Post by Impa on Jun 6, 2020 19:06:18 GMT -5
Jurors,
Today, we gather in the sight of the Goddess and Guides to mark the beginning of the end — the final chapter of a saga that began amidst Calamity and has since led us through the turmoils of Hyrule. As the ink begins to dry on the last pages of our collective story, I am struck by a singular thought: This is surreal. To commit to a game of Survivor is to potentially expose one’s self to euphoria and despair, to triumph and defeat. Never in my wildest dreams did I expect to find myself in this environment again, but by stepping out of my comfort zone at a time I needed to the most, I truly believe I have made connections that will endure long after we depart from Hyrule. Some of you, such as Magda, I am only meeting for the first time, but each of you has influenced this game — and me — in ways I am only beginning to comprehend. This game, though not without its fair share of controversies and stressors, has helped me fight past years of self-doubt and regrets heavily tied to Survivor and LSGs. I began this journey a downtrodden Gerudo warrior; I end it with a sense of honor and humility: I am honored to occupy a seat in this Final Tribal Council, yes, but I am equally humbled to have undertaken this adventure with each of you.
And what a ride it has been.
You are now tasked with a duty that has fallen to others in times past and differing realities. As we proceed, my fellow champions will argue their cases. It is my intent, however, to demonstrate beyond the shadow of a doubt why I am most deserving of your votes and the title of Sole Survivor. Until the time comes to commit your choices to parchment, I simply ask that you each keep an open mind to the information presented.
I would like to preface my statements with one conceit: I get it. I understand many of you may be frustrated by the number of immunity wins I accrued following the Merge. I understand the rapid succession wore on morale, and I apologize for any undue anxiety that may have caused.
That said, Survivor: Power vs. Courage vs. Wisdom did not begin at Final 10, and neither did my game. There seems to be a collective perception that, while holding the individual immunity necklace, I was content to play a passive role in the social and strategic progression of the game. Simply put, this was not the case. I may have been safe in the moment, yes, but there was never a guarantee the round to follow would yield the same results. The wins came just as much as a surprise to me. There was a reason the Guides assigned me the Wisdom Tribe: I’ve never had confidence in my challenge abilities. Juggling 50+ hour work weeks on top of the game didn’t give me much faith to perform in the competitions either. As such, security was never certain. Longevity was always the goal. Even as I began the immunity run I never lost sight of the fact that, while I personally may be able to escape the vote, my allies were — and would continue to be — vulnerable.
Apathy was never an option.
Others may have professed they were at the bottom of the tribal power structure, but I truly felt that to be the case for me — a notion that was only exacerbated as the challenge wins fostered the perception that I was a force that needed to be eliminated or otherwise weakened at all costs. My own allies felt it necessary to look elsewhere for cover to avoid elimination by association. After Oven left, I truly felt alone in the game. Even before then, I knew it would be imperative to make every vote count if I wanted to reach the finale. More importantly, I needed to eliminate threats in a particular order to dismantle the tribe's power structure, to fight against the forces that constantly sought to pull me into the Jury.
Such actions required careful strategizing, collaboration, a precise read of the game, and a tenacity to see plans through despite potential fallout — attributes that I believe I have demonstrated since Round One in no short measure. My path to the Final Three, though not without its missteps, has involved more than a lucky winning streak. It has been an exercise in bravery, grace, and perseverance. In power, courage, and wisdom.
Below, I will explore my game in three separate phases: Pre-Merge, Tarrey Town, and Merge. Each builds upon the other, and each section will emphasize I hit the ground running in Wisdom and never stopped playing.
Please note that I tried to go as in-depth as I possibly could for each section. I will provide a summary afterward, but I felt it necessary to provide as many specific details as I could to underscore the fact that I did, in fact, play Survivor this game.
• PHASE BREAKDOWN
To summarize points made in each section, I have had my finger to the pulse of this game since its earliest stages.
I played a significant role in forcing errors with items and idols as early as the Heart Container Tribe: Convincing Revali and Link to flip their votes onto Robbie to avoid voting into Mipha's idol; Passing Link an item to convince him to flip during the PM-prohibited Tribal Council; Reading the group accurately to save Revali and eliminate Kass; Working with Mipha and Oven to capitalize on Sidon's paranoia, prompting him to play his idol while Mipha also used hers; Convincing Kohga at Final Five to not play his idol for anyone for fear of exposing him to a vote if all parties were immune; Correctly countering Epona's use of the extra vote; Risking my own game by not playing an idol on myself. The list goes on.
These measures were necessary to clear the field, to ensure my plans weren’t undermined by variables beyond my control — evidence of which can be seen from the Final Six onward. I utilized a portion of my own arsenal accurately and with intent. I heavily influenced the Royal White Horse and Oaki eliminations, and I directly engineered the eliminations of the game’s post-Merge power players: Kass, Prince Sidon, Epona, and Master Kohga.
More so than either of my peers, I consistently adapted to the fluid framework set forth by the Guides — a record number of idols and items, swaps, Tribal Councils with communication restrictions, returning players, etc. — and, in doing so, unquestionably influenced this game at all junctures. When I was vulnerable, both prior to the Divine Trial Tribe and after at Final Five, I was able to steer myself out of danger by keeping a level head and trusting in my social strategy. It is no accident that, despite having the largest target, I only accrued one vote when Epona was eliminated: I had planned for every possible scenario, and I knew exactly what I had to do to see myself to safety.
Fortune favors the prepared mind. I am here not only because I fought for each immunity, but also because I navigated the perils of Hyrule proactively rather than reactively. I alone controlled my narrative, and I alone ultimately determined my fate in this game. I had a vision of where I wanted to see the game progress, and I made it a reality. I took the steps necessary not only to reach the Final Tribal Council, but to also win. I made the moves others were hesitant to make, and I took the heat all the way through. This may be perceived in a negative light, but I pray that, when placed in the larger context of the game, each of you can appreciate the lengths to which I fought to survive.
Ultimately, this has been an adventure that I can reflect upon with a sense of peace. I cannot praise Mipha and Revali enough, as both champions demonstrated wonderful and diverse gameplay. That said, I must also assert that I executed the most well-rounded performance of the Final Three.
In conclusion, it has been an honor to share this experience with each and every one of you. Collectively, we have weathered the many twists and turns of a complex game, and that alone is something to celebrate. These are truly times that try the soul — thematically with the looming threat of Calamity Ganon, and in the dose of reality waiting just outside our front doors. It is with that notion that I simply say thank you.
Thank you for your time.
Thank you for your consideration here.
Thank you for the questions to come.
Regardless of how this game concludes, thank you for undertaking this journey with me. May Hylia smile upon us all.
