Survivor 42 Merge Discussion

This season has been fantastic so far. The editing is vastly improved over Survivor 41 and the cast has no duds. With a pre-merge that was nearly perfect, I'm hoping for a post-merge that keeps the momentum going. But with the hourglass twist making a return, I'm a little hesitant.

The most exciting part of the merge episode is seeing people interact for the first time and seeing how the numbers shake out. The information we've been given is that Ika and Vati are both fractured while Taku is four strong. I think we'll see this come to fruition, with Tori especially being super ready to flip.

Taku is the most iconic tribe in a long time. The Omar and Jonathon bromance is everything I could have ever wanted. This unlikely bond between polar opposites is what Survivor is all about. Lindsay is a queen as well, we haven't seen much from her but I have a feeling she'll only get more important as the season continues. Omar is in a great position right now, being the centerpiece of a tight alliance with a huge shield as his number one.

Vati is a little more suspect. Hai is the only person playing a great game from Vati, but Mike and Lydia for sure aren't doing anything wrong. That trio is a lot of fun, but I don't see it dominating the game. I think for them to prosper they'll need others to flip. Chanelle is a complete wildcard and her strategy has proven to be nonsensical so far. I don't know if she'll flip because I don't think Chanelle knows either. But heck, I think she could still win.

Ika is a mess. Tori is either going home or flipping incredibly fast. And I think that'd be the right choice for her as well. I'm glad Tori has stuck around, she's giving the hilariously unaware content I expected. Drea and Romeo are in a powerful position but they're gonna need help to gain control. Romeo is lowkey playing the best game out of anyone right now, and I'm loving his subtle gameplay. That guy knows what it takes to win.

I think we could see Vati and Ika teaming up against Taku, because they're clear threats. My worst fear is Jonathon or Omar being screwed by the hourglass. I'd rather have Taku take control with a couple of flippers like Tori and Chanelle. Or even better, Taku takes control with Drea and Romeo, now that'd be amazing.

Romeo is my pick for the winner right now, he's perfecting the balance between playing hard and staying quiet. Drea is a great shield for him and he's gonna have no problem socially integrating at the merge. Hai is playing a great game but I still think he's gonna get sniped and be the seasons fallen angel. Omar and Lindsay are both in fantastic positions as well, if it's Taku that takes control one of them will win.