S36: Ghost Island Preview and Speculation

[SVNBob]

4 hours ago, violet and green said:

Wendell and Dom bonded in original Naviti; and Laurel and Donathon came into the picture in a staggered fashion later,

Sort of.  The connections between these four probably work more like this:

1. Dom and Wendell bond in original Naviti; Laurel and Donathan bond in original Malolo.
2. All four join up at the first swap in nuNaviti, creating the core "No Chris Allowed" alliance (with adjunct members in...everyone else this season, except maybe Angela.)
3. Wendell and Laurel are swapped to Yanuya, while Donathan and Dom stay on nunuNaviti.

And it's the first and last steps that seem most important to me.  Because those are what we've seen in play more since the merge.  Dom and Wendell reconnecting at the merge and emerging as a power pair*.  Donathan spilling Chris' "plan" for the first merge vote to Dom.  Wendell telling Laurel about his Idol to reassure her about the alliance.  Laurel working a little as Donathan's spaz wrangler. 

What we haven't really seen is a connection between Laurel and Dom, or one between Wendell and Donathan.  (Not that there aren't those connections; we just haven't seen any evidence of them yet.)  So it looks like the pairs that were on tribes separate from the other pair are better connected.  

So that's the real question of this alliance.  Not the Laurel/Donathan connection, but the Wendell/Donathan and Laurel/Domenick connections.  If there's a breaking point in this alliance, it'll be along one of these two lines.

 

 

*I'm proposing this new term for an alliance of 2.  To me, "Power Couple" has connotations of a romantic/sexual connection in addition to the strategic one, and doesn't feel right for alliances like Dom and Wendell, or Laurel and Donathan for that matter.  Power Pair is neutral in both sexuality and gender, and only applies to strategy (and adds alliteration).  So a Power Couple is basically a Power Pair with Benefits.

[Oscirus]

3 hours ago, SVNBob said:

So that's the real question of this alliance.  Not the Laurel/Donathan connection, but the Wendell/Donathan and Laurel/Domenick connections.  If there's a breaking point in this alliance, it'll be along one of these two lines.

Wendell Donathon is not very tight. Donathon was ready to jump last week and Wendell sees Donathon as little more then a Laurel vote. Laurel/dom have a better connection but not much better. I tend to believe that she's working with Dom because she wants to work with Wendell and vice versa.

 

Interesting questions are

Will Laurel be able to get Wendell out in time and if she does, what's her safety net. 

Will Wendell dom view the pair as jury threats and stab them first?

How long till their alliance is outted? Id say three tribals at the most. One if Michael goes next week.

 

On another note those previews really make it look like Desiree is in trouble. She gets her hand caught in the cookie jar and tries to turn the flip the vote back towards malolo once naviti finds out what shes up to.

[ProfCrash]

Spoiler

 

No spoiler, I can't remove the box for some reason

I think the key to the alliance of four is that both pairs were low on the totem pole at their first tribes. They allied because they knew they were in trouble with their original tribes and needed to find a safety valve. It helps that Dom and Donathon seem to be genuinely tight and Laurel and Wendell are genuinely tight. I think all four of them see the benefit of staying strong but are looking to make sure that they are in the best position possible but when it comes down to it, they realize that their foursome is their best bet to get to the end. I think all four of them have strong cases if they get to the finals. I wonder if Dom and Wendell will get more credit because they will be playing a more public game then Laurel and Donathon. I think the new final format will make it easier for Laurel and Donathon to lay out what they did, why they played more low key, and how important they were to promoting themselves and their alliance.

[Hera]

9 hours ago, ProfCrash said:

I wonder if Dom and Wendell will get more credit because they will be playing a more public game then Laurel and Donathon.

This is what I think will happen, unless Domenick is a goat and we're not being shown it. Wendell definitely is not, though. I think the original Navitis are and will be determined to see the original Malolos as non-factors in the post-merge game, and probably won't reward them if they make it to the end (unless Michael somehow ends up there, but I think he's gone this week or next). They'll give Domenick and/or Wendell credit for outplaying them, while accusing Laurel and/or Donathan of getting carried to the end. Since Laurel and Donathan spent so little time on the Malolo beach, and didn't join Michael's plan to get Wendell out last week, I don't think the old Malolo will be particularly inclined to vote for them either—not that it will matter, since any final three that involves Laurel or Donathan will necessarily have a Naviti majority on the jury.

