Episode 12

[Holly Hoffman]

I don't think we could have had a more shocking night. Two blindsides in one night, that's sure to put everyone a little on edge.

Do you think you have a safe run to the finals now we're getting closer to the end?

How confident are you that you can impress the jury and ultimately gain their votes?

This is the last round an idol can be played. Do you think there are any idols out there? Are you worried about them at all?

[Lex]

Oh man, there's so much going on, while it's a bit scary it's also so engrossing, I love Survivor :P.

I think I'm going to get to the finals from here, all my alliances are pretty solid and the only guy I'm really worried about flipping is Sean.

If I'm not against Sean (and maybe Gina) I think I'll definitely win FTC.

I guess there is one idol left, but I still don't know who has it... I hope it's not a factor in the next vote.

[Mia Galeotalanza]

How do you make sure that it ISN'T a factor in the next vote?

[Lex]

I can't, I don't know who has it and I don't want to risk a split vote. But Sean is one of the least likely to have it since if he had both (which he never did according to him) he would have played them both at the tribal where we voted General, and the one idol he DID have he played.

[Lex]

I know I've said it before but the next vote is absolutely the most crucial, if the next vote is either Gina or Sean I am absolutely certain I'm locked for finals.

[Mia Galeotalanza]

I know I've said it before but the next vote is absolutely the most crucial, if the next vote is either Gina or Sean I am absolutely certain I'm locked for finals.

What makes you so sure of that?

[Lex]

Because Linda and Gabriel are almost assuredly 100% with me, we're all great friends & they both put me down for #1 in the questionnaire challenge.

The only thing that could possibly go wrong is the vote gets tied tonight, which it shouldn't since Gina/Lindsey think they have Linda/Gabe. Other than that, only if Gabe/Linda blindside me but I think/hope they won't.

[Jeff Probst]

So I have to ask, how do you think you've played in terms of visibility? I only ask that because we just had a discussion about us having to ask you so much... If as hosts we have to dig to see your perspective and why you are doing what you are doing, how do you think a Jury will react to it? Do you think you've been public enough in your moves to where it would impress a jury? Are you waiting until the finals to reveal all of your moves and do you think that will be effective or do you think people will be disappointed by it?

[Mia Galeotalanza]

Because Linda and Gabriel are almost assuredly 100% with me, we're all great friends & they both put me down for #1 in the questionnaire challenge.

Okay, so just to grill you even more, are you saying that in this situation, friendship is more important than strategy? Is there ever any point where someone (including you) could say, "Well, I like this person a lot and I think we'll be great friends OUTSIDE of the game, but I'm here to win, so I have no problem cutting their throat in the name of strategy!"?

[Lex]

I'm hoping my FTC speech will be enough to sway the jury if they don't plan on voting me already (if I make it there of course), but I've already had people mention my name because "I'm a huge jury threat", "great social game", etc. So I'm hoping people/the jury will know I did a lot of work to get where I am now when they vote instead of saying I'm "UTR" like Gina said I was.

Gina only thinks I'm UTR because we barely talk <______< . In fact I pretty much laid out the plan for every vote and what the advantages/disadvantages to so-and-so vote would be, and right now in the F6 I'm masterminding our plan.

I've been liked by a lot of people ever since I started the game and people have told me "everyone I'm aligned with likes you a lot because you're duplicitous", "everyone is in love with you", "I consider you one of the best".... so while I'm hoping my speech will be able to demonstrate the strategy side to the coin, I also think I'd get votes on pure likeability alone...

All of this is assuming I'm getting there of course, I'm definitely banking on Linda/Gabriel right now.

[Lex]

Because Linda and Gabriel are almost assuredly 100% with me, we're all great friends & they both put me down for #1 in the questionnaire challenge.

Okay, so just to grill you even more, are you saying that in this situation, friendship is more important than strategy? Is there ever any point where someone (including you) could say, "Well, I like this person a lot and I think we'll be great friends OUTSIDE of the game, but I'm here to win, so I have no problem cutting their throat in the name of strategy!"?

