# Survivor 5/6 - "The Instigator" **URL:** \ **Category:** Cafe Society\ **Created:** [May 6, 2004, 12:18pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/survivor-5-6-the-instigator/243808 "2004-05-06T12:18:54Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 20\ **Page:** 4
**Author:** ![Liberal](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/l/848f3c/32.png) [@Liberal](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Liberal)\ **Post date:** [May 7, 2004, 2:51pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/survivor-5-6-the-instigator/243808/61 "2004-05-07T14:51:28Z")
Oy. A sloppy “T” and a long string of illegible letters. I feel stupid, but vindicated. ---
**Author:** ![rockle](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/r/73ab20/32.png) [@rockle](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/rockle)\ **Post date:** [May 7, 2004, 3:04pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/survivor-5-6-the-instigator/243808/62 "2004-05-07T15:04:16Z")
> [@elf6c](#): > > Does anyone have any respect at all left for Lexx after his weekly face making efforts- what a complete loser. What a big petuant baby. The mohawk is just so needy of him too. To quote TWoP - “Shut UP, Lex’s Mohawk!” Anyhow … I kind of think Rob is the one who has earned the money, but I don’t really like the way everything went down. It isn’t his fault that everyone else is a big dumb dork, of course, but _damn_! Couldn’t he have at least been a _little_ subtle about playing everyone like that? And couldn’t everyone else at least put up _something_ of a fight? My best hope is that **Chastain** is right, and Rob ends up getting shivved at the end by Amber and Jenna. I would love more than anything for Rupert to win, because I do love him so, but it doesn’t look very promising. And of course, here is the $64,000 question - _ **after Sunday night, what in the hell am I going to do until the next season of “Survivor” starts?** _ ---
**Author:** ![Pashnish\_Ewing](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/p/8797f3/32.png) [@Pashnish\_Ewing](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Pashnish_Ewing)\ **Post date:** [May 7, 2004, 3:22pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/survivor-5-6-the-instigator/243808/63 "2004-05-07T15:22:32Z")
> [@Libertarian](#): > > I feel stupid, but vindicated. Well, my work is done. 😛 > [@EhhMon](#): > > After all thats transpired, I’m now convinced that both Amber and Jenna have a secret alliance thats not being shown. The more I think about it, the more I think you are on to something here. It would explain why Jenna was conspiring with Rupert to vote off Rob, then after Rob won immunity she didn’t go after Amber with Rupert and Tom. ---
**Author:** ![Chastain86](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/c/f9ae1b/32.png) [@Chastain86](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Chastain86)\ **Post date:** [May 7, 2004, 4:28pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/survivor-5-6-the-instigator/243808/64 "2004-05-07T16:28:39Z")
For the people that are starting to like Rob: I experienced that last season. After awhile, it becomes almost unthinkable for the show to continue without the resident bad boy. Near the end, I was almost rooting for Jonny Fairplay. But trust me, the villains we build up now in Survivor always, always, **always** come tumbling down. Rich Hatch aside, that is. 😉 Mark Burnett knows one thing, and that is the power of heroes and villains and clever editing. Rob cannot win based on current editing. End of story. ---
**Author:** ![rockle](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/r/73ab20/32.png) [@rockle](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/rockle)\ **Post date:** [May 7, 2004, 4:46pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/survivor-5-6-the-instigator/243808/65 "2004-05-07T16:46:23Z")
> [@Chastain86](#): > > Mark Burnett knows one thing, and that is the power of heroes and villains and clever editing. > > Rob cannot win based on current editing. End of story. I really hope you’re right, **Chas**. I really, really do. ---
**Author:** ![Phlosphr](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/p/c68b51/32.png) [@Phlosphr](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Phlosphr)\ **Post date:** [May 7, 2004, 5:34pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/survivor-5-6-the-instigator/243808/66 "2004-05-07T17:34:25Z")
So we all want Rupert to win…right? 🙂 As long as it is not that c_ck S_cker Boston Rob…what a prick. I agree with **chas** ---
**Author:** ![BiblioCat](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/ed8c4c/32.png) [@BiblioCat](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/BiblioCat)\ **Post date:** [May 7, 2004, 5:50pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/survivor-5-6-the-instigator/243808/67 "2004-05-07T17:50:43Z")
When the three guys were standing in the water, and Rupert and Tom were having their little showdown with Rob smirking in the background, I was waiting for Rupert to say, “You really think Rob’s taking you to the Final Two? He told me he’s taking me, too. What about Amber - don’t you think he’ll take his new sweetheart?” Why do they think he’ll take either of them over her? Do they honestly think he’ll dump her for them for the Final Two? I just can’t figure it out. ---