If I were Libby, I would be particularly reluctant to vote for Donathan to win, since they were on the same tribes throughout the game, voting for exactly the same people at all tribal councils except the one where Donathan was exiled on Ghost Island and didn't get to vote. Despite this, Donathan managed to find an alliance among members of Original Naviti, while LIbby was branded untrustworthy and a threat. Despite the new Final Tribal Council format, I still believe that jurors vote for the player who makes them feel best about their own loss, and I don't see how Donathan could possibly do that for Libby.

[violet and green]

17 hours ago, SVNBob said:

Sort of.  The connections between these four probably work more like this:

1. Dom and Wendell bond in original Naviti; Laurel and Donathan bond in original Malolo.
2. All four join up at the first swap in nuNaviti, creating the core "No Chris Allowed" alliance (with adjunct members in...everyone else this season, except maybe Angela.)
3. Wendell and Laurel are swapped to Yanuya, while Donathan and Dom stay on nunuNaviti.

And it's the first and last steps that seem most important to me.  Because those are what we've seen in play more since the merge.  Dom and Wendell reconnecting at the merge and emerging as a power pair*.  Donathan spilling Chris' "plan" for the first merge vote to Dom.  Wendell telling Laurel about his Idol to reassure her about the alliance.  Laurel working a little as Donathan's spaz wrangler. 

Yes. I too remember how the connections formed, or how the edit showed them form!

But I also remember it was Donathon who had to counsel Dom and Wendell who not to tell their counterplan re Chris to; Dom's first reaction was to say we'll go and tell Desiree and (some other woman who I cant recall)! And Donathon had to dissuade them strongly and counsel them to just act cool. They had no idea.

Where you got the notion Laurel is in any way Donathon's 'spaz wrangler' I just can't imagine. I think you are selling him very short. He may have little experience of 'the world', but he sure knows people.

[Lamb18]

Tonight's episode description says there is a castaway determined to break up a power couple. I wonder if that is Michael determined to break up Domenick and Wendell.

[ProfCrash]

Des was shown in the preview trying to target Wendell and Dom. Laurel rats out Des to Dom. Des comes up on that scene and tells Dom that a Malolo is going home, trying to cover up her attempt to send Dom or Wendell home.

[peachmangosteen]

15 hours ago, violet and green said:

But I also remember it was Donathon who had to counsel Dom and Wendell who not to tell their counterplan re Chris to; Dom's first reaction was to say we'll go and tell Desiree and (some other woman who I cant recall)! And Donathon had to dissuade them strongly and counsel them to just act cool. They had no idea.

It was Libby and Jenna that Dom wanted to tell and that Donathan said not to tell. The fact that Donathan was so adamant about it proved to me that he was never close to/never trusted Libby/Jenna.

[ProfCrash]

I am assuming that Donathon knew he was on the bottom of his original tribe. I would guess that he was well aware that Libby and Jenna would vote him out in a heart beat. I am abit confused as to how the original Malolo tribe ended up in such dysfunction. The first votes out were pretty easy and obvious. The group at new Naviti did a good job sticking together to vote out Morgan. The four at New Malolo worked well together to try and vote out Bradley at that tribal. It failed, Brendan went home but the four worked well together.  I get that Michael, Jenna and Stephanie had to work to save themselves after the immunity idol play did not work but that really only explains Jenna working with Sebastian. No one from Naviti is trying to work with Michael.

When they got to the merge, original Malolo had a good chance to move on if they worked together but Donathon and Laurel clearly did not trust their old tribe mates and are chosing Dom and Wendell. And I am fine with that, I just want to know why Laurel feels like she was on the bottom and it made more sense to stay with Wendell and Dom. Something seems to be missing from the story.

