Survivor 49, Episode 4, kicked off with a tribe swap after the Kele’s unfortunate string of losses left them with only two castaways. The final fourteen were split into two tribes of seven. The swap was a welcome twist for some castaways, but others felt ripped away from their original Survivor family. The latter was certainly the case for former Hina member Jason Treul. He and his ally, Matt Williams, were placed on a tribe with four former Uli and one former Kele.
Up to that point, Jason never had to get his hands dirty. He was on a physically dominant tribe that never faced a Tribal Council date with Jeff Probst. But now, not only was he in the minority, but his tribe lost the Immunity Challenge, putting him in grave danger of elimination. The former Uli’s made it clear they were sticking together, and they quickly brought lone Kele member Sophi Balerdi into the fold. It became evident that a Hina sacrifice was the plan. At Tribal, the majority of the group voted for Matt, ending his journey on the show. Jason’s torch may have remained intact, but many fans felt his survival was simply because of luck. Viewers expressed disappointment in his social strategy and his inability to work with his new tribe.
Will Jason be able to recover from his Episode 4 blunder? It’s possible, especially if he makes it to the merge, but he has severely damaged his short-term game.
Let’s get into where he went wrong and how he can recover from his mishap.
Jason Treul might have lost Survivor 49 because of this miscalculation
Before the tribe swap, there was a brewing rivalry between Hina and Uli. The tension began after Jawan Pitts used his advantage to weaken the Hina tribe in a challenge. Hina felt targeted by the move, which resulted in both tribes developing an us vs. them mentality. The swap forced the two sides to come together, but not every player adapted to the change. Jason was faced with a difficult choice after his tribe lost the challenge. He could form new bonds with Uli, strengthening his position in the game, or he could stay strong with Hina and stay loyal to Matt.
The former Uli members gave Jason a fair shot to join their squad, but he didn’t budge. When Savannah Louie inquired if he would be open to working with her, he kept it vague. He told her he could direct Hina bullets away from her at the merge but remained steadfast in his loyalty to his former tribe. She took this to mean that he would never be more loyal to Uli than Hina.
On Survivor, stubbornness is a trait reserved for those in power, not players who are flailing at the bottom. Jason, being in the minority, should’ve recognized his position and tried to strike a deal. His hesitation to make new connections concerned his new tribe, which prompted conversations about sending him to Ponderosa. He was able to survive Uli’s wrath in Episode 4, but if his tribe loses another challenge, his name will be floating around.
Jason Treul may be able to recover from his Survivor mistake
No doubt, Jason is in a precarious position, but his game is far from over. He can change his fate in the game if he is willing to cause some trouble. If his tribe loses another immunity challenge, he is the easy vote, which means he has to dedicate time to improving his connections on his tribe. His best bet is to cozy up to Sophi, Savannah, and Rizo Velovic. They seem to be the most likely players to turn on their own.
Sophi is still a free agent. Sure, she voted with Uli in Episode 4, but she knows she is on the bottom. It would be advantageous for her to her to break them apart. If Jason offers her a different route, she will likely take it. Savannah and Rizo may be hesitant to flip on Nate Moore, but Jawan is a different story. He is not a member of their core alliance, so they may be open to voting him out. Of course, this plan is only possible if Jason can convince his new tribe he is willing to leave Hina behind. He needs to make them believe they are his priority now.
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TELL US – DO YOU THINK JASON CAN TURN AROUND HIS GAME?