If this were Survivor for a $1 million prize, I'm sure I and others would not have many qualms backstabbing our "friends" if we thought we would end up winning the 1 million by doing so. However in an online game where there is not a prize, friendships are HUGE because "Even though voting out this guy is a good idea, he and I are great friends, ehh... nah I'll keep him", like J.T. in Tocantins. On the strategy/friendship continuum I am favoring towards the friendship side, but not all the way to the end where people want to get rid of you because literally EVERYBODY likes you like Eddie/Brenda in Caramoan. The reason for this is friendship COMPLIMENTS strategy in a HUGE manner that if you and your allies share an irrevocable bond, they will most likely NOT vote you out, whereas if you only shared a strategy-type bond, they will have NO problem voting you out, at all.

Strategy barely compliments friendship, if at all. Nobody liked Frank after the swap, even though he was a great strategical player, we had no problem voting him out because we didn't really like the way he treated everybody.

[Lex]

Jeff did you get my PM by the way? You must have but I didn't get a response. Q.Q

[Jeff Probst]

I don't see any PMs from you, when did you send it?

[Lex]

Last night, it's not showing up in my sent messages. I was asking if FTC and the last challenge could be rescheduled or if the challenge could be completed at any time of the day with the best time winning immunity or something, because I'm leaving for Vegas tomorrow at 4 am and have something to do that evening (Thursday), then I will be away at day-long seminars from Friday-Sunday and will only be able to do anything at the very early morning or very late at night.

Assuming I make it there.

[Lex]

I heard the final immunity challenge was tomorrow evening and FTC was on Sunday from Gabe.

[Mia Galeotalanza]

Because Linda and Gabriel are almost assuredly 100% with me, we're all great friends & they both put me down for #1 in the questionnaire challenge.

Okay, so just to grill you even more, are you saying that in this situation, friendship is more important than strategy? Is there ever any point where someone (including you) could say, "Well, I like this person a lot and I think we'll be great friends OUTSIDE of the game, but I'm here to win, so I have no problem cutting their throat in the name of strategy!"?

If this were Survivor for a $1 million prize, I'm sure I and others would not have many qualms backstabbing our "friends" if we thought we would end up winning the 1 million by doing so. However in an online game where there is not a prize, friendships are HUGE because "Even though voting out this guy is a good idea, he and I are great friends, ehh... nah I'll keep him", like J.T. in Tocantins. On the strategy/friendship continuum I am favoring towards the friendship side, but not all the way to the end where people want to get rid of you because literally EVERYBODY likes you like Eddie/Brenda in Caramoan. The reason for this is friendship COMPLIMENTS strategy in a HUGE manner that if you and your allies share an irrevocable bond, they will most likely NOT vote you out, whereas if you only shared a strategy-type bond, they will have NO problem voting you out, at all.

Strategy barely compliments friendship, if at all. Nobody liked Frank after the swap, even though he was a great strategical player, we had no problem voting him out because we didn't really like the way he treated everybody.

So you're saying that competitive bragging rights aren't worth it for the sake of breaking friendships? That's what I'm digging for here.

[Lex]

So you're saying that competitive bragging rights aren't worth it for the sake of breaking friendships? That's what I'm digging for here.

Well... it definitely depends, I can't really say what I would do in a different situation because I'm not IN that situation so I can't truely say what I would choose to do, knowing 100% it is exactly what I would do. Right now I think I'm in a great position to win the entire game and when I say things like the above ^ it's pretty general and my mindset at least, I know Gabriel has the same mindset from talking with him in that he wants to take friends to the end. And I want to take friends to the end too, but I think I'm also in a good position to win, so... :p

If that makes any sense.

And how is it "competitive bragging rights"? Lol

[Mia Galeotalanza]

I mean, this is a game, right? Are you playing to make friends, or playing to win?

/peptalk

[Lex]

Can't I do both?

[Mia Galeotalanza]

Only if you spell everything correctly.