Now that was a merge episode.
This week's episode was everything you could ask for. A huge mix of different alliances, a close immunity, and of course...a successful idol play.
From the Top of the Company...to the Middle?
Looking at the group of castaways left, it looked like Tyler and Carolyn (and I guess Shirin?) were being viewed as the swing votes between the No Collars and the Blue Collars. I was surprised to see this, seeing that Tyler was JUST betrayed by Mike and the Blue Collars when Joaquin was voted out.
My only guess is that Rodney must have given Tyler and Carolyn tons of reassurance that they would flip the game on Mike when the time comes, otherwise I don't understand why the White Collars would go to the side with more people.
Ill for Will
A lot of people will rag on Will because of his decision to flip BUT I can understand the move. If Will had any inclination that Tyler and Carolyn were siding with the Blues then why not jump off a sinking ship? By offering up his services to Rodney, he's insuring that he won't be at the top of the hit list. Unfortunately though, I think Will is in one of the worst positions in the game, he has no real allies and if seen as a flipper. It might be in the other No Collars best interest to try and get rid of him next, which will make their side more attractive to Tyler and Carolyn.
No Collars, One Idol
I loved that Jenn and co. were able to survive this round. They made the best choice in taking out Kelly, the only under the radar player for the Blues. Kelly was a key number in a lot of player's plans, so now that she's gone, there is going to be a lot of reshuffling. This will be the chance the No Collars need in order to try and get something solidified, or else Joe, Jenn, and Hali are in serious trouble.
What's Next?
My prediction for next round is that Joe is going to be the first juror. Everyone just views him as this huge threat, and I don't think he'll be able to survive unless he finds an idol or wins immunity again. With Joe gone, Hali and Jenn might be able to get more allies though, so I'm hoping they can turn a bad situation into a powerful one.
Thanks for reading! :)
