[Ziggy Lichman]

A close vote, an idol play, and a girl out the door!

1. Were you shocked by the way the vote went? Or was it just another day in the office
2. What did you make of the answers at today's challenge? Do you think any of sins given to you tribe mates were inaccurate?
3. As the numbers get smaller, the merge becomes focused on people's minds. Do you believe the merge dynamics will be defined by the original men vs women tribes, the swap tribes, or something else entirely?
4. Who do you think is the person you can trust the most on this tribe? Is that person also who you trust the most in the entire game? Do you see yourself in the end with this person?

[Susie]

1. Were you shocked by the way the vote went? Or was it just another day in the office

Crystal voting herself out was... interesting. I'd love to know her... reasoning.

2. What did you make of the answers at today's challenge? Do you think any of sins given to you tribe mates were inaccurate?

I think the whole challenge was a crap shoot.

3. As the numbers get smaller, the merge becomes focused on people's minds. Do you believe the merge dynamics will be defined by the original men vs women tribes, the swap tribes, or something else entirely?

At this point, yes, until the merge, then it will depend on if any of the women are left or not.

4. Who do you think is the person you can trust the most on this tribe? Is that person also who you trust the most in the entire game? Do you see yourself in the end with this person?

Aurora and Randy for both for this tribe. Reem is still my number one and final two.

[Susie]

Also, nice title Ziggy.

[Loveita]

Hello! Lurker here with a couple of mid episode questions for you!

1. What was your reaction when you read the challenge rules? Did you have a plan going into it? What did you hope would happen?
2. How did you feel about the outcome of the challenge? What do you think of your tribemates’ decisions?
3. You’ve got tribal in less than 24 hours. Is it scramble time? What’s your dream plan? What are your chances of pulling it off?

As always, feel free to share any thoughts you have as they spontaneously fill your head!

[Susie]

Hi Loveita!

1. What was your reaction when you read the challenge rules? Did you have a plan going into it? What did you hope would happen?

Dread. I was hoping the challenge would be skill based, but it probably wouldn't have mattered. I'd just heard that some of my tribe were planning on sabotaging the challenge to get rid of Aurora or I, so we probably would have lost anyway. Eric spearheaded the sabotage and took immunity for himself when he could have saved everyone on his tribe. I'm going into tomorrow with a plan to try to convince Devens that I would not have put him at risk and that all of our alliance decisions have been based on the alliance's best interests and I, for one, have no intention of stopping doing that, such as pulling a stunt like Eric did. Ace said no to individual immunity, and he was fastest, so perhaps he should be spared in the next vote, if we manage to get that far.

I'm going to encourage Devens to think of other moments in the game that he's told me about where he was simply told what to do and his opinion wasn't even considered. He's salty about Eric tossing him under for inactivity during tribal and he wasn't consulted on one of the votes, I'll have to remind myself which one. Somehow, I'm going to try to slide in that that's how one would treat a pawn, but that may be too heavy handed.

Devens doesn't like to be told what to do, but he's not ready to take responsibility for anything yet either which tells me he might be a fairly young person. I need to get him to just chat with me tomorrow a bit. I feel like I've got to be more entertaining to talk with than Eric, but who knows. I need to do what I can to build his trust without scaring him off and I can be a bit... much sometimes.

This is apropos of nothing, but I'm pleased with how the relationship is coming along with Aurora. I'm hopeful she continues to trust me, she's an awesome lady and if you stabbed me in the back, future Aurora, I'm going to be sad. And then I'll get over it. Hopefully that won't happen. I like that she feels like she's cheering me up on my "sad" days, as that will help her want to protect me later, if there's a later. I hope my sad is believable. She's a tough cookie. I picture her as someone you could be friends with for a year before getting to the heart of what they fear. So she's wary. Super sweet though, so that's nice.

I'm also going to try to push the "real champions don't throw challenges" angle as subtly as possible tomorrow. Fortunately for me, Devens isn't big on catching subtleties, as he apparently did not discern my player comment as a dis yesterday. Probably for the best. Sorry future Devens, you're not really a player, I was just mad. I wish you were more of a player, atm, for that matter. We'd like to play with you over here!

2. How did you feel about the outcome of the challenge? What do you think of your tribemates’ decisions?

i think it shows how much Eric values his tribe vs. his own interests. Tomorrow, in my come-to-Jesusita moments with Devens, I'm going to counter with how much I value the tribe integrity and each member's opinion and ask which camp he'd rather pitch in for. Ace earned the tiniest of gold stars, haha, with his NO at tribal. But seriously, his intentions to save the tribe were crystal clear. Ahem.

3. You’ve got tribal in less than 24 hours. Is it scramble time? What’s your dream plan? What are your chances of pulling it off?

Scramble time was today. Tomorrow is simmer and watch the lad make a decision time. Dream plan, Randy, Me, Aurora, Devens vs. Chris, Eric, Ace in a vote. They'll probably vote 3 on Aurora or me, we'll probably vote 4 on Chris, because Eric has immunity - otherwise I'd push for him, as Chris is a nice guy. He may just be game nice, but that's pretty hard to fake consistently unless you're a sociopath, and that's unlikely. Eric is, sorry future Eric, a bit of a bore at the moment. He can be called Borish Brute. Or, if we can't get Devens, the vote is 4 v 4, we go to rocks, they vote me or Aurora, we vote Chris. I think our chances are 50/50 either way.

if we somehow survive tomorrow intact, the alliance needs a name.

[Susie]

I just reread that if Eric hadn't grabbed individual immunity for himself, and no one else did, both tribes would go to tribal council. So he basically kept a Taraku member, male or female in the game, just to get rid of his own tribemate while saving only himself. I would never have done that and it's not super comfy to be on a tribe with a guy like that.

And because the other tribe's biggest alliance is four women and more than one confirmed guy, and the Brutes have been made very aware that I've told Matty to tell the women who to trust, they'll be targeted immediately over there. Whether that means hunker down with the boys and ride it out or swap over to our side is what we'll find out tomorrow from Devens. He holds the fate of my game in his hands.

One probably good thing with Eric sparing Taraku a boot, at least it spared Gillian for another week. Bad girl rule breaker or not, she's an ally and has been loyal. I hope she's still loyal to me, but chances are she's edged over to Reem if it came down to that. Whether I'm able to enjoy a reunion is up to the next challenge, which at least some of the guys plan to sabotage again, so things aren't looking super strong for the women on Atlasova, but don't cue "My Heart Will Go On" music just yet.

And how sweet is Randy? Such a nice guy.

[Danni Boatwright]

real champions don't throw challenges

DRAG THEM SUSIE!

[Susie]

A bit of research this morning shows I'm on shaky ground with this argument. Parvati, Richard and Natalie all threw challenges in their seasons. I'm gonna need a new angle there, as both Chris and Eric pray at the House of Parvati.

[Sarah Jones]

1. Tribal Council is in a few hours! How are you feeling things are going to go?
2. How do you WANT things to go?
3. Who do you intend to vote for and why?

[Susie]

1. Tribal Council is in a few hours! How are you feeling things are going to go?

Super nervous, like tonight could be my last.

2. How do you WANT things to go?

I want Devens to go in with me, Aurora and Randy to vote Ace out.

3. Who do you intend to vote for and why?

Ace. He sent Aurora a really mean message that she was about to get voted out right before the last tribal. Mean people suck.