Episode 12: The Reveal of the Cryptic Plumage
Cryptic Plumage - Plumage of a bird that is camouflaging. For example, the white winter plumage of ptarmigans is cryptic as it serves to conceal it in snowy environments. The opposite, "advertising" plumage, is termed "phaneric", such as male birds in colourful nuptial plumage for sexual display, making them stand out to a high degree.
Day 25
I spent a lot of my time practicing the challenge this weekend. I had to make sure that this was one that I won so we had our choice of the vote tonight. I had a few discussions with Xander and Evvie regarding the vote. I explained that we have a harder time against Deshawn when it comes to later down the road and they both agreed. So we decided Deshawn would be the vote and we would push that it's time for JR to go. We also tried to make it seem like it was JR's time to go to him just so he would work harder on this challenge and possibly have burnout for the next one.
I finally did my challenge submission Sunday Morning when no one would be around, just to make sure my timing was perfect and there were no blips in server response. It seemed to have worked well as I ended up with a score of 100. During my research of other seasons, I found that the highest score was usually in the 50s or 60s, so I should be fine with this value.
Day 26 - Pre Tribal Council
We still had to push to JR that he was most likely gone and that everything was good with Deshawn. This was definitely difficult for me, as I did have Deshawn's trust completely. But it was obvious how strong of a competitor he really was and bringing him any further would be terrible for my game. Even leading up to the vote, I contemplated switching it to JR as Evvie was also feeling similarly. Xander is usually fine with whatever and hasn't really cared about who goes since we lost Sara. Looks like it's too late to change anything now!
Day 26 - Post Tribal Council
And that was that - Deshawn was sent packing. It was clear Shan wasn't too happy with that and it seemed like that was her lock to win at the end. Heather was doing...Heather things as usual. Being a zoomer, I guess. There's really nothing going on in that head, is there? Once again, JR was shown to have the idea of a vote wrong and I'm hoping that if he does manage to get to the end somehow, he was never correct about anything and was basically brought to the end by us.
Congratulations! You nearly doubled the score of your closest competitor in the Rack'em Up challenge. Did you think it would be enough? How much practice did you think he put in?
Thanks Susie! I did hope that it was enough based on past seasons that I had researched. I knew JR would try his best to do well however, and so I had no choice but to practice as much as I could. Who knows how much practice he put in, but it was worth all my effort to be safe again. I need to make sure I can secure the next immunity as well, as I really need JR out of the game as soon as possible.
With the Deshawn vote, some of you turned on a tribemate that has shown you nothing but loyalty. How is voting out Deshawn sitting with you tonight? Do you worry your allies might turn on you next?
I'm not too happy about it, but it was something I had to do in order to push forward in the game. Xander, Evvie, and I have worked together through this whole game just to be at this point right now. I have no worries about them flipping, but the option is still there for them should I not win another immunity. I think I might have to do my best to win all of the rest in the game in order to get to the end successfully. There's no way Evvie, JR, or Leslie bring me to a F2 scenario. Xander might, just because we have that connection.
So definitely a little bit of both sitting well and not sitting well for me. I'm sure this is how Xander felt about Sara and Evvie felt about Shan, but these are the sacrifices we have to make for the good of our game and the good of our true Final 3.
How will sending Deshawn likely affect the jury vote? Do you see his presence affecting jurors’ decisions on who to choose as the winner of Stranded in the Andes?
It's definitely going to have a huge effect on the jury vote. Everyone was going to vote for him. He never made enemies, never got an angry bible quote thrown at him. He's had a stellar game the entire time. All the people left have had ups and downs and have made their fair amount of mistakes. It's just evened the playing field that much more. Once JR is gone, it's going to make those chances even better for me.
Of the remaining players left in the game, how do you like your chances in the finals against each person remaining?
I'm still under the assumption that if there's no idols in the game and Evvie is right about this being a 'back to basics' season, there will be a F2. So in that case, I have the following ideas for F2 scenarios with each person.
Evvie - It's about 50/50. Definitely a close one if I'm in a F2 with her. I'm hoping I can explain myself well enough to get the edge over her, and I think my explanation of the entire game will be good enough to get the win over her. I also plan to reveal my 'idols' in the finale as well, which will help give me a little more of an edge further.
Xander - I would crush this guy in a F2. There's no way the jury is going to see him as a great player/mastermind and will still just assume he was a floater all the way to the end. He's also talked mad shit during tribal and I know that's not sitting well with Heather and Shan at the least. Xander just can't talk a crowd well and having to explain stuff to this guy the entire game has just showed me time and time again that I would do amazing against him in a Finale. I love you, but I'm gonna crush you dude.
JR - This is a tough one. It's going to be a great story about how he went from a 7-2 deficit to win the entire thing. The only thing I have to beat him is the game I played to get to the end while basically tagging him along as he was a great meat shield that people hated. He was never on the right side of anything, just an extra vote on an already secured plan. He never knew what was going on. The only thing he ever did was win that one immunity. Other than that he's tried to flip people and it's failed every single time. No one ever listens to him. No one ever wanted to go with him over me. I only kept him because I felt like it. I'm going to have to sell so hard, it would be like someone listening to a JR plan and taking it.
Leslie - Leslie is like if I brought Danny to the F2. She's a non-entity. She's JRs' extra vote. So if he wins immunity this week, his second vote is leaving the game. Leslie doesn't make it to the end in any scenario as she's not a part of any alliance, group, plan, etc. It's not even worth a write-up.
Early in the game, I asked what type of player (strategic mastermind, social butterfly, under the radar, challenge beast, goat, wild card) you were trying to be at this stage of the game. How do you think your fellow tribe members perceive your current player type now? Why?
I think I lived up to my expectations. I'm really struggling to think of myself as a strategic mastermind or a challenge beast just yet though, as I do need to see JR leave the game. Once he's gone I can answer any questions about how good my game has been. But until I've done that, I can't say I've done anything. Once I get both Xander, Evvie, and Myself to the F3 I will be happy with my game and I'll truly feel like the strategic mastermind/challenge beast that I should be. Sure, you could say I was social enough to get myself here and blindside all of my allies before they could do it to me, but I'm not happy until I get where I want to.
Who do you think the lurkers are rooting for at this point?
Probably JR now that Deshawn is gone. I can see Evvie and Xander also being popular as well since they're so likeable and are incredibly nice and funny people. But there's one guy I know the lurkers don't have an appetite for! I was always playing this for myself and to show myself that I can make it far in a game like Survivor, but I also wanted to share my love of the game with all the other fans. I've explained before that I have a lot of issues with anxiety and self-worth, so I do imagine that the lurkers hate me as a player / person. It's obvious I'm crazy paranoid/anxious and I've basically run the entire game. I'm sure lurkers find that incredibly boring and hate me for it. Regardless, I'm going to keep trying for the top and prove not to anyone else but myself, that I can win this game.
