“Survivor Jackpot:” A Deeper Look At Survivor Game Changers Episode 3

Who’s On The Chopping Block

With an upcoming double-Tribal Council revealed in the look ahead, let’s remind ourselves who is on the chopping block heading into episode three.

Mana – Hali

There was a spirited back-and-forth between Caleb and Hali at Tribal where both had to defend their merits. In his post-boot press, Caleb claimed to have gone to far greater lengths to set Hali’s game ablaze than what was shown. While even Tai had to vote with the majority and knock off his buddy, there are now four players on Mana that have heard a laundry list of reasons why Hali shouldn’t be kept around. If Mana finds themselves back at Tribal, the narrative doesn’t favor Hali here.

Nuku – J.T.; Sandra

As part of a tribe that won the first two Immunity Challenges, J.T. hasn’t spent long on the hot seat. As the only player from his original tribe still on Nuku after the swap, the numbers are against him, as is the “Does he really deserve it?” factor. J.T. already won way back in Tocantins.

If J.T. doesn’t deserve to win because of his prior success, then Sandra’s reign as two-time “Queen” puts a larger target on her back. In any case, the physical core of Malcolm-J.T.-Michaela is about as strong as any trio, as shown in the obstacle course portion of this week’s Immunity Challenge. In a vacuum, they’re probably the odds-on favorite to emerge victorious in next week’s Immunity Challenge; if they do indeed lose, sending Sandra home would strengthen Nuku.

Tavua – Troyzan

Far superior players have struggled with knowing when to play a Hidden Immunity Idol. If Tavua ends up at Tribal and Troyzan pulls the trigger, it’s anyone’s guess who goes. With a 5-to-1 numbers advantage, there are plenty of vote-splitting implications that could come into play if the majority gets a whiff of Troyzan’s plans.

Next: Let’s Rank the Survivor Seasons by Their Locations

We could be headed toward the first application of the new tie-breaker rules.