Survivor 48 Episode 10: The Move
Having a plan sometimes means having more than one path
On a night where all things were seemingly aligned for a big move, Survivor 48 episode 10 showcased how one hiccup can wreck a plan before it starts. After last week’s episode saw David booted from the “power alliance,” this week seemed to narrow that tight group to Joe, Eva, Shauhin, and Kyle. In addition to that group, Kamilla and Mitch have become members five and six.
The flip side to any group in the majority is how those on the “bottom” will respond to not having solid footing in the game. In this case, Mary, Star, Mitch, and Kamilla see themselves as opposites to the previously mentioned foursome. Despite Kamilla’s bond with Kyle, they are still (somehow) not perceived as a tight duo. This gives Kyle leverage in his alliance, while Kamilla can work with the remaining castaways to make a move.
The Move in Survivor 48 Episode 10
The move from Kamilla, Star, and Mary is to vote out Joe. They want to break up the foursome, but Mitch comes from a place where uncertainty lands on multiple levels. He admits in the episode how he does not trust Star or Mary, so making a move with them does not necessarily ring true to him. In a game where the numbers dwindle, and opportunity to do anything fades, it does seem like Survivor 48 episode 10 is a “do or die” moment for making an impactful move – or at least voting out Joe.
Well, except for a potential hiccup where the person they want to vote out wins immunity. In this case, is there a plan if Joe wins immunity? Did they discuss it before the immunity challenge? Was there a backup plan to break up the strong foursome if Joe wins again? Well, let’s just say it and get it over with, Joe wins immunity. What seemingly would’ve been a solid play at breaking up the tightest alliance, and possibly allowing multiple players multiple pathways to a the end, Joe’s immunity win negates whatever big move was planned.
Sometimes, floating a name before the immunity challenge can backfire if that name leaks and then there are repercussions for saying a player’s name. In other instances, having a backup plan should be discussed beforehand to ensure there’s a solid enough plan moving forward to hold hope for making it through another tribal council. There were mentions of Kyle and Eva after the immunity challenge, but it’s not clear if any other foursome was mentioned before Joe’s immunity win.
Who Gets Their Torch Snuffed?
The number one question in Survivor 48 episode 10 should be: Was there not another plan besides Joe before he won immunity? After he won, Mary floated Eva which made Joe want to send Mary home. Star floated Shauhin, which got out and Shauhin wanted her gone. And Mary told Kamilla they should switch the vote to Kyle, which is the one person Kamilla does not want to vote for from the foursome.
Did Eva’s advantages prevent a possible vote against her? Would there have been any circumstances where Mitch would’ve voted with Star and Mary? It does seem clear (from what was shown on TV) that the vote was clearly between Star and Mary after Joe won immunity. From what seemed like a viable move early in the episode, it suddenly became the immoveable object where the only other option was someone on the bottom.
In this case, Star and Mary were the only castaways to receive votes. And with a 5 to 3 vote, Star was sent to Ponderosa as the newest jury member. In a season where it’s possible to keep things hidden, like Kamilla and Kyle’s alliance, it seems like it was an impossible task to redirect the vote after Joe won immunity.
Who would you have voted for in this Survivor 48 episode? Should Star, Mary, Kamilla, and Mitch have taken a chance on another player to force a four-four tie and a potential rock draw? Hopefully, there will be some post-game interviews that shed some light on this that gives fans a greater sense on what was possible in this episode.
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