S34: Ciera Eastin

[Jabu]

Hi.  I'm from Blood vs. Water and Cambodia (aka Second Chances).  And I'm still best known for voting out my mom.

Yeah.  Don't see her lasting very long this time around.

[LadyChatts]

So is she the girl who voted her mom off?

I don't know.  I think Ciera can be her own worst enemy, and I see it going either way for her.  If she starts off in the beginning in the bottom of an alliance, and talks about making moves right off the bat, that isn't going to go well for her.  She might want to lay low for awhile, because there are definitely bigger threats to target.  I love the fact that she isn't willing to just sit around, and tries to get people to see where they are in an alliance in terms of position.  I know she isn't for everybody, but I like her, and I like her approach to the game.

[peachmangosteen]

I love her and I really love the debates she's always ignites here. I so enjoy reading @KimberStormer's defense of her! I hope she lasts awhile because she makes things interesting for me.

I feel like it could go either way. People might want her out early because of how she plays, but then they might want to keep her since she's never been able to really do anything per se.

[LadyChatts]

Her strategy in her cast video makes me a little nervous.  Okay, for starters, pretty much everyone has talked about being open to work with anyone and everyone, and how they are changing their strategy.  The changing strategy part I get, but saying they want to work with everyone seems weird for nearly everyone to be saying (though I haven't made it all the way through the videos).  That said, she wants to get rid of people who play like her (and names Aubry, Sierra, and Andrea).  According to her, those people threaten her position.  I don't know if that's a good or a bad thing.  She does have a point that in seasons like this, it isn't always about keeping the tribe strong and voting out weaker targets early on.  I don't know, I think she's either going really early or going very far.  

Edited February 9, 2017 by LadyChatts

[Lamb18]

It seems kind of pointless to have much of a strategy beforehand because camp dynamics determine so much strategy. You don't even know what team you'll be on.  The danger of all this pre-planning is getting too locked into a strategy and not being flexible enough to adjust it on the fly as needed.  (That's the whole point of "trust clusters"! (Sounds like a candy bar)).

If Trust Clusters were a Survivor candy bar what would be the ingredients? puffed rice?

Edited February 9, 2017 by Lamb18

[KimberStormer]

Hopefully I won't have to defend Ciera this time because she'll be playing so awesome that nobody will doubt but those plentiful haters who just don't like her personality, which isn't really worth engaging with.

But I wish she'd waited a couple years before coming back.

[LadyChatts]

For someone that was a first boot, and a favorite, I'm surprised by her lack of edit.  Her boot kind of came out of nowhere.  I was confused at first why she was targeted.  When they said she was throwing names around, I thought other people were also throwing names around, too.  

I have a feeling she was going to be a target early anyway.  From interviews people wanted her out, and no one trusted her.  The other tribe didn't even look surprised.  I was just surprised that there didn't seem to be much to her edit.  I'll miss her, her eye rolls, and telling people to play the damn game.  People keep playing like sheep all season, I'm really going to miss those moments.

Edited March 9, 2017 by LadyChatts

[Vyk]

Too hard, too fast, Ciera.  Bye.

[Nashville]

Or, as Michaela said:

 

[loki567]

I don't believe for a second that she was the "only one," throwing around names. She'll get the common criticism of too hard, too fast when those felt more like desperation heaves to me, like a drowning woman flailing around for anything that could save her. And since she probably would have been the first gone from Cambodia if not for her tribes' winning streaks, I don't think Ciera will ever be able to do anything in this game again. The, "voted out her mom," thing just absolutely sticks in people's heads. So hopefully this is her last time because I don't need to see the same story and criticisms play out again and again. 

[jsm1125]

Really random fact, but I believe that in all three of her seasons, Ciera didn't/won't have the exit interviews all too herself. In Blood vs. Water, she shared them with the rest of the final seven. In Cambodia, she shared them with Fishbach. This season, she is sharing them with Tony. That's got to suck!

[Vyk]

1 minute ago, jsm1125 said:

Really random fact, but I believe that in all three of her seasons, Ciera didn't/won't have the exit interviews all too herself. In Blood vs. Water, she shared them with the rest of the final seven. In Cambodia, she shared them with Fishbach. This season, she is sharing them with Tony. That's got to suck!

