LAST EDITED ON 11-27-11 AT 01:30 AM (EST)

One of the things the recap did was bring into better focus the individual positions of many (not all) of the remaining players. The two returning players, Coach and Ozzy, seemed to borrow different aspects of Boston Rob's winning game from last season.

Redemption Island

Ozzy (Savaii). Ozzy tried to be relaxed and have the fun tribe, missing the aspect that Rob was working the game the whole way through no matter how it appeared, making things fun in his tribe was just a piece of the game. His version of fun was more leader of the T-Birds and Pink Ladies than Bill Murray in Meatballs, (which would have been the better way to go). Ozzy ignored the immediate needs of those who didn't fit into his more bohemian tribal view, except when confronted with things head on. With the right mix of personalities it may have worked, but Ozzy didn't pay attention to that either, carrying two players to the merge he would have been better off without. Ozzy made a big move sending himself to RI the first time hoping to return to the game and have Savaii merge at parity with Upolu. He tried a bit to enforce some of the same segregation Rob employed post-merge, inverting don't share their fish into don't share our fish, but he was rebuffed. Now at Redemption Island he has decided to play the gracious host and be non-judgmental, a role which would have served him well earlier in the game. Ozzy has achieved redemption and his failings can be revealed.

Dawn (Savaii). Dawn had trouble fitting into Savaii, stuck to her Mormon values and mom persona as much as possible while trying to play the game, but not being able to play a Pink Lady. Her determination carried her through the game, and she saw clearly how Cochran was being treated and struggling in Savaii. We saw no effort from her to try to correct the problem, so either she didn't try or her efforts just failed. She doesn't really need redemption in any literal sense, though if she returns to the game she will be a big threat since she has been very capable in challenges, and has a lot of respect from everyone as a basically decent person.

Whitney (Savaii). Whitney had a softened edit in the recap, playing nice and somewhat on her southern charms. Her game also had some laughable aspects, as she and Keith planned to hide that they were a couple but proceeded to act like a couple at every turn.

Te Tuna

Coach (Upolu). Coach borrowed the leader/camp counselor aspects of Boston Rob's game with little of the softer edges. He brought his own "honor and integrity" issues to it, forgetting that Rob was willing to break up a couple and alter his main alliance until he had the right mix of followers. Coach has other issues as well, as he can be tempermental and tyranical. He likened himself to Zeus and probably doesn't realize just how aptly he fits that role. The Greeks adored their heroes, like Hercules (Heracles), but their gods were full of faults and could be laughed at or even pitied. Zeus was fickle in love and unpredictable in his anger, merciless in his wrath. Sound familiar, Benjamin? Still, Coach has been in control of the game, and can be surprisingly good, as with how he dealt with and turned Cochran from an enemy into a follower.

Cochran (Savaii). Cochran had trouble fitting in, was reluctant to play in the surf, but in the recap his story becomes one of learning opportunities. While he never believed he would do well in the tribal part of the game, he was willing to take on the challenges of camp life and go outside his comfort zone, as with gutting fish, even though he empathises with being at the bottom of the food chain. He was well liked and humored to some respect, but his introspective nature led him to perhaps see things much differently than others; he became the team mascot, part of the team but apart from the team. Keith using sports metaphors, perhaps Keith was trying to bolster the kid up and tell him to have confidence, but sports metaphors just bounce off Cochran's sarcasmeter. Ozzy may have thought he was creating learning opportunities for Cochran, which were seen by Cochran (and Dawn at times) as Cochran being picked on. In the end he fell for Coach, who spoke a mythic BS he could understand, he got his ego boost. And now he's mascot of Coach. Unfortunately, his isn't the only game that is Coach-dependant.

Brandon (Upolu). Contrasting with Cochran, Brandon is the exact opposite, a bull in a china shop. Brandon has no game, he's out to prove himself and insisting on being hardnosed about every little thing in the world. In short he is everything bad in a religeous nut but almost none of the good. He is rash, extremely judgmental, and viewed as unpredictable, prone to meltdowns. It's kind of a shame he isn't really playing, it would be one heck of a confidence game strategy he's pulling off, there are many tactically sound aspects to the kid's bull in a china shop way of going through Survivor. Rob would have gotten rid of this 19 year old nutling just because, unlike Phil, he's a lot of work and none of the amusement.

Albert (Upolu). Albert is a player but stymied in the game because he feels he needs to make his mark, make the big play, even if it is just re-arranging the boot order slightly. His partner in the game, Sophie, keeps him in check. He may yet be able to shake things up a bit.

Sophie (Upolu). Sophie keeps calm, sees things clearly, but she has a plan and is sticking with the plan. Her game may simply be to let all other games implode, or she may yet have a story, may yet stand out.

Edna and Rick (Upolu). Maybe they're trying to play but mainly they were shown to have concerns about tribal inter-dynamics, they're afraid of Brandon's meltdowns and unpredictability.