The potential first Goliath boot in Survivor: David vs. Goliath, Mike White fought from behind to make it to the Final Tribal Council. Should he return?
I was practically screaming out at Mike White through the TV screen as I watched the premiere of Survivor: David vs. Goliath. The players had just watched the first few episodes of Ghost Island before flying out, meaning they had to have seen the massive six-day implosion of Jacob Derwin and his madcap idol-hunting antics. Yet, out Mike was being the first to search for the Hidden Immunity Idol, drawing a target on his own back.
Thankfully, he had the boisterous names of Natalie and Jeremy ahead of him to allow his ease back into the game, as he opted to establish his first strong ally with Nick on Jabeni. The Rockstars alliance laid the foundation for a big part of both players’ formative games, as the two showed equal respect in their duo, each voting out one of their own heading into the merge.
It was at the merge where Mike’s game started to blossom. He played both sides of the aisle, bringing together a group of six he hoped to take to the end. It was when Gabby doth protested too much at the first Tribal Council that he and the Goliaths reverted back to the numbers game, opting to take out Christian and others in tow.
After the Davids managed to pile their advantages and take out the Goliath brochachos, suddenly Mike found himself in an odd spot where he was the last male left on his original tribe. However, he took advantage of the Davids eating their own thanks to his impeccable social game, maintaining the relationships necessary to pivot the target elsewhere.
For example, he worked with Christian and Gabby to take out Carl and in working with Nick and Gabby to take out Christian, voted with Angelina against Gabby, not Alison, to protect against an idol and still take out a David player. This gave Mike control over the game, taking back the power the Davids managed to earn with their advantages.
After Davie was voted out in Final Six and Nick continued to win immunity after immunity, options became scarce and he became desperate. Despite having to vote one of his closest allies, he took offense to Alison pushing to vote against him, causing him to snap at her. Between that, Nick having a stronger game and, perhaps, being a Hollywood writer, director and producer against a public defender, he came in second place by earning Alison, Kara and Christian’s votes.
Mike was a strategic, thoughtful and sometimes sassy player; one with dignified irreverence that allowed him to lay low early and dominate late. Vote here in our straw poll and let us know if you would like to see Mike White get redemption and another shot at becoming the Sole Survivor.