Actually, this season, she didn't get one at all.

[kikaha]

5 hours ago, loki567 said:

I don't believe for a second that she was the "only one," throwing around names.

And yet that's exactly what Aubry said.  IIRC, a few other players said the same thing. 

I've always thought the hype surrounding Ciera is way greater than the reality.  Her first season she was mostly a pawn.  Her second and third seasons, she tried to run things more -- to make 'big moves' -- but actually just painted the target on her own back, with unnecessary actions and talk. 

Second Chance she was very lucky.  Her tribes won everything, I think almost till merge.  When she finally did go to tribal, she converted a position of total safety to one of extreme danger (similar to what Michaela almost did at first tribal this season).  She got booted shortly after that, and so did all her allies except the great Kelley Wentworth.  Kelley also would have gotten booted, if she hadn't a) found the idol in a fantastic way, and b) had the social game to know when to play it.

So my assessment of Ciera in Survivor:

* Poor at challenges, whether mental or physical

* Not a leader, though she imagines herself one

* Good at getting in the heads of the others

* Plays too hard when she doesn't have to

She self-evicted this season, and I think her second season as well. 

[blackwing]

I really do hope this is the last we have seen of her for a while.  She has appeared on 3 of the past 8 seasons.  That's way too much.  Can't we see some of the older contestants who have never been given the opportunity to return?  Ciera is way overrated.  But obviously the producers love her.  There seems to be certain contestants that they will keep bringing back (Bahstahn Rahb, Ozzy, Cirie, Rupert) again and again until they win.  Would not at all be surprised to see them bring her back again three seasons from now, in a season where she and two other former contestants (perhaps Michaela and Tai) are team captains.  Sigh.

[slowpoked]

2 hours ago, kikaha said:

When she finally did go to tribal, she converted a position of total safety to one of extreme danger (similar to what Michaela almost did at first tribal this season).  She got booted shortly after that, and so did all her allies except the great Kelley Wentworth. 

To be fair though, if it weren't for Jeremy's idol play on Fishbach, Ciera would have stayed. But I agree - she didn't have to wage war against Savage that early but she did, especially as there were more targets up front, like Kass and Abi. 

[Lamb18]

As a footnote to the above, remember Abi's parting shot to Savage when he was eliminated: "Too bad you didn't make Jury"?

[slowpoked]

5 minutes ago, Lamb18 said:

As a footnote to the above, remember Abi's parting shot to Savage when he was eliminated: "Too bad you didn't make Jury"?

No, it was "You made it to the jury..." because Savage kept on talking about how making the jury was so important to him.

[ByaNose]

I liked Ciera in BvW. I also liked her in 2nd Chances, too. This time there were just too many people to pick from to vote out. It didn't help they she took part in the losing of the challenge. I think it might have been too soon for her to return. She isn't the greatest player and she isn't a strategic genius either. She has always been middle of the road. It's not a horrible thing but she had a reputation of being a major threat. I guess she should be homered with that. I read on of her exit interviews and she sort of blamed (while praising) Malcolm. Apparently, he had Halli & Aubry in his back pocket along with Caleb. She just got outwitted this time. 

[LadyChatts]

Probst loves Ciera, so if she wants to come back, I believe he'll try and make it happen.  I didn't realize all her seasons were so close together, but I agree with those that say she came back again too soon.  While sometimes you need to take whatever opportunities come your way, I believe she would have been considered down the road (compared to some others that might not have).  The best thing for competitors like her is sometimes to let other targets emerge and let people forget about you for awhile. 

On a side note, I was listening to Max Dawson's podcast yesterday.  I usually don't because I can't stand him or Corinne, and their guest was going to be Scot.  Only reason I listened was they were going to talk about bitter juries and Probst continually undermining Michele's win (like at the start of this season in an interview he gave).  Anyway, Scot made a comment about Aubry, and how he thinks Probst continually pushing her up, saying she was robbed, how she played the game, that rules may change because of bitter juries costing Aubry, actually makes her more of a target without her wanting to be.  So the same could be said for Ciera.  Probst has to always go back to 'she  voted out her mom', which I feel is a joke to people more than anything, but also going on about how she isn't afraid to challenge people and tell them to make moves.  And we heard that Probst introduced Zeke to the group and immediately compare him to Russel Hantz.  Probst isn't going to stop at this point, but it did make me think that he inadvertently makes people targets because of how he goes on and on about them.

