Time for my favorite part of the game- facing the jury…
I must say, that anticipating the outcome of the game, I feel that Stephen played a much more strategic game and that, despite my opinion that the vote will be close, he will win because he had the Exile Alliance (Taj, Sierra and Brendon), whom he bonded with very early in the game and Erinn, whom he had a close friendship with after the merge. I thought that Jt would get recognition for being very likable and tough in challenges, but I had doubts as to whether that would be enough. Let’s see if I was correct…
Stephen made a grave mistake in his early comment by saying yet again that he and JT shared the same brain. As I pointed, he is already not showing the jury why he played a separate and identifiable game from JT and he is not distancing himself from JT enough. The jury wants to know how you played a better game than the other person- not what you and your competitor did together to make it to the end. However he deserved credit for pointing out that he wasn’t an outdoor person and the fact that he adapted to the harsh conditions of survivor and grew as an individual, shows just how well he played the game. In comparison, JT who grew up on a farm was already accustomed to this environment.
JT took a different route by pointing out that he made good friendships and that it was hard to vote out any of them. He targets Brendon specifically by saying that he had to vote Brendon out because Brendon would have made it to the end. Is he suspecting the Brendon would vote for Stephen and he is trying to sway Brendon now? He also points out the fact that despite Stephen being a harder competitor to beat, he still chose Stephen to sit with him at the end. His argument seemed a little more convincing because he seemed to be flattering the jury when owning up to the moves he made.
Stephen answers Brendon’s question about his athletic ability by saying that he knew that he wasn’t much of a sports person, but focused on the “outwit” element of the game. JT deflects his answer by saying that growth in this game should mean nothing and that he outplayed Stephen. He further retaliates by saying that he putting himself on the line during the challenges is better than Stephen floating under the radar.
Erinn opens a can of worms by reminding everyone that Stephen made a lot of alliances that were betrayed. Stephen responds by saying that it was part of the game. Erinn questions Jt as the reasons why he chose Stephen to the end, and Jt responds by talking about Stephens loyalty.
Debbi questions whether she was wrong about JT’s first impression that he was an honest guy. JT responds by telling her advice that his mother gave him about how he should do anything to win this game. This answer may be more favorable to Debbi, who is a mother herself. Debbi asks Stephen a tougher question as to whether he would have chosen Erinn or JT to sit next to him. After Stephen dodges her a bit, he admits that he would have chosen JT. At this point, JT drops his head with disappointment. Is he for real or is he just acting to sweep a few loose sympathy votes?
Coach gave some philosophical quote that i could not follow. It was a bit funny when bit funny when he referred to them as the wizard and the warrior- typical Coach. Jt butters up Coach by saying that he risked a million dollars to by choosing Stephen and mentioned that he gave it his all. Stephen said that he is honorable because he is not made JT look bad in front of the jury and because he stuck with the vote every tribal council, unlike Jt, who would say he was voting for someone and then make a wasted vote so that he would not directly be voting off that person.
Sierra tells Stephen that she still thinks he is a sweetheart. ‘She points out that JT lied when he said he is taking the strongest person to the end, because Taj was stronger than Erinn and Stephen. JT says that he believes that Stephen is the strongest player, and Sierra turns the tables and says that if he chose Tyson, Brendon or Debbi to sit next to him, who were much stronger players, he would have earned his vote. She tells him that she has lost some respect for him.
Tyson asks them about the extent to which they the duo worked together helped them get to the end. Jt further drops Stephen by saying that he could have made it to the end without his help. I doubt that in my personal opinion. I believe that Stephen was safe regardless because he had the Exile Alliance and the Hidden Immunity Idols in place, and that JT sort of piggy backed onto that alliance. Stephen should have mentioned that, but I think he was just shocked that JT devalued their friendship so easily. I don’t blame Stephen- that was a cruel blindside, so to speak.
And finally Taj… the only Jalapoa member on the jury. The music is makes things a bit emotional, which is fitting for what she has to say. JT softens her up by saying that voting her off was the hardest vote he ever cast…hasn’t he been saying more or less the same thing to Coach and Debbi? Finally Stephen works JT by blaming her getting voted off on JT. He also brings up that JT wanted to blindside her with the idol before the merge. JT is not happy with this, and Stephen rightfully defends himself by saying that this is the first time he is taking a shot at JT, despite JT shooting him down all night in front of the jury. JT then tries to get the jury’s sympathy yet again by reminding him that e would have taken Erinn if he won the challenge. I don’t see how this decision is relevant because Stephen only considered it. He was not put in the position where he was forced to make that choice. Cut!
Its time to vote…
Taj says: “I’m a woman of my word, but you try being a man in the same way”. Who is she voting for? Despite the fact like she seems to be saying that the person is not a man of their word, she still votes for them. I’m more inclined to think that this vote is for Stephen, however, it could go either way…
Coach writes: “THE W…..” what is it? The Warrior or The Wizard? The anticipation is high!
Wow. Imagine what Jt and Stephen must be going through. If you don’t know, they wait for a good few months for The Reunion, where the votes will be revealed.
Stay tuned for the votes…..