[Oscirus]

Yea Jenna and Libby. Donathon told Dom not to try and get them because he was there when Chris told Libby that Dom was targeting her.  It's not like his advice had that much effect on them since in the very next scene, Wendell's doing just that.

On ‎4‎/‎24‎/‎2018 at 8:34 AM, ProfCrash said:

  Reveal hidden contents

 

I think the key to the alliance of four is that both pairs were low on the totem pole at their first tribes. They allied because they knew they were in trouble with their original tribes and needed to find a safety valve. It helps that Dom and Donathon seem to be genuinely tight and Laurel and Wendell are genuinely tight. I think all four of them see the benefit of staying strong but are looking to make sure that they are in the best position possible but when it comes down to it, they realize that their foursome is their best bet to get to the end. I think all four of them have strong cases if they get to the finals. I wonder if Dom and Wendell will get more credit because they will be playing a more public game then Laurel and Donathon. 

I believe the key to the alliance is that Laurel and Wendell like working together. Dom and Donathon both have had other options but they keep returning to that four. I can see either Wendell or Laurel being targeted because either Dom or Donathon don't want to share.

As for Dom and Wendell, if they make it to the final four, they'll both have to explain why they didn't stay naviti strong. If their answer isn't sufficient, that by itself could be enough to push don or Laurel to ghe win.

1 hour ago, ProfCrash said:

 

When they got to the merge, original Malolo had a good chance to move on if they worked together but Donathon and Laurel clearly did not trust their old tribe mates and are chosing Dom and Wendell. And I am fine with that, I just want to know why Laurel feels like she was on the bottom and it made more sense to stay with Wendell and Dom. Something seems to be missing from the story.

No way forward for her going malolo strong. Best way for her is to exploit the crack in the alliance that she's already got.

A really interesting question is if I'm reading the editing right, Kellyn must really mess up. Homegirl's in the driver seat at the moment, I wonder how they catch her sleeping.

Edited April 25, 2018 by Oscirus

[violet and green]

7 hours ago, peachmangosteen said:

It was Libby and Jenna that Dom wanted to tell and that Donathan said not to tell.

Was it? It's marvellous how we all remember things differently. I would swear it was Des - unfortunately, this season is to me, overall, so boring that I no longer save an episode to rewatch, just delete it upon watching. I used to rewatch every episode, especially to see the fantastic reaction moments in Tribal Council... Anyway, my point remains that those two were all over the shop and Donathon had the brains to urge them to just act cool - which produced the most fun Tribal Council of the season, and an overall quite gripping episode.

Clearly I am in a very small minority who thinks Donathon is not just likable but very alert and perceptive; that Dom regularly shoots himself in the foot with his emotional reactions; and that Wendell is not that gifted in the people-reading or lip-sealing department, and made an extremely bad call in telling Laurel when he did and how he did about his and Dom's idols, and who thinks it will bite him in the arse before long. Long before Donathon ever departs.

[truthaboutluv]

1 hour ago, violet and green said:

Clearly I am in a very small minority who thinks Donathon is not just likable but very alert and perceptive;

Interesting observation because I was just coming in to say that I just saw the preview for next week's episode and Jenna can leave anytime now, just based on that quick second of her sneering about how stupid Donathan is after it seems like she feeds him some line about adoring him. Like I have no issue with her playing him if she thinks it can keep her in the game but to call the guy an idiot - based on what exactly? Since Jenna hasn't shown herself to be some brainchild in the game. And Donathan was smart and good enough at this game to worm himself into a tight alliance with Dominick and Wendell, two people who weren't on his original tribe. All Jenna's done is discuss her hair with the other useless one, Sebastian. Girl bye. 

 

1 hour ago, violet and green said:

 that Dom regularly shoots himself in the foot with his emotional reactions; and that Wendell is not that gifted in the people-reading or lip-sealing department, and made an extremely bad call in telling Laurel when he did and how he did about his and Dom's idols, and who thinks it will bite him in the arse before long. Long before Donathon ever departs.

