Round 17: The one where they kept the returning winner at F4

[benjimcfly]

RIP Tati.

Tati was the only person who was competitive to beat Jake at the finale. 

Andrew isn't writing Jake's name down. 

So. Kyle/Racheal are going to prove their strength here. Because Andrew and Jake are probably going to tie it on Racheal, so Jake can have a better shot at making FTC. 

I don't see how Kyle wins over the jury with Jake there. Also, hilarious that this love triangle is gearing up for the finale. 

[Heinrichs]

I've posted very little in one the board but I have been following the game.

I just want to say Tati should be so proud of her game. By the end I was really cheering for her to win. You were the only one not completely misted by Jake the entire game and you kept trying to get him out. Even the round you went out you almost succeeded if Jake didn't successfully mist Rachael at the end there.

I also want to say I am extremely impressed with Jake's win. He totally deserves this and he's easily the best ORGers I've witnessed. Well played Jake, and I fully expect you'll win a third time in this series in the future. Just one more challenge or firemaking left to clinch this one. I loved jumping on streams to just see how you talk to people and instantly disarm everyone to get your way. You hustle, and spread the lies to keep turning people against each other so you can sneak by to the end. Well played.

Andrew dude. You seem like a funny guy, but I can't help but feel you weren't playing to win. You were playing to get a date haha. I think you'll be more likely to win a bachelor org.

Kyle, proud of you for making it so much further this game then in your first Endure game. You totally have the skill to win one of these. I don't see you getting Jake out here and winning but it's still possible! But you are way too loyal of a player in these things when Jake was never loyal to you (or anyone)

Rachael, well played on making it so far, but I think you lost the game voting out Tati there. Going to the end with Andrew and Kyle was your best shot. But a stellar TC might sway the jury!

[karen]

I forgot to come back and finish my impressions of this season... But the VL chat was so fuuun!!!

Still very disappointed that at this point, only one woman remains at the end of this game and all the people of colour were voted out pre-jury.

Jake and Tati played the absolute strongest games and I'm devastated to not have them at FTC together because that would have been epic. Tati, from night 1, you put in WORK. You had a call with every returning player on your tribe and you had relationships with players in power and those on the bottom as well. While Jake had very tight relationships with a number of people, you kept your options open with EVERYONE! You saw Jake as a major threat and to your credit, you were the one to who tried to make his boot happen when you left and it was such a real possibility, you almost pulled it offfff. You managed your relationships so well that your name rarely came up as a major target, if ever. What an arc from your last game to this game! I'm so impressed and I can't wait to see you play again.

Jake... Oh my god. Yes yes yes! You have done such a fantastic job managing all your #1 relationships! Even when others got in the way, and more importantly, when you got in your own way, you were played the cast so.damn.well and found a way to dominate this game. I normally love an underdog story, but gotta say that I love me equally an overdog story when the cast is misted this hard and fails to make moves that go against the overdog when they are DUE OR PAST DUE. When I watched you night 1, I thought, surely someone will want to take Jake out asap, but then it didn't happen and I thought, surely he will struggle this swap, but no...
Jake, you ate idols for breakfast and men for lunch and dinner and left none for the others without them doing much about any of it. If you get eliminated before FTC, I will still consider you to be a fantastic player worthy of a win.

[benjimcfly]

I can't help but echo the much more well rounded comments above. As a production member, it's easy to get tied up in the drama and what you can *see* happening in the game. It isn't fair to say that Jake marched around this game and played all of these people a fool. He didn't. Quite the contrary for a few rounds.

Kyle, you played an amazing social game. Where you didn't reach out to every player and form a bond, you formed stronger bonds with those who carried you further. The unfortunate bystander of this whole situation is that Jake gave you all the attention you needed in this game, from a personal stand point. He definitely wanted to get closer to you personally, but he had no vested interest to get you further until final 4. You could say the same argument for you and Jake, but I feel as though he evaded more votes. You were never a target because people never saw you as a threat to win. All of that being said, if you make it to final tribal council without Jake, you have a good shot at winning. It isn't a clear path to winning, as Andrew and Racheal have their own stories and you all were passengers in a game full of big players making big moves. Best of luck tonight

Jake, I know that I've rooted you on and I've been bitter of your successes. Needless to say, I feel as though this season definitely humbled you. Not in a way where you needed to be humbled, but you were up against stiff competition. But you did the one thing that helped you win in season 9. You gave everyone information they needed when they needed it. You also have some of the best covert reads in the game. You knew Tyler was going home, when the rest of the guys weren't sure. You knew that the girls were close (although the exact read you had was way off), and you took them out one by one. You know how to collect votes, all while moving your target away. Tonight, I am certain you're going to make your second final tribal council, and you will be officially crowned the King of XTC. I've been saying it since final 13; you got this.

Andrew, I've never seen a player make all of the best moves when they were in the most dire of situations. You can look back at my VL notes, I thought you were a dead man walking since final 11. You kept finding yourself in better situations and winning immunity on the RIGHT ROUNDS. (Every round you won immunity, you were supposed to go home). You made people laugh and you covered your tracks. You've accepted that you may not have a shot at winning, and I respect you holding control giving it to the person you want to win. I've done something similar, so no shade here. I hope you find a voice for yourself at Final tribal council, if you make it. You're smart and you know Big Brother and Survivor better than anyone left in the final 4. Play up your game!

Racheal, your story arc has been by far my favorite this season. I know that it's been a wild stressful ride for you, but you've persevered through so much. People have learned to understand your loyalty. You made some big moves (tying the Hannah vote and voting out Tati). You may not have played the most strategic, but you've outlasted 20 other players. Take what you've learned and show them that you are the player who has grown and adapted the most through the season. I am so happy you played and excited to see how you finish the season. Vote out the biggest threat!

<3 Best of luck final 4 <3

[benjimcfly]

Okay, for posterity, I should mention the 2-1-1-1 vote.

For the record, I feel like a 2-1-1-1 vote can only happen in a scenario where no one is actively trying to pull off a 2-1-1-1 vote.

How we go to the 2-1-1-1 vote:

-Everyone wanted Andrew out. Just like we were watching survivor on the big screen (miss you bro), the person they're all planning to vote out wins immunity. Classic.
-The scramble begins, because they have 30 minutes to decide who to vote for. Everyone was voting for ANDREW and now NO ONE HAD A BACK UP PLAN - love this cast. Y'all are crazy and I am here for it.
-Andrew had planned to vote for, you guessed it, Kyle. And he thinks this is *the* plan. (this is a trend)
-Tatiana goes to Racheal before the vote and says we should get out Jake because Jake is tossing your name out (fact, but everyone is lying to everyone). Jake ends up planning with Tati to vote Racheal.
-Tatiana forgives Racheal and tries to get her to vote Jake again. Racheal gives a non answer.
-Racheal and Kyle are planning a Tatiana vote because she is scheming so much. Kyle tries to warn Jake, Jake shakes it off, because he thinks Tati is 100% with him.
-Tatiana decides this is the night where the vote is going to be cuckoo-bananas and she's gonna try to hit Jake with a random 2-2-1 or a 2-1-1-1.
-Jake thinks he is with Tati (and they would have been saaaaaafe) and votes Racheal.
-Kyle and Racheal vote for Tati.
-Tati votes Jake.
-Andrew is not talking to anyone, enjoying his moment of silence before he throws Kyle's name into the voting urn.

Ladies and Gentlemen, I present to you, the 2-1-1-1 vote.