LAST EDITED ON 12-06-07 AT 07:06 AM (EST)

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EPISODE 11, Going for the OSCAR

Welcome to the SOTS, State of the Spoiling, where we try and one up EPMB and accurately predict the results of his show before it airs...sometimes we are right, and sometimes we are not. But, we will eternally try! Please check out our Community Guidelines that are located here. They keep Blows running smoothly and remind us that it's nice to be civil!

Now, on with the show...last week's running commentary of Episode 10 can be found in Estee's thread, The East Coast Update Thread. Estee is our queen of quick commentary...her sense of humor is priceless! But, what a show it was! To answer the burning question that CBS posed each week with the promo's, Can James be stopped....well,...

JAMES WAS BLINDSIDED!!!!!!XO%*@$#!*(%$#@#!$*@##!$%%^&@*!!!!!

In honor of the big guy and ESPECIALLY awarded to him for leaving the game with GRACE and DIGNITY, we would like to present James with a small consolation prize, an idol he can call his own...

....maybe he will win next season! Too bad MY OSCAR won't be there to challenge James for the Ultimate Challenge Hog Award...***EDITED to ADD that I hear OZZY WILL be there, YEEEEEHAAAAAAAAAA!!!!!!! GO OZZY GO!

...you knew I couldn't do an episode SOTS with OSCAR in the title and not have a shot of him???

So let the SOTS begin for this week...

GOING FOR THE OSCAR

With the powerhouse James out of the way, the dynamics are bound to change. This week KOBrien Fan brings us the Title thread, "Going for the Oscar", where she first identifies that this will be the standard loved ones visit. Chez brings us our CBS misdirection clues here as well...

1. While most castaways shed tears of joy after receiving news from home, one sheds tears of sorrow…but some think the waterworks are no more than a mere performance.

Most folks are speculating that this is a girl with the waterworks. Personally, my best guess for the drama queen is....

She just seems like such a sulker to me...

2. After fulfilling a tribemate’s dream, one castaway is infuriated when her kind gesture is not returned.

Most folks are speculating that this is referring to...

3. And why are the castaways licking each other’s hands?

This must be part of a challenge, right? Well according to the Spoiler de Jour, DanieuBleau, at Survivor Skills, They finish off the trip with chocolate cake for dessert, and a couple of Reward winners put it on their fingers, and let some of the non-winners lick it off. Delicious!

THE CHALLENGES

This week the vidcaps clearly show that there are two challenges. From the challenge board and thanks to Volcanic Glass for deciphering it, we know that this weeks Reward Challenge is MARCO POLO.

We also know, thanks to this little clip of Jiffy, that it is indeed the loved ones reward. But, we really had figured it out, thanks to all of the vidcaps of the crying DAWS! But, here are a few shots of the RC...

Most likely there is a very large maze that the blindfolded daws have to scramble through, with the help of their loved one counterparts. Reminds us of the Marco Polo game that we used to play in the pool...so, WHO WINS? Well, pictures of Amanda approaching Erik, noting that Todd is playing his own game, and she does not like it...

...These particular shots lead some of us to believe that perhaps Amanda was the resentful one that was denied the Reward Challenge with her loved one, and therefore sought revenge with targeting Todd, her closest ally.

But, alas, we were wrong once again, as over at Survivor Skills, DanieuBleau gives us a little present with photoshop....

Dani also spoils who comes to visit them...

Amanda: Sister Katrina
Denise: Husband Robert
Todd: Sister - One of his three sisters

Immunity Challenge

So, if Marco Polo is the RC, then that leaves the IC as the long physical challenge where they are tethered to a rope with a hook and perhaps some locks, where they race to get over, under, around obstacles along the way, perhaps culminating with locks and such. Here are a few shots...we see , Amanda, PG, Denise, Todd, Courtney, and Erik at the start of the race....

Note that there are color coded boxes in the background at the start. Here are previous vidcaps that we have received of color coded boxes where once opened offer 2 sides, with 2 statements that have perhaps a wrapped key that corresponds to the statement that the daw chooses...these statements state: Crossbows were invented in China, and Crossbows were not invented in China. The daws must go through 3 boxes like this, collecting 3 different keys...

We see that Erik is off to the lead, with Todd in second, and then all of the ladies with Amanda in a slight third place. Then...

