Survivor Palau - Early favorites?

[Hand of Evil]

and when will the merge take place? Still think it would interesting to see Koror split, with some members sliding to Ulong, could be an interesting twist. I just need to see what is going on inside the Koror tribe, every week that they don't loose someone the players get tighter and bonds are made, wonder if we will not see a play to start loosing some immunities to keep a power base.

 

[Wolf72]

as soon as James said he had an idea ... I knew they were lost, suprised they got the reward challenge though ... I would rather have had the stew though!

 

[Ghostwind]

I really doubt you will see Koror intentionally lose a challenge. The last team to do that self-destructed in a major way right afterwards and this team seems to have paid attention and learned from the mistakes of past Survivor tribes. I do agree it is quite impressive to watch how Tom and Ian work the entire team and make sure they all feel like they are a part of that team and that they are all capable of winning. It's a rare player that can pull that off, let alone having two on the same team.

 

[ShadowDenizen]

and when will the merge take place?

The merge usually takes plans when there's 9 or 10 people left, right?

And my current favorites, in no particular order, are:
--Bobby John
--Gregg
--Janu (not quite sure why I like her, but I do.)
--Steph

And something about Ian and Tom is really off-putting to me...

 

[John Crichton]

They merge at 10 players. Then the first individual immunity challenge hits. The first member of the new tribe is voted off leaving 9. 7 will be on the jury voting for the final 2. They have switched it up a few times (2 tribes living on one beach for a few days before the real merge for example) but that's the essential formula. You need to have a merge at 9 at the very latest so everyone who has a jury vote gets "equal" time with the final 2.

 

[John Crichton]

I really doubt you will see Koror intentionally lose a challenge. The last team to do that self-destructed in a major way right afterwards and this team seems to have paid attention and learned from the mistakes of past Survivor tribes.

Agreed. Intensionally losing, especially while still this early in the game is bad news. Losing is never good and having the threat of tribal counsel is never good no matter how secure you feel.

I do agree it is quite impressive to watch how Tom and Ian work the entire team and make sure they all feel like they are a part of that team and that they are all capable of winning. It's a rare player that can pull that off, let alone having two on the same team.

Yeah, it is interesting. However, I wonder how much of a by-product the unity is because of all the winning. Ulong has been simply terrible and has botched things left and right. They had their own powerhouses and chances to do well from the start.

And Tom/Ian will stay allied until they are both gone. I cannot see either of them breaking their personal alliance. Heck, they haven't even had to strategize about it yet. No fear of getting voted off. The one time they had to it was such an easy choice and even the guy that knew he was going didn't try and fight it. That's a first.

 

[BastionPress_Creech]

And then there was one... Ulong has been completely decimated and destroyed by Koror.

 

[John Crichton]

That is certainly one way to look at it. Honestly, they beat themselves and cracked under pressure more often than not. Steph summed it up well -

"We suck at puzzles."

Yup.

That said, I'm quite pleased that she won the immunity. I hope she goes all the way...

 

[BastionPress_Creech]

She certainly has the potential to make it to the finals. Especially if Tom, Ian and Katie are able to bring her back into the fold of their alliance and protect her. It seems she is starting to wear down mentally, though. Hopefully when the merge happens, she is able to rejuvenate herself enough to stick with it.

 

[stevelabny]

theres no need for a merge at this point.
let her hold her own as long as she can.
its a better story.

as for the jury needing to know the other people. the other 8 will get a great view of her character now by how long she survives, and if/when she eventually loses, she can make her jury decision based on what shes seen at challenges and what she hears at tribal council.

they always merge so a final vote isnt just split down tribe lines, but now that its impossible, theres no need for a merge