Today, we gather in the sight of the Goddess and Guides to mark the beginning of the end — the final chapter of a saga that began amidst Calamity and has since led us through the turmoils of Hyrule. As the ink begins to dry on the last pages of our collective story, I am struck by a singular thought: This is surreal. To commit to a game of Survivor is to potentially expose one’s self to euphoria and despair, to triumph and defeat. Never in my wildest dreams did I expect to find myself in this environment again, but by stepping out of my comfort zone at a time I needed to the most, I truly believe I have made connections that will endure long after we depart from Hyrule. Some of you, such as Magda, I am only meeting for the first time, but each of you has influenced this game — and me — in ways I am only beginning to comprehend. This game, though not without its fair share of controversies and stressors, has helped me fight past years of self-doubt and regrets heavily tied to Survivor and LSGs. I began this journey a downtrodden Gerudo warrior; I end it with a sense of honor and humility: I am honored to occupy a seat in this Final Tribal Council, yes, but I am equally humbled to have undertaken this adventure with each of you.
And what a ride it has been.
You are now tasked with a duty that has fallen to others in times past and differing realities. As we proceed, my fellow champions will argue their cases. It is my intent, however, to demonstrate beyond the shadow of a doubt why I am most deserving of your votes and the title of Sole Survivor. Until the time comes to commit your choices to parchment, I simply ask that you each keep an open mind to the information presented.
I would like to preface my statements with one conceit: I get it. I understand many of you may be frustrated by the number of immunity wins I accrued following the Merge. I understand the rapid succession wore on morale, and I apologize for any undue anxiety that may have caused.
That said, Survivor: Power vs. Courage vs. Wisdom did not begin at Final 10, and neither did my game. There seems to be a collective perception that, while holding the individual immunity necklace, I was content to play a passive role in the social and strategic progression of the game. Simply put, this was not the case. I may have been safe in the moment, yes, but there was never a guarantee the round to follow would yield the same results. The wins came just as much as a surprise to me. There was a reason the Guides assigned me the Wisdom Tribe: I’ve never had confidence in my challenge abilities. Juggling 50+ hour work weeks on top of the game didn’t give me much faith to perform in the competitions either. As such, security was never certain. Longevity was always the goal. Even as I began the immunity run I never lost sight of the fact that, while I personally may be able to escape the vote, my allies were — and would continue to be — vulnerable.
Apathy was never an option.
Others may have professed they were at the bottom of the tribal power structure, but I truly felt that to be the case for me — a notion that was only exacerbated as the challenge wins fostered the perception that I was a force that needed to be eliminated or otherwise weakened at all costs. My own allies felt it necessary to look elsewhere for cover to avoid elimination by association. After Oven left, I truly felt alone in the game. Even before then, I knew it would be imperative to make every vote count if I wanted to reach the finale. More importantly, I needed to eliminate threats in a particular order to dismantle the tribe's power structure, to fight against the forces that constantly sought to pull me into the Jury.
Such actions required careful strategizing, collaboration, a precise read of the game, and a tenacity to see plans through despite potential fallout — attributes that I believe I have demonstrated since Round One in no short measure. My path to the Final Three, though not without its missteps, has involved more than a lucky winning streak. It has been an exercise in bravery, grace, and perseverance. In power, courage, and wisdom.
Below, I will explore my game in three separate phases: Pre-Merge, Tarrey Town, and Merge. Each builds upon the other, and each section will emphasize I hit the ground running in Wisdom and never stopped playing.
Please note that I tried to go as in-depth as I possibly could for each section. I will provide a summary afterward, but I felt it necessary to provide as many specific details as I could to underscore the fact that I did, in fact, play Survivor this game.
• PHASE BREAKDOWN
[PRE-MERGE]
[TARREY TOWN]
[DLC: TOP SIX TWIST]
[MERGE]
1. Wisdom
2. Kakariko
3. Heart Container
4. Naboris
I entered the game with a clear objective in mind to make it through the early rounds: Remain active enough to not be perceived as dead weight, and employ an inviting, charming persona to endear myself to the group so I could influence the votes while remaining non-threatening to others. Past experiences with Survivor had proven to me that, personally, my downfall tended to stem directly coming off as a social threat too early. If I had any chance at longevity within the game, I would need to maintain the perception of being engaging but not imposing, approachable but not dominant.
I failed. I felt the target on my back begin to take form.
As the round progressed, it became apparent I had overextended myself in the social sphere. I began to lose count of the number of times my teammates would casually mention, “You seem to be in a good spot,” “[Player X] or [Player Y] say they feel closest to you — you must be really making the rounds,” in a way that only emphasized I was on players’ radars as a potential obstacle. The frequency of PMs of this nature remained consistent, so much so that the first round soon felt like navigating a minefield. At the time, I felt solid in my relationships with Epona, Hunnie, Mipha, and Oven. I couldn’t get as good of a read on Pelison, but I still enjoyed his company. However, in a tribe of seven strategic minds, each of us was hyper-aware of perception becoming reality: No one wanted to be seen as the locus of influence. No one wanted to be singled out as the leader of the group or the player to push the first elimination. Consensus was key, but I knew the damage had already been done. I found myself branded as Wisdom’s “social queen” — other players’ words, not mine — and I knew that if I didn’t take the necessary steps to counter the spread of that narrative, then my game would be over before it could even begin.
I failed. I felt the target on my back begin to take form.
As the round progressed, it became apparent I had overextended myself in the social sphere. I began to lose count of the number of times my teammates would casually mention, “You seem to be in a good spot,” “[Player X] or [Player Y] say they feel closest to you — you must be really making the rounds,” in a way that only emphasized I was on players’ radars as a potential obstacle. The frequency of PMs of this nature remained consistent, so much so that the first round soon felt like navigating a minefield. At the time, I felt solid in my relationships with Epona, Hunnie, Mipha, and Oven. I couldn’t get as good of a read on Pelison, but I still enjoyed his company. However, in a tribe of seven strategic minds, each of us was hyper-aware of perception becoming reality: No one wanted to be seen as the locus of influence. No one wanted to be singled out as the leader of the group or the player to push the first elimination. Consensus was key, but I knew the damage had already been done. I found myself branded as Wisdom’s “social queen” — other players’ words, not mine — and I knew that if I didn’t take the necessary steps to counter the spread of that narrative, then my game would be over before it could even begin.
2. Kakariko
If Wisdom offered clarity, then Kakariko provided opportunity — a chance to find a system of support beyond the Wisdom Tribe. Here, I crossed paths with Sidon and Kass. In hindsight, the implications of this tribe fascinate me. In the moment, however, I found myself in the presence of two very well-spoken, very savvy players. The relationship we formed as a group felt easy, natural, and it didn’t take long for the trio to commit to an alliance, the Kakariko Three, as we moved forward into the game. The team felt like a saving grace to me, as I got the impression I was among players who were both socially and strategically oriented — that I would be able to evade attention among the larger group with Sidon and Kass at my side.