Here there is no sign of Erik, still in the lead perhaps?, Todd appears to be leading here, followed by Amanda, then Courtney, then PG, and no sign of Denise....Note that Todd is soaking wet as he goes down this hill...

...so the water portion of this race must be behind them...

The vidcaps ask, who is the Dominant Player? It is superimposed over Erik, Todd, Amanda, and PG. So I guess that means that Denise is out as the "Dominant Player"...

So who wins? Well, we know that the producers do their best to set up misdirection with the vidcaps. Clearly, the misdirection is Amanda plotting with Erik against Todd. If she gets to go on Reward than clearly she is not resentful, and besides, she's got the credit for taking out the big guy, James. So, perhaps Amanda is on a roll....leading Erik down the proverbial garden path. Misdirecting him to the slaughter, so to speak.

We also have Denise confiding that she is the swing vote tonight...go with PG and Eirk and force the tie, or stay with the dominant players and vote out PG or Erik. We all know what she will do...

Many folks think that it is likely that a smaller more nimble daw will win the IC, namely Todd, PG, or even perhaps Courtney. If PG wins, it's easy to see how Erik could be the proposed Target. I think that she will, as I think the boxes at the beginning will determine the winner. Note that there are multiple boxes at the start of the race, so they must answer ALL questions correctly in order to get the right keys. I propose that Erik and others will get at least one statement wrong, therefore get the wrong keys, therefore enabling PG to win it. I came to this conclusion with the help of TDB S18 Winner over at Sucks Mess Hall, here. But, perhaps Erik will just narrowly miss the IC, and noting that he did indeed win the IC last ep, the Daws will choose him.

Here's my take on the events:

RC: Todd, Denise, and Amanda
IC: Todd but more likely PG
Boot*:

*But, only because DanieuBleau has predicted it as I think PG would be first if she does not win the IC...

Please don't forget to stop in and see Veruca and Friends in our wonderful editing thread.

Lastly, don't forget to pay Dabo a visit and go and VOTE!

Thanks to Scarlett for the lovely graphics!

• RE: Episode 11, SOTS,Scarlett O Hara, 12:15 PM, 12-05-07
  • RE: Episode 11, SOTS,Fire Fly, 01:43 PM, 12-05-07
  • RE: Episode 11, SOTS,Flowerpower, 02:05 PM, 12-05-07
• RE: Episode 11, SOTS,Outfrontgirl, 09:54 PM, 12-05-07
• RE: Episode 11, SOTS,strid333, 10:34 PM, 12-05-07
• RE: Episode 11, SOTS,CTgirl, 11:11 PM, 12-05-07
• RE: Episode 11, SOTS,Max Headroom, 08:29 AM, 12-06-07
• RE: Episode 11, SOTS,KObrien_fan, 09:04 AM, 12-06-07
• RE: Episode 11, SOTS,whoami, 06:21 PM, 12-06-07
• RE: Episode 11, SOTS,CattyChat, 05:15 PM, 12-13-07

Nice work FP, as always. We can always count on your SOTS to be extremely entertaining and visual!

So, the RC must be either broken into two teams of three OR the winner is allowed to invite two other DAWs to go along on the Reward as well.

I agree that James did surprise us with his dignified and gracious exit last week. Unlike some DAWs we know,
< cough > LEX < cough >!! However, if I'm voting for an Oscar, than it has to be ...

* crossing fingers that we'll see him back on ASS2 next Spring! *

As usual....the perfect summary, and entertaining too! Thanks FP

LAST EDITED ON 12-05-07 AT 02:25 PM (EST)

WOW, thanks for that shot, Scarlett! I'd sure like to go for a ride in his car, ha ha!

Oh, almost forgot...check out the thread by Q that discusses S16: Second All-stars. Seems as though the theory right now is that it will be shot in Palau, and it will be a tribe of All-Star "Alumni" Daws vs. a tribe of newbies...well at least it's new. Still think it's not really an all-star tribe without Ozzy...

I love this SOTS. Baaaaah ...
Thanks FlowerPower!

Good SOTS

Three is the perfect number.

LAST EDITED ON 12-05-07 AT 11:12 PM (EST)

Good job as always, FloPo!!

I loved the photochopped Oscar and Erik and flying Ozzy!

Christmas cookies with Sharnina