‘Survivor:’ Alabama’s Jonathan Young faces worst-case scenario

If anybody watching this season of “Survivor” had hassle imagining what a worst-case situation would appear like for Alabama castaway Jonathan Younger, Wednesday evening’s episode introduced it vividly to life.

From the start of the present’s forty second season, Younger established himself as a problem beast. When it comes to power and health, he was in a class by himself, which made him a giant asset to his Taku tribe. Nevertheless it wasn’t lengthy earlier than spectators, together with some former gamers, labeled him as a likely “merge boot.”

A participant with excellent power and pace has an edge within the weekly challenges that grant immunity to the winner. That’s nice within the early part of the sport: There’s no draw back to being a powerful participant who will help your tribe win immunity.

However when the competing tribes merge into one hotbed of alliance and deception, conspicuous power places a goal in your again. Your capability to dominate immunity challenges doesn’t assist anybody however you — and that’s a scenario that newly merged tribes are inclined to wish to nip within the bud.

The sixth episode of the season was a super-sized two-hour version that noticed the top of the Taku, Ika and Vati tribes. Technically the merge occurred solely on the very finish — however any means you slice it, the evening’s tribal council was the primary event on which all remaining gamers voted on who would go house.

Early on, it seemed like Jonathan had marked himself protected by doing precisely what problem beasts do. A random shuffle left him a gaggle of 5 that included solely certainly one of his former Taku mates, Maryanne Oketch. No drawback: Jonathan muscled them by means of the bodily a part of the evening’s problem, giving them a giant head begin on the puzzle half. They received, securing immunity for his or her group, which grew to incorporate former Taku member Lindsey Dolashevich.

Along with immunity, they received a full dinner from a significant restaurant chain. You received’t be shocked to listen to that an advert for that very chain led off the subsequent business break.

No one loved that feast greater than Jonathan. “I’m twice as huge as all people else out right here,” he stated. “Twelve days of not consuming, and I’m ravenous.”

It appeared easy sufficient. Jonathan and his short-term tribe would relax whereas the opposite six gamers scrambled by means of a second problem after which a vote at tribal council. However this season, just like the one earlier than it, options an array of gimmicks designed to push gamers into dangerous resolution with huge penalties.

Generally it’s somewhat too gimmicky, typically — like this time — it makes issues extremely entertaining. Lengthy story quick, one participant received the prospect to reverse the end result of the problem. That participant, Rocksroy Bailey, took the prospect. Out of the blue Jonathan and his well-fed companions have been on the recent seats, and Jonathan’s was the most well liked of all.

It received worse: The person immunity problem was primarily based extra on dexterity than power and Tori Meehan received it. She’s a participant no one trusts, and her capability to flee elimination appears to turn out to be extra miraculous each episode.

It seemed just like the writing was on the wall. Jonathan come into the spherical with a giant goal on his again and he’d been hitting it off conspicuously effectively with among the gamers from different tribes, notably retired firefighter Mike Turner. Mike stated when he was youthful, he was the large man, the one all people thought was a blockhead. He knew what it felt like.

Jonathan on Mike: “He’s going to be my buddy for a very long time out right here.” Mike on Jonathan: “There’s much more to this man than individuals give him credit score for.”

It rubbed some individuals the incorrect means. Romeo Escobar aggressively started lining up votes towards Jonathan.

To his credit score, Jonathan knew precisely what was happening. He turned to his first huge buddy of the season, Omar Zaheer, who went out and lobbied laborious. There’d been some speak that the selection is perhaps Jonathan or Maryanne, however Omar had a stroke of genius: As a substitute of enjoying up that dynamic, he pitched Lydia Meredith — primarily an harmless bystander — because the one to go.

Not all people purchased it, however sufficient did. As host Jeff Probst counted out the ballots, at one level the vote was a three-way tie. In the long run, Lydia was gone. It wasn’t even shut. It was the season’s first true blindside — actually for Lydia, and possibly for Romeo as effectively.

As somebody stated shortly earlier than the vote: “Moments like these are the place good gamers fold and nice gamers prevail.”

So the place does that depart us? Due to Omar, Jonathan successfully survived the merge boot. He’s nonetheless a giant goal, however he’s received a while to shore up alliances and battle for immunity. Tori’s nonetheless seen by most as untrustworthy, and Chanelle Howard spent the episode on the surface wanting in as alliances shaped round her.

With six episodes down, the true sport is lastly about to begin.

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