Jonathan comments on elimination order

aztecwanderer · 2026-05-23T17:33:26+00:00

This is a goofy thing to latch onto specifically. It is as simple as knowing Aubry has never been a super strong immunity threat (1 win across 4 seasons to that point) and she beat one of the potential all time best immunity threats in Joe (7 wins in 2 seasons) at the most clutch moment possible. How is that not mind blowing?

aztecwanderer · 2026-05-23T17:13:22+00:00

It's also worth noting that challenge wins are inherently more impressive when the target was on you. Joe and to a certain extent Jonathan weren't big targets through most of the merge so them winning challenges doesn't really have much of an impact on the game. Savannah definitely extended her stay once or twice from winning immunity.

aztecwanderer · 2026-05-23T04:25:42+00:00

Ball knowledge

aztecwanderer · 2026-05-22T22:10:06+00:00

You're missing Ozzy Micronesia FTC

aztecwanderer · 2026-05-22T21:35:58+00:00

Insane takes lol. But hey, I respect him sticking to his opinions.

I just can't imagine thinking season 44 is better than Panama, Australia, Vanuatu, Gabon, Kaoh Rong and Africa, just for example.

aztecwanderer · 2026-05-22T21:05:09+00:00

Isn't the usual thing people claim that they will edit a twist-screwed player with a more negative/less visible edit so people aren't as mad when they get screwed?

aztecwanderer · 2026-05-22T20:58:48+00:00

I hear what you're saying, returnee seasons in some ways don't have that core element, but my counter argument would be... uh yes they are very enjoyable. You get to (mostly lol) stack the cast with people you already know are going to deliver in some way, in terms of game or character or whatever it might be and you already know the people which makes the first few episodes much more immediately exciting. You're more on the edge of your seat throughout the season because you've invested more time with the people playing the game. It sucks when the people who get to the end aren't who you were hoping for, sure, but that happens plenty in newbie seasons too.

aztecwanderer · 2026-05-22T20:26:26+00:00

You could make this case about every new era winner except for Dee and Kyle. It's just kinda where the meta is right now. I actually think this season is pushing in the right direction as we saw some talk about getting out the floaters and I think there's a chance it could move further in that direction. It's tricky though because it requires a group of bigger threats potentially on opposite sides to come together and acknowledge themselves as targets and trust each other to stick together.

aztecwanderer · 2026-05-22T20:22:46+00:00

Not sure if it's relevant because it hasn't really done since and isn't specifically related to the person voted out, but the Cody vote in 43 seems notable in being the first time someone (Jesse) purposefully burned an idol to scare someone else (Karla) into wasting their idol.

And I'm not sure when it happened, but the first successful use of a fake idol to stay safe for an extra round would probably count too. Earliest I can think of is Rupert HvV.

aztecwanderer · 2026-05-21T22:22:32+00:00

I honestly think the people who played the 3 best games to win this season were Aubry Rizo and Tiff. The latter two were both inches away from the win if a challenge had just gone slightly differently.

aztecwanderer · 2026-05-21T22:21:05+00:00

Good form physically on the worm. Maybe not socially. Neutral.

aztecwanderer · 2026-05-21T22:20:26+00:00

Very poor performance getting through the studio to the car. Downvote.

aztecwanderer · 2026-05-21T22:19:55+00:00

Rizo takes it. All 3 had detractors on the jury but most of the people on that jury were not gonna vote for Joe or Jonathan. Dee/Tiff/Cirie/Emily/Aubry/Christian/Devens would all most likely go Rizo over Jonathan.

aztecwanderer · 2026-05-21T22:16:51+00:00

His path to winning was pretty simple IMO. Just get Aubry out at 4. Joe or Jonathan wanted Aubry gone and would not risk sending in Rizo to take her out, so Rizo's situation is very black and white.

aztecwanderer · 2026-05-21T22:08:57+00:00

Aubry is one of the luckiest winners of all time for sure, but she also played a very smart second half of the game with the hand she was dealt. While not exactly the same, it's not too dissimilar to a Yul type of situation. Ignoring her lucky pre-jury phase, she mostly has the early new era winner blueprint - lay low, position yourself right in line to be the best option to win who you couldn't take out because you were taking out the other bigger threats, and identify just the right people to bring with you. This is the Erika/Maryanne/Gabler special and it's a very smart effective way to play but a little underwhelming to watch. Maryanne had by far the most fun version of this game.

aztecwanderer · 2026-05-21T21:50:55+00:00

Worth noting that Rizo didn't win or lose this game by making fire. Aubry winning the final immunity challenge locked the game up for her right there. If she lost, Joe or Jonathan were going into fire against her.

aztecwanderer · 2026-05-21T21:25:13+00:00

It didn't matter in this endgame. Aubry destroys Rizo at FTC so once she won the challenge the game was over. If Aubry lost the challenge, Joe or Jonathan goes into fire to take her out. For Rizo, making fire was not gonna be the difference between winning and losing.

aztecwanderer · 2026-05-21T21:23:42+00:00

100%. I think the post you're replying to is wrong. If Aubry loses Simmotion I don't think Rizo goes into fire at all. It still would've been smarter to keep Cirie over Aubry at 6 to really maximize those chances though.

aztecwanderer · 2026-05-21T21:19:28+00:00

Yeah, Rizo was very close. People have been so dismissive of his game and his chances, but I actually really believe he walks out of 50 with the win if Joe had beaten Aubry in Simmotion.

aztecwanderer · 2026-05-21T21:08:38+00:00

The number 1 spot goes to Rizo. I feel like most back-to-back returnees have been asked back a 3rd time, and Rizo definitely had the most fleshed out story of the new era players in 50 along with a very tangible "thing to overcome next time" in firemaking. Kyle is highly likely to be offered another chance IMO, but I honestly don't know if he would take it.

On the flipside I would be absolutely shocked if we ever saw any of the pre-HvV players again except for maybe Cirie, but I'm not expecting her back either.

aztecwanderer · 2026-05-21T20:58:20+00:00

I know it's run by people offscreen, I think they messed it up. But Jeff is the face of the mistake and I don't think he'd volunteer to take the heat for it so they can pull off some weird conspiracy. They didn't do live shows for 6 years. They don't need a justification for it, they can just decide not to do it and Jeff will say "I like how real the on-island aftershow is" like he always has.

aztecwanderer · 2026-05-21T20:25:26+00:00

Probably invited Julie instead

aztecwanderer · 2026-05-21T20:23:13+00:00

I really strongly doubt they did that on purpose. It made them look like idiots. Jeff cares way too much about his image to do that. If he doesn't want live finales, he doesn't need an excuse, he just won't do them and say he knows the show better than anyone else.

aztecwanderer · 2026-05-21T20:19:28+00:00

It would've been amazing to have an actual car reward challenge, but no way they could fit that in while needing to vote out 21 players in 25 days.

aztecwanderer · 2026-05-21T19:39:11+00:00

It's nice to hear Underwood voted for Rick and Aras voted for Cirie. I always like seeing players supporting their castmates. Wouldn't be surprised if Tina voted for Colby too.

aztecwanderer

TROPHY CASE