Now I'm not sure I entirely agree with this. One, call me crazy but I do think Dom/Wendell/Donathan/Laurel may be a tighter four than people realize and that four may very well stick together. I think Dominick allowed his emotions to get the better of him when he was around Chris but I think once he finally came out the winner in his battle with Chris, he's stuck to his decision to lay back and not seem as vocal and dangerous. Sure people aren't entirely buying it and still see him as a threat but I do think he's playing the game a lot calmer and more methodical. And regarding Wendell, I do think he was good at reading Laurel in the sense that he was right that she was uneasy. He just underestimated that telling her about his and Dom's idol would have the opposite effect of convincing how loyal he was to their alliance and instead make her concerned about their having too much power.

[LadyChatts]

Two people voted out next week.  Will be interesting if Jenna/Michael (the last of original Malolo not aligned with Dom/Wendell) can survive, if any idols come out of the woodwork, and whether the core alliance of 4 gets exposed.  Sooner or later someone's got to catch on.

Quote

 

I am assuming that Donathon knew he was on the bottom of his original tribe. I would guess that he was well aware that Libby and Jenna would vote him out in a heart beat.  I am abit confused as to how the original Malolo tribe ended up in such dysfunction. The first votes out were pretty easy and obvious. The group at new Naviti did a good job sticking together to vote out Morgan. The four at New Malolo worked well together to try and vote out Bradley at that tribal. It failed, Brendan went home but the four worked well together.  I get that Michael, Jenna and Stephanie had to work to save themselves after the immunity idol play did not work but that really only explains Jenna working with Sebastian. No one from Naviti is trying to work with Michael.

When they got to the merge, original Malolo had a good chance to move on if they worked together but Donathon and Laurel clearly did not trust their old tribe mates and are chosing Dom and Wendell. And I am fine with that, I just want to know why Laurel feels like she was on the bottom and it made more sense to stay with Wendell and Dom. Something seems to be missing from the story.

 

 

My feeling is Michael/Libby/Jenna would have stuck with Malolo had they had the numbers, but it was the Bradley vote that totally sunk them.  Jenna is an interesting one, because I'm curious how close she's been to Seabass out there and whether that would have influenced her decision.  Laurel/Donathan have spent more time with Wendell/Dom than they did Michael/Jenna.  And they didn't seem particularly close to Libby.  Dom and Wendell got lucky with the opportunity presented to them in the first tribe swap-one vote didn't go their way, but NuNaviti went on a winning streak, allowing them to create bonds with old Malolo's bottom feeders.  I don't know where exactly Laurel was in the Malolo line up, but Donathan was likely one vote away from getting voted off.  Had Brendan managed to survive that vote, I'd be curious where we'd be at now, because I don't think he would have gone along with Dom.  It might have exposed the four person alliance of Dom/Wendell/Laurel/Donathan earlier.  If Brendan survived the vote, then Stephanie survived the next vote, and James had a high chance of surviving the second tribe swap.  So Malolo goes into the merge with numbers, putting Laurel/Donathan in an interesting place. 

Unfortunately, they just didn't have anyone from Naviti willing to flip to give them the numbers.  

Edited April 26, 2018 by LadyChatts

[violet and green]

35 minutes ago, truthaboutluv said:

He just underestimated that telling her about his and Dom's idol would have the opposite effect of convincing how loyal he was to their alliance and instead make her concerned about their having too much power.

Well, that's bad people reading! And he also seemingly didn't pick up on the fact he had made her in fact more uneasy.

[TVFan1]

In that preview, there were two immunity necklaces. So, does that mean two people are safe and two go home next week in the same tribal council?

[LadyChatts]

10 minutes ago, TVFan1 said:

In that preview, there were two immunity necklaces. So, does that mean two people are safe and two go home next week in the same tribal council?

I didn't notice that-wonder if it'll be one male and one female winner?  So with 2 possible immunities and 3 idols that could come into play, plus an extra vote, that could stack the deck dramatically against someone (looking namely at Michael/Jenna).  I am hoping after this week that maybe something will change for them.  I don't see Kellyn giving up on her Naviti strong schtick, and she clearly can't see what's going with Dom and Wendell.  They don't even have to try hard around her to not look suspicious.  So she may assume that it's back to picking Malolo off next week.  Angela I don't think is ever in the loop.  Had she had a vote tonight she probably would have voted for Michael.  Chelsea is an interesting one to watch.  No idea where Seabass's head is, and I don't think he does either.  So next week could be either very predictable or very interesting.