Edited March 9, 2017 by LadyChatts

[Hera]

It's weird to me how much is made of Ciera voting her mom out, when, as I recall, she didn't really have a choice. The rest of the tribe was voting for Laura anyway and Ciera had no choice but to join in, lest she be next on the chopping block. I thought Ciera's gutsiest move was forcing everyone to go to rocks, rather than flipping to being fourth out of four in Tyson's alliance. It didn't work, but I respect her for recognizing that flipping would have meant being out at final four or dragged to the end with no chance of winning, and for doing the only thing she could to try to stop that from happening, even if it didn't ultimately pan out. To me, that 1/3 chance she took at taking Tyson out (which was also the probability of her going home that night) is far more evidence of a "go hard or go home" mentality than voting her mom out.

That said, I don't think she's that amazing a player and I'm not sure what she did in Second Chances to merit yet another shot at the game.

[slowpoked]

2 hours ago, LadyChatts said:

Probst loves Ciera, so if she wants to come back, I believe he'll try and make it happen.  I didn't realize all her seasons were so close together, but I agree with those that say she came back again too soon.  While sometimes you need to take whatever opportunities come your way, I believe she would have been considered down the road (compared to some others that might not have).  The best thing for competitors like her is sometimes to let other targets emerge and let people forget about you for awhile. 

Yes, I think she should have gone the Wentworth route and turned it down. But maybe, you know, there's always that group of people who thinks "I'll do better the next time around!".

1 hour ago, Hera said:

It's weird to me how much is made of Ciera voting her mom out, when, as I recall, she didn't really have a choice. The rest of the tribe was voting for Laura anyway and Ciera had no choice but to join in, lest she be next on the chopping block. I thought Ciera's gutsiest move was forcing everyone to go to rocks, rather than flipping to being fourth out of four in Tyson's alliance. It didn't work, but I respect her for recognizing that flipping would have meant being out at final four or dragged to the end with no chance of winning, and for doing the only thing she could to try to stop that from happening, even if it didn't ultimately pan out. To me, that 1/3 chance she took at taking Tyson out (which was also the probability of her going home that night) is far more evidence of a "go hard or go home" mentality than voting her mom out.

That said, I don't think she's that amazing a player and I'm not sure what she did in Second Chances to merit yet another shot at the game.

Me neither. I like her but in SC she mainly took a backseat to Wentworth. Maybe had a chance to turn the game upside down if Jeremy didn't play the idol on Fishbach. But that alternative reality didn't happen obviously, so who knows.

LadyChatts is right - for some reason, Probst is in love with Ciera and will be able to make her come back, no matter what the season is. Watch her get brought back in the next FvF, or All-Stars, or fan-voted Second Chances that Probst will spin as "Ciera qualifies because this is her second chance to her second chance!" She will forever skate on that "goodwill" from Probst from voting out her mom, especially if TPTB has no plans of ever bringing back BvW. Then Ciera will go down in the history books as the only person who has voted out a loved one.

[jsm1125]

I feel like Ciera is so close to being a good player, but I think her timing in the moves she makes is off.

The time to go against Tyson in Blood vs. Water, IMO, was when Caleb (RIP) was still in the game her first season. She, Katie, Hayden and Caleb could have outnumbered Tyson, Monica and Gervase, but she instead flips to the retuning players. TBH, that makes her willingness to go to rocks the tiniest bit less impressive to me. I also think she should have either voted off Savage himself or not targeted Woo at the last pre-merge tribal council in Cambodia. 

I don't see her doing well in the game again unless she waits at least five years before coming back. 

[Vyk]

1 minute ago, jsm1125 said:

The time to go against Tyson in Blood vs. Water, IMO, was when Caleb (RIP) was still in the game her first season. She, Katie, Hayden and Caleb could have outnumbered Tyson, Monica and Gervase, but she instead flips to the retuning players.

