Survivor Edge of Extinction: Ron Clark is episode 11’s MVP
This week’s episode of Survivor: Edge of Extinction saw a resurgence of Ron’s strong social game as he continues to rebound from his loss of power.
Ron Clark has faced it all in Survivor: Edge of Extinction. He emerged as a puppet master, maneuvering the pieces to blindside Joe, but then had the majority flip upside down, as Ron lost two of his closest allies in back to back Tribals. However, the tides have changed once again.
Last week Ron was a swing vote that Wardog relied on to make his big move on Kelley. Ron has built on that momentum and has gained back much of what he lost. Although it might have painted him as a target, I think it was important for Ron to make his involvement with the Wentworth vote clear.
One of the biggest ways Ron succeeded was through his social game. It was the relationships he built that made him so powerful at the start of the merge. In this week’s episode, Ron worked on rebuilding these relationships but in a more genuine way.
Instead of bribing his alliance members with the loved ones visit, Ron focused on gaining the other person’s loyalty. Right after the vote, Gavin felt offended by Wardog’s comments. Ron and Victoria wisely took that opportunity to hear him out and assured him that they wanted to work together moving forward.
Then he went straight to Julie and apologized for leaving her out of the Wentworth vote. After that conversation, Julie still appears to trust Ron as a number one ally. He also handled his relationship with Aurora in a smart way.
Although he still has his irritations with her, Ron was able to keep his cool and once again, prove his loyalty to her. Maybe it could have helped him if he found a way to retain Aurora’s advantage, but Ron is focusing on his social game more than a risky strategic game.
He even mentioned that fact straight out during Tribal Council; his resolve to play with people he can trust. His interactions throughout this episode and his willingness to vote with those he spoke with shows that he’s putting trust in his alliance.
With Wardog gone, Ron’s threat level is definitely rising and he understands that. His efforts to stay calm and focus on strengthening his relationships might be enough to diminish his apparent threat. Ron’s strong social game is back, and we’ll find out how much it will help him in the coming weeks.