[TVFan1]

48 minutes ago, LadyChatts said:

I didn't notice that-wonder if it'll be one male and one female winner?  So with 2 possible immunities and 3 idols that could come into play, plus an extra vote, that could stack the deck dramatically against someone (looking namely at Michael/Jenna).  I am hoping after this week that maybe something will change for them.  I don't see Kellyn giving up on her Naviti strong schtick, and she clearly can't see what's going with Dom and Wendell.  They don't even have to try hard around her to not look suspicious.  So she may assume that it's back to picking Malolo off next week.  Angela I don't think is ever in the loop.  Had she had a vote tonight she probably would have voted for Michael.  Chelsea is an interesting one to watch.  No idea where Seabass's head is, and I don't think he does either.  So next week could be either very predictable or very interesting.

They did do something similar in Worlds Apart where a male and female both win immunity.

I hope Michael and/or Jenna is safe for hopefully another tribal council. Not likely, though.

Edited April 26, 2018 by TVFan1

[Oscirus]

5 hours ago, violet and green said:

Well, that's bad people reading! And he also seemingly didn't pick up on the fact he had made her in fact more uneasy.

Apparently not that bad since she trusted him enough to choose them over Dez. As for  Don? He just told the two people on the bottom that he had an idol because he couldn't wait for camp to clear out. 

 

It looks like next week is straight forward, Michael and Jenna boots locked in. Week after is when the fun should really begin.

[Oscirus]

Now onto my spec for the remaining players

Michael and Jenna-bye

Chelsea- if she had any chance of winning, she'd be getting way more camera time

Sebastian- Would be getting the fun guy edit if Donathon wasn't around.

Kellyn- I fear that your big move will be getting out Michael, you'll be unceremoniously dumped soon after. Tis a shame, she really had a chance to win.

Angela- Be around until her vote is no longer necessary

Donathon- eh? He's the party guy. At least he'll win fan fav.

Wendell- Playing the social game can only take you so far. Especially if you're a guy. You'll likely fade into goat status/ get booted at4/5 soon if you don't make a move.

Laurel- if she makes it to the final 2/3 she should have malolo votes but can she flip naviti votes her way? That'll be the question

Dom- As of now the overwhelming favorite. Most would be fools to take him to the finals at this juntrure.

[ProfCrash]

Donathon is in a solid alliance of four but keeping his options open. He has been the one looking at Laurel and suggesting that it might be time to move on Wendell and Dom. I saw his idol play as more of an opportunity to bond with Michael and give the appearance that he is tight with original Malolo. It gives him a bit of cover and reinforces that he thinks he is on the bottom while hiding his alliance with Dom and Wendell. Donathon is in a pretty good place. So yes, four people know he has an idol. It will be public knowledge soon, which isn't great, but it gives him at least 3 days of additional cover and protection at a tribal in 6 or more days.

Michael and Jenna are not going to tell anyone about Donathon's idol because they are going to assume that he will use it to protect the Malolo four. Michael is going to hope that it covers him at tribal if he doesn't win immunity so he'll be quiet about it.

I think Jenna's comment in the preview is a good sign that she is going home next week and probably going to go home because of Donathon. It is the classic "This person is an idot." then gets voted out by the "idiot".

I expect Michael and Jenna to go next week. Michael would have gone this week by Des made herself too big of a threat and was an easy alternative option.

[truthaboutluv]

11 hours ago, violet and green said:

And he also seemingly didn't pick up on the fact he had made her in fact more uneasy.

I may be wrong but I thought he did have a few ITM's after saying that he was still nervous and concerned about Laurel. So I think he did pick up that she was still uneasy about him and their alliance.

