Post-Swap Power Rankings

After six episodes of Survivor: Blood vs. Water, it may be time to finally update my Power Rankings, which I did pre-game. If you want to check out the original Rankings, you can find them HERE. If you don’t want to go through the trouble, I will let you know where everyone left in the game ranked pre-game once I give you their new position.

So without any further rambling here it is: Power Rankings, Post-Swap!

1. Monica Culpepper (originally 13/20): Monica made a huge jump in my Power Rankings, and on my opinion of her as a player in general. Nothing about her from One World stuck out to me, and I figured we were just seeing her again so we could see Brad Culpepper give Survivor a shot. But now I realize that is not the case at all. After being a Loser three weeks in a row, Monica has somehow become the number one winner. I had three people I considered for number one, and I did have a hard time choosing. But after careful consideration, it has to be Monica. Monica’s main problem in the game was one thing: Brad. Other than the drama he was causing, Monica was set up in the perfect spot to go far in the game. Only every week the reaction to him at Redemption Island and the fear that Monica would turn her back on any ally for him made her a shaky ally at best. But with Brad gone, all that has changed. She is suddenly very valuable to the Galang Five. In fact, she is starting to look a little bit like a leader now that the boys have been switched to Tadhana. Monica has made such good relationships that the second someone brings her name up, she is immediately informed. And not only that—Monica then decides to go completely against her alliance’s plans and vote out one of their own to save her own skin, and every single person on the tribe goes along with it. It was impressive when Aras convinced everyone to vote out Laura M. against their wishes, but even more impressive that Monica was able to get everyone to write Kat’s name down. Now the only person who was gunning for her is out of the game. She has a loyal ally in Tina, and by default a loyal ally in Katie (and probably Vytas, at least for awhile). This is all without mentioning the original members of her alliance on the other side, plus Laura Boneham who now thinks she is part of this “Women Strong!” group. Who is against Monica with Kat and Brad gone? At this point, if Monica made the final three, I would not be surprised. In fact, I think she would deserve it taking her gameplay thus far into account. I am officially on the Monica Culpepper bandwagon! 

2. Tina Wesson (originally 10/20): I once wrote that Tina would not win Survivor again, but now I think I may be wrong. She has set herself up in a great position to go through the rest of the game. Tina is one of only two players who still has her loved one in the game. Not only that—but she is now on the same tribe as her daughter and we didn’t even see anyone questioning whether or not they should take out Katie to keep Tina loyal. Tina has the Galang Five alliance, her new all women’s alliance on the new Galang, and I am guessing a blooming alliance between herself, Katie, Vytas and Monica. I was originally worried if Aras somehow didn’t make the merge that would hurt Tina, but I don’t think that is the case anymore. She has relationships with everyone, and just really secured her bond with Monica by ratting out poor Kat. Tina is not really an immunity threat, is well-liked by everyone, and most people would probably love to take her to the final four and get rid of her right before FTC. But you never know. If Tina is sitting in front of the jury, I would not be surprised.

3. Tyson Apostol (originally 9/20): Tyson could easily be number one on this list, and the only reason he isn’t is the fact that being a male that is great at challenges puts a huge target on your back when it’s time to merge. But Tyson could also theoretically pull a Terry Dietz and almost win his way to the end and I don’t think that would surprise anyone. Tyson is also part of a powerful alliance, and post-swap he is part of a powerful tribe that should be able to win any immunity challenge thrown at them (although they did almost lose on a puzzle with a gigantic lead, but let’s call that a fluke). Making it to the merge should be no problem. Although the tribe he is on seems to be split 3-3, his willingness to take out Aras will keep everyone from drawing a purple rock and keep him safe if Tadhana does go to Tribal before the merge. And the fact that Caleb and Hayden gave him a vague idea to the Hidden Immunity Idol clues doesn’t hurt either.

4. Gervase Peterson (originally 5/10): I was high on Gervase pre-game, and I still am six episodes in. Same as my first three picks, Gervase is a member of the Galang Five, which could be a very powerful alliance. And even if it all crumbles after this swap, Gervase is one half of a pair. This seems to be a pair no one is worried about, although they should be. It has been a long time since Gervase played the game, but he has done everything right so far. Got into the majority alliance, made an alliance to the end of the game with a strong player, learned how to swim. Gervase may be in it for the long haul.

5. Katie Collins (originally 12/20): Katie meant absolutely nothing in this game—until she ended up on Tina’s tribe. Suddenly, she is aligned with one of the most powerful players in the game. People should be talking about voting her out to keep Tina loyal, but instead they have accepted Katie into the fold. She could have been the next boot on Tadhana, and now she has allies on both tribes. Katie will have no problem making the merge, and once she does she will have no problem floating right to the end of the game.

6. Hayden Moss (originally 2/20): I still have faith that Hayden can take this game. But with everything going on, it will be a lot harder. If Tadhana loses and Tyson sticks with his plan to vote out Aras, Hayden is sitting pretty. If not, he could really be a target. He’s strong physically and strong socially. He’s playing a quiet game so no one seems to have noticed this, but they will eventually. And if they figure out what a threat he could be down the line, there is no reason to keep him in the game. But Hayden does have some things going for him—he was loyal to Brad Culpeper, which will win him brownie points with Monica, who I feel holds a lot of power in the game. Also, he doesn’t have Kat to drag him down with her subpar gameplay (sorry, Kat). If Kat loses at Redemption Island, Hayden should secretly rejoice. And he should not think about switching with her, even for a second. I think he knows better than that, but I guess crazier things have happened.