Our bonds were put to the test when we found ourselves at Tribal Council with Epona, Royal White Horse, and Teebo. As luck would have it, this was the tribe we LEAST wanted to partner with on a vote, which made the situation feel all the more dire. By maintaining an open dialogue and utilizing relationships from Round One, what emerged from that vote was a tentative voting bloc Epona/Horse/Sidon/Kass and myself — an arrangement that left Teebo outside the numbers. I felt confident in this group, but made a mental note when my allies seemed content to use my name as a counter-vote to tell Teebo. From an outside perspective, it came across as Horse setting that decision before testing my reaction. Had I pushed back more vocally, I risked conveying a certain level of distrust with the group. I couldn’t rock the boat too much for fear of the vote flipping on to me. Despite the vote falling at Teebo’s feet, though, I did not soon forget that I was seen as expendable in Horse’s larger plan. It was also very apparent that Epona and Horse were incredibly close. I would need to sever that tie down the road to keep myself safe — to limit the number of paths forward allies could take that didn’t involve me.
Our bonds were put to the test when we found ourselves at Tribal Council with Epona, Royal White Horse, and Teebo. As luck would have it, this was the tribe we LEAST wanted to partner with on a vote, which made the situation feel all the more dire. By maintaining an open dialogue and utilizing relationships from Round One, what emerged from that vote was a tentative voting bloc Epona/Horse/Sidon/Kass and myself — an arrangement that left Teebo outside the numbers. I felt confident in this group, but made a mental note when my allies seemed content to use my name as a counter-vote to tell Teebo. From an outside perspective, it came across as Horse setting that decision before testing my reaction. Had I pushed back more vocally, I risked conveying a certain level of distrust with the group. I couldn’t rock the boat too much for fear of the vote flipping on to me. Despite the vote falling at Teebo’s feet, though, I did not soon forget that I was seen as expendable in Horse’s larger plan. It was also very apparent that Epona and Horse were incredibly close. I would need to sever that tie down the road to keep myself safe — to limit the number of paths forward allies could take that didn’t involve me.
3. Heart Container
The shuffle into Heart Container demonstrates the full range of dominance in my gameplay — an ability to utilize the social game to build a new coalition (with Revali and Link) and to gather information (from Robbie) to use to the benefit of myself and my allies. Beyond this, an accurate read on Mipha — suspecting she had an idol — helped to avoid catastrophe this round.
The context within which we shuffled into the three new tribes is almost as important as what follows. While able to speak with all remaining players, my fear of being singled out as a social threat were realized. Time and again, players would express interest in my game by inserting the name of a Wisdom player before saying they had heard I was “everyone’s favorite.” Equally as important, I was able to piece together where future loyalties may lie: The Zora trio of Mipha, Patricia, and Riju felt like the clearest threat to my game. Mipha’s bond to them was made very clear by her possession of their passwords, and I suspected she had been one of the more vocal proponents of spreading my name as a potential threat during the 15-player open season.
With that in mind, the Heart Container Tribe seemed to be, on paper, an easy 2 Wisdom vs 2 Courage vs 1 Power, but in actuality the dynamics would prove more nuanced. I needed to contain the spread of Zora’s influence, and I needed to act fast to ensure I had players’ ears before Mipha could float my name as an option.
Using the information I had acquired from Kass regarding Revali being on the outs in Power and likely being the first elimination had he not won immunity, I approached the Rito to establish some common ground. Our anxieties in the game, I explained, were much the same. He believed himself to be on the outs after being on the dangerous end of Magda’s blindside, and his closest ally after, Oaki, was first stranded on another tribe and, eventually, eliminated. I played up my fears of being targeted as a social threat, emphasizing that, together, we could offer one another a much-needed sense of security. From this place of trust, we shared our concerns about Mipha and the Zora Tribe — Revali had reason to be suspicious of Patricia as well, which I leveraged as a means by which to make a Mipha vote that much more enticing.
I employed a similar tactic with Link, indicating that Riju had spoken quite highly of him as we all searched for clues to the tribal lines. This line proved effective, for he almost immediately conveyed his own worry about being targeted as a social threat. This was music to my ears, as it offered a means by which to potentially peel Link away from Riju if necessary, but it also told me I could make a direct appeal to Link on the basis of self-preservation. If the three Champions stuck together and pulled in Robbie, then we could see another sunrise in Hyrule.
Throughout Phase 1 of the round and subsequent conversations, Mipha continued to make reference to idols — importantly, not advantages — which stuck with me. I had a feeling this was her way of either intentionally or subconsciously bread-crumbing that she had an idol at her disposal, which would prove to undermine my entire plan if she played it accurately. While developing conversations with Revali, Link, and Robbie, I made sure to consistently express my worries to Mipha. To give her the impression that I was not calm within the tribe so as to emphasize I thought the vote would be on me (so she wouldn’t need to use her idol) and to foster a sense of collective struggle (to prompt her to share the information with me).
We entered the Heart Container vote intending to eliminate Mipha. What happened soon after, however, none of us could have expected: Robbie detonated. The good doctor reached out to Mipha to let her know that she was, in fact, the target, but also approached me to tell me I should be grateful to be spared that round. He claimed Mipha would die that round, and that I would soon follow because his allies on Courage had a plan in place.
Fearing Mipha would play her idol with this information in mind, I took Robbie’s information and ran with it. I looped in Revali and Link, prompting them to flip their votes last-minute from Mipha to Robbie. While doing so, I told them both they were on the Courage alliance’s hit list, thus setting up a sense of danger as we moved forward to, hopefully, keep us all together. When the votes were read, Mipha did play an idol. Without my quick thinking, the majority would have voted into her advantage, revealing our hand and putting us in a terrible position should she ever find numbers at her disposal. Instead, Mipha’s idol was flushed, and she was none the wiser to the imminent threat.
The context within which we shuffled into the three new tribes is almost as important as what follows. While able to speak with all remaining players, my fear of being singled out as a social threat were realized. Time and again, players would express interest in my game by inserting the name of a Wisdom player before saying they had heard I was “everyone’s favorite.” Equally as important, I was able to piece together where future loyalties may lie: The Zora trio of Mipha, Patricia, and Riju felt like the clearest threat to my game. Mipha’s bond to them was made very clear by her possession of their passwords, and I suspected she had been one of the more vocal proponents of spreading my name as a potential threat during the 15-player open season.
With that in mind, the Heart Container Tribe seemed to be, on paper, an easy 2 Wisdom vs 2 Courage vs 1 Power, but in actuality the dynamics would prove more nuanced. I needed to contain the spread of Zora’s influence, and I needed to act fast to ensure I had players’ ears before Mipha could float my name as an option.
Using the information I had acquired from Kass regarding Revali being on the outs in Power and likely being the first elimination had he not won immunity, I approached the Rito to establish some common ground. Our anxieties in the game, I explained, were much the same. He believed himself to be on the outs after being on the dangerous end of Magda’s blindside, and his closest ally after, Oaki, was first stranded on another tribe and, eventually, eliminated. I played up my fears of being targeted as a social threat, emphasizing that, together, we could offer one another a much-needed sense of security. From this place of trust, we shared our concerns about Mipha and the Zora Tribe — Revali had reason to be suspicious of Patricia as well, which I leveraged as a means by which to make a Mipha vote that much more enticing.
