Survivor SA: Island of Secrets episode 14 power rankings

The “Three Amigos” still have a strong grip on the game, but there’s a dangerous foursome brewing on Survivor SA: Island of Secrets.

We had another entertaining Tribal Council during last week’s episode of Survivor SA, as Jacques wisely held onto his idol after convincing everyone he was going to play it. That said, Jacques lost his closest ally, Cobus. A majority alliance is still intact, but smaller subgroups are starting form in this late stage of the game. Here’s how the Final Eight stand heading into episode 14.

8) Laetitia Le Roux

Although she knew about the voting plans, she still appears to be on the outs of the alliance. Laetitia gets told who to vote for, and in most cases, she ends up doing what she’s told. She’s yet to develop a meaningful Survivor resume, and it doesn’t look like that will change anytime soon.

7) Mmaba Molefe

Similar to Laetitia, Mmaba hasn’t made any moves worthy enough of playing a winning game. The difference between these two players is Mmaba has more of an upside. If Mike can flip the tables as he proposed in last week’s episode, then Mmaba will likely be a crucial part of that game-changing move.

6) Durão Mariano

It’s clear that despite all of Durão’s efforts to get in the majority, he’s still on the outside looking in. Even though his name was thrown out simply as a decoy last week, when you’re not part of the core group, that’s not a good sign. If Jacques plays his idol, Durão could be the secondary target. For Durão to survive another Tribal Council, he has to continue to milk the relationships he has built with Rob and Nicole. If he can make it to the Final Seven, then Durão is back in it.

5) Jacques Burger

Russell Hantz should take notes from Jacques on how to successfully fake an idol play. Saving his idol for another Tribal Council is huge, especially since he doesn’t have an alliance to turn to. That gives Jacques a better chance of being around for Mike and company to turn on the 3 Amigos. If something like that happens, targets will shift, and Jacques may no longer be on the hot seat.

4) Steffi Brink

Out of the three original Sa’ula members, I could see Steffi being the first one to get her torch snuffed. That’s not to say that she’s vulnerable right away. She’s still rooted in the majority alliance and has Ron and Nicole to back her up. However, Steffi’s social game isn’t nearly as good as her Amigo compadres, and she also doesn’t have an idol to save herself.

3) Mike Ventor

We finally got to hear Mike’s plans to take control of the game. His goal was to make it to the Final Seven and then form a majority with Mmaba, Durão and Laetitia to flip on the Sa’ula three. Now that Jacques still has an idol, this move might have to be accelerated to this week’s episode, which isn’t necessarily a bad thing.

As great as this big move sounds, we can’t forget that both Rob and Nicole have idols of their own and could easily put an end to Mike’s gamble. But honestly, I can’t see anyone stopping the 3 Amigos other than Mike. If he can find the right opportunity to flip, the game will be his to lose.

2) Nicole Capper

It’s easy to overlook Nicole when you think about Rob’s masterful performance, but we can’t ignore the tremendous social game she has been playing. Besides Rob and Steffi, she’s built strong relationships with Durão and Mike. If Mike does decide to flip, his trust in Nicole might move him to keep her safe and just vote for Rob or Steffi. On the other hand, if no one makes a move on the Amigos, Nicole has a clear shot at making Final Tribal Council, with an idol as insurance.

1) Rob Bentele

For the seventh straight episode, Rob sits atop our Survivor SA power rankings! Rob has been on the right side of every single vote he’s attended, and most of the time, he played a key role in determining who should be voted out. He’s been dominating this season so far, and his kind, approachable personality has made him even more powerful, as it allows him to gain vital information from players who aren’t necessarily his closest allies.

If someone doesn’t attempt to vote him out soon, he might never be stopped.