We're getting closer to the end of Survivor 47! While some major moves and blindsides have been executed throughout the season, and since the merge in particular, no player seems to be the out-and-out favorite to win Survivor 47.
A few players are more likely to win Survivor 47 than others. With episode 11 coming soon and three episodes left in the game after that, I was hoping we'd have a clearer picture of what's going to unfold, but it's truly anyone's game!
It's funny when you compare this season to other recent Survivor seasons. In Survivor 46, Maria Shrime Gonzalez and Charlie Davis were the ones pulling the strings on basically every vote after the merge, even though it didn't appear that way. They were more than happy to allow other players to try to make big moves, only to flip things on them within a vote or two of the big move. Sometimes, they flipped things and blindsided players at the same tribal council! There's a reason no hidden immunity idols were played correctly in Survivor 46, and Maria and Charlie, who still haven't spoken since the end of last season, were a big reason why.
Kenzie Petty, who won Survivor 46, emerged as a real contender at this part of the game with a key immunity win, winning the fire-making challenge, and a great social game.
In Survivor 47, things are very different. There are a few players who seem to be calling some of the shots. Gabe Ortis and Caroline Vidmar formed a good strategic pair. They dictated a lot of votes because they controlled one of the biggest alliances since the merge with Gabe, Caroline, and Sue Smey typically voting together. On the flip side, Genevieve Mushaluk frequently collaborated with Teeny Chirichillo, Sol Yi, and Andy Rueda to make some moves. Those seven players have been the most influential since the merge, but Sol and Gabe are gone. Sue was blindsided in the Gabe vote, while Teeny begrudgingly voted out Sol and seems to be holding it against Genevieve.
In the new era of Survivor, it's much more challenging for the players to maneuver through the game. The alliances are much more fluid. The bottom isn't really the bottom when everyone is looking to add votes, build rapport, and try to make it to the end with enough support to win the game.
In a way, the alliances aren't as loyal, but every player is much closer. In one vote, a player might be your enemy, the person trying to get you or your closest allies out of the game. Then, in the next vote, you could be working together to target a bigger threat. Survivor has always worked that way, but the shortened schedule (26 days vs. 39 days) and smaller tribes to start the game limits opportunities for the players to get to know each other as they once did. Now, every player keeps the other players at arms' length just in case they need to pull in that person for a vote. It's fascinating to watch!
The best example is when Sol and Rome Cooney, who did not see eye-to-eye at all, were pulled in to Genevieve's plan to blindside Kishan Patel early in the game. Since then, we've seen Sam Phalen, who was one vote away from getting voted out in episode 8, immediately work with the people who took out his top ally and nearly voted him out. It definitely makes it hard for fans to judge the situation accurately.
Even with the confusion, it's clear that a few players are playing the game better than others. Caroline has been on the right side of every single vote without being targeted. So has Genevieve, I believe. Rachel LaMont has pulled some magic out of her hat and used her Shot in the Dark to test the waters and see if she was a target.
Kyle Ostwald has racked up more immunity wins through 10 episodes than any player in Survivor history. He's also, by my calculation, only been eligible to be voted out of Survivor 47 in two of the six tribal councils he's been a part of in Survivor 47. He seems like the No. 1 option to vote out as soon as he loses a challenge, but will he lose a challenge? The odds are in his favor!
Andy, Teeny, and Sam are doing what they can to stay alive and impact the game. If one of these players makes some big moves down the stretch, they could definitely win. I think the same is true for Sue, although she isn't showing much from her strategic or social game. In challenges, she's performing well, but she was a safe space for Gabe and Caroline most of the season. With Gabe gone and Caroline responsible, what will Sue do?
If you're out on Survivor 47, it's time to hop back on the train. It's going to be a wild finish to the season, especially with the first two-part finale in Survivor history! We can't wait to see what happens.
Stay tuned for more news about Survivor 47!