**Author:** ![Liberal](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/l/848f3c/32.png) [@Liberal](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Liberal)\ **Post date:** [May 7, 2004, 5:56pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/survivor-5-6-the-instigator/243808/68 "2004-05-07T17:56:35Z")
> [@](#): > > Couldn’t he have at least been a little subtle about playing everyone like that? And couldn’t everyone else at least put up something of a fight? Actually, he’s been pretty snakish with the tribe members. It’s only in the confessionals that he’s bragged and explained what he was doing. ---
**Author:** ![rockle](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/r/73ab20/32.png) [@rockle](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/rockle)\ **Post date:** [May 7, 2004, 6:12pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/survivor-5-6-the-instigator/243808/69 "2004-05-07T18:12:53Z")
> [@Libertarian](#): > > Actually, he’s been pretty snakish with the tribe members. It’s only in the confessionals that he’s bragged and explained what he was doing. Yeah, I know that. It just seems to me that everyone else _knows_ that Rob’s a big fat liar, and they just don’t seem to _care_. For some reason, I really want that to be Rob’s fault - like, he did some wicked monkey jujitsu mind trick on them, so they don’t _know_ they’re suddenly all dumb as a bag of hammers. ---
**Author:** ![BiblioCat](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/ed8c4c/32.png) [@BiblioCat](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/BiblioCat)\ **Post date:** [May 7, 2004, 6:13pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/survivor-5-6-the-instigator/243808/70 "2004-05-07T18:13:47Z")
Based on the “Winning The Car” hex, Rob won’t win, anyway. That makes me happy. 🙂 ---
**Author:** ![Glory](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/g/7cd45c/32.png) [@Glory](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Glory)\ **Post date:** [May 7, 2004, 7:03pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/survivor-5-6-the-instigator/243808/71 "2004-05-07T19:03:05Z")
The way they have edited this entire season…it just has to be leading up to an Amber/Rob betrayal. Amber HAS to know that she can’t go to the final two with Rob. He has played a devastatingly masterful game, who would vote for a coat tail rider like Amber to win All Stars? She has to betray Rob and go to the final two with Jenna to win. People would have to respect that strategy, to be the only player that played Rob!!! She has deliberately thrown two challenges (in my opinion) to keep him around. The first was the first incident of the knife puzzle challenge, I’ve seen screenshots where she had the knife ready to win and deliberately moved the square to let Rob win. I think she threw last night’s too! They keep talking about a huge surprise at the reunion show, I’m thinking…marriage proposal! There are only two rules to Survivor: 1. A player can’t strike another player 2. A player can’t make any deal to share the money with another player How they heck would they manage rule 2 if Rob and Amber get married? Can’t wait til Sunday. ---
**Author:** ![Munch](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/munch/32/5281_2.png) [@Munch](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Munch)\ **Post date:** [May 7, 2004, 7:14pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/survivor-5-6-the-instigator/243808/72 "2004-05-07T19:14:51Z")
Isn’t there also a rule about food? ---
**Author:** ![jebert](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/j/ec9cab/32.png) [@jebert](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/jebert)\ **Post date:** [May 7, 2004, 7:22pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/survivor-5-6-the-instigator/243808/73 "2004-05-07T19:22:27Z")
Hex, Schmex. There’s always a first time. Rob is fully capable of winning the two last immunities; he’s been superior in most of the physical challenges and has done well in things involving mental skills as well. The question is whom he will bring to the final two. If he believes that the jury will decide based on ability to play the game, it probably doesn’t matter much whom he is up against. However, if he thinks thinks it’s about whom the jury hates least, his best bet is going to be Jenna. He’d lose against Rupert, so if his choice is between Rupert and one of the girls, it will be the girl. Between the two girls, it seems to me he’d stand a better chance against Jenna. One of his comments to Amber at the drive-in last night sounded like he’s setting her up to believe she’ll be seeing some of his green if he wins it all. So he will sweet talk Amber into thinking he’s got the better chance against Jenna. Right before he unsheaths his knife one last time. ---
**Author:** ![Debaser](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/3da27b/32.png) [@Debaser](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Debaser)\ **Post date:** [May 7, 2004, 7:40pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/survivor-5-6-the-instigator/243808/74 "2004-05-07T19:40:36Z")
I can’t believe they didn’t show us Rupert and Rob agreeing to vote out Tom. I have to think that the cameraman just missed this, or the tape got destroyed. Why else wouldn’t they edit that in for us to view? I was always hoping for Rupert to win, but Rob has played the game so masterfully that I would love to see him take it also. At this point, I’d be happy to see either of them win as long as it isn’t one of the coat tail riding girls. ---