She was already working with them.  She just took Katie, Hayden, and Caleb's pitch to her back to Tyson and basically spilled everything.  So she didn't flip to the returnees so much as stayed with them.

[KimberStormer]

8 hours ago, slowpoked said:

Me neither. I like her but in SC she mainly took a backseat to Wentworth. Maybe had a chance to turn the game upside down if Jeremy didn't play the idol on Fishbach. But that alternative reality didn't happen obviously, so who knows.

LadyChatts is right - for some reason, Probst is in love with Ciera and will be able to make her come back, no matter what the season is. Watch her get brought back in the next FvF, or All-Stars, or fan-voted Second Chances that Probst will spin as "Ciera qualifies because this is her second chance to her second chance!" She will forever skate on that "goodwill" from Probst from voting out her mom, especially if TPTB has no plans of ever bringing back BvW. Then Ciera will go down in the history books as the only person who has voted out a loved one.

She did not really take a backseat to Wentworth except in the TV show, in the edit.  In the actual game everyone thought Wentworth was a nothing (up until about when she pulled out her second idol) and Ciera was clearly the leader of the Witches' Coven.  She had already flipped the game upside down, really, and I like to think that Jeremy's idol play was not so much to save Fishbach (if so it was a total failure) as to cut the head off the Witches snake, because Ciera had somehow taken the game away from him.  Which was partly thanks to his own bad judgment in agreeing to go after Wigglesworth, but also because Ciera was such a dogged, hard-working, relentless force of hard-sell persuasion.  I love what she did in Second Chances, although she made plenty of mistakes.

I definitely agree Ciera came back too fast, both times.  And I agree the reason is because Probst loves her not wisely but too well, and the reason he loves her is because of the totally spurious "accomplishment" of voting out her mom.  Why does he love this so much?  Because they invented Blood VS Water exactly for this reason, the point of it was EXTRA SUPER DRAMA when LOVED ONE VOTES FOR LOVED ONE and only Ciera actually did it.  And then she went to rocks (an actual accomplishment -- yes, she should have realized sooner, but 99% of castaways never realize at all, and certainly would have thought oh well, too late now, no way I'm going to rocks), and I think after that Jeff was pretty much smitten forever.  And I think he's dragging her back too soon, and it's hurting her game.

Because my read on Ciera is she really, really loves the game.  She loves the work, she loves the hustle.  I haven't checked out any exit interviews yet but it sure was palpable in her Second Chances ones, that sheer delight in gaming.  It's so exciting, it feels so good, to be out there working to get numbers together for some crazy scheme.  And she gets back so soon it's like she never left; she doesn't want to build up, take her time getting used to the people and the island or whatever, she wants get in there!  Make some moves!  She built a shelter, made relationships last year, aren't we done with that boring stuff, can't we get to the gaming?  Straight to the beautiful, heart-pounding gaming?  Even if Jeff wasn't hyping "She doesn't care about anyone!  She'll vote off her mom!" (which really, if you think about it, should be good for potential alliance mates, right?  She put them first, even above her mom?) she's so schemey and enthusiastic that everyone's spooked.

I agree she needs a good long break -- I mean, nobody should play four times anyway, but if they're gonna bring her back.  I would actually like to see it if she could chill out, have a breather.  I think she'd do great.  Because unlike so many people she knows what the hell game she's playing and is willing to play it, and loves it, and that will always be fun for me.

[LadyChatts]

Unless I'm missing something, CBS didn't seem to put up any extra videos.  Just Ciera/Tony's final words, the challenges, and a couple of TC clips.  No day after vids, secret scenes, or extra TH.  Weird.  Would have loved to have heard more from Ciera. @KimberStormer, I agree with your thoughts about Ciera loving this game.  And it's one reason why I enjoy her so much, because it shows.  While I think she may have an uphill battle any time she returns in the future, she does seem to have the passion.  I've always been a move maker fan, and nothing frustrates me more when people have opportunities to do something in the game, but don't (and then get pissy about it later).  It's why I've always loved Ciera speaking her mind on that.  She's been right in the past at least.  While I'm not a fan of people getting more than 3 chances on this show, she's someone I'd make an exception for.  If it happens again for her in the future, hopefully she makes the merge again.  I'd really love to see her end game and what she can do in front of the jury.

