Let’s take a brief look at where everybody lies as the Survivor season 35 merge comes and goes. Who left in the game can still win?
In a regular season of Survivor, people who pay attention to both the edgic and alliances built up in the game would be able to have a real solid guess at picking who wins the game by the time the merge is through. Heroes vs. Healers vs. Hustlers is a bit different, as the editing has provided solid cases for multiple players this season.
Instead of offering up my prediction, I’m going to take a look at the players still in the running to win Survivor season 35, Heroes vs. Healers vs. Hustlers. The following isn’t a prediction of who’s getting voted out next but using both alliance and Final Tribal Council possibilities to determine who would get enough votes to win in the end.
Win Leaders
Ben Driebergen: No one player has been so well in the mix as Ben. There’s a chance he gets pushback for flipping on the Healers alliance, but he’s well positioned within the Hero Hustler alliance, with stronger strategic and challenge threats ahead of him, that he can make a push for the end of the game. The number of times he’s talked about playing for the million dollars, mixed in with his heroic edit when talking about PTSD, all play to his favor.
Chrissy Hofbeck: At this point, Chrissy is the player most likely to take Chrissy down. She’s been overconfident in her abilities and has already been targeted as a huge threat at the merge. However, no player has made it to jury yet, giving her an excellent chance to analyze the risks and place it with people in her alliance that will likely vote her over anyone else.
Devon Pinto: From an editing standpoint, Devon’s been getting regular content and his perspective when isn’t absolutely necessary. His ability to whip the vote at the merge shows his under-edited social game, he’s well-liked and trusted by Ryan and has plenty of social, strength and strategy shields ahead for him to make a sudden push late-game.
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Outside Chances
Lauren Rimmer: Lauren has an underrated social game and can hold her own in competition. However, what she needs to win is a move or two. In the socially-open Final Tribal Council, it would be fair to ask what she’s done in the game so far. Having flipped on her trusted alliance for someone else’s game and taking out the 16th-place Patrick is not a Hall of Fame winner’s resume.
Mike Zahalsky: If anyone can make their way out of a 4v7 situation in Survivor season 35, it’s Dr. Mike. At some point, the majority will need to turn on itself, and with a more vote-to-vote, strategy-first gameplay in modern seasons, Mike’s telegraphed in with Ben and Lauren make it possible to take down bigger threats like Ryan and, possibly, even Chrissy. Having an Idol to keep him safe may help him reach the end.
Ryan Ulrich: Of all the distraction edits in all the lands, Ryan’s may be the strongest. To the untrained eye, the most visible character in Survivor season 35 has all the makings of a winner, including a strong social and strategic game. However, he’s been shown fairly negatively pre-merge and even calls himself a weasel. He’s the kind of player who goes far but distracts from the real winner as to make it not so obvious.
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Out of the Running
Joe Mena: Out both of his Idols and with a target the size of Texas painted on his back, Joe has made himself toxic to align with. Even Desi, his most trusted partner, was willing to sell him out to further her game. Barring an Immunity run (one that he’s shown incapable of making), he’s likely one of the next to leave. Too many people can’t stand him staying in the game.
Ashley Nolan: While serving as de-facto Levu narrator for a while, we’ve seen too little of Ashley’s personality or introspection for me to feel confident in her winning chances. Plus, coming in second in the season’s first Immunity Challenge will show others that she’s a challenge threat, and her only ally tight in the game, Devon, isn’t going to bail her out if it goes against Ryan and the majority.
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Desi Williams: I’m not sure exactly who’s on Desi’s side at this point. Even in an episode where she won Individual Immunity, we didn’t even get to hear what she has to say about her victory. Even Troyzan received a challenge confessional during Game Changers! There’s too little personal content, strategy content and prominence in the game for me to think Desi can win.
Cole Medders: Ben and Lauren can’t stand Cole. Everyone in the majority was going to vote him out were it not for fear of Joe using his Idol on Cole. Plus, his number one ally in the game, Jessica, has been voted out. No jury configuration can see Cole win, even if he makes it to the end.
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JP Hilsabeck: The guy was invisible in the merge edit. That’s a death sentence in of itself.