LAST EDITED ON 10-23-11 AT 12:33 PM (EST)

Michel, as always, I thoroughly enjoyed reading your assessment of the episode. I find myself agreeing with alot of it. I found this episode very pivotal. It has turned the action upside down at both camps. The unified Upolu tribe is now a splintered tribe, with Coach right smack in the middle. I love your thoughts on Edna. I had not really seen what you have noted in the episode. I don't know if she will "sneak" her way over to follow Ozzy or not, but I found the prospect intriguing.

Meanwhile, the previously fractured, "every man/woman for themselves" tribe, Savaii, are now seemingly a very unified tribe. Very dramatic change of events. And, now with all of the speculation from the previews, and Jiffy's touts, as well as the promos and clues, we are all left in a heightened anticipatory state regarding the pre-merge, merge, and post-merge episodes. Well done, EPMB, for building the suspense!

But, just as the editing with the circling vultures up above the Zapatera beach, that picture of the dead fish with flies all around it was a horrible rotting image of destruction and deterioration at Upolu beach, imo. It's signs like this that do point to a positive outcome from Ozzy's impending big move...

For me, it sure seems like the tide has shifted and interesting how Coach and Ozzy are being contrasted in practically every single promo....First Ozzy starts out well, and Coach not so much, but Ozzy resorts back to his provider, lazy, keep the girls around self, while Coach builds a "loyal" stargazer alliance + Edna. Coach apparently has the loyal tribe, while Ozzy is blindsided by his. Now, with the pinnacle point when Ozzy throws in the towel and goes rogue free agent, then has time to cool off and then regrets his move. This is like an epiphany, and now with this renewed commitment to work for his tribe and not just within them, Ozzy is re-emerging as the old hero we knew and loved in Cook Islands....Savaii 6 to the end!

Meanwhile, Coach reigns over Albert and gets Mikayla out, while Brandon guilts Rick into Mikayla out, and Edna in...sure seems like the conflict between Brandon and Coach, the HII, is going full speed ahead. The drama is building and Coach sees it. Will this be his downfall in the game? I think so....

Regarding thoughts on Albert. I agree, I think Albert's number is coming up quickly, in fact I would bet that he'll be the post merge boot.

In fact, with this episode, I have a feeling that thoughts I had after the first episode that didn't seem like they would come to fruition, now may be about to be realized. With Ozzy having such a stellar edit imo, in this episode, and wanting to really be a team player, and diving into the waters, FACE FIRST, eyes wide open, making crazy moves, and warranting comments of awe such as I don't possess the physical or emotional ability to do that from Cochran, I'd say that Ozzy is going to do something radical that will endear him to both Dawn and Cochran. I suspected after ep 1 that somehow Ozzy and Dawn would work together, and finally, here is a sign that it may happen.

Regarding your assessment of the types of tribes, I have one comment regarding the Savaii tribe...From the start, they have been an M-tribe, fractured between all their A type personalities. That makes it more likely that a follower like Cochran or Dawn would emerge as the winner but, in victory, they reunited to form one happy family.. I agree this is a tribe with more alphas, and that a follower is most likely to outlast as the alphas go after each other. Ozzy was a leader by experience, only. In other words he is not a leader by personality. He is not an alpha dog, he's a live and let live, laid back, Bob Marley, as Dawn noted in the first ep. He was never good in the leader role, and with this move, I think Ozzy will work for the group, not lead, dictate to the group. Perhaps Dawn will get to step up soon and be the leader she sees herself being. It would be a very strong group with Dawn leading, Ozzy competing, and Cochran hanging on for numbers, as the under the radar "non-threat". We'll see if something like this comes to be....

My biggest take on this episode was that Ozzy's stock has increased immensely. Where I had no hope of him winning before the last episode, nor did I like him anymore....to the point of not even using my Ozzy siggie. I know see the "old" Ozzy that I loved re-emerge and I have hope once again, that he can get to the end with a small band of brothers/sisters! But, will getting to the end be enough? I don't know. But, one thing I think I do know....someone on Savaii is going to win Survivor: South Pacific!