or they're chicken in making a move against him. Maybe a little of both? Because, really, some changes could have been made here. 

Nick thought he made the right move in getting rid of Jeremy, because I guess he thought that he couldn't beat Jeremy while he could beat Ben. Which, ok, is fair, but he forgot that he needed to actually get to the end in order to win. But with how Nick even said that he was working with Tony (duh, Nick, you're ALL working with Tony!), it's clear that he just really didn't understand that he was always on the bottom of Tony's allies. And that, by getting rid of Jeremy, it solidified his loss. If he got rid of Ben, that eliminates the Foursome that Nick apparently didn't realize was a thing and ensured that Nick was a goner.

Sarah apparently assumes that she can beat Tony if she sits next to him, so she tattles on Michele, who was 100% correct, and has a good laugh at how she's...going to lose to Tony? At this rate, can she even get a couple of votes against Tony? I can't name a move that she personally made, at least not a major one like with Tony.

Ben...is Ben. He's a dumbass. 

Denise....is basically playing for fourth place at best, as I guess she assumes her Sandra move is all she needs. I guess she tried to solidify a Ben/Sarah F3, but I think she forgot that they go to fire at F4 so someone would need to for sure beat Tony. 

Michele was great all episode. I'd be content with her winning. However, her biggest mistake was not pushing harder after she won immunity to get Tony himself out of the game. She knows she has nothing to lose, as they're going to likely be gunning for her after Nick's gone, and she knows she needs SOME big move so what she needed to do was get Nick and Denise on board with SOME sort of plan. Ok, if she couldn't get Tony, she needed to get Ben out. She needed to actively push for this because....I mean, she couldn't get voted out at that point, and it's so close to the end of the game so why not? There was no use in Michele cowering back into the shadows after having her epiphany about Tony. She needed to go even harder about getting Tony or Ben out. She needed to work on Denise way more. 

Hence, the whole "idiot players vs cowardly players", as if 2 million dollars isn't on the line. 

Frustrating episode all around. But hey, Natalie earned 14 tokens and got a lot of advantages so....it would be tough to see someone else win their way back. Natalie has a really good shot and I'd be surprised if she didn't win her way back in. Three advantages and peanut butter should do the trick (hey, peanut butter worked for Tyson, after all!).

[AntFTW]

7 minutes ago, Lady Calypso said:

Sarah apparently assumes that she can beat Tony if she sits next to him, so she tattles on Michele, who was 100% correct, and has a good laugh at how she's...going to lose to Tony? At this rate, can she even get a couple of votes against Tony? I can't name a move that she personally made, at least not a major one like with Tony.

This one thing is what got me in Michele's corner. She's the only one making sense. Sarah is just as much of an idiot as Nick.

[SuburbanHangSuite]

So, what Michelle did with that coin counts as a "flip?"  Not that it mattered---she would've been safe anyway but I'm just saying...

2 hours ago, vb68 said:

In other news Nick is a big dumb idiot.

And why is NO ONE targeting Tony??  

The fact that Michelle is the only one to mention his name is truly mind-boggling.  Dumbass, smug Sarah goes scurrying back to the others to condescendingly laugh about Michelle pointing out the obvious?  I guess in her mind, she's played as good a game as Tony??  I hope she's cringing in embarrassment as she watches this play back but I doubt that she has enough self- awareness, even now.

 

1 hour ago, blackwing said:

I'm glad that Jeremy was finally voted out.  He deserved it.  Hated his bug eyed "please Michelle" pleading with his eyes and I was happy she declined to give it to him.  I don't understand why Jeremy was so attached to Tony.  Why couldn't Nick, Michelle, Jeremy and maybe Denise band together to vote out Tony or Ben?  

Since when did Denise get in bed with Tony?  Wasn't she on the bottom before?  In the second hour, why didn't Michelle, Denise and Nick try and get out one Ben or Tony?

I thought Jeremy's pleading, hopeful face was the cutest thing I saw in the whole two hours.  Cracked. Me. Up.

I understand why J was so tight with Tony.  2 weeks straight, Tony really helped him survive the vote and he seemed to really think they were in lock-step.   But I need to know when Denise and Ben became so tight?  That's the one that seems to be out of left-field for me.  

It may have been strategy, but I couldn't stand Denise's "I'm ready to go" act. That would've been beneath me.

Go Michelle, I guess?  I really can't stomach any other players right now.

