Tai told everyone at the Tribal Council before this one what a super idol does. If they were listening and talking they know. Debbie seemed to not know.

Aubry might know from Neal

Cydney also might know

The way they voted and their strategy seems to indicate they knew.

Joe didn't seem like he knew.

The "girls" alliance needs to suck it up and out/eliminate the super idol. Or else they will have to pick each other off until the end because they are afraid of the super idol.

Thus sayeth the former champ (I don't think I am winning it this year with Nick voted out now).

I don't think Tai told them what it does. He mentioned super idol but didn't say anything more about its powers. Only Neal and Nick know what it does, and they're on the jury. If the brains knew what it does, they would have flushed it last night.

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The way they voted and their strategy seems to indicate they knew.

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I think it tells us the exact opposite. If they were going to lose one of their own last night anyway, they would have forced the guys to use the super idol first. They don't even realize that the game is essentially one vote away from being even now (unless they convince Tai to leave Scott and Jason).

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The "girls" alliance needs to suck it up and out/eliminate the super idol. Or else they will have to pick each other off until the end because they are afraid of the super idol.

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For that to work... one of them has to be willing to fall on the sword... whoever the guys choose to vote for... b/c they can't split the vote anymore... There are 8 left now (right?) so even if they get julia back on their side... they get 5 votes for Scott/Jason/Tai... The Super Idol is played... and flushed out... those votes don't count... and now whoever Scott/Jason/Tai voted for is out.... A split of 3 for Scott, 2 for Jason... Super Idol played for Scott... there are still 3 votes for whomever.

Its a risk... but I guess you gotta flush it at some point.

The other play the guys have... if one wins immunity... they could play them as a regular idol, or say they are... and all 3 of them are safe

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I don't think Tai told them what it does. He mentioned super idol but didn't say anything more about its powers.

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Could have sworn he said something about it being used after the votes are read.

Scoring Update:

Tom Hagens Wife 45.5
Moxie 39.5
Ronnie 36.5

jdgilberg 35
Ranger222 35
txaggiefarmer 35

RebelE91 34.5
tx1c 33.5
Tony Franklins Shoe 32
kpaggie05 32

AcctAg11 31
tallgrant 29.5
Quinn 28

Unthought Known 27.5
Bobcat06 27
The Sheik 26.5

BlackLab 25.5
gravy97 25
CheeseSndwch 24.5

cwpaggie07 23.5
aggietony2010 21.5
Moore Trucker 21.5

LHIOB 21
hurleyag 19


Check Scoring Here

welp my strategy failed.

Crazy how Julia's immunity win will completely change the game now. She is going to put Scot and Jason in position to last a while now

Yep, changes it all up. She gets to go to the guys and let them know she helped them hold onto the idols and went with the vote against Debbie to remain good with the girls alliance. She bought a week of being able to play both sides and if I were her I would go with the guys with the plan to drop Tai at the first moment they can.

I think the girls are going to try to flip Ty by making him feel guilty about being a bully.

Correct - that was in the previews for the next episode.

the super idol has too much power. the only way to effectively flush it is with a vote split when both your splits have at least the same number of votes as the minority alliance.

as it stands, they can always just dangle it over everyone else by using the 'vote with us, or we'll use the idol and vote you out...are you willing to take that risk?'

if you're put in that situation, what would you do? you immediately switch to the alliance that controls the super idol...self preservation and all.

also, I am finally caught up....other than the super idol twist, i find this season to be rather mediocre

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the super idol has too much power. the only way to effectively flush it is with a vote split when both your splits have at least the same number of votes as the minority alliance.

as it stands, they can always just dangle it over everyone else by using the 'vote with us, or we'll use the idol and vote you out...are you willing to take that risk?'

if you're put in that situation, what would you do? you immediately switch to the alliance that controls the super idol...self preservation and all.

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I agree that it's a bit too powerful. I don't think the game designers considered carefully enough the effects of it being used in a team setting. I think it's fine for any one person playing a solo game, but when multiple people collude, it essentially means someone on the other side has to bite the bullet to flush it out.

