# Survivor: Palau - 5/12 - "It Could All Backfire" **URL:** \ **Category:** Cafe Society\ **Created:** [May 12, 2005, 5:05pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/survivor-palau-5-12-it-could-all-backfire/303576 "2005-05-12T17:05:19Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 13\ **Page:** 4
**Author:** ![Draelin](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/ce73a5/32.png) [@Draelin](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Draelin)\ **Post date:** [May 13, 2005, 5:25pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/survivor-palau-5-12-it-could-all-backfire/303576/61 "2005-05-13T17:25:00Z")
> [@rockle](#): > > Me too, me too! I’ll help him break in those nice leather SRCC seats … This is where being tiny comes in handy … I didn’t notice a backseat in that car. 😉 ---
**Author:** ![Ethilrist](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/ethilrist/32/4604_2.png) [@Ethilrist](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Ethilrist)\ **Post date:** [May 13, 2005, 5:29pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/survivor-palau-5-12-it-could-all-backfire/303576/62 "2005-05-13T17:29:59Z")
> [@Draelin](#): > > This is where being tiny comes in handy … I didn’t notice a backseat in that car. 😉 Hey, thanks for reminding me of something… when they showed the car, I thought, “good thing it’s a convertible, because there’s no way he’s fitting into a sportscar…” ---
**Author:** ![Little\_Nemo](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/little_nemo/32/3120_2.png) [@Little\_Nemo](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Little_Nemo)\ **Post date:** [May 13, 2005, 6:45pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/survivor-palau-5-12-it-could-all-backfire/303576/63 "2005-05-13T18:45:07Z")
Ian may have had a plan behind taking Tom. He probably realized that whoever were the three that got left behind, they would plot against the other two. So he may have regarded leaving Tom behind with Caryn and Jenn as being the deathknell for him and Katie. Personally I can’t think of any combination of three however that would have been safe - the smart thing would have been to throw the challenge and stay with the majority back in camp. My guess is that Ian was thinking this but lost his cool when he saw that shiny red car. Ian seems to understand the game well enough to make good plans but he lacks the ability to lie to people to their face. Tom does have this ability but you can see it isn’t instinctive - he needs to put on his “game face” before he betrays somebody. ---
**Author:** ![PunditLisa](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/p/4af34b/32.png) [@PunditLisa](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/PunditLisa)\ **Post date:** [May 13, 2005, 7:18pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/survivor-palau-5-12-it-could-all-backfire/303576/64 "2005-05-13T19:18:48Z")
> [@shijinn](#): > > so why _did_ Jenn vote for Caryn? what’s her angle? has anyone besides Tom/Ian won any of the immunity challenges? i’ve a feeling she’ll be in the final three. IMO, she voted for Caryn because she is flying under the radar and the others decided to vote her off. To be the only non-Caryn vote (besides, of course, Caryn) would have made her conspicuous and she’s trying to blend in. I also think she’s trying to prove to Tom that he can trust her since Katie and Ian are a solid twosome. ---
**Author:** ![jsc1953](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/j/5daacb/32.png) [@jsc1953](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/jsc1953)\ **Post date:** [May 13, 2005, 7:31pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/survivor-palau-5-12-it-could-all-backfire/303576/65 "2005-05-13T19:31:43Z")
Notice how the Reward Challenge has become so risky? It’s like…“sure, I’ll take the car…but please please please don’t make me leave camp to go on a luxurious overnight spa visit! You don’t understand! I can’t turn my back on these people! AHHHHH!!! Nooooooo…!!!” ---
**Author:** ![rockle](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/r/73ab20/32.png) [@rockle](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/rockle)\ **Post date:** [May 13, 2005, 7:50pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/survivor-palau-5-12-it-could-all-backfire/303576/66 "2005-05-13T19:50:16Z")
> [@Draelin](#): > > This is where being tiny comes in handy … I didn’t notice a backseat in that car. 😉 Back, _schmack_. Front seats will work just _fine_. I have no shame. (Can’t you tell?) Hell, it’s a fucking _ **Corvette** _ – I’d do it in the trunk or on the hood if Ian wanted to. ---
**Author:** ![Gorsnak](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/gorsnak/32/7587_2.png) [@Gorsnak](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Gorsnak)\ **Post date:** [May 13, 2005, 11:07pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/survivor-palau-5-12-it-could-all-backfire/303576/67 "2005-05-13T23:07:45Z")
I don’t think taking Tom was dumb at all. I think there’s a very good chance that if Ian had taken Katie, he’d have been voted out by Tom, Jenn, and Caryn. What incentive does Tom have to keep his stiffest IC competition around? And just remember last episode. What happened? Guy takes girl to reward, guy goes home. ---
**Author:** ![Little\_Nemo](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/little_nemo/32/3120_2.png) [@Little\_Nemo](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Little_Nemo)\ **Post date:** [May 14, 2005, 7:08am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/survivor-palau-5-12-it-could-all-backfire/303576/68 "2005-05-14T07:08:47Z")
> [@](#): > > so why did Jenn vote for Caryn? what’s her angle? There’s the obvious one of not pissing off any of the other three people who’ll still be around next episode. ---
