S37: Natalia Azoqa

[Netta Leven]

Hi.  I'm an engineer and probably the first castaway whose lineage can be traced back to Jordan.

She sounds confident and like she knows the game, based on her bio and interview.  She seems to know that she has to make things happen to advance rather than let them happen, as she already had to make getting on the show happen, as well.  At least until she shows herself to be loathsome, I think I'm going to like her.

[Bryce Lynch]

My first impression of her is positive.  But, if clean teeth are her biggest priority, she might not enjoy Survivor much.  Plus, she seems to be very bothered by the mildly annoying behavior of other people.  I sympathize, but that could be a problem, when you are stuck on a island with a bunch of strangers 24/7 for 39 days.   

[LanceM]

Natalia has a very interesting background.  Her family is from Jordan though she identifies herself as a Circassian, which admittedly I had to look up is a region in the Caucasus near the Black Sea.  A lot of their population was displaced in the nineteenth century settling mainly in the Middle East.  She is also a Muslim, which I believe is a Survivor first atleast among woman players.

 

[LadyChatts]

Quote

Describe what was going through your head when you saw that vote come up?
Honestly, I had a feeling the whole day something was off. I think that’s one of the main reasons I was acting so paranoid and I wasn’t really getting any reassurances that I needed from what I thought was my core alliance of Kara, because she was not seeing what I was seeing. At the vote, when you see Alec talking to Elizabeth, it really didn’t make any sense to me because Kara was supposed to vote for Davie, and Alec was supposed to vote for Elizabeth with me. Davie was totally on board with voting for Elizabeth. I was so determined that an idol was going to be in play. I thought for sure that Elizabeth had the idol. I didn’t think Davie had it.

This at least explains the random Davie vote.

https://ew.com/tv/2018/10/18/survivor-natalia-azoqa-david-vs-goliath/

[TVFan1]

Yeah, I was a little confused last night after seeing the random Davie vote. It all makes sense after reading that interview.

[LanceM]

Will we see her again?  Wouldn't be surprised because Jeff loves her. (I agree with him)

https://ew.com/tv/2018/10/18/survivor-jeff-probst-david-vs-goliath-episode-4/

 

"I love Natalia. She was an immediate “yes” to being on the show. She’s strong-willed, outspoken, athletic, and she doesn’t suffer fools. It’s a brilliant combination for a human and for a Survivor player. I don’t know what her fatal flaw is, because I don’t think that’s what got her voted out. I think she was simply the victim of an early move by another player. I say this all the time — good players get voted out early every season. Survivor is a do-or-die game. It’s extremely risky and there is nowhere to hide. If the tide turns against you, for whatever reason, and you are the target of a blindside, it’s very tough to defend against it because you never see it coming. In another season, Natalia could go very deep in the game. She came to play, and instead she got played. It happens. I like her. She stirs things up, she’s great in challenges. I think she’s a fun candidate for a Second Chance season."

[JudyObscure]

10 hours ago, LanceM said:

"I love Natalia. She was an immediate “yes” to being on the show. She’s strong-willed, outspoken, athletic, and she doesn’t suffer fools. It’s a brilliant combination for a human and for a Survivor player. I don’t know what her fatal flaw is, because I don’t think that’s what got her voted out. I think she was simply the victim of an early move by another player. I say this all the time — good players get voted out early every season.

The quote is from Jeff Probst and I have to disagree with his opinion that Natalia  was a good player or with his definition of a brilliant human. Telling people to shut up would a fatal flaw in any social game and she was abrasive in other ways, as well.  I also hate the expression, "doesn't suffer fools," which is usually used as an excuse for people who are unkind to anyone who they think isn't as smart as they are.

[kikaha]

Ditto to everything Judy said.  Natalia self-evicted, with her paranoia, barked orders and awful social game.  To go deep in any other season, she will need to dramatically overhaul her total approach.

Edited October 19, 2018 by kikaha
accidental copy

[loki567]

I agree. I don't see much potential for her second-time around as a gameplayer.  I guess she could play again and I'm fine with that from a character-perspective because you need people who create drama on reality tv. But Alec's vote didn't strike me so much as a well-executed game move and more of a "I hate her so much that I'm willing to risk torpedoing my own game to get rid of her." Which is hilarious considering he was suppose to be "wrapped around her finger," during the brief mention of the showmance alliance on episode one. 

Somebody with this type of personality doesn't seem capable of changing it in a Survivor context. Dare I say, she even struck me as Abi-Maria-like? 

[peachmangosteen]

1 hour ago, loki567 said:

Dare I say, she even struck me as Abi-Maria-like? 

I agree. She was Abi Maria lite lol.

Edited October 19, 2018 by peachmangosteen

[LadyChatts]

I agree about her game play.  I don't think she had much.  It was awkward as hell watching her stand there while Kara and Elizabeth found something to bond on, and she looked like ants had just invaded her picnic.  I know editing plays a huge role, but it seemed like she wasn't even trying.  I will say she had one of the best exits ever, so there's that at least.  

Here's some excerpts from her interview with Parade.  She did mention that the Goliath's didn't like the name or what it stood for because they knew the Davids would be the underdogs worth rooting for, that they would probably be made to look bad, and that many in the Goliath camp did have their own uphill battles to get where they are in life.  I'm still kind of confused how some are considered Goliath's, but I might scare myself if I ever truly understand who winds up where.

https://parade.com/709848/mikebloom/survivor-david-vs-goliath-natalia-azoqa-on-what-grinds-her-gears/

Quote

In your Final Words, you spoke about how something changed in Alec after you went to Vuku, which is a far cry from what you told Kara and Angelina, that you’re with him. What do you believe changed?
Honestly, in Goliath, I had Alec in that alliance so the girls would stay. I didn’t agree with them that was my “person,” the guy I would go for. We talked about it multiple times, and they said, “Well, you have Alec.” And I said, “Guys, I don’t think I have Alec. He’s never speaking about the game to me.” I tried so many times to talk strategy with him; he never gave me an ounce of information. So when we got to the Vuku camp, the friendliness Alec gave me also faded. That was the shift I noticed. Alec and I were close on a personal level, and when I saw the personal fade and he wasn’t giving me eye contact, I knew something was off. I built a relationship with him where I could tell something was not as it was at the Goliath tribe.

 

Quote

On the other side, you have Natalie, who you seemed to be the most vocal against. I heard your conflict began with you taking the lead on building the shelter, which butted up against Natalie’s leadership style. Talk to me about those nine days playing with her.
You hear me talking about Natalie the entire show. It makes me upset because I had a lot of fun with a lot of people, and I wished you see that. And it makes me feel bad; I wouldn’t want to be Natalie right now. She doesn’t have her word on what she said about me. She just has what I said about her, and that makes me upset, because it’s not fair.

[marys1000]

She might be a good player if she could get over paranoia driving her.  Seems she read Alec but either underestimated him or couldn't turn it around.  I have gotten paranoid a few times and its not a good feeling. Its almost physical.  Survivor seems like a good place it could grab your psyche and screw with your head. 

[ProfCrash]

Her interview was refreshing because she knew where things went wrong and how her responses were problematic. She clearly knows who she s as a person and how that is good and bad. I wouldn’t mind seeing her back because she strikes me as someone who will try and adjust her game.