It isn't really a matter of my perception. Every castaway we've heard from has called them "Kim and Chelsea."
In the post interviews and all during the show, that is what everyone is saying.
Not just Jay, but Troy refers to both of them several times during this last show.
During the conversation I posted, was Chelsea being talked to like a coat tail rider? No, her and Kim were openly discussing what they should do next. Chelsea's opinion is obviously important. Otherwise, it wouldn't have been such a big deal.
Kim never asked Alicia or Kat whether they agreed with her strategy. They eagerly agreed without being asked. But she did ask Chelsea, more than once. It was obviously very important that Chelsea agree.
Notice how Alicia and Kat didn't have the guts to voice their disagreement with Chelsea in front of Kim? Alicia had to run to confessional, and Kat spoke in hushed tones to Sabrina behind their back. Neither has the power to confront Chelsea out in the open, and they know it.
I LOVED the IC and watched it a couple times. Lief was actually struggling pretty bad at the end. He was using one arm to hold up the other and was definitely in some discomfort. I might make Lief the favorite, but you can't automatically assume Jay doesn't beat him if Chelsea had bowed out and given him the chance.
At the end, Chelsea said, "I love money." That perfectly capped one of Survivor's favorite subplots- the battle of personal ethics versus the desire for money. I would agree that in the end she came off poorly. In fact, you can say the entire thread wasn't even about her, just about that timeless battle, with her as the vehicle.
I would also agree that if that is the best reasoning she can come up with, then the jury will tear her apart and Kim has this in the bag.
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