Survivor Island of the Idols: Will first time castaways benefit from mentors?

The twist for season 39 of Survivor presents Boston Rob and Sandra Diaz-Twine as mentors for the newbies, but will they be of any help?

It’s always nice to watch all-time greats return to Survivor, but Island of the Idols brings Boston Rob and Sandra back in a way we’ve never seen before. Thankfully they’re not pinned up against a full cast of newbies like in Edge of Extinction. Instead, Jeff revealed at the reunion that they will be acting as mentors, living on a Ghost Island or Exile type of island.

This new twist raises a bunch of questions. First and foremost, can Rob and Sandra actually be of any help, or is this simply a way to gain viewers? I think it’s largely based on the player, but let’s go through some key aspects of the game to see how much help these two winners can offer.

Shelter and survival skills

Even though someone like Sandra doesn’t come off as a survival expert, playing three times and lasting to Day 39 twice definitely gives her plenty of experience. I’m sure she would give great practical advice that will make everyday life on Fiji a little more enjoyable. I could see Boston Rob providing more help in terms of shelter building and fire-making which could be useful, especially during the early stages of the season.

Rob and Sandra both have great survival skills that they can pass on, but I can’t see it making that huge of an impact. The fact that they are relaying this information through one person instead of being at a tribe’s camp makes a huge difference.

Strategic advice

Boston Rob hasn’t played Survivor in nearly ten years. Sandra played in Game Changers, so she experienced some new school twists, but she didn’t get very far. Between the two of them, they have only found two idols and none were played correctly. So in terms of idols and advantages, Rob and Sandra don’t have much experience to offer at all.

That said, they’ve both made it to Day 39 twice and know how to navigate strategically through each Tribal Council. I still think they will offer some good ideas on how to use the idols or advantages the players receive on this island. Their balanced approach to the game will help new players avoid common pitfalls including overconfidence and playing too hard.

Tips on playing a good social game

This is the one area castaways can learn the most from these two legends. Both of them know how to build strong relationships, and how to use their words and actions to manipulate players into doing what they want.

When you’re on an island with a bunch of people that you can’t trust, it can be hard to think things through. What’s better than having the opportunity to lay out your entire situation and concerns with two neutral experts of the game. Not only will it give the castaways helpful ideas, but it offers them a break from having to put on a front before others.

Taking these three aspects into consideration, I could certainly see the benefit of having Boston Rob and Sandra as mentors. Strategic and survival pointers will help, but I think the biggest impact will be on their social game and their overall awareness.