Survivor 46 episode 10 will be remembered for two key events: the biggest meltdown in the history of the game (Liz!) and another person getting voted out with a hidden immunity idol in their pocket.
Kudos to everyone else for pulling off yet another blindside. Shame on Tiffany for not learning a darn thing during the previous tribal when Hunter was voted out with the idol in his pocket. This is Survivor, where the first rule should always be "do not trust anyone - ever." She did, and now she's on the jury.
It wasn't unexpected that she would be targeted, but she was still caught off guard. With her removal, does it shake up the power rankings much?
7. Q
Last week - 8th
Though he is still public enemy No. 1 and basically persona non grata around camp, Q is still in the game. He was eager to take the (most likely) temporary olive branch offered by Maria and throw his vote on Tiffany. It kept him in the game at least one more vote.
One of the more interesting plotlines is if players will eventually rue the missed opportunities to remove Q from the game. He has more lives than Garfield. Every week, it is hard to imagine him lasting another vote, but alas, he's still around. He is an immunity challenge win or two away from making it to the final five. Could he find another idol in the jungle. Plus, he can still be a swing vote, so there are still paths for Q to be around in the future.
6. Liz
Last week - 6th
Her meltdown after she wasn't selected to go on the reward feast was one of the most uncomfortable and complete tantrums in Survivor history. It was one of the most annoying and ridiculous meltdowns, as well. Liz had no positive game connections with Q, who won the challenge, and there was no game strategy advantage. Liz started pulling on the heartstrings as soon as the reward was revealed and played that up the whole time Q was choosing who would accompany him.
The dumbest part of all of this is, why is Liz out there anyway if she can't eat anything? Has she never watched the game before? The whole situation was dumbfounding. She probably isn't going home this week, and there is a good chance she will make it to at least the final five now or maybe even the final three. All of the players should be clambering to sit next to her at the end. She won't receive a single winning vote.
5. Ben
Last week - 4th
It is hard to imagine anyone doing less on Survivor than Ben has done so far. He shouldn't have any chance at all of winning this game, but with only seven people left, he doesn't seem to have a single enemy on the beach or the jury.
As mentioned before, the only way he will win this game is if he can maneuver into a final three that includes Liz and Venus, or maybe Q. It's hard to predict what the jury will do if Q is sitting there in the final three. For Ben to win, he has to be sitting next to people the jury just doesn't like. That's it.
4. Venus
Last week - 5th
We're down to seven and low and behold, Venus is still in the game. It is almost as impressive as Q still being there. She has been active in trying to make moves, but she still hasn't pulled off anything big.
It wouldn't be surprising if she weren't part of a big move at some point. She's always looking for a way to make an impact, and there's a chance she might find something. Unlike Ben, however, she does have people on the jury who don't like her, and she would need to play a perfect game from here on in to have a chance.
3. Kenzie
Last week - 3rd
Kenzie is ranked this high only because of a lack of options. She played her way to this spot, but she backed off Tiffany as a target when everyone else was going that way. She badly misread the situation and found herself on the wrong side of the vote.
Early, it seemed as if Kenzie might be the one player on Yanu that would could be a big player if she made the merge. Her game has been a huge disappointment to this point, but she doesn't seem to have many enemies either. The connection she seemed to form with Ben after the merge hasn't yet come to fruition. There is still time for her to break up the season's only true power couple, but she needs to make her move soon.
2. Charlie
Last week - 1st
Charlie added to his already impressive resume by winning another immunity challenge. Again, he is battling Maria for the top spot. This game is truly Charlie's to win if folks don't wise up fairly soon.
It is only a matter of time before Charlie or Maria takes out the other. Sometimes, it's too bad the game almost always unfolds this way because the two of them have been a pair from the beginning, and they've quietly controlled the game. It would be fun to see them fight it out at the final tribal council to see who the jury votes for. Charlie could seal his victory if he takes Maria out first.
1. Maria
Last week - 1st
Or, Maria takes Charlie out first. Maria gains points for being willing to talk to Q and to draw him into the plan to give her and Charlie the numbers they needed to take out Tiffany. Of course, Q is on board. He thinks he's gone no matter what. Kenzie then backs out because she suddenly doesn't think it's the best time to blindside Tiffany, even though she tried a push to do so the previous tribal.
Maria's big move here, though, was somehow convincing an emotional and angry Liz to put aside her feelings for Q, and vote out Tiffany and her idol. We didn't get to see just how Maria did that, but it had to be a heck of a sales job. And, it worked.
If the other five players in the game were smart and strategic, they'd encourage Charlie or Maria to take the other out next, then they could pick off the other the following vote. It would have to be a true free-for-all after that, but of those five, none are really on the top or bottom because none have strong alliances with anyone else. Take out the king and queen, and fight it out for the kingdom.
At this point, that almost seems like a fantasy-world scenario.