Survivor
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The unthinkable has occurred: TheShanissanceis over.
the Mafia Pastor,burst onto the season as a fan favorite.
Shan maintained power over the post-merge majority through confidence and sincerity.
Its an impressive, perhaps even noble, feat.
But integrity doesnt exclude tough breaks.
So he orchestrated a blindside with Shans other confidants Danny and Deshawn.
To seal the deal, they brought in free agents Erika, Heather, and Xander.
Shans conversation with Deshawn about playing the game for the culture versus their own interests is a standout moment.
With Shan gone, the game bursts wide open.
She sat atop her alliance, meaning the tribe is now splintered.
Obviously, this is all subject to change.
This isSurvivor, after all.
However, hes the clear threat with no long-standing alliance.
The game is his to lose at the moment, but is it a match for Xanders idol?
Xander
Xander shouldnt still be here.
Hes nearly always been on the bottom, but somehow hes learned to masterfully ride theSurvivorwave.
Plus, hestillhas his very public idol.
With the majority alliance now crumbling, Xander may find hes no longer on the bottom.
The past two weeks, Erika has excelled, proving she doesnt need to be handed anything.
She won individual immunity and assisted in both the Naseer and Shan blindsides.
Shan smartly sensed Erikas quietly cunning game.
However, she couldnt get her out before Erika got to her.
If Shan was the rabbit, then Erika just might be the turtle who takes it all.
Still, shes a public threat.
So how will she survive the next few weeks?
Deshawn
If Ricard is credited with ideating the Shan blindside, then Deshawn is the scapegoat.
Plus, Deshawns temporary voting partner Ricard admitted in a testimonial this week to wanting him out next.
He also hasnt won individual immunity yet.
Still, Deshawn is very personable, which should help him go far.
His trajectory will come down to who Ricard and Xander align with.
He could fall victim to their moves, or maybe they all team up.
Either way, hes possibly in the strongest two-person alliance with Danny.
Thats a benefit or a curse, depending on if the tribe perceives them as one entity.
Danny
Danny has a lot going for him.
Hes loyal, appears as a challenge threat, and doesnt seem to have any real enemies.
Well, maybe except for Shan, who mouthed Really, D?
With his Deshawn alliance, Danny might have a big game ahead of him.
Plus, his level-headed, likable personality is an appeal if he makes it to the end.
But the question remains if hecanmake it to the end.
His alliance with Deshawn could make him an easy target.
Liana
Liana wants to play a big game, but she keeps getting played.
Liana may not see it, but its actually in her best interest that Shans gone.
It appeared like Liana was stuck in Shans shadow.
Now, she has an opportunity to play her own game.
My recommendation: form a womens alliance.
Thatd be bad for the women, so maybe Liana teams up with Erika and Heather.
Make nice with Xander and bring him in.
Its better to fight one threat later than have all of them around at the end.
If she folds Liana and Xander into her Erika alliance, they could target the other guys.
Then, they could turn on Xander when the time is right and form a womens final three.
There are options for Heather.
Shell just have to activate them sooner than later.