I actually don't think it's a big deal that people know Donathan has an idol. I may be underestimating the level of paranoia but I think as long as his alliance members know then they won't see it as some betrayal or a big deal. Dom has an idol and so does Wendell. And in saying that, my speculation is that Donathan probably told Wendell and Dominick about his idol but they just didn't show it. I mean honestly, because so many know he has it, it'd be silly to not tell them to further solidify the bond and party line that they are a tight four. I may be wrong of course and his idol becomes a big talking point in next week's episode.

Edited April 26, 2018 by truthaboutluv

[peachmangosteen]

7 hours ago, Oscirus said:

Donathon- eh? He's the party guy. At least he'll win fan fav.

There isn't a fan fave anymore. Too bad too because Donathan would probably have a good shot at it and I really want him to get some money out of this.

[Oscirus]

49 minutes ago, peachmangosteen said:

There isn't a fan fave anymore. Too bad too because Donathan would probably have a good shot at it and I really want him to get some money out of this.

Just goes to show how long its been since I watched this lol.

Quote

Michael and Jenna are not going to tell anyone about Donathon's idol because they are going to assume that he will use it to protect the Malolo four. Michael is going to hope that it covers him at tribal if he doesn't win immunity so he'll be quiet about it.

They might if they don't think he will. Hell Donathon might even lose it following one of Michael's idol plans.

[Guest]

47 minutes ago, Oscirus said:

Just goes to show how long its been since I watched this lol.

I don't think there's been a fan fav since season 26, so it has been a while!  

[Nashville]

5 hours ago, ProfCrash said:

Michael and Jenna are not going to tell anyone about Donathon's idol because they are going to assume that he will use it to protect the Malolo four. Michael is going to hope that it covers him at tribal if he doesn't win immunity so he'll be quiet about it.

Ummmm... maybe.  

But about last night (TC / post-vote / pre-reveal): did anybody else get the impression Michael was looking at Donathan hoping for some idol-based ass-coverage - which was NOT forthcoming?

[LadyChatts]

53 minutes ago, Nashville said:

Ummmm... maybe.  

But about last night (TC / post-vote / pre-reveal): did anybody else get the impression Michael was looking at Donathan hoping for some idol-based ass-coverage - which was NOT forthcoming?

I caught that look on Michael's face.  I totally think he thought Donathan was going to play it for him.  I already erased the episode, but are they aware that it can be played after the vote?  I don't remember Donathan telling them that part. 

[Oscirus]

12 minutes ago, LadyChatts said:

I caught that look on Michael's face.  I totally think he thought Donathan was going to play it for him.  I already erased the episode, but are they aware that it can be played after the vote?  I don't remember Donathan telling them that part. 

It's a regular idol with full power. No super idol.

[Nashville]

16 minutes ago, LadyChatts said:

I caught that look on Michael's face.  I totally think he thought Donathan was going to play it for him.  I already erased the episode, but are they aware that it can be played after the vote?  I don't remember Donathan telling them that part. 

??? That’s always been the primary strategic strength of a HII, isn’t it - that it’s normally played after the vote cast but before the vote reveal, to derail the vote?

[Oscirus]

1 minute ago, Nashville said:

??? That’s always been the primary strategic strength of a HII, isn’t it - that it’s normally played after the vote cast but before the vote reveal, to derail the vote?

Super idol could be played after the votes are revealed.

[Nashville]

1 minute ago, Oscirus said:

Super idol could be played after the votes are revealed.

Hence my “normally” reference - but I was referring to last night’s TC, which was pretty standard:

1. Everybody casts their votes.
2. Peachy collects the urn.
3. Before he opens it and starts the vote reveal, asks if anybody wants to play an idol.
4. Obligatory 5+ seconds of contestant eyes shifting at each other - more than a few of which (including Michael’s) were directed towards Donathan, who did a passable impression of a mushroom on a rotten log.
5. JP reveals the vote.

#5 is when most idols are played - the only exception being certain super-idols, which can be played as a step #6.

[LadyChatts]

The idol he found was the super idol from KR, which could be played after the vote (because Tai beautifully refused to give Scot the other half of the idol to save him after the vote was read).  So I was wondering if anyone knew that Donathan's idol held that power.

