1. Sophie Clarke
What a very “controlling the game from the shadows” merge episode Sophie Clarke had. It very much looked like she didn’t get her way until the very end of Survivor: Winners at War episode 8, but her calculated breakdown of the merge tribe’s dynamics was very astute. Not only that, but she was able to make her target of Wendell stick the landing despite us not seeing her put in the legwork.
This means a great deal about her control of the game despite not having shields like Yul protect her, which does pose a threat to her ability to win the game down the line. At the very least, she’s not leading from the front, meaning the feelings of betrayal by those like Wendell and Nick on the bottom aren’t going to strike back on her just yet. It was Wendell who said Sophie is playing the game, and she made sure he was voted out even without hearing that talk directed at her.
Sophie is also one of two to hold a Hidden Immunity Idol at the moment, which will prove mighty useful in a game with solid winners and plenty who have made a winning name for themselves by finding and using advantages and trinkets. Combine that with her challenge performance and her abilities to earn individual immunity, and Sophie might be the Survivor threat to beat right now.