Survivor season 35 merge preview: Alliances and enemies
Blending in can be just as important as making your voice heard. Let’s take a look at where everyone stands at the Survivor season 35 merge point.
We’re going to change things up with this Survivor season 35 episode preview. With this being the merge, we’re going to take a look at where everybody in the game sits from a merge perspective, taking a look at where they may align or where they might fall in the pecking order of vote-outs.
We’ll start from who sits prettiest in the game all the way down to who’s the biggest risk to be the merge boot.
Ben Driebergen
It’s not just from an editing perspective; Survivor season 35’s safest player in the game at the merge is definitely Ben the Marine. He’s part of the power duo at the Heroes tribe, with Ashley and JP being the ones who vied for his support back in the beginning. He’s close with Chrissy, who has established a strong relationship with Ryan and JP (who have their own connections). He’s not the strongest but isn’t the most strategic threat at this stage. He’s likely going deep in this game.
Chrissy Hofbeck
By establishing a core three with Ryan and JP and nuSoko, Chrissy finds herself in a strong position to carry forward a merge alliance. She has a strong core group in Ben and Ryan, while JP will feel gratitude for being kept safe in the game. Those four have strong links to others such as Ashley and Devon, and you only need one more to have a majority at the merge. Her social game is only flawed people not in the game/on the jury, making her quite safe.
Ryan Ulrich
Despite drawing ire of Ali and Roark, they’re no longer in the game. That means that Ryan doesn’t have any overt enemies at this time, but does have Devon and Lauren back on this new merge tribe. Those will be important allies as he and Chrissy try to form a majority, as we could see a situation where Ryan and Chrissy are co-heads of a seven-person merge alliance.
Ashley Nolan
Anytime we need to get the Levu perspective, Ashley is there. She’s close with JP, who’s tied with Chrissy and the whole majority alliance matrix, while she’s been making deals with Devon, who’s close to Ryan and that whole wing of the majority alliance. She’s safely hidden at the merge, making her a possible threat only when it’s too late to make a move.
Related Story: Survivor: Ranking 33 Previous Seasons
Mike Zahalsky
While he’s still not the major leader of any faction at this time, he could be convinced to roll with Ben and Lauren to avoid going down with the Cole/Jessica ship. Regardless of if he sticks with the Healers Strong mentality, he has an Idol and will likely use it if he feels insecure. That could possibly turn the tide and threaten the balance of the game.
Lauren Rimmer
Her closest ally is Ben, but he’s still closest with Chrissy and may have had a connection based on necessity. Regardless, she isn’t a big merge threat, she isn’t shown to be a strategic or social threat, but she looks like someone who can go deep just by laying under the radar.
Devon Pinto
Ryan and Devon go back to Day 1, while Ashley is his ticket into the OG Levu sub-chamber of the majority alliance. He is a definite Individual Immunity Challenge threat, so he may have to secure it if Joe or Mike go against the majority and play an idol. He’s technically safe but not as safe as one would like.
More from Heroes Vs Healers Vs Hustlers
- Most memorable moments from Survivor: Heroes vs Healers vs Hustlers
- Survivor Heroes vs. Healers vs. Hustlers DVD set now on Amazon
- Big Brother 21’s cast pre-show ties harken back to Survivor season 35
- Survivor season 35’s Simone Nguyen is now married
- Survivor’s Ashley Nolan is now teaching kids to surf
Desi Williams
At this stage in the game, Desi is likely drawing dead. Her closest ally is Joe, but she’s willing to admit she’ll flip on him if necessary. She has loose connections with every Healer left in the game, but her closest ally, Roark, is no longer playing. Still, at the merge, she’s sociable enough not to draw too much attention to herself.
JP Hilsabeck
He’s got Chrissy and Ashley as tight allies, he’s fine with Ben, he may even win the first Individual Immunity Challenge, and things like that.
Jessica Johnston
She has a showmance-tight ally in Cole and an Idol-knowledge-secure friendship with Dr. Mike, but one has to worry about being so tight with Cole. He’s shown to be a liability by the majority alliance, as well as a threat. However, if there’s a chance they believe an Idol will be played on him, Jeff’s previous unrelated Tribal Council comment about “going after the wife” strategy might foreshadow her exit from the game.
Joe Mena
He may have an Idol, but he has no real friends in Survivor season 35. Desi is the closest person he has, and she’ll sell him out if push came to shove. Even if he plays his HII, it could go to the wrong target, meaning his early exit here or at the next post-merge vote.
Cole Medders
Next: Survivor Winners: Ranking All 33 Sole Survivors By Season
Oh, you sweet, secret-telling summer child. Your hungry, hungry hippo antics have made you a target of the majority alliance, with only Jessica being your ride-or-die. If he doesn’t win the Individual Immunity, he could be the first member of the Survivor season 35 jury.