I employed a similar tactic with Link, indicating that Riju had spoken quite highly of him as we all searched for clues to the tribal lines. This line proved effective, for he almost immediately conveyed his own worry about being targeted as a social threat. This was music to my ears, as it offered a means by which to potentially peel Link away from Riju if necessary, but it also told me I could make a direct appeal to Link on the basis of self-preservation. If the three Champions stuck together and pulled in Robbie, then we could see another sunrise in Hyrule.
Throughout Phase 1 of the round and subsequent conversations, Mipha continued to make reference to idols — importantly, not advantages — which stuck with me. I had a feeling this was her way of either intentionally or subconsciously bread-crumbing that she had an idol at her disposal, which would prove to undermine my entire plan if she played it accurately. While developing conversations with Revali, Link, and Robbie, I made sure to consistently express my worries to Mipha. To give her the impression that I was not calm within the tribe so as to emphasize I thought the vote would be on me (so she wouldn’t need to use her idol) and to foster a sense of collective struggle (to prompt her to share the information with me).
We entered the Heart Container vote intending to eliminate Mipha. What happened soon after, however, none of us could have expected: Robbie detonated. The good doctor reached out to Mipha to let her know that she was, in fact, the target, but also approached me to tell me I should be grateful to be spared that round. He claimed Mipha would die that round, and that I would soon follow because his allies on Courage had a plan in place.
Fearing Mipha would play her idol with this information in mind, I took Robbie’s information and ran with it. I looped in Revali and Link, prompting them to flip their votes last-minute from Mipha to Robbie. While doing so, I told them both they were on the Courage alliance’s hit list, thus setting up a sense of danger as we moved forward to, hopefully, keep us all together. When the votes were read, Mipha did play an idol. Without my quick thinking, the majority would have voted into her advantage, revealing our hand and putting us in a terrible position should she ever find numbers at her disposal. Instead, Mipha’s idol was flushed, and she was none the wiser to the imminent threat.
4. Naboris
The swap into Naboris proved to be quite sobering after the heightened gameplay in Heart Container. I was reunited with a friendly face in Kass, yes, but I was also meeting Master Kohga for the first time since hunting for tribal clues. I was not naive to think that, in a tribe of three people with two from the original Power, I could find myself in a world of trouble should we go to Tribal Council.
This concern only intensified after Kass approached me with the idea to throw the challenge as a means by which to keep other allies (Sidon) safe. Instead of entertaining the idea as I know I should have, I immediately pushed back by saying it was too much of a risk. Having just come out of a vote with an idol play, I wasn’t too keen on willingly putting myself in harm’s way in a six-person TC. I also argued we had no idea what other factors might come into play, which meant we could be walking into a situation where, while our motives were pure, we stood the risk of everything backfiring. This disagreement was the defining moment in which I knew my path forward with Kass had likely disappeared. From my perspective, he was willing to endanger one ally — me — to prioritize keeping Sidon safe. From his perspective, I came across as unwilling to protect Sidon or to collaborate with him, which I knew would ultimately lead to friction down the road.
To counter this, I focused on building a relationship with Master Kohga. The Naboris Tribe collectively agreed that we would maintain a united front if we had to face a vote, but I knew that more was at play behind the scenes. If we forced a tie, I worried the developments with Kass would lead him to take a shot at me in the revote. As such, I needed to make sure I had Kohga on board to, hopefully, be a voice in my defense if needed.
In the end, the discussion of prioritizing safety proved to be moot. We lost the challenge, but not before I was able to locate the Sensor+ advantage hidden in our team’s spreadsheet. This find saved me — of that I have no doubt: When it was revealed that neither tribe could exchange PMs, I immediately saw the advantage (my only item at that point in the game) as a bargaining tool. Reading the room, I knew votes would be coming my way before they were directed at either Kass or Kohga, so I needed to find the cracks before discussion between Patricia, Pelison, and Link could solidify. I got the feeling that my tie to Pelison had been strained, which ultimately proved true when he publicly named me as the target. To counter, I decided to send the Sensor+ to Link, utilizing it as an olive branch and to underscore the commitments I made in Heart Container to work with him moving forward. To indicate Naboris would be voting Pelison, I liked one of Link’s posts in Hateno Village that immediately preceded a submission by Pelison and then subtly directed Link in that direction. Ultimately, the clue to our target didn’t much matter so long as he flipped and broke their numerical wall.
When at last Link openly declared he would be flipping, I knew my instincts had guided me well. Not only did Link flip, but Patricia followed suit (though I’m not sure of her reasoning). The chaos also prompted Link to play an idol, bringing the flush count to two in as many rounds. I was safe, and I had options that did not involve Kass moving forward now that Link had shown he was willing to play ball.
This concern only intensified after Kass approached me with the idea to throw the challenge as a means by which to keep other allies (Sidon) safe. Instead of entertaining the idea as I know I should have, I immediately pushed back by saying it was too much of a risk. Having just come out of a vote with an idol play, I wasn’t too keen on willingly putting myself in harm’s way in a six-person TC. I also argued we had no idea what other factors might come into play, which meant we could be walking into a situation where, while our motives were pure, we stood the risk of everything backfiring. This disagreement was the defining moment in which I knew my path forward with Kass had likely disappeared. From my perspective, he was willing to endanger one ally — me — to prioritize keeping Sidon safe. From his perspective, I came across as unwilling to protect Sidon or to collaborate with him, which I knew would ultimately lead to friction down the road.
To counter this, I focused on building a relationship with Master Kohga. The Naboris Tribe collectively agreed that we would maintain a united front if we had to face a vote, but I knew that more was at play behind the scenes. If we forced a tie, I worried the developments with Kass would lead him to take a shot at me in the revote. As such, I needed to make sure I had Kohga on board to, hopefully, be a voice in my defense if needed.
In the end, the discussion of prioritizing safety proved to be moot. We lost the challenge, but not before I was able to locate the Sensor+ advantage hidden in our team’s spreadsheet. This find saved me — of that I have no doubt: When it was revealed that neither tribe could exchange PMs, I immediately saw the advantage (my only item at that point in the game) as a bargaining tool. Reading the room, I knew votes would be coming my way before they were directed at either Kass or Kohga, so I needed to find the cracks before discussion between Patricia, Pelison, and Link could solidify. I got the feeling that my tie to Pelison had been strained, which ultimately proved true when he publicly named me as the target. To counter, I decided to send the Sensor+ to Link, utilizing it as an olive branch and to underscore the commitments I made in Heart Container to work with him moving forward. To indicate Naboris would be voting Pelison, I liked one of Link’s posts in Hateno Village that immediately preceded a submission by Pelison and then subtly directed Link in that direction. Ultimately, the clue to our target didn’t much matter so long as he flipped and broke their numerical wall.
When at last Link openly declared he would be flipping, I knew my instincts had guided me well. Not only did Link flip, but Patricia followed suit (though I’m not sure of her reasoning). The chaos also prompted Link to play an idol, bringing the flush count to two in as many rounds. I was safe, and I had options that did not involve Kass moving forward now that Link had shown he was willing to play ball.
