by Don Hart

Was badass Randy all an act? Suzie was quick to label him a “sad” story. Sugar voted him out with “You are a disgusting, old, hotheaded, chauvinistic, alcoholic bigot and you need to grow up before you die alone.” Crystal at least gave him the benefit of some doubt by supposing that he might not actually be as bad as he has acted on the show. Who is the real Randy? Randy’s cynical mean-spirited remarks about those he disliked made him appear to be a bitter misanthrope in real life.

Randy seemed to have an impressive group of friends on the show: Marcus, Charlie, Corinne and Dan. Randy, like many Survivors before him, could simply have had contempt for those in an opposing alliance. His biography indicates he’s someone so independent and outspoken that he would abandon an engineering degree for a boss-free, work-when-you-want real life.

Randy is intelligent. On the show he expressed himself with complete abandon, thereby milking his “15 minutes of fame” for all it was worth and leaving himself a colorful legacy. We shall remember his tactless, say-it-as-you-really-feel personality. From the very beginning he spouted quotes that would remain, beneath and apart from all the venom, amusing, witty and memorable. He chose his final words carefully. After voting for Susie he said that his vote was “not strategic. It was strictly personal”. How could one not laugh at that?

Could Randy simply have known that his days were numbered? His Onion Alliance got the short end of the stick when the Producers threw in the last tribal mix-up at merge time. Why shouldn’t he have gone out with a disruptive flourish? The problem for me is that he humiliated himself in the process by getting fooled by the false immunity idol. Yet, he brought out Bob’s alliance betrayal and Sugar’s totally over-the-top laughter. Of course Randy was acting to some degree. His final strategy was to outplay the “bozos”. He, however, was the one who got trumped, but I bet he is not gone for good. Expect to see him on a future All-Stars game.

We’re Waiting to See:

If Corinne is really as bitchy as she herself thinks she is.
If Crystal is hiding her athleticism for a final run.
If Kenny gets his comeuppance for past conniving, and
If Sugar will ever be revealed as the princess Randy and others in their post-eviction interviews claim she is.

Can Bob Win?

Bob may have avoided eviction in Episode 10, but is he still target #1 for the ruling alliance? And if he were to get to the Finals, hasn’t he lost all the votes from his former Kota allies? His gameplay seems to have emerged too late and at a very high cost. As with Crystal and Susie, however, he might just be a prime candidate to take before the jury.

When Will Sugar’s Immunity Idol Come Back Into Play?

In recent Survivors, the immunity idol has made one an instant target. But in Survivor Gabon, Sugar has managed to slip under the radar. The Onion Alliance instead has been targeted one-by-one. When Fang was suffering, Matty seemed to be the only one concerned with the idol. Now that he is allied with Sugar, the idol is a wild card he wants to keep.

Will Matty and Sugar Turn on Kenny?

Randy did a favor for Matty by pointing out the danger of the Kenny/Crystal/Suzie alliance. If Matty and Sugar wait for Final Five to turn against their biggest threat, Kenny, it could be too late. It might very soon be a good move to pull Bob into an alliance to oust Kenny.

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