[Jeff Probst]

Congratulations, you have made the final 8!! You have outlasted 2/3 of this cast You started this game playing against players who had not made it as far as you have in their previous season, and here you are! You're entering the final week of the game, where legends are born, and games are destroyed. So let's get to it.

1. To move forward, we must look at the past. Reflecting on your season thus far, how has your experience been? What moves are you most proud of, are there any mistakes you've made? What are they? How would you like to be remembered when it's all said and done?

2. The dreaded slambook challenge. You know it well... I think the most can be learned from this challenge more than any other. Numbers was a pecking order, but this was the consensus... how you are perceived. Furthermore, you got to see what other people thought the most answers would be. You also saw who was the most out of touch and the most in tune with the tribe. The person who scored the least overall ended up going home... What did you learn about yourself in this challenge? What was the most surprising answer to you, and did you learn about where people stand based on their answers? Do you think the answers to this question will change the perceived threat level of others? IE: If someone was labeled the most threatening, does that label itself make it more true?

3. We spoke about threats vs. goats last week, and this week someone labeled a 'final 3 goat' in the challenge went home. The thing about goats is that everyone wants to sit with them in the final 3, but only 1 person can. The more threatening a player, generally, the more likely they are to go home. Which leaves all the "threats" sitting on the jury voting for the least threatening person sitting against two goats. Who do you see as a "goat" that might be taking up a final 3 spot that you could be sitting in? If you are the goat, what will you do between now and the final 3 to change that perception with the jury?

4. An explosive Tribal Council and also somewhat exposing Tribal Council. Did you learn anything new from the public fight and call-outs you didn't know going into Council? Talk me through your reactions as it happened. How did your reaction in-the-moment impact the jury's opinion of you, if at all? Is there a benefit to getting into public arguments at Council? A detriment?

5. One of the final opportunities to spend StrandedCoin arose in a Steal a Vote advantage, which Hope won. How does this impact your strategy as we advance? Are there new strategic options that could be gained from this advantage entering the game?

Finally, good luck!!! You are now in the end game and join a family of Stranded Alumni that are all watching and will look back on this season for years to come. Give it your all! The game started with 12 people looking for a second chance to right the wrongs they experienced last time. Don't leave with regrets; finish strong in your last week.

-Probst

[Stephannie]

Here we go! I'll give y'all my morning mobile update! Was too busy most of the day yesterday.

You started this game playing against players who had not made it as far as you have in their previous season, and here you are!



Kidding, kidding. I'm happy and proud of myself for making the final week! You know? I keep going back to this. But I have five+ years under my belt screeching at Sarah, Caryn, Vytas, even Mookie long ago, and various other folks. Part of me never thought I could come back because I'd be an auto first boot, lol. That said I've been lower key in the Discord after a brief stint in 2018, but yeah... those Skype days. Honestly they still feel so significant to me. So this is kind of a long time coming. I wasn't necessarily playing with anything to prove to myself this time, well I kind of was, but it's been great to put money where my mouth had been for so long. Still though... another week to play! I'm not about to talk too soon, because I need to keep my eye on the win.

1. To move forward, we must look at the past. Reflecting on your season thus far, how has your experience been? What moves are you most proud of, are there any mistakes you've made? What are they? How would you like to be remembered when it's all said and done?

First and foremost my experience has been great! Reflecting on my game though... yeah. I'm not directing votes or going off at tribal. I was a huge name in the premerge allegedly, and had a rough start to the merge, but I've done my best to be adaptable and I've been a lot more UTR lately.

I'm proud of that though. Staying calm and being level-headed. Never thought I would say that after last time, but it's true. Like. I'm being real, as adaptable and open as I can be, and I'm picking my battles. There's no hidden qualities to my game right now. I'm not going to sit at the end and claim to have been in control, because that's not the game I'm playing.

In the pre-merge I was upset initially. Remember those updates about how I was mad I had no control? And then I had some control for a bit during the swaps, only to lose it again at the merge. So that's part of my story. And something I'm proud of. Coming in wanting to be in control, not really getting that necessarily, and being able to switch up my approach at the merge to a more adaptable style. There's nothing wrong with a simpler game. My strengths are being social and staying cool under pressure.

