First up, Mariche. Woman of the hour is obviously Sarah, who's been unanimously voted into the Cacique role by her tribe. Unlike the other side, they actually had some competition for the role, with John & Peter throwing their hats into the ring too. Sarah seems sharp too, and already sees just how damaging the evil tasks could be to her game. Pity she didn't spot the downside to being leader beforehand, nearly everyone else on the tribe said "fuck no, whats the catch?"


Just to touch on John here - he states in his confessional that no way he actually wanted the leadership role. Putting his name out there was more to have people see him as a team player willing to shoulder a burden. At least one player in Gina now has her eye on both he and Peter as potential threats with minds of their own. Ooops, that kinda backfired so

No real thoughts on potential leader #3 in P-P-P-Peter, since he has yet to confess. His multi posting is amusing the tribe though, and I kinda hope it sets him up in a kind of incompetent comedic relief role :D I don't see him getting any SPV elsewhere though and he could well be the boot target by Sunday if he doesn't step it up.
Gina I think is the sharpest player over there and the one to watch, I already see her making endgame based on just a few confessionals. Her & Patricia are gonna be a power duo - mark my words. Patricia herself is obviously experienced, and I think just knows how inexperienced a lot of the other players are. I love that rep match-up btw, already s/he is giving off such a "Seen it all a hundred times you pups" vibe

However, I'm quite surprised to see neither of those two included in the majority fivesome that is forming- Sarah Gabe General Sean Vecepia
Sean & Vecepia are the two that seem out of place there. A lot of people dislike Vee already for her abruptness, and personally I can already tell her confessional is going to be like pulling teeth of Tyrone proportions


Sean too is in that set-up, but he is coming across as more astute in his confessionals, but he's also rubbing one or two people the wrong way. To quote Gabe "Sean is here to play and here to play hard" - I'm kinda hoping he gets a little villainous sooner rather than later. Another one (along with the General) that wanted to see Sarah get the leader role because he personally felt close to her.
I feel like maybe this five is just an early day rush to have something set up, and the more the two slightly late-comers Patricia & Gina get around, the more we'll see those two link up with the likes of Sarah/General/Gabe and the more the likes of Vee & Sean slip toward the bottom of the totem.
For instance, the General stated implicitly how Vee made a bad first impression on him, and there they both are in the same set-up


Lat and definitely not least, Gabe is the poster child of the tribe. Everybody loves him, and his confessional is maybe the best over there - combined running thoughts with more detailed outlooks, yes please. He is obviously superb socially and I think is doing a good job of not appearing threatening at the same time. I am quite chuffed I have him in the sweepstakes now. Go Gabe go!
All in all Mariche is a potential tinderbox if they go to a vote in Round 1. Vecepia is clearly the preferred boot target of some but is inside that five so I don't think she will be. What I'm hoping is that there is a strong push against her and then a strong resistance to that vote by the five which *should* trigger alarm bells for the four outside that clique. If it were to happen like that, and say Peter left, that would make all three of Gina, John & Patricia very aware that their backs are against the wall. And those three on the outs and needing to scramble to break up that five would be so so hot to see go down
Now, should I wade though 350 meet and greet PMs or go check out the other tribe??