So bummed this has been a crazy week but I still wanted to get a few thoughts in here! Michel, always a great read and when you make points, I listen! I am not ready to call the winner yet. I do love the family theme that you nailed...Missy/Keith/Baylor/Jon seem to be the family...Missy and Keith the parents, but I am beginning to think that Keith is the Grandfather....choosing to nap while Missy agrees, he's earned it! So Missy is the matriarch, Jon and Baylor the kids. I think Natalie will be one of her kids too, but I don't really know where Jeremy fits...he has been villainous but, he always seems to speak the truth...like in this episode, when Julie was up all night and ready to quit, Jeremy preceded the scene saying the "brainiacs" couldn't suck it up and had to trade everything, the tarp, for food...the merge is here, and they just had shish-k-bobs that day, clearly indicating that it was a very stupid move to trade their shelter supplies for food, it will most likely cost them Julie. Clear foreshadowing.

Could Jeremy be the father role? Clearly a snarky one, but maybe?

The intro: on Coy: 3 pairs of LO's and keith, on Hun 1 couple and a bunch of singles...on Coy they had a real idol and a fake idol, and a new power couple....they all want us, it's kind of crazy...
At Hun they were worried that Reed could jump ship, to make matters worse, they were starving...Jeremy wins immunity for HUN, and after they won, they made a desperate plea...with Coy facing TC, J/J had to choose between 2 couples...and at TC, they decided to stick with M/B sending home, Dale's daughter, Kelly. 13 left, who is next?

The target next week, I think, will be someone from nuHanahpu...it could be Julie, but it could be someone else too, someone that Jeremy targets....one of the "brainiacs".

The question of the entire episode was posed very early in the show, when Dale showed Jon the fake idol. Would it save him or not?

Then, Jiffy shows up for the trade...Jeremy, who is really "pissed", and Julie get the confessionals. Julie will be affected the most negatively by the trade, and Jeremy could be as well, if Julie quits before the merge.

At the RC, Reed is emotional when he wins, and picks Julie to go...can you imagine if she had gone to EI...she would have quit immediately! LOL! But, Natalie jumps up to go....BRILLIANT move, imo! Natalie is making ties to the other tribe, so she will not be picked off as a single...Missy in conf agrees: Natalie is WITH ME! Clear foreshadowing that Natalie and Missy are strongly tied together, this is important when they take sides post merge.

Once again the Howler Monkey precedes Jon. Clearly, he symbolizes Jon, and I do think that is very important this season.

Then the weighty confessionals about the big lunch they had, then the rain and Julie possibly quitting. If she has to go, he needs her there until he makes merge. Will Julie leave once Jeremy makes the merge?

Then a very selfish and unsympathetic confessional from one of the "brainiacs", Alec...this is Survivor, if you can't hack it, go home. Foreshadowing?

Then the challenge, and Coyopa loses again, Dale had the last words. I did think Jon arriving and giving the nod to Josh was significant...at first I thought they would work together, but you may be right, it could mean these two will go head to head?

Keith has a conf about getting back together with Wes, and his back up plan, the idol. Foreshadowing again...

Clearly we see Missy's priority is not Keith...better him than me!

At TC, Jon had the meatiest statement, I thought, and it was right before the vote...
Jon says: It influences my decision, we are coming to the merge, I need to know who is going to be with me, it's about long term who can I trust the most.

Then the vote, and then Dale goes...Missy smiles, then Jon says to Jacklyn: You are so beautiful, then Jiffy concludes: the biggest vote so far and you said it was centered around loyalty, the question is did you make the right decision?

Yes, that will be the question of the season, lol!

I still think Jon is an end game player, but Jeremy and Missy are as well, and I think Keith will be there too. Thanks so much, michel, a great read as always! Clearly, Julie will be toast at the merge, I think. With the preview promo Josh/Reed are gunning for Jeremy, but it's easy to see that Josh will fall short.