[TARREY TOWN]
The pace of the game reached break-neck speed as we entered Tarrey Town. The return of Ancient Oven and Oaki proved to alter the calculus in ways that I’m not sure many truly realized initially. I was happy to be reunited with Oven, but at this juncture I was still trying to maintain hope that the Kakariko Three could stick together.
Several developments as the round began emphasized the need to keep a low profile: First, it became evident that Epona, Royal White Horse, and Revali had used their time together on Medoh to align. The signs were all there from the moment we entered Tarrey Town. Under Horse’s direction, the established voting bloc of Epona/Horse/Kass/Sidon/Urbosa suddenly shifted to instead include Epona/Horse/Revali/Kohga/Sidon/Urbosa. If this alone was a clear and present danger, then what followed was a flagrant declaration of a new power dynamic taking shape: Before I could even reach my accommodations in Tarrey Town, all three players had reached out to “tip me off” that Mipha was gunning for me. Individually, the news would have seemed innocuous — that allies were giving me a heads up because they had my best interests in mind. It was the consistent wording across all three conversations that gave me room for pause. They had coordinated their messaging. This wasn’t a means to bring me up to speed — it was a plan to turn two threats against each other.
It was in that moment of revelation that I determined I would play along, but that I refused to serve as a puppet to benefit other players’ grand designs. Yes, I had made an attempt on Mipha before, but the situation had since changed. Riju had been eliminated, thereby weakening the Zora bloc. Revali had seemingly thrown his lot in with Horse and Epona; Sidon, Kass, and Kohga all wished to maintain a foursome that would keep us safe, but it was clear Kass and I were at the bottom of that group. Mipha and I would need each other. I reached out to her, letting her know that whatever she may have heard about me targeting her (I assumed the messaging was going both directions) was part of a larger plan for us to take one another out. Having saved face on Heart Container, I was optimistic she hadn’t been aware of the plan to eliminate her — that for all intents and purposes I had been by her side the entire vote. The open dialogue paid off in that we both were able to clear the air between ourselves and to allies we had in common, Ancient Oven, Link, and Hunnie.
The two votes to follow would ultimately undo that goodwill, though. I elected to prioritize my alliance with Kass, Sidon, and Kohga to ensure we could maintain footing between Tarrey Town’s multiple factions. This worked in direct opposition of my hopes of keeping Link safe and going the distance — the champion had apparently angered both Horse and Sidon, and while I tried to shift the vote elsewhere, the only other tangible option at that point seemed to be Ancient Oven, which was also less than ideal to me. When I speak of missteps in my game, this is key among them: Against my better judgment, I opted to vote with the numbers against Link to keep attention off myself. I reached out prior to deadline to let him know the vote didn’t look encouraging, but I could have and should have done more to try altering the results. With so many people still left, though, it felt like an uphill battle that offered more risks than rewards. Saving Link, while good for our connection, would have ultimately ensured both of us were a targeted pair moving forward.
Link’s elimination also led to more fractures between Kass and me. Fearing Patricia would accrue votes, Kass passed her Daruk’s Protection — a move that undermined his earlier claim of using that to protect the core four, and one that openly broadcast his ties to the former Power player. To me, this was but another affront, but the final straw came with the following vote. With Oaki safe again, I decided it was time to neutralize Patricia to potentially pull in Mipha and to also remove a number Kass could use to target me sooner rather than later. As the strategy talks continued, it became clear Kass had tipped Patricia off first to the votes against her and then to the split that had been put in place to counter the leak. To me, this opened up Sidon, Kohga, and myself to danger — a fear legitimized when Patricia herself reached out to try flipping the vote onto Sidon last minute. Should she have had more time to compare notes with players, the combination of an idol and vote flip could have easily seen Sidon out of Tarrey Town. Instead, another ally, Mipha, was idoled out. In my eyes, the alliance with Kass ended in that moment. What followed was a slow degradation of the entire Kakariko and Core Four dynamic.
Several developments as the round began emphasized the need to keep a low profile: First, it became evident that Epona, Royal White Horse, and Revali had used their time together on Medoh to align. The signs were all there from the moment we entered Tarrey Town. Under Horse’s direction, the established voting bloc of Epona/Horse/Kass/Sidon/Urbosa suddenly shifted to instead include Epona/Horse/Revali/Kohga/Sidon/Urbosa. If this alone was a clear and present danger, then what followed was a flagrant declaration of a new power dynamic taking shape: Before I could even reach my accommodations in Tarrey Town, all three players had reached out to “tip me off” that Mipha was gunning for me. Individually, the news would have seemed innocuous — that allies were giving me a heads up because they had my best interests in mind. It was the consistent wording across all three conversations that gave me room for pause. They had coordinated their messaging. This wasn’t a means to bring me up to speed — it was a plan to turn two threats against each other.
It was in that moment of revelation that I determined I would play along, but that I refused to serve as a puppet to benefit other players’ grand designs. Yes, I had made an attempt on Mipha before, but the situation had since changed. Riju had been eliminated, thereby weakening the Zora bloc. Revali had seemingly thrown his lot in with Horse and Epona; Sidon, Kass, and Kohga all wished to maintain a foursome that would keep us safe, but it was clear Kass and I were at the bottom of that group. Mipha and I would need each other. I reached out to her, letting her know that whatever she may have heard about me targeting her (I assumed the messaging was going both directions) was part of a larger plan for us to take one another out. Having saved face on Heart Container, I was optimistic she hadn’t been aware of the plan to eliminate her — that for all intents and purposes I had been by her side the entire vote. The open dialogue paid off in that we both were able to clear the air between ourselves and to allies we had in common, Ancient Oven, Link, and Hunnie.
The two votes to follow would ultimately undo that goodwill, though. I elected to prioritize my alliance with Kass, Sidon, and Kohga to ensure we could maintain footing between Tarrey Town’s multiple factions. This worked in direct opposition of my hopes of keeping Link safe and going the distance — the champion had apparently angered both Horse and Sidon, and while I tried to shift the vote elsewhere, the only other tangible option at that point seemed to be Ancient Oven, which was also less than ideal to me. When I speak of missteps in my game, this is key among them: Against my better judgment, I opted to vote with the numbers against Link to keep attention off myself. I reached out prior to deadline to let him know the vote didn’t look encouraging, but I could have and should have done more to try altering the results. With so many people still left, though, it felt like an uphill battle that offered more risks than rewards. Saving Link, while good for our connection, would have ultimately ensured both of us were a targeted pair moving forward.