How I'm remembered isn't necessarily up to me. But I'd like to leave a legacy of coming back and playing well. And being social and a force from the beginning. Yes I've had lower key moments..... but that's good too. I'm known in the community for "being crazy" so it's fun to come back and show another side of myself where I feel I've been one of the calmer players all along.

2. The dreaded slambook challenge. You know it well... I think the most can be learned from this challenge more than any other. Numbers was a pecking order, but this was the consensus... how you are perceived. Furthermore, you got to see what other people thought the most answers would be. You also saw who was the most out of touch and the most in tune with the tribe. The person who scored the least overall ended up going home... What did you learn about yourself in this challenge? What was the most surprising answer to you, and did you learn about where people stand based on their answers? Do you think the answers to this question will change the perceived threat level of others? IE: If someone was labeled the most threatening, does that label itself make it more true?

I think Matt winning "most trustworthy" surprised me! Not because he isn't. But because I didn't expect any of our "trio" to win that... especially since I voted Sherri. Which means he's more integrated with the rest than I thought. And that's both a good and a bad thing. Bad because it could protect him more if everyone makes a move on us, and because it theoretically gives him more options.... but also good. Because it raises his threat level. And also if more folks feel good with him, then our trio with Sherri may appear less threatening to everyone else. I mean I'd be shocked if no move is ever made against us, but yeah.

The rest of the answers made sense. A lot of Michael/Alexis labeled as the threats. Pretty accurate. And the eye-opening aspect was just that it showed Michael and whoever else scored high are very in-tune with the game. And I always viewed him, Alexis, and Hope as power players but yeah.

Oh and me winning no superlatives just proves I've been UTR lately. Which is fine. It's only a bad thing if I'm too delusional to back it up, or have no idea what's going on type of thing. But it's still a mini wakeup call that - yes, I need to think carefully about how I act in this final week, and about who I'd go to the end with. Because a more UTR merge presence is never going to beat someone like Alexis in the end.

And yes, winning the threat labels make them more true. I'm hoping Michael and Alexis don't team up now lol. They should, and I would if I were them, but yeah.

3. We spoke about threats vs. goats last week, and this week someone labeled a 'final 3 goat' in the challenge went home. The thing about goats is that everyone wants to sit with them in the final 3, but only 1 person can. The more threatening a player, generally, the more likely they are to go home. Which leaves all the "threats" sitting on the jury voting for the least threatening person sitting against two goats. Who do you see as a "goat" that might be taking up a final 3 spot that you could be sitting in? If you are the goat, what will you do between now and the final 3 to change that perception with the jury?

I think Shamar for sure. He makes it work and is lovable about it, that's his charm, but yeah. At this point though I want him out because I can't trust him... we don't talk nearly enough, and for most of the week we only ever confirmed the vote minutes before tribal. Or like the other day, didn't confirm it at all.

With that said I know the game I'm playing and I can't be sitting next to Michael, Alexis, or Hope I feel. Maybe Michael if he's hated but idk. And then I think both Matt and Sherri outshine me with the idols and being a bit more aggressive in the merge.... so.... I'm a bit worried already about not having a ton of favorable FTC outcomes. Maybe it's time to reignite my Day 1 bond with Jessica and go to the end together? Lol. No shade to her and she's played a fine game, but I do think she's one of the few names left I'd enter FTC with a leg up against.

4. An explosive Tribal Council and also somewhat exposing Tribal Council. Did you learn anything new from the public fight and call-outs you didn't know going into Council? Talk me through your reactions as it happened. How did your reaction in-the-moment impact the jury's opinion of you, if at all? Is there a benefit to getting into public arguments at Council? A detriment?

I didn't know Aurora and Michael had beef! But then we talked after and neither did he? Oh and overall I didn't realize just how controversial Michael was. Like I knew he was dangerous and a bit of a snake, but I didn't realize how widespread that was. It makes me like him more lol. And I'd like him to stick around for a bit longer to continue taking up attention and heat.

I was pretty silent during the drama because it didn't involve me. And it was Aurora making a stand knowing she was in trouble, and I didn't want to be flippant or disrespectful by chiming in... because I really had no stake. I didn't know they had beef lol. And honestly? Being too quiet at tribal can make the jury hate you or find you boring, so idk, I'll try to be more vocal next week without it just being for the sake of it. It's a tough balance to strike but I'm definitely guilty of being quiet.