7. Vytas Baskauskas (originally 1/20): How far the mighty have fallen. Vytas was my pre-game pick to take it all, and he’s still my favorite person left on the show. But his chances to make it to the Final Tribal are looking pretty slim. If Galang loses immunity again (which seems likely), Vytas will have the same problem he had in episode six—why should the women turn on each other to keep him? I highly doubt someone will do something as ridiculous as Kat and help him to advance in the game. Vytas’ only hope is that Galang wins immunity and then the tribes merge, Laura Boneham starts to really aggravate the other women, or he can convince Tina that an alliance with Aras, Katie, and himself is her best bet. I think Tina is pretty tight with Aras, so this is possible. But it could also just be wishful thinking.

8. Aras Baskauskas (originally 3/20): Aras could be in a lot of trouble. He is on a tribe with two “close allies” who are plotting to vote him out pre-merge. His number one gal is over at Galang forming a women’s only alliance. Laura Morrett is plotting his demise at Redemption Island. The three original Tadhana on his tribe think he is kind of a douche. If Tadhana loses immunity, I think that may be game over for this Baskauskas brother. If he can make the merge (especially with Vytas) he can buy himself a few days, but it may not be much more than that. Everyone is looking at Aras as the main threat in the game. Unless he plans on winning all the individual immunities, he probably doesn’t have many days left on the island.

9. Caleb Bankston (originally 6/20): This tribe swap really screwed up Caleb’s game. His mutiny against Brad gave him some power in the game—when he was the swing vote between the men and women on the original Tadhana tribe. Caleb is no longer a swing vote. He also cannot be trusted. He might slide by for a few extra episodes because there are bigger targets, but at this point I think that’s all it will be. Turning on his ally got him power for one episode (where Tadhana ultimately won immunity and it didn’t matter), and it also lost the trust of everyone he had aligned with. Caleb’s shot to make it to the end is slim to none.

10. Laura Boneham (originally 19/20): I was right that Laura would be immediately voted out of the loved one’s tribe, but with all these crazy twists and a dominate tribe, she keeps living to fight another day. Her name didn’t even come up after the tribe swap, although everyone wanted to vote her out prior to it, which could be a good sign. But I think that would be really optimistic. When Galang became five women and Vytas, all everyone talked about was Girl Power! The only reason another name was even mentioned was because Kat tries to throw Monica under the bus. If Galang loses again, they may just vote out Vytas and Laura B. will go another episode without worrying. But after that, the odds are pretty high that she’ll be heading to Redemption Island. She is an easy vote—no one seems to really like her and she isn’t crucial to any tribe or alliance.

11. Ciera Eastin (originally 16/20): Ciera is not good at the game of Survivor. I don’t know what else to say about her. Watching her do puzzles week after week was painful. Seeing her barely able to run up the beach after swimming was embarrassing. Her mom is on Redemption Island, and her only other ally is chumming it up with the Galang tribe and her mom. If Tadhana loses and doesn’t go against Aras, how can they not finally vote out Ciera for her poor challenge performances? I understand weak competitors that make the merge can fly under the radar until the end, but if she and Aras both make the merge, you better believe he will be gunning for her since he knows Laura M. is gunning for him. And what loyal ally does she have to really take her side and try to keep her in the game? Probst said they brought Laura back because they wanted Ciera. Six episodes into the seasons and I have still have no clue why.

And now our Redemption Island folk…

12. Laura Morrett (originally 7/20): Of the three competitors currently at Redemption Island, Laura M. is my pick to come back. Not only will she cause the most drama and make the show the most entertaining, but every duel they have had so far seems tailored to Laura’s strengths. I don’t want to be too certain, because I was convinced Candice Cody could not lose and she clearly did, but my money for a Redemption Island returnee would be on Laura M.

13. John Cody (originally 8/20): Oh, Dr. John. I am a fan, but I don’t think anyone else left in the game is. John does not have a friend in the world now that Candice and Brad are gone. It’s very sad to watch him place in everyone duel, and watch absolutely no one give him props. Even if John did manage to win out at Redemption Island, he would definitely go the way of Matt Elrod and be immediately voted back there.

14. Kat Edorsson (originally 14/20): I wasn’t high on Kat pregame, I wasn’t high on her while she was in the game, and I have even less confidence in her now that she is on Redemption Island. She has not moved up or moved down in my rankings at all. I am sorry, Kat—I am sure you are an awesome person, and not a negative two on the coolness scale. But I would bet anything that Kat will be the loser in her very first Redemption Island duel.

And that’s it for my updated, post-swap Power Rankings. If the merge is coming as soon as I predict it will, I probably won’t do updated rankings right then, but I will try to go less than six episodes before my next update.

Do you agree? Disagree? Whose position in the game did I get completely wrong?

Feel free to comment away!