Link’s elimination also led to more fractures between Kass and me. Fearing Patricia would accrue votes, Kass passed her Daruk’s Protection — a move that undermined his earlier claim of using that to protect the core four, and one that openly broadcast his ties to the former Power player. To me, this was but another affront, but the final straw came with the following vote. With Oaki safe again, I decided it was time to neutralize Patricia to potentially pull in Mipha and to also remove a number Kass could use to target me sooner rather than later. As the strategy talks continued, it became clear Kass had tipped Patricia off first to the votes against her and then to the split that had been put in place to counter the leak. To me, this opened up Sidon, Kohga, and myself to danger — a fear legitimized when Patricia herself reached out to try flipping the vote onto Sidon last minute. Should she have had more time to compare notes with players, the combination of an idol and vote flip could have easily seen Sidon out of Tarrey Town. Instead, another ally, Mipha, was idoled out. In my eyes, the alliance with Kass ended in that moment. What followed was a slow degradation of the entire Kakariko and Core Four dynamic.
[DLC: TOP SIX TWIST]
Tensions remained at an all-time high following Mipha’s elimination. On the surface, I had to maintain the pretense of being content with the results: Another idol had been removed from the game, and a threat had been neutralized. The tribal landscape was continuing to shift in a way that risked putting me on the outside of the numbers, though.
One PM from Hunnie, however, would irrevocably change the course of the game. In it, she informed me that Horse was attempting to create an “underdog” alliance that put him at the helm, a voting bloc that consisted of Horse, Patricia, Oaki, Oven, and Hunnie as a fifth. Before I could truly process the news, the group was thrust into the F6 Twist, and I found myself only connected to Epona, Revali, and Oven.
As paranoia over the rankings began to fester, I realized that if I didn’t act during this vote I may not have another chance to stop this new alliance from gaining momentum. After an hour or two of personal debate, I sent a simple PM to Epona to get the wagon against Horse moving:
“There's more, though: Hunnie approached me earlier to tell me Horse wanted to assemble a group consisting of himself and Hunnie/Oven/Patricia/Oaki. She said she was taken by surprise with the idea, as he had been vocally pushing for Patricia's boot the last two rounds. If he and Oven are linked, then it is entirely possible he can also talk to one or both of Patricia and Oaki at the moment.”
I had spent the rounds since entering Tarrey Town attempting to weaken the tethers between Epona, Revali, and Royal White Horse. At this juncture, Epona felt their most vulnerable having been identified as the most connected player left in the game. Their blatant connection to Horse was increasingly an impediment to their own security — a seed I had planted round earlier and had worked with others to nurture. The argument to Revali was a bit easier to present: Both of us had matched with far fewer people than expected, and he did not match with Horse. Beyond that, his former ally was raising a team that did not involve him. Despite being limited to a few connections, I knew from my experience in the Naboris vote it wouldn’t take much to get the votes moving in a particular direction. The information I provided to Epona proved to be the key piece of a larger puzzle around Horse, one that explained why he and Oven had connected, and one that explained why he seemed cagey to elucidate his larger plans.
Despite the limitations of that vote, I was able to apply pressure and offer council in the right ways to see my vision realized. Horse was eliminated, and with him the force holding Patricia, Hunnie, Oaki, and Oven together crumbled.
One PM from Hunnie, however, would irrevocably change the course of the game. In it, she informed me that Horse was attempting to create an “underdog” alliance that put him at the helm, a voting bloc that consisted of Horse, Patricia, Oaki, Oven, and Hunnie as a fifth. Before I could truly process the news, the group was thrust into the F6 Twist, and I found myself only connected to Epona, Revali, and Oven.
As paranoia over the rankings began to fester, I realized that if I didn’t act during this vote I may not have another chance to stop this new alliance from gaining momentum. After an hour or two of personal debate, I sent a simple PM to Epona to get the wagon against Horse moving:
“There's more, though: Hunnie approached me earlier to tell me Horse wanted to assemble a group consisting of himself and Hunnie/Oven/Patricia/Oaki. She said she was taken by surprise with the idea, as he had been vocally pushing for Patricia's boot the last two rounds. If he and Oven are linked, then it is entirely possible he can also talk to one or both of Patricia and Oaki at the moment.”
I had spent the rounds since entering Tarrey Town attempting to weaken the tethers between Epona, Revali, and Royal White Horse. At this juncture, Epona felt their most vulnerable having been identified as the most connected player left in the game. Their blatant connection to Horse was increasingly an impediment to their own security — a seed I had planted round earlier and had worked with others to nurture. The argument to Revali was a bit easier to present: Both of us had matched with far fewer people than expected, and he did not match with Horse. Beyond that, his former ally was raising a team that did not involve him. Despite being limited to a few connections, I knew from my experience in the Naboris vote it wouldn’t take much to get the votes moving in a particular direction. The information I provided to Epona proved to be the key piece of a larger puzzle around Horse, one that explained why he and Oven had connected, and one that explained why he seemed cagey to elucidate his larger plans.
Despite the limitations of that vote, I was able to apply pressure and offer council in the right ways to see my vision realized. Horse was eliminated, and with him the force holding Patricia, Hunnie, Oaki, and Oven together crumbled.
[MERGE]
The reunification following the Divine Trial Tribe and Lost Woods Tribe was both a blessing and a curse. For one, Patricia had been eliminated, which ensured Kass’ options moving toward the endgame had been limited ever so slightly. I also entered the Merge with an idol in my pocket, and I intended to keep it a secret for as long as I could. At the same time, I was under no illusions that Hunnie had likely leaked my intent of forming a group that consisted of Oven, Hunnie, Revali, and myself to Kohga. I knew that, when paired with the F6 links — and the fact I hadn’t connected with any of the Core Four — this information could tank my game if I didn’t proceed with utmost caution. I would need to re-establish the element of surprise or otherwise make bonds with unlikely players to pull off votes.
I was in a bind, but I could still see a path forward. I was able to take comfort in the knowledge that I had a supply of items at my disposal if need be. What concerned me was not knowing what other advantages were in play. With numbers dwindling, I realized holding off on using items until absolutely necessary while also coaxing other players to use theirs could be the difference between victory and defeat. Sidon had told me about his extra vote, and there wasn’t a doubt in my mind after seeing the jigsaw puzzle scores that he and Kohga had won the Courage and Power idols, respectively. These were obstacles, yes, but I was confident I would be able to overcome them.
Then Mipha returned.
With a vengeance. Any hope I had of an amicable reunion disappeared from our first PMs. I knew she blamed me in large part for her elimination, and I knew she had re-entered the game at a pivotal moment: Players’ allegiances were shifting, and it wasn’t yet clear where numbers would fall. What was numblingly apparent, though, was that Mipha would not be a number in my corner. Not yet. Given the opportunity, I knew Mipha would be able to disseminate information — be it fact or fiction — from beyond the grave to shake things up. It was a tactic everyone had anticipated regardless of who returned, but panic set in knowing I would likely be on the receiving end of hearsay.
HYRULE TRIBAL COUNCIL 1: OAKI
HYRULE TRIBAL COUNCIL 2: KASS
HYRULE TRIBAL COUNCIL 4: SIDON
HYRULE TRIBAL COUNCIL 5: EPONA
I was in a bind, but I could still see a path forward. I was able to take comfort in the knowledge that I had a supply of items at my disposal if need be. What concerned me was not knowing what other advantages were in play. With numbers dwindling, I realized holding off on using items until absolutely necessary while also coaxing other players to use theirs could be the difference between victory and defeat. Sidon had told me about his extra vote, and there wasn’t a doubt in my mind after seeing the jigsaw puzzle scores that he and Kohga had won the Courage and Power idols, respectively. These were obstacles, yes, but I was confident I would be able to overcome them.