That said, it will make the next few weeks very interesting. Does Cydney switch back to her brawn buddies' side? She was the target at this past Tribal. Assuming they all know the power of the super idol, she should be able to deduce that one of the girls is going to have to go home to make them use the idol. Either that, or sway Tai to change sides (might not be too hard, actually) and take the idol with him.

I think Jason and Scot made a mistake not making Tai give Jason the other half of the idol. Maybe they couldn't convince him, but it seems like Jason is way over confident about his alliance with Tai. I think Tai could've been rather easily bullied by Scot into giving up the idol to Jason.

Tai should stay as close to Jason and Scott as he can. If those three make the finale... he's winning....

Plus I have Tai and Jason, so this can only help me claw my way back up from premerge last place

The only way Tai gets to final three is with an immunity run, and I imagine no one lets him get past 5th.

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The only way Tai gets to final three is with an immunity run, and I imagine no one lets him get past 5th.

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Unless he manages to NOT let them sway him into giving up his idol. If they do somehow figure out how to flush the superidol, he loses all of his cover just like that.

That's one aspect of it that they seem to be underplaying, is that BOTH people have to want to give up the idol. He'd be stupid to give his half to either of the other guys because he's then exposed from that point on.

The way the Super Idol came to be this season worked out great to show its full power... but had the idols finders remained "hidden"... like Neal... the power of the super idol wouldn't be as daunting.... b/c as you said above.. BOTH idols have to want to be played together.

But with Scott being the connection between the two different idol keepers, he was able to bring the super idol together. Had Scott and Tai not fallen into love, we'd just have individual idols waiting to be played

Speaking of Neal's idol... I guess if an idol gets played, they hide another one... but since Neal took his to the hospital with him... it is gone for good?

Speaking of Neal's idol... I guess if an idol gets played, they hide another one... but since Neal took his to the hospital with him... it is gone for good?

Probably, since there hasn't been any clues given for another. Can't see them unleashing another one unless one is played in the next two tribals, especially since most HII's aren't good after 6th place is voted out.

And I agree with you MooreTrucker, but I think that Jason giving him the idol was just for show and that Tai will give it right back as soon as they get back to the beach.

I was watching the Rob Cesternino Know-it-All show last night, and Eliza was saying how their contracts say what possibilities can occur and that if they read the contract, it would explain and state that superidols were in play. She then said I don't think most people read them, and Natalie, the winner from San Juan Del Sur started laughing and said she didn't read hers.

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And I agree with you MooreTrucker, but I think that Jason giving him the idol was just for show and that Tai will give it right back as soon as they get back to the beach.

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I figure that he did, but Tai will still hang on to his own HII, and might actually be reluctant to give it up to "superidol" one of the other two if it comes to that. As long as they only use it as a "threat", he's good. But if he actually has to play it.....

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I guess if an idol gets played, they hide another one... but since Neal took his to the hospital with him... it is gone for good?

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When they were having their Chinese food and one of them said something about there being fortune cookies, I just knew there would be a clue in one.

Kinda disappointing...

It will be interesting to see what Jeff says on the ET Weekly interview this week. When is that out anyway?

My wife hates Scott and Jason for being bullies. I'm loving the drama.

I actually think the little 18 year old chick is playing a fantastic game.

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ENTERTAINMENT WEEKLY: We saw Scot, Jason, and Tai hiding the machete and ax and pouring the tribe water all over the fire to put it out. Is that a legitimate method of strategy or are they just being a sore loser babies? And what are we to make of Tai going to the dark side and putting out the fire himself?

JEFF PROBST: It's a great question. Putting aside my own personal feelings, I'd say yes, it's a legit strategy. Trying to instill fear, chaos, hopelessness, or any emotion that takes someone out of their best self is a strategy. As for whether it's sore losers, I'm not sure it has to be one or the other. It can be both. There is a bit of sore loser playing out. I am fascinated by what happens when Scot and Jason are together versus when they are apart. Both were really nice guys in casting. I liked them very much and never saw this coming. It's a thin-slice look at the many nuances of this game. One personality can shift another personality and that can shift an entire tribe dynamic. I imagine that right now Scot and Jason are bummed that they are seen by some of our audience as bullies, because I don't think they see themselves that way. Scot is a former pro athlete those guys play for keeps. They have huge stakes, millions of dollars on the line, plus personal pride. Jason chases other humans for a living. It doesn't get any more personal than that. So I think both of them were triggered by their fight or flight instincts and this is the result. The bigger question from a game point of view can it work?

