Koror's Unexpected Disadvantage

[tmcrae]

For the first time in the history of the game of Survivor, one tribe has more than double the members than does the other tribe (Koror - 8; Ulong 3). The implications are, as stated in my opening post of this thread, that it is now impossible for Koror to sit out different people in back-to-back challenges. At least one person will have to sit out both the reward and immunity challenges.

So what's going to happen on next Thursday's episode?

a) The tribes will merge at 11 instead of the typical 10 members.
b) The tribes will be rebalanced with one or more Koror members going to Ulong.
c) The RC and IC will run as always with a special proviso allowing one Koror member to sit out both challenges.
d) Koror will sit out 5 for the RC. Then, for the IC, they sit out only their other three tribemates. To compensate, one or more Ulong members must do something multiple times. (This, obviously, will not work if the challenge involves the entire team doing something at the same time.)
e) There will not be a RC, thus making the "back-to-back" challenges rule a moot point.
f) Other.

Let the speculation begin!

[PonyCarLuvr]

I doubt there will be a merge next week. At the end of TC, Jeff said something to the effect that unless this tribe can start pulling it together, he'll see them here next time, indicating that there will still be two tribes. The tone also gave me the impression that there wouldn't be a reshuffle to balance the numbers for one episode before the traditional merge and I didn't see anything in the previews to indicate that either.

I'm guessing that Koror will be allowed to sit the same person twice back-to-back. If Ulong had to have a person run a challenge multiple times because of a 3 vs. 4 matchup, they would physically tire out faster putting them at an even bigger disadvantage.

[SurvivorPirate]

I think the producers have just let things get so far out of hand that they have just said, screw it, let things just run their course. Does that make things interesting or just boring? Maybe it just says something for having too many people from Alabama on the same team. From the beginning, it was obious that this was going to be a Koror dominated show so they might as well let Ulong continue to implode.

Therefore, Koror will just be allowed to play the same player (Tom?) twice.

[OldSoul]

I think the producers have just let things get so far out of hand that they have just said, screw it, let things just run their course. Does that make things interesting or just boring? Maybe it just says something for having too many people from Alabama on the same team. From the beginning, it was obious that this was going to be a Koror dominated show so they might as well let Ulong continue to implode.

Therefore, Koror will just be allowed to play the same player (Tom?) twice.

I think it makes it interesting. I mean, they've always mixed the tribes up or gotten to a merge before a tribe is decimated. I kind of like the novelty of seeing one tribe gain such a numerical superiority.

At least the Pagonging will be short and single tribe "back-stab" politics will play a more prominent part of the second half of this season.

It's always bugged me a bit when one tribe gets there "stuff" together and do well all the way around...just to have the numbers artificially leveled somehow or having the tribes mixed up... and have that successful synergy go down the drain. The game is called Survivor... let the strongest, or in this case, the wisest team prevail... all the way to the merge.

I love all the weird questions coming up about how those never-before numbers are causing firsts in how the rules work. I think it would be real interesting to let it run its course and see how things pan out; It would sure keep people guessing about the surety of mixups and merges in future seasons. It's virgin territory in a series approaching double digit seasons. Much more interesting than boring.

And finally, I disagree that Kuror was the obviously dominant team from the beginning. In fact, Ulong had much more of the young, fit, eye-candy people who thought at first that they were going to dominate because of their strength. Koror had more of a mix. It turned out that age and wisdom CAN sometimes best strength and youth. Even someone on Ulong said it... Koror wasn't playing fair... they were using STRATEGY, and were THINKING more. How truly unfair.

[Kip]

...It's always bugged me a bit when one tribe gets there "stuff" together and do well all the way around...just to have the numbers artificially leveled somehow or having the tribes mixed up... and have that successful synergy go down the drain. The game is called Survivor... let the strongest, or in this case, the wisest team prevail... all the way to the merge.

...And finally, I disagree that Kuror was the obviously dominant team from the beginning. In fact, Ulong had much more of the young, fit, eye-candy people who thought at first that they were going to dominate because of their strength. Koror had more of a mix. It turned out that age and wisdom CAN sometimes best strength and youth. Even someone on Ulong said it... Koror wasn't playing fair... they were using STRATEGY, and were THINKING more. How truly unfair.

I agree with you on both of these points. Ulong wasn't an intrinsically weak team. Ulong won the first couple of reward challenges. If they had won the immunity challenges instead, things would have been very different.

[jimothy21]

The thing Koror needs to worry about right now is tribe disunity. Because they are so big at this point there is bound to be factioning (in fact, there already is!). Coby and Caryn know they are on the outs, so they might be willing to jump over with any remaining Ulongs.

That is why all is not lost for the 2 or 3 Ulongs that make the merge. The Koror outsiders can bring them in and start picking off big guns like Tom and Ian.

Don't count out Ulongers just yet.

[Bill]

Well I think all of this proves that MB has been telling the truth when he said all twists and merge times are set before the game starts.

[Covaleskie]

Well I think all of this proves that MB has been telling the truth when he said all twists and merge times are set before the game starts.

You know I've always been a big proponent of the "MB said it's so and I believe him" camp.

[emjoi]

Koror is very lucky the Immunity challenge this time wasn't too physical. Bad planning on their part on who they left out of the reward challenge.

[Covaleskie]

Koror is very lucky the Immunity challenge this time wasn't too physical. Bad planning on their part on who they left out of the reward challenge.

I actually cringed when they announced who was in for RC, because at this point, at least, that tells you whose out for IC. I really couldn't believe the poor planning. In fact, I actually missed a good portion of JP's explanation of the RC as I was having an animated conversation with my television. Conversation went something like this:

"How could they do that!"

(TV does not respond)

"Jeez. Are you trying to lose!"

(TV still not responsive)

"You had this in the bag and now you're going to blow it?!?"

(At this point my husband comes in and gives me the old "it's just television, calm down, no need to put yourself in cardiac arrest" speech, and I have to hush him because Survivor is on).