Then Mipha returned.
With a vengeance. Any hope I had of an amicable reunion disappeared from our first PMs. I knew she blamed me in large part for her elimination, and I knew she had re-entered the game at a pivotal moment: Players’ allegiances were shifting, and it wasn’t yet clear where numbers would fall. What was numblingly apparent, though, was that Mipha would not be a number in my corner. Not yet. Given the opportunity, I knew Mipha would be able to disseminate information — be it fact or fiction — from beyond the grave to shake things up. It was a tactic everyone had anticipated regardless of who returned, but panic set in knowing I would likely be on the receiving end of hearsay.
HYRULE TRIBAL COUNCIL 1: OAKI
I knew my best chance to weather the initial storm was with immunity around my neck. I could use it to create a dialogue with Mipha or to otherwise initiate conversations without fear of immediately being cut. Luck was on my side, and I was able to procure safety.
The Tribal Council to follow was one prolonged anxiety attack.
If ever the competition raging between me and Kass could be considered a cold war, this was the round all pretense was cast aside. I had approached Oaki to begin a general conversation, as to this point in the game we really hadn’t interacted that extensively because of the Tarrey Town twist and separation. He floated three names — names that Mipha had stated were the three largest Jury threats: Sidon, Epona, and Kass. Despite Oaki’s reputation as a chaos agent, I took the bait. At last, I saw my opportunity. Prior to discussions with the Korok, I already had Revali and Oven on board to vote Kass. Pulling in Oaki also offered the chance to work with Mipha, thereby shoring up that relationship while keeping Oven (who was being heavily considered for fear of an Urbosa/Revali/Oven trio disrupting the power dynamic) safe.
Oaki: I wanted to work with you. I really did. My plan going into that Tribal Council was to eliminate Kass, so when you reached out asking if I would be willing to vote for one of Epona, Sidon, or Kass it seemed too good to be true. Still, I was willing to look past the reputation that preceded you — that of the chaos agent — to execute a plan that would be seemingly beneficial to us both. You made two flaws during that conversation and shortly thereafter, though.
First, you admitted the following with regards to Sidon: Despite him "stealing" your Legacy Advantage (i.e. you passing it to him of your own volition) and voting you out, you weren't able to stay mad at him. You had come to terms with him, and he had stuck his neck out for you without much reason to do so, which meant you didn't want to see him leave.
This completely undermined Sidon’s claims that the two of you were at one another’s throats. In an instant, the entire layout of the game took on new clarity. You and Sidon were MUCH closer than either of you wanted players to believe. That alone warranted concern, as I had already gathered Sidon and Kass would try making a move against me sooner rather than later. Since I was immune, they would likely settle for Oven (which was soon confirmed when the vote became a debate between the returnees) or Revali until I was an option. This misstep gave me a bit of insight into Sidon’s intended path to victory as well: Eliminate me and Oven, remove strategic roadblocks such as Kass and Kohga while utilizing Epona as a shield, and reach the end with you and Mipha so that he could argue his masterful social game enabled him to turn enemies into fierce allies. It was a beautiful play, but I endeavored to derail that immediately.
Second, within 15 minutes of establishing a tentative plan, you notified players closest to Kass that I was targeting him. In doing so, you cast aside the trust I was willing to place with you. Actions have consequences. Given the hunch (which you or any of the Jury may disprove) that you were tight with Sidon, I realized that to keep you in the game was to ensure there would be a canary (or Korok) in the coal mine. I wouldn’t be able to operate discretely or quickly to eliminate immediate threats to my game if you were willing to leak everything I said. If I couldn’t move on Kass, then you quickly became the most viable option.
That is why I steered the suspicion and, ultimately, the vote back to you: To protect myself and my allies. It wasn’t personal. You had already tried to pin one of the rogue Hunnie votes during Link’s elimination on Revali, and your time on Stamina Vessel had become infamous by that point. To allow you, Mipha, and Kass to survive that round would have been disastrous to my game, and I refused to risk it.
The Tribal Council to follow was one prolonged anxiety attack.
If ever the competition raging between me and Kass could be considered a cold war, this was the round all pretense was cast aside. I had approached Oaki to begin a general conversation, as to this point in the game we really hadn’t interacted that extensively because of the Tarrey Town twist and separation. He floated three names — names that Mipha had stated were the three largest Jury threats: Sidon, Epona, and Kass. Despite Oaki’s reputation as a chaos agent, I took the bait. At last, I saw my opportunity. Prior to discussions with the Korok, I already had Revali and Oven on board to vote Kass. Pulling in Oaki also offered the chance to work with Mipha, thereby shoring up that relationship while keeping Oven (who was being heavily considered for fear of an Urbosa/Revali/Oven trio disrupting the power dynamic) safe.
Oaki: I wanted to work with you. I really did. My plan going into that Tribal Council was to eliminate Kass, so when you reached out asking if I would be willing to vote for one of Epona, Sidon, or Kass it seemed too good to be true. Still, I was willing to look past the reputation that preceded you — that of the chaos agent — to execute a plan that would be seemingly beneficial to us both. You made two flaws during that conversation and shortly thereafter, though.
First, you admitted the following with regards to Sidon: Despite him "stealing" your Legacy Advantage (i.e. you passing it to him of your own volition) and voting you out, you weren't able to stay mad at him. You had come to terms with him, and he had stuck his neck out for you without much reason to do so, which meant you didn't want to see him leave.
This completely undermined Sidon’s claims that the two of you were at one another’s throats. In an instant, the entire layout of the game took on new clarity. You and Sidon were MUCH closer than either of you wanted players to believe. That alone warranted concern, as I had already gathered Sidon and Kass would try making a move against me sooner rather than later. Since I was immune, they would likely settle for Oven (which was soon confirmed when the vote became a debate between the returnees) or Revali until I was an option. This misstep gave me a bit of insight into Sidon’s intended path to victory as well: Eliminate me and Oven, remove strategic roadblocks such as Kass and Kohga while utilizing Epona as a shield, and reach the end with you and Mipha so that he could argue his masterful social game enabled him to turn enemies into fierce allies. It was a beautiful play, but I endeavored to derail that immediately.
Second, within 15 minutes of establishing a tentative plan, you notified players closest to Kass that I was targeting him. In doing so, you cast aside the trust I was willing to place with you. Actions have consequences. Given the hunch (which you or any of the Jury may disprove) that you were tight with Sidon, I realized that to keep you in the game was to ensure there would be a canary (or Korok) in the coal mine. I wouldn’t be able to operate discretely or quickly to eliminate immediate threats to my game if you were willing to leak everything I said. If I couldn’t move on Kass, then you quickly became the most viable option.