**Author:** ![EllisDee](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/ellisdee/32/4531_2.png) [@EllisDee](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/EllisDee)\ **Post date:** [May 14, 2005, 11:00am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/survivor-palau-5-12-it-could-all-backfire/303576/69 "2005-05-14T11:00:42Z")
> [@Lil' Mahoney](#): > > While I’m posting, is there any chance we can tone down the Katie hatred a little please guys? I’m no fan of hers either, but there have been moments in the past few threads that have seemed really _ugly_ to me, and I’m not getting nearly as much enjoyment out of them as earlier in the season. You and me both. These threads have degenerated into estrogen-riddled stalker fests for a guy who is as dumb as a box of rocks, complete with ugly sniping at any female with whom said box of rocks interacts. As an aside, I agree with whoever said Jenn was hot, and was also not surprised to see a catty remark follow regarding her being vapid and bleached. (I get the vapid. But why is bleached a bad thing?) Anyway, I was stunned at Ian double-crossing two people at the RC. His decision to take Tom along didn’t just piss off Katie, it put Tom at higher risk to be voted off. As I’ve felt since the “drag the underwater chest 50 meters” challenge, I most want Tom to win the million, and ideally have that win come over Jenn in the final two. She may be vapid, but she certainly is a savvy player. (And without Steph around, Jenn provides the only eye candy.) Ideally it will be Katie as #3, with Ian getting voted out first. Due to his RC stunt, Tom was guaranteed to be gone if he didn’t win the IC, and I actually cheered out loud when he finally got his puzzle right. Btw, have none of these people ever learned anything about memory tricks? There’s always a memory challenge in Survivor. You’d think they’d buy a book or something. It’s not that hard to come up with a story to go with the pictures. The sergeant pulled up anchor when big waves started rocking the boat…blah blah blah. The first pictogram is the sergeant stripes, the second is the anchor, the third is waves, the fourth is the boat, etc… Spend a little time coming up with a good enough story and you could put the whole puzzle together in one shot. Unless, of course, you have a grudge against your knees and just want to beat them against the bridge thing like Tom kept doing. Ouch. ---
**Author:** ![EllisDee](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/ellisdee/32/4531_2.png) [@EllisDee](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/EllisDee)\ **Post date:** [May 14, 2005, 11:07am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/survivor-palau-5-12-it-could-all-backfire/303576/70 "2005-05-14T11:07:55Z")
> [@Gorsnak](#): > > I don’t think taking Tom was dumb at all. I think there’s a very good chance that if Ian had taken Katie, he’d have been voted out by Tom, Jenn, and Caryn. What incentive does Tom have to keep his stiffest IC competition around? And just remember last episode. What happened? Guy takes girl to reward, guy goes home. You know, that’s fairly compelling. Ian and Tom have been playing under the alliance of getting each other to the final four. The question becomes, does Ian trust Tom to not jump the gun? I would have, betting a million on Tom’s character being at least half as much as Rudy’s, and would have been reassured by Tom’s explicitly spelled out plan at the tree mail. Then again, Ian could have been legitimately worried, and I guess I can’t fault the guy for that. I wouldn’t have been as worried, but convincing cases could be made either way, so I guess I’ll chalk it up to what I refer to as a “coach’s call”. IMO it’s in bad form to argue for or against a coach’s call. ---
**Author:** ![PunditLisa](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/p/4af34b/32.png) [@PunditLisa](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/PunditLisa)\ **Post date:** [May 14, 2005, 1:45pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/survivor-palau-5-12-it-could-all-backfire/303576/71 "2005-05-14T13:45:17Z")
> [@Ellis Dee](#): > > Btw, have none of these people ever learned anything about memory tricks? There’s always a memory challenge in Survivor. You’d think they’d buy a book or something. It’s not that hard to come up with a story to go with the pictures. > > The sergeant pulled up anchor when big waves started rocking the boat…blah blah blah. The first pictogram is the sergeant stripes, the second is the anchor, the third is waves, the fourth is the boat, etc… Spend a little time coming up with a good enough story and you could put the whole puzzle together in one shot. I think most players were having a harder time navigating the rope bridge than they were memorizing the puzzle. I don’t know how it was edited, but IIRC Tom went back three times and Ian the same. That doesn’t seem to be unreasonable to me given the amount of items they had to remember. ---
**Author:** ![hajario](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/hajario/32/171_2.png) [@hajario](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/hajario)\ **Post date:** [May 14, 2005, 2:59pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/survivor-palau-5-12-it-could-all-backfire/303576/72 "2005-05-14T14:59:03Z")
> [@Little Nemo](#): > > There’s the obvious one of not pissing off any of the other three people who’ll still be around next episode. Sure but how did she know that the vote had turned? According to what we saw, she was still with the all girl strategy. Haj ---
**Author:** ![beckwall](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/b487fb/32.png) [@beckwall](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/beckwall)\ **Post date:** [May 14, 2005, 3:33pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/survivor-palau-5-12-it-could-all-backfire/303576/73 "2005-05-14T15:33:11Z")
> [@hajario](#): > > Sure but how did she know that the vote had turned? According to what we saw, she was still with the all girl strategy. > > Haj [Jack Black] Mind Bullets! [/Jack Black] [Previous page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/survivor-palau-5-12-it-could-all-backfire/303576.md?page=3)