MERGE TIME!
The pre merge has been crazy as hell and I think that despite some unfortunate boots there's really no one here that I'm not excited to continue to watch play. I'm not really sure who is going to win out here, there's a lot going on. People are being petty and saying that they hate people and shit which is always how stranded runs I feel like lmfao. Always cast the people who can bring the drama and I'm surprised to see some of the people here losing their minds which I originally thought they were pretty solid. I'll get in to all that when I get person to person. I am UNFORTUNATELY going to miss the next week of this game so my blog is going to cut off here until I get back. I figured I would give the guys one more Cochran nugget to bite on once this thing is over
And hopefully more after but yeah. This game has been incredible to watch so far and I'm sure the merge is going to bring a lot more insanity. No one seems to be locked in to an alliance with people they aren't ready to cut, everyone is promising some heavy drama and I'm here for it.
I guess I should talk about the last round a little bit. Missy playing her idol would have been absolutely insane for this merge vote, but I think that Alexis and Shamar being here is fine too so whatever. The council was intense and it was nice to see the whispers in action though it was predominately Missy who was on it? I would have liked to see Liz vs Missy a little bit more but I think that she provided what she was supposed to provide this season, I get why she was brought back despite her time last season. I think there was a lot that could have happened to not have her go home there but that tribe (with Tai immune) was always bound to be insane. I'm glad that Puke lost a bunch so that they had time to make all that shit build up. I was pretty bummed at the loss of War Dog there but honestly, anyone leaving would have bummed me out at least a little bit and I think that's a sign of a good season moving forward.
Lets crack in to this then.
Alexis has been killer through this whole game. She's definitely one of the highest profile people out here and now that Missy's random hate boner for her isn't here anymore she has a LOT of room to breath. I think that losing her would have been very shitty for the game because she definitely has a good head on her shoulders and it's going to be fun to watch her navigate the crazies that are still around here. She still has her partner (who is losing it more day by day) and that will definitely effect everyone's ability to work with her. Maybe for the better in some cases? We'll see on if Jess/Michael and Allie/Aurora would rather keep the partnerships around or what. I think the decisions she makes over the next few tribal are really going to show her hand. I don't really think she wins this game because even the people who feel really good about her identify that she is sociable and probably in good with everyone. I expect her to be a late game boot at this rate since she's pretty well positioned between the noobs and vets who will be pulling on her.
Suggestions for what she should do? I don't really know lol. I think that she should identify the other threats and probably try and keep people around. Having Liz who is a little bit of a shield for her is good in the short term as long as people don't come for her to hurt liz or something. I think that if she DOES make the end then it's going to be hard not to want to reward her for the strong gameplay. Love the confessionals, overall just a good person to watch.
I have been an
Allie fan from the start and I've been pretty vocal about it. She cooled down for me a little bit these last few rounds but I think that her story is kind of fascinating. She, for some reason, isn't really able to get IN in with anyone. She's a fringe ally for everyone at best, and I think it's because she's prioritizing the game talk with people a little bit? They called her gamebotty and shit but I feel like she would be my best friend in game lol. I think that her getting to the merge is almost a miracle but I think that she is in a pretty good spot being here. Her reads are almost always on point and her head is definitely in the game here. She will likely be pulled on for a vote here and since she's trying with everyone, I doubt she is going to be decided on for some easy vote or whatever. Which is amazing, I want to see her navigate the merger from a place of really not having anyone. She sort of has the option to do whatever the fuck she wants.
She can win this game with the right final three. I don't think that anyone is really threatened by her which is weird because she's also getting in trouble for being too game oriented? That's the person I would be scared by tbh. I think she has a pretty good shot at making the end here IF she can pick up the pieces after the mess that will be the people who are actually hating each other. She's starting to be seen as someone who is straight headed from Sherri who will probably have some pull. I don't know, she has an uphill battle but I am PULLING for her and want to see her succeed here.
Aurora is crazy lol and definitely not killing the "social" part of the game here. I think she got very lucky by some clutch challenge wins these last couple days. Doesn't mean that she doesn't deserve to be here or won't be entertaining, I think she has the potential to continue to lose her mind and I'm here for that. Her and Allie being one of the last few pairs? I am living for it. They don't trust each other at all it seems so whatever. I don't really know who has her back at this point and while I think Allie is more likely to be someone people pull over, I think she probably goes home as a consensus boot here in a little bit. I am still hoping she does add some of that patented crazy that we've seen in the past from her though. She just doesn't REALLY have a reason to be crazy right now? So maybe she'll cool it and start getting better here.
I don't know what she can do to win. Someone pointed out she talks very wishy washy to people and it's hard to get respect when you are that way so the first thing would be to be a little more forward with people. Though her telling someone to calm down and stop being crazy lmfao I think it was missy? Was hilarious. She's going to be entertaining likely because she's off her rocker sometimes and that's why we're here for her, not because she's some strategic genius.
