Late to the party, busy week!

I love your comments regarding the intro! Especially noting those that are recapped, and seen in the intro are significant candidates for the winner. I agree, when you put it that way, that the winners story is indeed part of the recap. I also liked how you hone it down to 6, then place them in a hierarchy as the last two sound bytes were more negative, Stephen's and Savage's.

Regarding the underdog story, I see Spencer as the star of that story, as he's been on the bottom and in the minority on many of his tribes, while Joe has been with numbers everywhere he's gone, and he's won everywhere he's gone. Regardless, excellent light you are shedding on the essence of this story! Well done!

I also loved that you noted the symbolism at camp Takeo with the unlit torches, inferring that the winner is NOT at that camp at that time. Very interesting observation!

Andrew's comments regarding being blindsided by the professional liars, I had to chuckle. He seemingly thinks so much of his own ability to read people, but he was so easily fooled, and we all saw it. Then to berate the "wimpy, little, non-leader, the antithesis of what he is"....the gall, I thought. He is judgmental and narcissistic, and it's quite clear. Andrew is becoming someone that I am rooting against, and I never saw him quite this way the last time he played. Funny how he commented that he held the most against Kass, but later, when Ciera went to work spinning lies to kick it up, he changed his tune and then held her in his cross hairs. Ugh.

At this point, I rule out Andrew as a possible winner. He's going through the game with a horrible social approach, and he must be quite a turn off to many out there. No.

Nice observation with the toast when Kass toasted to the 13 losers and then Stephen was seen.

When Jeremy and Andrew went away at the merge, I note that they considered the following people with them:

Andrew/Jeremy: Tasha(#1), Fishbach, Kimmi, Wigglesworth, and they need to make sure that Joe is with them. These are the people that Andrew and Jeremy consider as their closest allies. The alliance, revealed.

Then Kelley reveals her numbers:

Kelley/Kass, Ciera, Keith, Spencer, Joe, and Abi. She needs to confirm with Spencer and Joe...

I agree with you regarding some that I would have liked to have heard more from, namely Joe and Kelley. Joe was solidly aligned with the Bayon bros, and then when he went to Takeo, he had a final five. This is a very big deal for him, because he's going back on his word to one group by committing to the other group.

Kelly as well. She's always shown to be with the wrong side of the numbers, yet when the vote comes, she's voting against what she was shown doing, and we are not shown why or how that comes about. But, I do think it makes her like a "Sandra Diaz-Twine" type of player. AS long as it's not her, she's in. And, we all know where Sandra ended up!

EXCELLENT observation of Spencer and his football diagram with 3 in the middle. I agree, that third person must be Kelley. It's starting to appear that Kelley and Spencer are very tight, while she wants to stick with Joe as a shield. Perhaps, Spencer wants to work with Joe for the same reason, and perhaps that Kelley has urged Spencer to do so? Spencer and Kelley clearly are in the category of alliances that are NOT revealed, so kudos for picking up on this! j

I have to say though that I didn't particularly like the way Spencer talked down to Joe with the football diagram. He came off as arrogant as well, imo.

Stephen's poem recitation was just awkward. Coach was delusional and takes himself so seriously, while Stephen just is awkward. And, the snapping of the fingers, what's that all about? It just seemed weird to me, like they are tolerating Stephen, and he's so out of tune with them.

Kass recognized the "Bayon Bros", and thinks she can pull the numbers she needs, but we see that she doesn't have those that she thinks she does. The conflict between Tasha and Kass is raised. It steamrolls.

Kass stated the obvious that it would be the original Bayon that would run this show, as so many Takeo's had already left pre-merge, but it was Kass that considered herself to be OUT of that alliance, or was she ever really in it? She was ready to upset that applecart. Then, Ciera really hits hard with her lies regarding splitting up the Bayon boys. I have to give Ciera credit, she's playing to wreck havoc and I personally thought it was a hoot! But, nice observation of Kelley! If Jeremy was a paranoid type, that could have been really fun to play out.

As you noted, Joe got the confessional after the IC, and then Savage got the next one, where he stated: I wanted to win. I wanted to make a statement. You have all these young studs; I just wanted to show that I can hang with them. But Ciera and Kass didn’t win immunity.

I took this as foreshadowing that he could win the next IC, and then hopefully, once he's won one, can get voted out next!

Then, the rest of his confessional: I would rather have Ciera go. I will never forget what Ciera did and, in my mind, she’s done. For this vote, I’d rather have Ciera go. She is dangerous. For me, she is public enemy number one and she has to go.”

This is funny, because once Ciera involved him directly in the lies, he's zeroed in on her. I took this part of the confessional to be misdirection, because Andrew was fickle, first he wanted Kass, now it's Ciera. I don't think Andrew's edit is moving in a positive direction.

I got the impression that Jeremy got the confessional regarding the question of whether or not Kass could have one, because HE has the HII. I just associated this confessional coming from the one that would be considering it.

When the votes were split 5/4, they still would have had the numbers even if Kass had played an idol. So, I saw the suggestion to split the votes as smart.

I didn't know what to make of Spencer's last confessional, about finally being in a new position to influence the game. Is he getting a little confident, OR, is he just happy to be in this position? I am leaning toward the latter!

Clearly, this is a different game when, as Stephen noted, the smallest women are being targeted at the merge? (Kass and Ciera). So chalk one up for Jeremy's plan, and for Joe's. Regardless of what was edited, I still recall how in the beginning of the season with all of the pre-game interviews, that Kass was public enemy number one. Was she spared until now because she had the good fortune to be on the stronger tribe? Did Tasha, among others, have it out for her from day 1? As we have noted before, this is a season where they have all seen each other's games so we don't know how much that affects their choices out there.

I totally agree that it could be a fun game to watch down the road, as Spencer drew his diagram for Joe, as you pointed out, there are 3 people in the middle! If those three people decide to go against the "Bayon Bros", it could get fun! I would love to see Andrew Savage served up on a platter. *snark*