[bamlou]

6 minutes ago, SuburbanHangSuite said:

So, what Michelle did with that coin counts as a "flip?"  Not that it mattered---she would've been safe anyway but I'm just saying...

Haha I thought the exact same thing! I guess it still takes skill to land it on the correct side, but I thought this advantage was more of a game of chance that would have required a more objective way of flipping the coin.

[AntFTW]

18 minutes ago, Lady Calypso said:

Denise....is basically playing for fourth place at best, as I guess she assumes her Sandra move is all she needs. I guess she tried to solidify a Ben/Sarah F3, but I think she forgot that they go to fire at F4 so someone would need to for sure beat Tony. 

From the way things look, Denise isn't going to the end. I'm curious at what she believes her path to the FTC is.

She's voting out everyone that could have been a number for her. It seems that her and Ben are close, according to Sarah, She's not turning Ben but I believe Ben will turn on her before Tony.

It seems like Ben is in everyone's final 3. Everybody knows Ben has made no moves, they know they can beat him.

3 minutes ago, bamlouie said:

Haha I thought the exact same thing! I guess it still takes skill to land it on the correct side, but I thought this advantage was more of a game of chance that would have required a more objective way of flipping the coin.

I thought Jeff was gonna flip it.

[Growsonwalls]

Sarah is playing the kind of depressing game we've seen so often from females who get to the end. They get into a majority alliance, become afraid of making moves, afraid of pissing off jury members, so they sort of become "just a number." Denise is fast going down that route as well. 

[bamlou]

6 minutes ago, AntFTW said:

8 minutes ago, bamlouie said:

Haha I thought the exact same thing! I guess it still takes skill to land it on the correct side, but I thought this advantage was more of a game of chance that would have required a more objective way of flipping the coin.

I thought Jeff was gonna flip it.

I was thinking that too, but then it puts the onus on Jeff to do a fair coin flip. Perhaps they should have at least instructed that she had to flip the coin a minimum of 2 or 3 rotations or something.

[vb68]

17 minutes ago, AntFTW said:

It seems like Ben is in everyone's final 3. Everybody knows Ben has made no moves, they know they can beat him.

Is Ben thinking he can just rock that fire making challenge at the end like last time? I don't think it will do him any good, but that might be his plan.

He really gets on my nerves the way he runs around blabbing everyone else's plans. I'm still not sure how he just away with outing Kim to Tony. 

[Fake Jan Brady]

2 hours ago, willco said:

I know Michelle isn't the most popular cast member, but I kind of like her ! I like the hustle, even though it's coming too late. She HAS to hustle to even survive at this point. But at least she didn't give up.

She really went up in my estimation when she told Nick what an idiot he was after the Jeremy vote.

34 minutes ago, SuburbanHangSuite said:

So, what Michelle did with that coin counts as a "flip?"  Not that it mattered---she would've been safe anyway but I'm just saying...

I guess a flip is technically one side to the other so...yes?

[AntFTW]

5 minutes ago, vb68 said:

Is Ben thinking he can just rock that fire making challenge at the end like last time? I don't think it will do him any good, but that might be his plan.

He really gets on my nerves the way he runs around blabbing everyone else's plans. I'm still not sure how he just away with outing Kim to Tony. 

That could’ve been one of Nick’s moves to get out Ben when Tony confronted him about Kim’s plan... had Nick not been such a terrible liar.

Nick could have used that moment to turn the tables on Ben, but it caught up to Nick and was one of the reasons he got voted out. Tony couldn’t trust him anymore.

[Steph Sometimes]

Am I the only one left who still really dislikes Michele?  This episode was very Michele-heavy.

I assumed Nick and Michele targeted Ben both because he can be good at challenges and he can also work himself up and get into snits if he feels he's being wronged and that, in theory, could help them.

Tribal Council went on way too long for me. I'd almost rather have the running around and whispering then asking every player about their experience at home. I kept thinking it was over and then Jeff would ask someone the same question. The timing was really strange for these episodes. I didn't know if we need that super long recap/preview followed by another preview. We made it this far. We have nothing else going on. We're probably going to be watching this.

Personally, I can't think of any combination of those that are left (plus anyone on Extinction) being the worst final three ever. Maybe if Rob came back and someone ended up in the Finals with Ben and Michele.  In my opinion, the last two seasons had dismal final threes.

Can we just crown Natalie queen of something?