[NutMeg]

As I see it, Ciera's weakness is that she bought into the idea that she HAS to make big moves, which means that she is driven by this preconceived notion and keep looking for big moves to make rather than taking a step back, observing the dynamics and adapting to it.

ETA: I thought she had never looked as good as she did this episode.  

Edited March 10, 2017 by NutMeg

[KimberStormer]

I read on tumblr that Ciera now holds the record for most votes cast against someone in their Survivor career...taking the crown from her mom.  A fitting tribute, I think, whether you love her as I do, or hate her like many others!

[NutMeg]

I've realised that what I like the least about Ciera is that since she's appeared on the show, it's been all about her to the detriment of her mom, who I think has more potential as a player (better reading of the room, more maturity i.e. better poker face and willingness to bind her time and wait to struck, huge challenge abilities), but is an older women and I fear that TBTB has now completely struck Laura out of the list of potential returning players, which is a shame, because I liked how her second time was very different from her first, and I wish we could see how she'd play a third time. I'd hate it if playing with her daughter had been the death knoll for her in Survivor, because she certainly doesn't deserve that.  

[kikaha]

6 hours ago, KimberStormer said:

She did not really take a backseat to Wentworth except in the TV show, in the edit.  In the actual game everyone thought Wentworth was a nothing (up until about when she pulled out her second idol) and Ciera was clearly the leader of the Witches' Coven.  She had already flipped the game upside down, really, and I like to think that Jeremy's idol play was not so much to save Fishbach (if so it was a total failure) as to cut the head off the Witches snake, because Ciera had somehow taken the game away from him.  Which was partly thanks to his own bad judgment in agreeing to go after Wigglesworth, but also because Ciera was such a dogged, hard-working, relentless force of hard-sell persuasion.  I love what she did in Second Chances, although she made plenty of mistakes.

I agree she needs a good long break -- I mean, nobody should play four times anyway, but if they're gonna bring her back.  I would actually like to see it if she could chill out, have a breather.  I think she'd do great.  Because unlike so many people she knows what the hell game she's playing and is willing to play it, and loves it, and that will always be fun for me.

If "good long break" means permanent, I agree with you.

Ciera didn't just take a backseat to Kelley.  She wasn't in the same car.  She wasn't on the same road.  Kelley played in the shadows.  Ciera tried to lead.  All she did was drive her alliance into the ground.  Kelley played so great, she survived anyway.  No one else who fell under Ciera's spell did. 

That's the one thing I think Ciera does well.  Get under the skin of other players.  Strategically, she's a hot mess.  And her social game also got her in big trouble, both this season and last. 

Ciera has had three chances at Survivor.  Each result has gotten worse.  So much so that now she is the first boot.  It wasn't even close, either: they voted unanimously to cut her.  That's a pretty staggering accomplishment.  Even Russell Hantz had some allies/backers in RI. 

[SVNBob]

7 hours ago, KimberStormer said:

Even if Jeff wasn't hyping "She doesn't care about anyone!  She'll vote off her mom!" (which really, if you think about it, should be good for potential alliance mates, right?  She put them first, even above her mom?) 

There is the opposite side of the coin in that.  "She voted off her mom...her closest ally in the game.  She doesn't care about anyone, other than herself.  Can she really be trusted?"

[Lamima]

Cierra. I first saw her on the season with Kass and Spencer. I didn't like that little band of women (her, Kass, Wentworth...). I liked Savage and Spencer. So I was no fan. Then I watched her 'voted out her mom' season which was a very crappy season IMO. But I didn't mind her that season, too many others to hate (Culpeppers), and she didn't really 'vote off her mom' like people seem to proclaim. But I didn't understand why she couldn't have just said 'I can't write my mom's name down'? I don't think anyone would have batted an eye. At any rate, she seemed stuck in a bad position.

This season...I don't get why she was such a threat. She's not all that great in strategic game play... she's not bad but not THE best either. Though she is very very weak at physical game play. My god, she always proclaims to be so GREAT at puzzles but she blew every puzzle challenge she ever touched. And there she was, doing the first puzzle challenge. Uggghhh. But, clearly, they weren't going after weak physical but strong strategic players or Sandra would be gone. So I am perplexed at all the hate of her as she's not super remarkable. I didn't get everyone throwing her name out and saying she's such a threat. Seemed to be bigger fish to fry, IMO.