**Author:** ![Debaser](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/3da27b/32.png) [@Debaser](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Debaser)\ **Post date:** [May 7, 2004, 7:50pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/survivor-5-6-the-instigator/243808/75 "2004-05-07T19:50:25Z")
Oh, about the whole “survivor rules”… It seems like there must be more than two rules to the game. Would it be OK for a player to refuse to do any confessionals? Or, how about not showing up to a challenge or a tribal council? I’ve also always thought that the players seem very timid at council time. In other situations the players are roudy, loud and argumentative. However, at tribal council they are more reserved. Even the leaving tribe member leaves quitely, with the exception of Richard Hatch this season. Maybe it’s just the mood of the event, but I have always had a suspicion that there was something more to it. ---
**Author:** ![Illinois\_Boy](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/i/3d9bf3/32.png) [@Illinois\_Boy](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Illinois_Boy)\ **Post date:** [May 7, 2004, 8:02pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/survivor-5-6-the-instigator/243808/76 "2004-05-07T20:02:28Z")
I think my track record of predicting is pretty poor, but anyway… Until last night I would have said Amber was the most likely winner. She was paired with the bad boy, who brought her along and took all the blame. However two things happened last night 1. Amber “won” a car. I can almost hear Jenna saying to the jury “Amber already got a car for being Rob’s girlfriend. Don’t give her a million dollars too” 2. Amber said, and I quote, “I can taste the money”. I can only imagine Alicia and Lex rolled their eyes so hard, paramedics had to be called. While I admit Rob has lasted longer than I thought (and longer than he should) I believe there is no way he can win the money. He is \*not \* a masterful player (only in comparison to some of the other knuckleheads). You have to know the jury memebers, and manage the way they end up there. Sometimes a jury member will swallow hurt feelings and vote for the “player”, but I think it depends on the juror’s personality. Alicia won’t. Lex won’t. Big Tom won’t. I don’t think Kathy will either. Rob has to be in the final 2 with Amber, or he has 0 chance. And even then, I wouldn’t vote on him. In short, Rob won the battles, but will absoultely lose the war. Or not. 😉 ---
**Author:** ![Munch](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/munch/32/5281_2.png) [@Munch](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Munch)\ **Post date:** [May 7, 2004, 8:04pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/survivor-5-6-the-instigator/243808/77 "2004-05-07T20:04:53Z")
> [@Debaser](#): > > Oh, about the whole “survivor rules”… > > It seems like there must be more than two rules to the game. Would it be OK for a player to refuse to do any confessionals? Or, how about not showing up to a challenge or a tribal council? [Survivor rules](http://www.cbs.com/primetime/survivor8/about/rules.shtml). They have to show up to both council and immunity challenges. They can’t “misappropriate food”, share the cash, hit each other, etc. ---
**Author:** ![Chastain86](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/c/f9ae1b/32.png) [@Chastain86](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Chastain86)\ **Post date:** [May 7, 2004, 8:09pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/survivor-5-6-the-instigator/243808/78 "2004-05-07T20:09:04Z")
> [@jebert](#): > > Hex, Schmex. There’s always a first time. Rob is fully capable of winning the two last immunities; he’s been superior in most of the physical challenges and has done well in things involving mental skills as well. Ahh, but you forget one thing… The “challenge of three,” which is the Immunity that occurs to whittle 3 contestants down to 2, has **nearly always** been the Endurance Challenge. Rob will likely win the next Immunity, but men do not traditionally do well at the Endurance challenges. With the exceptions of Brian Heidik and Colby Donaldson, there hasn’t been one male contestant from any previous Survivor incarnation that won it. That’s a 2 for 7 ratio in favor of the wimmens. Rob will shank it, and feel the knife for the first time in this game. ---
**Author:** ![Munch](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/munch/32/5281_2.png) [@Munch](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Munch)\ **Post date:** [May 7, 2004, 8:19pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/survivor-5-6-the-instigator/243808/79 "2004-05-07T20:19:08Z")
> [@Chastain86](#): > > Rob will likely win the next Immunity, but men do not traditionally do well at the Endurance challenges. With the exceptions of Brian Heidik and Colby Donaldson, there hasn’t been one male contestant from any previous Survivor incarnation that won it. That’s a 2 for 7 ratio in favor of the wimmens. You left out the Africa contest, which was between 3 men. 3 for 7 isn’t a very good indicator. ---
**Author:** ![wolfman](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/w/a8b319/32.png) [@wolfman](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/wolfman)\ **Post date:** [May 7, 2004, 8:26pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/survivor-5-6-the-instigator/243808/80 "2004-05-07T20:26:23Z")
> [@](#): > > The “challenge of three,” which is the Immunity that occurs to whittle 3 contestants down to 2, has nearly always been the Endurance Challenge. But they already did the Hold your hand in the air endurance test, the one Shii ann won. If they do another another endurace test I would expect it to be a “Hold heavy crap on your shoulders test” which would seriously favor the guys. [Previous page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/survivor-5-6-the-instigator/243808.md?page=3) [Next page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/survivor-5-6-the-instigator/243808.md?page=5)