The merge episode of Survivor: Edge of Extinction brought along a dynamic power shift thanks to the Kama 6 which Julie is an integral part of.
It’s not an understatement to say that the Kama 6 took complete control over this week’s episode of Survivor. They deceptively pinned the Old Manu tribe against each other, and deceived Joe and Aurora into thinking the vote was going Rick’s way.
This masterful plan allowed the Kama 6 to blindside the biggest physical threat in the game without anyone clueing in until it was too late. Although the decision to vote for Joe came from Ron, it was Julie who put the pieces into place.
The most surprising moment of the merge episode was when Julie, the oldest castaway left in the game, outlasted a collegiate athlete (Lauren) and the biggest challenge beast in Survivor history. Julie came up clutch, shocking everyone with her steady hands, never losing focus of her pole.
This impressive challenge performance kept the Immunity Necklace out of the hands of the Manu members, and more importantly, away from Joey Amazing. With all options on the table, Julie enabled Kama to be flexible with their choices.
However, Julie’s gameplay extended past her challenge win. She moved into a slight leadership role for the Kama 6 in terms strategy. She didn’t appreciate Wentworth and Lauren throwing Rick under the bus and felt that they were playing too hard.
As a result, Julie began pulling her Kama crew together and directed the vote to Wentworth. She convinced most of her alliance members the danger that Wentworth poses, realizing that she has a greater chance of making a move and manipulating people compared to Rick.
Despite this solid plan, Ron was adamant about blindsiding Joe, especially knowing that he didn’t come into the merge with an idol. So it was Ron who pulled the trigger on Joe, but Julie wisely conceded her plan. More often than not, when two members of an alliance disagree with the target, it doesn’t end well.
Julie was humble enough to let Ron take the lead in the decision-making, which was smart for two reasons. First of all, when someone is at the top of an alliance this early into the merge, it doesn’t usually end well. Just ask Carl who was bumped off by Gabby and Christian after being the Godfather of the David tribe.
The second reason why this was a good move is that the Joe vote was an option Julie had already considered. In last week’s double episode, Julie stressed in a confessional the need to get Joe out of the game before it’s too late. So no, Joe wasn’t her first option, but he still is a dangerous returnee that Julie wanted out anyways.
We even saw her social game develop, as she formed a bond with Rick that could prove vital down the line. In pre-game interviews, Julie came across as a player that might get dragged to Final Tribal Council. However, this episode proved that she isn’t near that “goat” category and has the potential to control this game.