All the plotting and scheming, strategic whispers and bold moves from the conniving castaways have already resulted in several thrilling blindsides on M-Net’s hugely popularSurvivor SA: Island of Secrets. Will there be more voting shenanigans this week? So far, merged tribe Manumalo have broken up two “dangerous” pairs. First, Meryl was sent off to the jury bench, leaving Danté isolated and vulnerable in the tribe, and then Manumalo separated Geoff from his bestie, Mmaba.
The obvious next step for Tribe Manumalo and their “senior management” – as Survivor superfan Jacques referred to the decision-makers last week – is to pick off either Danté or Mmaba. But the word “obvious” can quickly alter its meaning in the game of Survivor. Especially when the rain pours down in buckets and the castaways learn that not only one Survivor will be wearing an immunity necklace at this week’s tribal council. Who will flaunt the bling-bling and thus be safe from the vote? And how many of these necklaces will up for grabs?
There are twelve Survivors left. A quick refresher of the castaways and their Survivor SA: Island of Secrets journey to date:
• Cobus. Known for his witty one-liners, the architect from Cape Town hasn’t been playing much of a strategic game yet. He is, however, part of The Spit Shakers Seven alliance formed at Ta’alo just before merge.
• Danté. His long blonde tresses and love for the sea earned him the name ”Aquaman”. Viewers will remember how Danté hid Rob’s flint in Ta’alo to rob him from his powerful position in the Tribe. Not to forget his valiant but dismal attempt to blindside Geoffrey. Our Aquaman is a force to be reckoned with at challenges. But how long will the Tribe be able to handle his temper tantrums and aggressive gameplay?
• Durāo. While playing under the radar, Durāo has managed to make some smart strategic and social moves. He wriggled himself back into the game when the numbers were against him after the Tribal Shuffle and made a calculated decision not to play his time-limited Hidden Immunity Idol. He also chose to keep the news that the Merge was coming to himself, allowing Geoffrey to target Nathan because he was “slowing down the tribe”. After Merge, he strategically aligned himself with Rob, turning into his undercover informant.
• Jacques. The scrawny student of the game entered Merge in a great position, possessing an extra vote that he found in the very first Reward Challenge and later used at the first Tribal Council after Merge. He also owns a Hidden Immunity Idol, which he found at the Laumei water well. Jacques also forms part of a few alliances and built solid bonds to keep his options open. Will his knowledge of the game become a threat to the others and trip him at some stage?
• Laetitia. Ouma Laetitia has been proving week on week that there’s more than what meets the eye. Afraid of being seen as weak, Laetitia hid the fact that she was injured and in pain in episode eight to avoid a vote at Tribal Council. Even though she asked the tribe to get rid of her after her performance was exceptionally disappointing a challenge, she quickly regained her composure and decided that quitting should never be an option. She is also the only player to have been in a Tribe with each of the remaining castaways in Manumalo, after the Tribal Shuffles, which means she has a read on everyone.
• Mike. Mike has been playing it safe and proving his loyalty to other players, which was a solid pre-merge game to stay under the radar. Since Merge, he has aligned himself with the strong players and gets overly excited when there’s a bold move to be made. But how long will you stay in the game if you’re not a real decision-maker?
• Mmaba. Geoff’s "bestie", has stuck to him like glue since day one and hasn’t made any surprising move. Before Merge, Sa’ula’s dirty laundry was aired with Danté lashing out about Geoff and Mmaba being useless parasites who want to call the shots, but useless at challenges. Mmaba’s only other alliance member is Mike, who is part of other alliances too. Is putting her eggs in one basket smart and is “riding coattails” her strategy?
• Nicole. The queen of betrayal, lies and deceit who will stop at nothing to promote her game. Nicole delivered a teary Oscar-worthy performance when she told her Tribe how she and Nathan had to choose between a clue leading to an Immunity Idol or a phone call to their families. In her fib, Nathan called home which left her with the clue. She later betrayed her brother and fellow Amigo Nathan by blindsiding him in episode five. To regain the trust of the original Amigos alliance she offered Sepei one half of her Hidden Immunity Idol.
• Rob. The gorgeous green-eyed giant first became known for his bromance with Nathan, whom he vowed to take with him to the end. After losing Nathan, he recalibrated his game. Rob left Mr. Nice Guy behind and began putting his pecking order in place. He has proved that he can control a vote and shift the target – as he did with Rocco and Meryl – without coming across as being forceful. But has he really forgiven Nicole for betraying Nate and Senior Management and where does his real loyalties lie?
• Seipei. From initially being labeled as bossy at the start of the season, Biker Queen Seipei has repositioned herself as the influential ‘Mother hen’ of the Tribe. People look to her for advice and listen when she speaks, which is a strong position to hold. Case in point: when Nicole was in the outs with Rob after Merge, she immediately ran to Mother Hen to get her family back. Her ruthless gameplay showed when she became the driving force behind “The Misfits” alliance and created trust within Laumei. She is also whispering in Rob’s ear, which she believes takes the heat off her.
• Steffi. Survivor SA’s very own Lara Croft is physically very competitive amongst her Tribe, but mostly a follower of the Amigos. None of the Amigos look to her for strategic gameplay, however, and Nathan also chose not to tell her about his and Nicole’s Island of Secrets shenanigans. Is she really as tight with the Amigos as she thinks she is?
Survivor South Africa: Island of Secrets is screened on M-Net every Thursday at 19:00. It will also be available on DStv Catch Up.
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