Playing both sides can work if you have strong partners and nobody realizes you are doing it, but all Julia seems to have done is put herself on the bottom of two different alliances. At the reward challenge, you allowed the players to see if they could make their own teams and I'm sure you all were curious what would happen. What was your reaction when Julia volunteered to go with the guys?

I loved it. I can't say enough about Julia. So young and so mature and so brave. She's playing a reckless game and that is to be commended. She is playing one of the most aggressive games of anyone still left. She's a contender. Every move comes with a potential negative consequence. But as you and I often talk about in this column, Monday morning quarterbacking is for couch potatoes. If you are a true fan who has imagined actually having to play this game you can only admire the attempt. Many, many, many winners have played two or even three sides. And many, many winners needed a second shot, or more to make it happen.

There were a lot of different ways Jason, Scot, and Tai could have handled this super idol situation, and they appeared to do the smartest thing possible by threatening to use them individually, but then not using them at all before the reading of the votes, yet keeping it as a double-idol post-vote-reading safety net, which they ended up not even needing. If that alliance stays strong, as a player can you even target them with all that idol power?

It's a great question. I agree, they played it beautifully and with extreme confidence. We never know how a twist is going to work but this one has given us so much story and layered game play. Just looking at this from the stand point of "generally speaking" it would seem that if they stick with their agreement to use it, then one of them is guaranteed safety. No matter which one of the three you pick, they will be safe. And you have to assume they will throw their three votes on one player.

But Survivor has so many crossed lines and blurred alliances that all it takes is one stray decision to throw everything off. And the other big question is what happens after you've used it? Because now both the idols are gone and you're vulnerable again.Survivor is a never-ending series of what ifs.

BONUS QUESTION! Debbie is one of the more unique characters we've seen on this show, and I'm guessing there was even more out there in your interactions that did not make the final cut. What was it like interacting with her at challenges and Tribal Council and how sad are you lose her?

Debbie is one of a kind. I adore Debbie. She is wacky and she owns it. She knows a little about a lot. She has a tremendous sense of humor and a self-deprecating view of the parts of herself that make us laugh. He was gold every single time she said anything. But I think the biggest surprise to our audience was how much of a big time player she turned out to be. Many of my friends wrote her off in the first episode as the lady with a hundred jobs, but she turned them. She earned her keep out there and should be proud. I miss her already.

Okay, sir. Tease us up for next week's episode!

It's getting more difficult to tease because so much happens. So how's this? I think the audience will be screaming at their TVs by the time it's over!

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Oh my goodness. Do yourself a favor and go watch Debbie's Ponderosa. She is something else.

Holy crap

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Holy crap

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Much division in our family over that move.

Tai had a better shot to win taking the two men with him. Now they will be gunning for him

Why didn't Scot just toss the idol to Jason on his way out?

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Tai had a better shot to win taking the two men with him. Now they will be gunning for him

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Foolish, he could have had a magic carpet ride to the mill, now he's gonna have to fight for it.

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Why didn't Scot just toss the idol to Jason on his way out?

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Once you're voted out, the idol is dead.

I'll have to recheck the vote count but wasn't it 4-2-2?

So he gives up the idol and they revote. My guess is he goes home over Aubry

Great episode

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I figure that he did, but Tai will still hang on to his own HII, and might actually be reluctant to give it up to "superidol" one of the other two if it comes to that. As long as they only use it as a "threat", he's good. But if he actually has to play it.....

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Nice call. It's crazy to see that season after season when you don't let others feel they're in control your fate is sealed. After Tai approaches Scot and Jason about Aubry wanting to work with them, not only do they say no but go after someone willing to work with them.

When Aubry approached Tai, she stated she wanted him to feel comfortable, at least giving him some semblance that his ideas matter. Pretty impressed by her social and physical play post-merge.

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I'll have to recheck the vote count but wasn't it 4-2-2?

So he gives up the idol and they revote. My guess is he goes home over Aubry

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Yes, that's likely what would have happened. If he's smart, Tai will have told Jason that was the exact reason he couldn't save Scot without eliminating himself.