Episode 14: The Call of the Andean Condor's Crown
Call - A type of bird vocalization tending to serve such functions as giving alarm or keeping members of a flock in contact. Individual birds may be sensitive enough to identify each other through their calls.
Crown - Also defined: occiput / hindhead. The portion of a bird's head found between the forehead—demarcated by an imaginary line drawn from the anterior corners of the eyes—and through the "remainder of the upper part of the head", to the superciliary line. The occiput or hindhead, is the posterior part of the crown.
Day 28
Definitely a quiet day for the Americans. I used this time to construct my fake idols to use at the FTC if I make it there. I think this is the time where I need to continue to work harder than everyone else in the game. While they relax and take a break, I need to push forward and use these times are opportunities to improve myself. I spent a lot of time studying old challenges as well to improve my position.
Day 29 - Morning/Afternoon
Nervous as all hell today. I need to beat Leslie in this challenge. Actually, I need to beat all of them in this thing. It's the only way I get to the end at this point. I keep getting pegged as a front runner over and over again. I have nothing left but to power through to the end. I did some more practicing before the challenge and just hoped it wasn't that Hide and Ghosts Seek challenge.
I talked to Evvie as well and continued to push to her that it was going to be a F3. I just don't want any situations where she realizes her place is 3rd against Xander and I, so I just have to keep pushing us 3 strong to the end. I also just pushed it a little to Xander as well just so I can have all my bases covered.
Day 29 - Post Immunity Challenge / Pre Tribal Council
LOL wow, it was the one challenge I was afraid of but I ended up winning it. That made my life extremely easy and I was able to put my vote in for Leslie right away. Of course, I received the usual message from Leslie asking if I would consider voting Evvie, but I told her straight up that I'm not doing it and our relationship is too strong. She also tried to work Xander and Evvie against each other but I don't think it really did anything.
Day 29 - Post Tribal Council
Well that went exactly how we had hoped. Once again, I received a few dislikes. This time from Shan and JR because I'm assuming they don't want to see me at the end. We also learned that it definitely is a F2, so it's time for one last big push to the end!
Abe,you publicly offered to step down and allow Xander and Evvie a spot in the final 3 in front of a jury of 7 players who you just voted out, many of whom fought their asses off to stay during their boot round. Was this for show, or are you really considering taking your foot off the gas in the final round?
I flirted with the idea sure, but it was mostly just for show. Whatever helps to get Evvie and Xander to pick me to go to the end with them in the event I lose the final challenge. I'm pulling out all the tricks to win this game and I thought a bit of a loyalty oath at the end here couldn't do me any damage. Xander and Evvie both see how far I would go to let them be at the end and so I'm trying to build the idea in their heads that they could do the same for me.
Did you think when the stoners group chat was made during opening weekend that it would go this far and all of you make it? Did you think of it as your most serious group, or did you plan to not bother with it much? Did you ever think of betraying this trio, or were you 100% loyal to the alliance always?
Of course I thought I could get us 3 to the end, and I did. It was most likely the first true alliance in this game and it gave us such an advantage to hit the ground running with it. We had a plan in place from day 1 and it got us here. I definitely had some thoughts about betraying the alliance, especially Evvie as I knew how smart she was, but I stuck by it and stayed true to them because I knew they were counting on me as well. All three of us relied on each other throughout the game and I really couldn't have done it without them. I'm so proud of us for staying true and getting to this point right now.
What has been the hardest tribal council for you so far this entire season?
The Deshawn one for sure. That guy would have gone to the end with me, but probably because he knew he could beat me. I just couldn't put someone else before my Stoner F3 and my own ability to win the game, and so I really had to put emotions aside to vote him out. I really hope we can still talk and be friends post-game because he was such a good guy to talk to. Always positive, always available to just chat about whatever. There's a reason he would have won this game had he stayed any longer.
Have you been through any hardship in this game?
Oof, absolutely. I've been put through the ringer mentally. This game causes insane paranoia and anxiety when you really care about it. I had that freakout in Day 7 about Evvie talking to Shan when that was her part of the plan to begin with. I messed up the Sara plan by telling her she was going to go when she did. I had to deal with JR running his mouth 24/7 and trying to blow up my game. I had to carry myself to the end as people were always out to get me. It's been a lot of hardship to get here.
I could see the opposite as well, in that I had an easy time getting here. Pre-merge I didn't have to go to tribal at all and we were always on the upside of the numbers, but it took a lot of maneuvering on my part to prevent anyone from taking the game into their own hands. A new hardship or obstacle would arise every round and I would do my best to get through it. Players like JR or Leslie definitely had a tougher run through the game, but conquering them was a hardship on its own.
Have you thought about your FTC speech, and what you will say to the jury? How will you present your story to them?
I've been thinking about it since the Sara blindside. I have to paint a picture that I was the mastermind behind the stoner alliance and that I was the one who orchestrated all the votes. I always voted correctly, I was always told information in the game. I don't think there was ever a time that my name came up and I didn't know about it. People told me everything and I never had a risk of being blindsided. I always stuck to the plan, never voted to appease a jury member or for moral reasons. I just played as hard as I could, harder than every single person, and never took shortcuts to get to the top. I was always a big target for people and yet I still sit at the end as the front runner to win.
Not all three of you will make it together to the end. If you become the final juror, who would you vote for to win?
Most likely Evvie. Xander isn't going to be able to answer FTC questions very well and I know Evvie is a great talker. I'm sure both Evvie and I would salivate at the idea of facing Xander in a F2 scenario. The jury also hates Xander and can't really see any of his gameplay as he was always our secret alliance member. His shit-talking of jury members on their way out has also done him no favors and so I do see this being a blowout for either myself or Evvie.
Some interesting reactions from the jury. Most of the jury seems to be bitter and want your head on a stake, tell us why do you think that is?
Probably has something to do with how I used emotions to manipulate everyone. They all thought they had me in their pocket, when it was instead me who had their life in my hands. I'm hoping in a F2 against Xander however, the jury will be a lot more bitter to him and he'll flub a lot of their questions. I'll be as honest as I can with any questions they throw at me and hopefully they'll see voting for me is the better option of the two.
I've said it before - I think true fans won't be bitter and will actually vote for the person who played the better game. I truly believe I have played better than Xander and the jury will already believe this going into it. They always wanted Xander to make a move with them and he stuck by me regardless. They're going to see him as someone who rode my coattails or was my puppy dog the whole way through. I obviously know the truth, but I'm not gonna stop them from saying what they say.
Think you have any allies or supporters on the jury at all?
Maybe Deshawn and JR? I know JR said on his way out that I was the front runner to win this game and hopefully he was telling the truth. I also don't see Deshawn as the bitter type and would definitely be on my side. But I definitely see Sara, Shan, and Heather hating me pretty hard. They probably want to vote for Evvie at the end instead of myself, so I'll do my best to not give them that opportunity. It's hard to tell what Leslie, Jaime, and Erik are thinking but as long as Evvie doesn't get to the end, I should be fine securing votes from them over Xander.
And that's where we end this evening! Let's hope I have a decent amount of time during my vacation to practice and complete this last challenge. Just one more challenge sits between me and a potentially easy FTC. Wish me luck!
