Survivor Game Changers Cast Assessment: Tai Trang

Everyone’s favorite gardener, Tai Trang, is back to compete in Survivor Game Changers. Who will he align with this time to get him closer to victory?

In recent years, there has been a debate among fans in the Survivor community about whether or not a season’s winner can be the result of a misguided jury. At one point in Survivor Kaoh Rong, it would seem difficult, nay, impossible to argue that Tai Trang wasn’t deserving of the title of Sole Survivor based on the way he was playing.

Unfortunately, as the many Survivor Game Changers players know, this game is a 39-day marathon. A strong early game can unravel with one major mistake, especially if it leaves future jury members in a bitter state.

Tai was as lovable as any cast member Survivor has ever seen. Not only did he love his fellow castaways with a deep, noble heart, but he loved every living thing around him. Hungry players would let a chicken named Mark last an entire season walking around tribe as if he was a fellow castaway. That was the power of his sway; people loved him enough to trust him.

Of course, once it was shown that Tai Trang was a deceiver, all bets were off. He became a target.

You see, Tai was part of an alliance led by former NBA center Scot Pollard and bounty hunter Kyle Jason. Ahead of a tribal council in a pivotal moment, he was given one half of two hidden immunity idols that could have been used to create a Super Idol, which can negate the votes of a recipient after the votes have been read. When Tai didn’t offer up his immunity idol as Scot was voted off, he showed that he could be as deceptive as anyone else on the island.

That move ultimately cost Tai, sending him on a downward spiral of poor decisions and hesitation. In Survivor Game Changers, a season full of returning players, he can’t afford to make such decisions again.

Tai Trang will need to be a loyal player if he is to last in his upcoming season, although I don’t see him making an outward play or big move until late in the game. Starting off with the Nuku tribe, Tai can go down one of two routes; familiarity or with meat shields ahead of him.

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Unfortunately, Caleb Reynolds will not start off with him, but I could see him partnering with three or more of Brad Culpepper, JT Thomas, Andrea Boehlke, and Sierra Dawn Thomas. Considering his inability to gather a single vote during his last season, he may be able to have a strong, loyal, under-the-radar season in a time where everyone is trying to change the game, and quickly.

Tai’s strength, as such, is not being a target. We’ve seen in Kaoh Rong just how conniving he can be when it comes to this game, so I wouldn’t doubt his ability to play the wolf in sheep’s clothing in a fashion that puts the heat off him and onto others.

As such, the Brad Culpepper + JT Thomas connection would allow him and his tribe to have continued success while picking off opposing Kaoh Rong returnees and bigger strategic threats. Plus, I feel all sides of that trio can point to the others down the road as threats, making the partnership viable for each side.

However, Tai Trang may go with what makes him feel more comfortable in an alliance. Survivor Game Changers has plenty of strategic players, but the biggest of the bigs may be the targets to go out first. I could see Tai partner up with Andrea, Sierra, and Sarah Lucina as the group without targets on their backs that can really make moves early on.

With the composition of this season’s cast, this group serves as a mix of sociable players that vary from outwardly and stealthily strategic. Honestly, that may be the best bet for each of them going forward, either working as part of a bigger alliance at the start or going forward beyond the merge.

Next: Survivor Game Changers Cast Assessment: Brad Culpepper

However he goes with, Tai Trang must stay loyal to those he promises his alliance in Survivor Game Changers. Otherwise, history may be set to repeat itself.