[ByaNose]

Michelle has a good read on the game just like Kim did. Unfortunately, they didn’t listen to Kim & no one cares what Michelle thinks either. Nick was a casualty of that. Just dumb. 

[ByaNose]

2 minutes ago, Steph Sometimes said:

Am I the only one left who still really dislikes Michele?  This episode was very Michele-heavy.

I assumed Nick and Michele targeted Ben both because he can be good at challenges and he can also work himself up and get into snits if he feels he's being wronged and that, in theory, could help them.

Tribal Council went on way too long for me. I'd almost rather have the running around and whispering then asking every player about their experience at home. I kept thinking it was over and then Jeff would ask someone the same question. The timing was really strange for these episodes. I didn't know if we need that super long recap/preview followed by another preview. We made it this far. We have nothing else going on. We're probably going to be watching this.

Personally, I can't think of any combination of those that are left (plus anyone on Extinction) being the worst final three ever. Maybe if Rob came back and someone ended up in the Finals with Ben and Michele.  In my opinion, the last two seasons had dismal final threes.

Can we just crown Natalie queen of something?

I still don’t think anyone from Edge will win if they should make the Final 3. I think they know they would get shit upon from the outside world for voting for someone who was voted and sent to EoE. IMO!!! That said, I’m thinking either Natalie or Tyson come back. After that, it’s all too murky. I’m guessing Tony and Sarah make it and the third spot could be filled by anyone and probably not get any votes. Unless Tony & Sarah cancel each other out and the jury votes for Finalist #3. As you can tell I’m all over the map. I have no idea but it’s got to be either Tony or Sarah for the win, right? 

[GaT]

Why did they spend so much time on that recap of the season? Did they need padding to fill out the 2nd hour? 

Like others here, I don't understand why people aren't voting out Tony, or at least look up in the trees before they have a conversation.

[EllenB]

I guess Michele is starting to hustle, but for me it's too little, too late.  She spent too many episodes on her Wendell drama, then she moped around doing nothing for too long.  I don't dislike her, but I can't respect her enough to want her to win - unless she's up against Ben.

I think Tony has earned the win, but if it's him vs. Natalie, I'd really be torn.  In theory, I hate the idea of someone coming back from EoE, but damn, she has really earned it physically and strategically.

[Primetimer]

 

57 minutes ago, GaT said:

Why did they spend so much time on that recap of the season? Did they need padding to fill out the 2nd hour? 

Like others here, I don't understand why people aren't voting out Tony, or at least look up in the trees before they have a conversation.

Primetimer's Joe Reid wondered the same thing, so he wrote an article about the weird pacing of tonight's episode and this season's many missed opportunities:
https://www.primetimer.com/features/survivor-winners-at-war-somehow-failed-to-fill-their-two-hour-episode

[OutOfTheQuestion]

It's a tribute to Tony's gameplay that so many players (Nick, Jeremy, Sophie) thought he was on their side, at least a workable swing vote.  But Tony's prime alliance is seemingly with Sarah and Ben.....unless tonight's scene of this being the "tiebreaker" season between Tony and Sarah hints that they'll be going against each other at some point.  Could be a blindside attempt, or maybe they'll face off in the fire challenge.

Not sure when this Ben/Denise pairing became a thing, but it seemed to save Denise for two more votes, since I thought she was kind of a sitting duck after last episode. 

About Denise's move of spending her remaining fire tokens on the rice, why weren't they all pooling their money for a bunch of food if tokens are no longer valid?  That also would have been a way for Ben to figure out who used the disadvantage on him, if they're pooling their tokens and Nick is mysteriously broke.

[LadyChatts]

3 hours ago, Lady Calypso said:

Yeah, I'm not sure WHY so many players were playing badly here, especially so SO close to the end, but it feels like either most of them are naive into thinking that they can win against Tony, or they're chicken in making a move against him. Maybe a little of both? Because, really, some changes could have been made here. 

Nick thought he made the right move in getting rid of Jeremy, because I guess he thought that he couldn't beat Jeremy while he could beat Ben. Which, ok, is fair, but he forgot that he needed to actually get to the end in order to win. But with how Nick even said that he was working with Tony (duh, Nick, you're ALL working with Tony!), it's clear that he just really didn't understand that he was always on the bottom of Tony's allies. And that, by getting rid of Jeremy, it solidified his loss. If he got rid of Ben, that eliminates the Foursome that Nick apparently didn't realize was a thing and ensured that Nick was a goner.