[truthaboutluv]

Just now, LadyChatts said:

The idol he found was the super idol from KR, which could be played after the vote (because Tai beautifully refused to give Scot the other half of the idol to save him after the vote was read).  So I was wondering if anyone knew that Donathan's idol held that power.

No, Donathan's idol is a regular idol. He first found Tai's idol, which was the one half that made up the super idol. So the note said that that half on its own had no power. It only became a real idol when he found the other half, which is the idol Scott had. That's what he was trying to find at camp because it was buried under the shelter.

[ProfCrash]

I doubt that Michael was hoping the idol was played, I think it was pretty clear that Des was going home. Chelsea Was the only person who did not vote for Des and that might have been a sympathy vote. Chelsea seems to be in the loop enough that she probably knew Des was going home. 

[peachmangosteen]

I assumed Donathan's idol was just a regular idol, but it would actually make more sense if it was a super idol. I'll have to rewatch that scene to see if it's made clear.

[LadyChatts]

I'm going to have to go back and watch, too, because I thought it was a super idol that could be used after the votes (once he has the full idol).  All these damn idols and their super powers, non super powers, being used in halfs, fulls, fake idols...I can't keep track in a regular season as it is!

[violet and green]

No, it lost its super idol status on this season and weirdly became a two part half doesn't work alone standard idol!

Edited April 26, 2018 by violet and green
typo

[cherrypj]

1 hour ago, violet and green said:

No, it lost its super idol status on this season and weirdly became a two part half doesn't work alone standard idol!

I’m hopeful that Michael can spin a story about it: make the idol even more super powered. His story about James’s China idol was well done. 

[violet and green]

23 minutes ago, cherrypj said:

I’m hopeful that Michael can spin a story about it: make the idol even more super powered. His story about James’s China idol was well done. 

Except it's Donathon's idol. Hmmm... Make it work!

[violet and green]

nvm

Edited April 27, 2018 by violet and green
posted in wrong thread

[LadyChatts]

I actually wasn't as convinced as everyone else that Des was going.  I was getting flashbacks to the Morgan boot and thinking something totally unexpected was going to happen.  Des seemed too obvious.  I mean, way too obvious. 

It does seem like Michael is going to try and play another idol story next week.  Since I like the guy I'm hoping he can do something to save himself, because I don't like his odds. 

[Oscirus]

Interesting tidbit from Des's interviews, they apparently knew that Wendell had an idol and he apparently had a fake idol as well. Not sure if this is rewriting history or true. But if true, that's interesting especially since we haven't seen that. Also Des tried to turn Lauren against Wendell, but Laurel wouldn't go for it.

[SVNBob]

2 hours ago, Oscirus said:

Interesting tidbit from Des's interviews, they apparently knew that Wendell had an idol and he apparently had a fake idol as well.

That explains Dom's question about Wendell's idol after the merge!  (During the talk they had while Chris was "planning" with everyone else at the well.)  Wendell told Dom he had an idol and Dom asked "A real one?"  That question seems a little out of left field until adding in this information.

So the timeline must be that Wendell made a fake idol sometime before the first swap, as that's when Des went to Malolo until the merge.  Then he found the real one on Yanuya after the second swap.

[Special K]

18 hours ago, ProfCrash said:

IChelsea Was the only person who did not vote for Des and that might have been a sympathy vote.

Or perhaps a bit of jury management?

[ProfCrash]

2 hours ago, Special K said:

Or perhaps a bit of jury management?

Jury management = sympathy vote in my mind. Kellyn can justify voting for Des to Des because Des was targeting Kellyn. Chelsea was not the target, Des said she could bring Chelsea with her to vote with the Malolo. It would be harder for Chelsea to justify voting for Des. The group had the numbers and did not need Chelsea's vote. I suspect that Dom and Wendell could care less who Chelsea voted for because they do not expect to have to worry about Chelsea getting to the final three so they let Chelsea vote for Michael. So it is jury management for Chelsea but jury management that the others are not worried about.

