Survivor: Game Changers: A Preview of the Merge
Since we know that the merge in Survivor: Game Changers will air during this week’s episode, it’s time to look at the numbers and the alliances.
This is it. Survivor: Game Changers may have seemed fast-paced before. Now that the remaining players will share one camp, we get the sense that things will ramp up even further. But before Wednesday’s two-hour episode airs, let’s break down the numbers going into the merge.
As my colleague Daniel George has noticed before, the strategy often seems to come down to old tribal affiliations, so let’s look at who remains in the game from the original tribes:
Original Mana: Aubry, Troyzan, Hali, and Michaela
Original Nuku: Andrea, Zeke, Cirie, Ozzy, Tai, Debbie, Brad, Sarah, and Sierra
Well then, doesn’t that turn out nicely for Nuku? However, just because their numbers are overwhelming doesn’t mean they’ll vote as one. We can see a couple issues there, particularly between Debbie and Brad and perhaps — perhaps — between Cirie and Ozzy.
Starting with the former, Debbie and Brad have been separated since the last tribal shuffle, and she ended up joining Nuku afterwards. However, it may be likely that she’ll refuse to work with him and may actively start targeting him instead. The problem is that Brad has connections with plenty of other players, including Sierra and Ozzy in particular.
Sierra herself has the potential to make herself immune at Tribal Council thanks to her Legacy Advantage, and she may want to use it after she was targeted at the double Tribal Council that ultimately sent Malcolm home. Then again, Sandra spearheaded that movement, and Sandra’s no longer in the game.
As for Cirie and Ozzy, it seems like their rift has mostly been forgotten for more recent fights and drama. However, that doesn’t mean it may not still reappear. Cirie’s still a strategic threat, quiet though her game has been. Meanwhile, Ozzy has spent most of his fourth time playing showing that he can still put a tribe on his back and win.
Both of them could find support for taking the other out, but it may be safer to band together for now and let the numbers dwindle later. Cirie in particular could speak to people like Sarah, who was receptive to Varner’s plan to vote Ozzy, though she seemed to think it was the wrong time then.
It could be the right time now, though.
Next: A Deeper Look at What Happened on Exile, Stays on Exile
How do you think the merge will play out on Survivor: Game Changers?