Elizabeth is giving me VERY heavy Mia vibes lol. I would not want to play with what she's being right now. She honestly went from being a huge threat to take this thing to almost completely not that. It's entertaining and I think UB said it best in her confesh. She's the person you want to watch on the host side of things for sure, and she really, really went in to everyone after they "fucked her over" by saving her lmfao. I still think that for all of them they should have voted her out but I am very happy they didn't (sorry Jed). She has made enemies with the noob alliance and they are almost definitely going to want her out. Her throwing the challenge was wack but the cockiness and out in the openness was crazy and I really, really hope that she brings more of that energy here. I like watching the people who just put their head down and try and barrel through the competition. She is very, very lucky to have the idol because surviving just a vote or two here is going to be gold for her.
Her handling Jess and Alexis should be interesting. I don't really know how she wins this thing unless she cools down a little bit because even if her side wins out, if she pisses off the whole opposition then someone else will take that dub from her. I don't really care though I want her to keep being aggressive and a little bit crazy :). She is definitely an allstar who went before her time last time so obviously she needed to be here. Her relationship with Jess is fascinating and I can't wait to see them both keep trying to run the game while losing it a little bit each time
Hope!!! Being our potential first boot to being someone who is actually decently positioned here is pretty amazing to me. I mean this could be Erik right now. She is a little less offensive than everyone else but people seem to be writing her off less and less here. I think she's in a similar spot to Allie where she's just sort of on her own a bit but won't be looked at for a boot because people need her. She has the potential to get with some of the noobs as she made an early alliance and I would love to see her kick it a little bit because of that. What she has over Allie is the fact that people are looking more and more likely to want to trust her as someone on the fringe, and I think that if she doesn't show her hand too much then she can do some real damage. I doubt she goes out any time soon.
For her to get to the end though she's going to have to take shit in to her own hands at least a little bit. The thing is that she doesn't seem afraid to do it which is good. If she starts pushing her agenda when the time is right she can make the end being inoffensive enough and with a decent resume. She's also always got some quality confessionals calling people on their shit which is a great read. Pretty fiery and will definitely be one to watch if she puts in the time and effort.
Jessica is a nut case. If anyone could call this merge a win it's definitely her. I think that the whole missy council was worst reflected on her (outside of missy ofc) and she really is going to need to put in some work to remedy what she's done. I don't think that she knows that though? The confidence she has amazes me and It gives me some me vibes lmfao because I don't think she is untouchable and a lot of the people she put as her allies may not be as close to her as she thinks. She's playing hard as fuck and you can really feel how bad she wants this, so I'm happy she got here to the merge though I don't really know how long she'll be stuck around. If she does go early though I'll be living for the Liz meltdown that will almost definitely happen as a result lmfao. Those two together are great and I think they're both playing that put you head down and get it done way that I like to see. Every lurker (including myself) has been pulling for Jess hard to make something happen.
I don't know if she can win though unless she starts to take a couple steps back. First off, she is going to be hard pressed to make it to the end with how she's been here. People are wary of her (if last night is any indication) and I think that even the people she's trying to shmooze are starting to question her shit. Lol at her flirting with Shamar and Rocker and Rockers voting comment. The flirty thing just is not working for you b. But I think she's going to keep doing what she's doing. There's this weird thing that happens in ORG's sometimes where you really may not know how close to the brink you are and based off what she's saying, I don't think she sees it. I hope she gets some votes here (not a boot off) so she becomes slightly more self aware because that's what REALLY needs to happen for her to make something happen. Regardless I'm definitely here for her continued success.
This kid is an all star.
Matt has been consistently one of the most sociable people in the game and he's been doing a very good job at keeping it under the radar. He has some tight groupings with everyone on the noobs side and I think that he'll make it pretty easy to pull in some of the vets too as he starts meeting more and more. He has a lot of good relationships and I don't know if it will ever catch up to him. Sherri seems to be getting the heat for all the moving going on, so as long as he axes her out eventually and still makes the end game I really think that has a great shot to win this. He's not afraid to clap back at Liz here and I think that he will have the pull to win out in that little semi-rivalry which is awesome. He seems like just a cool guy which is winning him a lot of favors with people.
I don't really know what to say about his game besides that he needs to keep doing what he's doing lol. Definitely a better gameplayer than me if his position is anything to be looked at so what can I really say. Just keep on doing the sociable thing, keeping it under the radar, win out in a few key places, and make the end and it'll be a hard sell not to push him against some. There are a lot of threats around him so the biggest threat to him is if people figure out Sherri's whole idol deal and they take him out as a second hand. You're killing it bro gj.