[Special K]

31 minutes ago, ProfCrash said:

Jury management = sympathy vote in my mind. Kellyn can justify voting for Des to Des because Des was targeting Kellyn. Chelsea was not the target, Des said she could bring Chelsea with her to vote with the Malolo. It would be harder for Chelsea to justify voting for Des. The group had the numbers and did not need Chelsea's vote. I suspect that Dom and Wendell could care less who Chelsea voted for because they do not expect to have to worry about Chelsea getting to the final three so they let Chelsea vote for Michael. So it is jury management for Chelsea but jury management that the others are not worried about.

Agree with your post.  This way, if she gets to FTC, Chelsea can say that she didn't betray Des, one of her close alliance-mates, even though her vote didn't matter to anyone left (except maybe Kellyn? -- hmm, we'll see).

Also don't think anyone learned that Angela didn't have a vote.

[303420]

On 4/25/2018 at 9:48 AM, ProfCrash said:

When they got to the merge, original Malolo had a good chance to move on if they worked together but Donathon and Laurel clearly did not trust their old tribe mates and are chosing Dom and Wendell. And I am fine with that, I just want to know why Laurel feels like she was on the bottom and it made more sense to stay with Wendell and Dom. Something seems to be missing from the story.

I dunno; Libby's been the only original Malolo to go since the merge, and she seemed tightest with Michael. Now there are four original Malolo left, and Laurel and Donathan have options. Michael doesn't really have options and Jenna just has Sebastian, who is basically just a walking blunt. If she even has him because who the hell knows. Anyway, Malolo 4 is still a very workable group at this point. I don't see where Laurel has any down side to the last several votes.

[peachmangosteen]

3 minutes ago, 303420 said:

Anyway, Malolo 4 is still a very workable group at this point. I don't see where Laurel has any down side to the last several votes.

True. I think now's the time she's gonna have to choose what path she wants to go with though because Dom/Wendell will almost certainly wanna go for Michael now and if Laurel goes along with it she's pretty much saying goodbye to anything but going to F4 with Wendell/Dom. 

[peachmangosteen]

I was curious about how little we've seen Chelsea since so many talk about how invisible she is and yet for some reason I always remember her. Anyway, her confessional count is almost at Purple Kelly levels. She had 0 confessionals in 7 of the 10 eps and only 1 each in the other 3. I don't know how I have always remembered her and I especially don't know how I actually thought at one point that she was a possible winner lol.

Also, Dom is really running away with the count. He has 10 more confessionals than second place Michael. Confessional counts aren't necessarily a winner indicator, but Dom's so significantly ahead of everyone. I really think he's probably the winner.

I still think Kellyn might pull it out somehow though. She has 25, only 3 off from Michael. And female winners usually don't have the highest confessional counts anyway.

ETA: I just took a look at the confessional counts for the past 10 seasons and the winner of the game had the most confessionals in all but 2 seasons.

Edited April 27, 2018 by peachmangosteen

[LanceM]

22 hours ago, peachmangosteen said:

I was curious about how little we've seen Chelsea since so many talk about how invisible she is and yet for some reason I always remember her. Anyway, her confessional count is almost at Purple Kelly levels. She had 0 confessionals in 7 of the 10 eps and only 1 each in the other 3. I don't know how I have always remembered her and I especially don't know how I actually thought at one point that she was a possible winner lol.

 

 

Well for me for shallow reasons only, I remember her because I think she is quite beautiful. This past episode they seemed to focus on her face atleast half a dozen times.  For non-shallow reasons I think people know who she is (though not necessarily her name) is because she always seems to be shown and talking when they are talking strategy right before the vote.

Edited April 28, 2018 by LanceM

[Eolivet]

I think Kellyn is very much Chrissy 2.0: the villain the (probably male) winner vanquishes in order to win. Looks like Chrissy had the third highest number of confessionals last season.

I think they have abandoned the “shocking” winner edits of Kaoh Rong and Millennials vs Gen X (where the winner isn’t obvious by number of confessionals or actual importance to the season story arc as a whole) and gone back to a modified Mike Holloway “hero overcomes obstacles” approach. I wish that didn’t involve defeating an evil “witch,” like it’s the ... 1800s, but I guess the show does air on CBS ...