[slowpoked]

11 hours ago, KimberStormer said:

She did not really take a backseat to Wentworth except in the TV show, in the edit.  In the actual game everyone thought Wentworth was a nothing (up until about when she pulled out her second idol) and Ciera was clearly the leader of the Witches' Coven.  She had already flipped the game upside down, really, and I like to think that Jeremy's idol play was not so much to save Fishbach (if so it was a total failure) as to cut the head off the Witches snake, because Ciera had somehow taken the game away from him.  Which was partly thanks to his own bad judgment in agreeing to go after Wigglesworth, but also because Ciera was such a dogged, hard-working, relentless force of hard-sell persuasion.  I love what she did in Second Chances, although she made plenty of mistakes.

 

That's true. To the tribe, she was the ringleader of the Witches Coven. Because she does most of the speaking for them. And yes, I may have given Ciera less credit in SC than I should have - she did help engineer Wiggles' elimination - which helped plant cracks in the majority alliance (an almost-Fishbach blindside, Fishbach eventually getting voted off, Joe getting voted off, Keith Nale shifting to Wentworth/Abi-Maria), although she wasn't in the game long enough to see its fruits. I concede that - she played well all things considering. I still think there was no need to talk about Savage right when they merged. She asked for the target that was already aimed at someone else.

And I agree with you and LadyChatts, about Ciera just loving the game, and maybe that's why she keeps coming back when asked. I never got any bitterness from her from getting voted off in any of her prior seasons, or whatever happened to her during the game, and her mom. She does give an air of "it's just a game, you win some, you lose some, but it's so fun playing it.", like a little kid. Well, Ciera is still young, so there's that.

Edited March 10, 2017 by slowpoked

[Superpole2000]

I guess she didn't work hard enough on building her alliances off-camera, before the season started.

[azshadowwalker]

@KimberStormer, sounds like you like Ciera because she tries, even if she fails to influence people when she does. ;)

Anyway, no, I am not a fan. It has nothing to do with how hard she does or doesn't play. It has everything to do with the constant whines about people not playing the game when her real problem is that they won't play with her. Not the same thing at all. She's hyped beyond belief for someone who has never sniffed F3 or controlled the game in any way. 

[Special K]

Man, she didn't even get a mention in the "previously on....Survivor."

[LadyChatts]

2 hours ago, Special K said:

Man, she didn't even get a mention in the "previously on....Survivor."

Okay, so I didn't miss that!  It seemed like they skipped over the entire first half of last week.  Weird.  I wonder why?

[Nashville]

14 hours ago, LadyChatts said:

16 hours ago, Special K said:

Man, she didn't even get a mention in the "previously on....Survivor."

Okay, so I didn't miss that!  It seemed like they skipped over the entire first half of last week.  Weird.  I wonder why?

Reckon maybe Ciera bolted?

[KimberStormer]

I think it's just because she was a boring first boot meaningless to the season, and particularly the Sandra story they are focussing on for the time being.  I imagine it's a drag for Ciera, but I don't see why it must mean anything more than that.

[ByaNose]

Technically, she was Episode 1 and Tony was Episode 2. I'm still not sure if it was intended to be a 2 hour episode to beging with. It was pushed back to March and Episode 1 was very meh for a Survivor premiere so it might have just been made a 2 hour show later on. Either way, I don't think it mattered much and Ciera probably didn't figure into their storyline.

[Special K]

I dunno.  The fact that she didn't get a parting-words confessional and she didn't get a mention in the "previously on"....  Curious.

[ByaNose]

10 minutes ago, Special K said:

I dunno.  The fact that she didn't get a parting-words confessional and she didn't get a mention in the "previously on"....  Curious.

Totally forgot that she didn't get the parting words confessinal. Yeah! She got a pretty bad boot episode for a returning player.

[Special K]

1 hour ago, ByaNose said:

Totally forgot that she didn't get the parting words confessinal. Yeah! She got a pretty bad boot episode for a returning player.

Especially a returning player Jeff purports to love.