Anyone’s Game Now
by Rich Glanzer
Sometimes you have to look for the foreshadow. When Chris voted out Sarge he said, “I'm just trying to advance in the game Sarge. And if I can, I'm gonna burn every one of em’. Just let em’ open the door."
Consider that door blasted wide open. Another door that was cracked wide open is the title for Vanuatu’s dumbest Survivor. Sarge had the lock on that for joining then sticking with the all weak guy alliance, and then staying with Julie over John. But Ami, Leann, and Julie not realizing they were in the final three by just shutting their mouths, is giving Sarge a run for his money.
When Chris went to those three and ratted out Scout and Twila, it was a strong aggressive play. The only one he had. Create doubt in the all women alliance, and hopefully last another three to six days. But it did much more than that. It broke up one of the strongest alliances ever in Survivor’s history.
But it took incredible impatience and stupidity by Leann, Ami and Julie for that to happen. When given that information, the correct play would have been to be real curious to see if it was true, and wait to watch CBS some six months down the road to find out. Because what did it matter? With Eliza behind them, the three women in charge had the numbers already. They should have just voted out Chris, Scout and Twila like they had probably planned anyway. But instead, they had to find out if what Chris said was true. Well it was, and now Leann is gone with Ami and Julie slated to be next.
What’s so frustrating about this is two of the game’s best players made this mistake, Ami and Julie. Julie’s move of lying to Twila which created doubt in her mind, and making the post merge power switch to the women has kept her alive and well in the game. She was #5 in an alliance of five, and knew well enough to switch. Julie also duped the men into thinking that she really would stay with them after the merge. Yes it took sheer stupidity by the men to get her through, but give her credit for giving the guys reason for that stupidity.
Ami on the other hand has been dominating. She saw her opportunity to get rid of a distrusting women in Lisa, yet keep the female alliance strong, and took it. For that, she had a stronger alliance once the merge hit. All the guys knew she was the one in charge, but her smugness proved to be a possibly fatal mistake.
Leann on the other hand had done nothing but coast so far. She did her work, was well liked, but made no power play. That type of playing will get you a million dollars. But she blew it by doing what Alex did to Long Island Rob in the first battle of the sexes! She told Scout where she stood, and Scout didn’t like her place very much. So she looked for better partners. It was a great move by Scout. She realized she had no chance to win unless she backstabbed her alliance, and she took out her knife. So now the final four looks like Chris, Eliza, Scout, and Twila.
But not so fast. If there’s anything to be learned, it’s that as long as that torch is still burning, the game’s not over yet. And what a game it has become. Arguably the worst Survivor season ever, can now turn around and be one of the best finishes ever. There is no unbreakable alliance anymore. Because once the unbreakable alliance proves breakable, then all other alliances can be shattered. It’s all up to Chris. For him to give himself the best chance at winning, he has to realize he doesn’t owe anybody anything. And he should trust one person. Eliza. He should stand behind Eliza as Eliza has that huge grin on her face from knocking out Leann, and whisper, “It’s me and you in the final two.” They should make a pact. And he should keep it. He should make a pact as well with Scout and Twila not to burn them. Then he should burn each and every one of em’! Once they get rid of Ami (as long as they can rip the immunity necklace from her) he should find his ol’ pal Julie, and make her a deal. He’ll get her to the final three, and if she wins immunity, she takes him. Whether she agrees to it or not, he should still take her, and turn on Twila, like Twila turned on him. Turn about is fair play, and Chris obviously doesn’t owe anything to Scout. It’s his game to lose once again.
Eliza would be wise to ride on Chris’ coattail. She obviously was turned on by her old alliance, and Scout and Twila can’t stand her. So there’s no reason for her not to turn on the two women and pick up Julie.
Now Scout and Twila can pick up Julie as well. But Julie has to be proactive, and play one side vs. another. And when the time comes, she should decide who she wants to play against in the final immunity challenge, and who she wants to face off against in the battle for the championship. The key for Julie is not to let Ami win the next immunity challenge, or she’s going home.
My prediction for the final two? The two people that have done what the game is all about; survive. Chris and Eliza. With Chris taking home a million bucks.