5. One of the final opportunities to spend StrandedCoin arose in a Steal a Vote advantage, which Hope won. How does this impact your strategy as we advance? Are there new strategic options that could be gained from this advantage entering the game?

I'm glad she got the advantage, because now her and Alexis have more power. And they will hopefully not be as worried about moving forward with all of me, Matt, and Sherri since they'd outvote us in a F6 situation with that item anyway. So I hope it helps her feel more comfortable and less likely to turn on me.

And then the other side of it, gives us a reason to get rid of her or Alexis before too long. Instead of keeping them both in as "shields" or "threats" before it's too late.

Finally, good luck!!! You are now in the end game and join a family of Stranded Alumni that are all watching and will look back on this season for years to come. Give it your all! The game started with 12 people looking for a second chance to right the wrongs they experienced last time. Don't leave with regrets; finish strong in your last week.

"Don't leave with regrets" Yeah.... some Faroe Islands moments still haunt me even now lol.

Anyway though, feeling excited to make it this far, and accomplished and vindicated to make the final week after all those years of the bickering, the what-ifs, and the drama. With that said.... no, I'm not satisfied with 8th. Or 7th, or anything else. There's still a final string of tribals to go, and I'm ready to do what it takes to survive and then pitch my case to win in the end... even if there's many bigger names ahead of me right now.

[Stephannie]

My brain is mush today, ugh... I've said this in a few of my chats but I really don't have the capacity for game talk today. Or even for socializing that much. Thankfully it's Saturday and the quietness is expected, but still. I wanted to come on and send quick things to folks so that they knew I wasn't ignoring them.

Not even sure why I'm making this update, lol. I should go to bed early tbh and wake up first thing.

[Stephannie]

Everyone is offline! Time to race to bed and sleep early for the night before the online list changes <3

[Stephannie]

And I have to say.... as a returnee I feel like this final week is so crucial. I don't want to get extreme and say it's "make or break," I know who I am. But repeat performances are often how legends are made!

F8 is good, especially in a larger cast. But there's still so much farther to go. I don't think I'm necessarily playing the best or most winning game of the remaining players right now... but as far as my ~Stranded History and Legacy~ goes, this is my game to win and if I fail to make that a reality, then I fail.

These weekends always seem to drag on, lol. Anxious to play out these last few rounds.

[Stephannie]

So we're allegedly getting rid of Alexis. But the others should make a move against us here, lol.... not sure how much I trust it, but Hope seems pretty consistent in what she's saying.

I guess the vague plan could be Alexis -> Shamar and then idk. But I don't think I'm a bigger threat than Michael, Hope, or even Sherri/Matt so I think this vote is safe.

Not quite sure what my ideal end-game is. I would love me/Sherri/Matt, but idk if I would win in that scenario? Who can I still beat? Idk lol... Jess? Well I'll get myself farther and I'll get my allies farther. Maybe I'll win, maybe I'm facing an uphill battle if/when I get to the FTC.

[Stephannie]

Searched my name in the Discord earlier today and remembered this ridiculous exchange with the other Stephanie. When I said I empathized with Ben on WaW, and didn't blame him for quitting, because I could relate to how hard end-games can be.






Lmfao. That's why I left the server too for another several months. But now this can be me the next time we have a disagreement:



"I just wanted to come and congratulate you on... ... nineteenth place "

[Stephannie]

This is supposedly a simple Alexis vote, but that would involve trusting Jessica and Hope which... Jess, lol, we have never voted together. And Hope has proven to be sneaky and great at playing all sides. So I'm nervous too.

Alexis is trying to put together a split on me and Sherri. So it's concerning that Michael is telling me he "hasn't heard from Alexis" because she would 100% have tried recruiting him for this plan. And I never talk to Shamar. Like... it really will hinge on whether Hope is telling the truth, and whether Jess is on board, because if not then it's not necessarily looking good. We have the idol, but yeah, I wouldn't expect Matt to use it on us especially if we think we're good here.

All that to say, I'd really love immunity tonight. I bet it's that coordinates challenge since it hasn't popped up yet.

[Stephannie]

Is Matt doing to me what I did to Tai?

"See you in half an hour" is ominous... as is Shamar "hearing my name," and Jessica/Alexis being SO quiet during that window. Feeling a little uneasy but I'm hoping I'm just being paranoid.