Sarah apparently assumes that she can beat Tony if she sits next to him, so she tattles on Michele, who was 100% correct, and has a good laugh at how she's...going to lose to Tony? At this rate, can she even get a couple of votes against Tony? I can't name a move that she personally made, at least not a major one like with Tony.

Ben...is Ben. He's a dumbass. 

Denise....is basically playing for fourth place at best, as I guess she assumes her Sandra move is all she needs. I guess she tried to solidify a Ben/Sarah F3, but I think she forgot that they go to fire at F4 so someone would need to for sure beat Tony. 

Michele was great all episode. I'd be content with her winning. However, her biggest mistake was not pushing harder after she won immunity to get Tony himself out of the game. She knows she has nothing to lose, as they're going to likely be gunning for her after Nick's gone, and she knows she needs SOME big move so what she needed to do was get Nick and Denise on board with SOME sort of plan. Ok, if she couldn't get Tony, she needed to get Ben out. She needed to actively push for this because....I mean, she couldn't get voted out at that point, and it's so close to the end of the game so why not? There was no use in Michele cowering back into the shadows after having her epiphany about Tony. She needed to go even harder about getting Tony or Ben out. She needed to work on Denise way more. 

I wonder if everyone thinks Tony is burning too many bridges so they figure he'll have bitter jurors.  Either that or the edit is lying to us and Tony isn't as much of a threat to win as we think.  But pretty hard to believe that when others are saying that he's running the show and is a threat to win.  The thing is, Tony can argue he was loyal to his people, which were Sarah and Ben.  Everyone else has been a number for him, and he's admitted that.  He wanted the shields around to fend off the hyenas.  He can argue it's not his problem no one could figure out where they stood.  And, most of his blindsides were to keep his people in the game, get rid of threats, and keep himself safe.  I thought he took a risk voting off Sophie, but that doesn't seem to have backfired on him yet.  There were some things tonight which made me wonder if it was foreshadowing; Tony joking about blindsiding Sarah during Cagayan, the conversation Sarah/Michele had about Tony's ability to win (Sarah needs to ask herself if everything she's done in the game can be called her moves or Tony's moves).  Even tonight, she was rooting for him in the IC.  

I don't know what Nick was thinking.  But yeah, he clearly misjudged where he stood with Tony, and where everyone else stood with Tony.  I'm still wondering how Denise fits into the equation.  The way she was talking, it's like she's a solid member of his alliance, but since when?  Her game play has been puzzling, it seems like she's just following the numbers.  And I agree, besides the Sandra move, what does she have going for her?  She said she found an idol, but is anyone impressed by that?  Other people found idols.  Other people actually had  advantages sent to them from EOE (or disadvantages).  I thought it was interesting Ben made the comment of no one leaving him fire tokens or sending him stuff from the edge.  Honestly he looks over it.  Tonight I would have voted her off just for saying she was giving up.  I'm still curious if we'll see more of that next week or not (like was she kidding, or did she buy that bag of rice and get herself strong for the upcoming IC).  But again, does she realize where she stands?  If Michele goes next, then what?  

I can't believe I'm rooting for Michele, but I wouldn't mind if she takes it.  Nick not only tanked his game but also hers.  I think for a split second he realized she was right about why it was wrong to get rid of Jeremy, but then we see he was all over confident about his plan for her to win immunity.  I mean, if he thought Michele was next to go, where did he think he stood?  I'm curious to read his take in interviews.  I felt bad for her tonight because she probably made the most logical sense of anybody there as to what's going to happen, yet she literally has no numbers on her side.  I do wonder if she tried to go to Denise when the plan was to vote her off, but she still ended up voting for her so I'm assuming not.  I don't know what good it would have done if those 3 voted against Tony/Sarah/Ben, except force a tie.  I don't know how willing Tony/Sarah/Ben would be to change their vote vs taking the chance of going to rocks.

At this point, I'd argue Tony has it in the bag if the makes the final 3, but I guess I won't entirely rule out anyone left except Ben.   One of my favorite moments tonight was Sarah convincing Ben that voting out Nick for the first vote was his idea.  He's done nothing but be a number for Tony, has no big moves for his resume, and I can't believe he'd win with his overall edit.  I can't see anyway he wins, but I could make a case (however slim) for everyone else.  And of course, whoever comes back from EOE may throw things into a tail spin.

Edited May 7, 2020 by LadyChatts