That is why I steered the suspicion and, ultimately, the vote back to you: To protect myself and my allies. It wasn’t personal. You had already tried to pin one of the rogue Hunnie votes during Link’s elimination on Revali, and your time on Stamina Vessel had become infamous by that point. To allow you, Mipha, and Kass to survive that round would have been disastrous to my game, and I refused to risk it.
HYRULE TRIBAL COUNCIL 2: KASS
The round following Oaki’s elimination marked a turn in the tide. I could feel it — the annoyance on the part of players such as Kohga, who sought to keep Oaki; the irritation that Mipha had survived; the concern the my alliance with Oven and Revali was gaining traction. Still, the three of us were outside the numbers. I would need to fix that if we had any hope at propelling ourselves forward.
Necessity truly made strange bedfellows this round. By some cruel twist of fate, the player I had consistently ranked the lowest in the round’s survey ended up being my Password partner: Mipha. I entered that challenge almost certain she would throw it to ensure I was at risk; instead, she committed to our collective safety. Together, we simulated several trial runs with random words. In doing so, we were able to slowly chip away at the wall that separated us — inching ever closer to the same wavelength. That challenge demanded we, enemies at that point, trust one another. We did, and it paid off.
Perhaps more than any other moment in this game, I am most proud of the conversation that followed our joint immunity win. Instead of going our separate ways and regrouping with our differing factions, I used the positive momentum of a job well done to have an open conversation with Mipha about the state of our relationship. We put everything on the table, sharing our frustrations, hurt, and suspicions. In doing so, we were able to agree we needed each other — at least for the time being.
The importance of these discussions cannot be overstated. As we were coming together, Epona, Kohga, Sidon, and Kass all reached out to me to give me a “heads up” votes were going Oven’s way. I feigned resignation, stating that I understood it needed to be done to keep the peace with the Core Four and the larger group. Again, the frequency of the messages and consistency of the wording led me to believe something else was afoot — that their target wasn’t Oven, but Revali.
To counter, I pitched Mipha on a plan to force a tie. Both of us had immunity, so we would be safe in the event of a rock draw. If the vote was tied again, Revali would also be safe, and we would have the opportunity to eliminate Epona, Kohga, or Sidon. I knew at least one (if not all) of them would recoil if put in that position. I knew this could work. As an additional safety precaution, I passed my Fire Arrow — an item that grants safety in a rock draw — to Ancient Oven, thereby guaranteeing everyone on my side of the vote would have been safe that round.
This move does not happen without my leveraging immunity, nor does it occur without a fair amount of strategic foresight and social skill. Kass was eliminated because of me, and his elimination effectively took the wind out of the power players’ sails.
Necessity truly made strange bedfellows this round. By some cruel twist of fate, the player I had consistently ranked the lowest in the round’s survey ended up being my Password partner: Mipha. I entered that challenge almost certain she would throw it to ensure I was at risk; instead, she committed to our collective safety. Together, we simulated several trial runs with random words. In doing so, we were able to slowly chip away at the wall that separated us — inching ever closer to the same wavelength. That challenge demanded we, enemies at that point, trust one another. We did, and it paid off.
Perhaps more than any other moment in this game, I am most proud of the conversation that followed our joint immunity win. Instead of going our separate ways and regrouping with our differing factions, I used the positive momentum of a job well done to have an open conversation with Mipha about the state of our relationship. We put everything on the table, sharing our frustrations, hurt, and suspicions. In doing so, we were able to agree we needed each other — at least for the time being.
The importance of these discussions cannot be overstated. As we were coming together, Epona, Kohga, Sidon, and Kass all reached out to me to give me a “heads up” votes were going Oven’s way. I feigned resignation, stating that I understood it needed to be done to keep the peace with the Core Four and the larger group. Again, the frequency of the messages and consistency of the wording led me to believe something else was afoot — that their target wasn’t Oven, but Revali.
To counter, I pitched Mipha on a plan to force a tie. Both of us had immunity, so we would be safe in the event of a rock draw. If the vote was tied again, Revali would also be safe, and we would have the opportunity to eliminate Epona, Kohga, or Sidon. I knew at least one (if not all) of them would recoil if put in that position. I knew this could work. As an additional safety precaution, I passed my Fire Arrow — an item that grants safety in a rock draw — to Ancient Oven, thereby guaranteeing everyone on my side of the vote would have been safe that round.
This move does not happen without my leveraging immunity, nor does it occur without a fair amount of strategic foresight and social skill. Kass was eliminated because of me, and his elimination effectively took the wind out of the power players’ sails.
HYRULE TRIBAL COUNCIL 4: SIDON
I took Ancient Oven’s elimination hard. I saw it as a personal and strategic failure on my part. Despite flushing two idols and a vote steal that round, I was effectively on my own in the game. My challenge streak had ostracized my allies — Revali admitted to not being able to risk letting me go to the end, as it would have meant certain doom — and my position at the head of votes to eliminate Oaki and Kass had players such as Sidon and, to a lesser extent, Kohga out for blood. They had kept me in the dark on two votes in a row, first for Revali and then Oven, and as we entered the Final Six it became clear they intended to blindside me again.
But who was their target? Through a heart-to-heart with Revali and conversations with Mipha, I was able to deduce Kohga and Sidon were eyeing Epona. This proved problematic, as I needed Epona around as a shield: At that point, they were the only player people openly recognized as a Jury threat. If I found myself in a situation at Final Five where I didn’t have immunity, then Epona was my best bet for offloading votes or at least dividing consensus enough to pass by.
There was a key problem, though: I didn’t have a means by which to change the vote. The wagon was already in full motion, and I got the impression Kohga and Sidon saw this as their opportunity to make a move to add to their resumes. I couldn’t allow it to happen. I couldn’t sit idly, content that I would have another chance to fight at Final Five. I saw Kohga, Mipha, Revali, and Sidon as an immovable force at that point — I knew Mipha, Revali, and Sidon had made FTC arrangements, and I knew Kohga had been angling for the same configuration minus Sidon. I needed the four to turn on each other, to be forced into a situation where they would have to choose who to keep and who to eliminate. For all the reasons enumerated in my address to Oaki, I needed them to choose Sidon.
It is because of this thought process that I chose to target Epona with the Ice Arrow. I notified them ahead of time, but I also emphasized discretion would be key — I didn’t know if there were any advantages that could counter the arrow, so I couldn’t risk everything going to Ganon in a handbasket.
The plan went off as seamlessly as it could: With Epona off the table, I was able to appeal to Revali’s and Mipha’s desire for self-preservation. Kohga, too, was forced to decide whether to fall on the sword for Sidon, or to cut him a bit earlier than intended.
Simultaneously, I also decided this would likely be the last opportunity I had to remove Kohga’s idol from play. I targeted him with Revali’s Gale to, hopefully, ensure the battlefield was clear at Final Five. To my surprise, I received a half-idol instead. I took a risk here, one that felt necessary strategically but risked compromising the personal bond I had made with Kohga to this point. Ultimately, I don’t regret using the item steal, as it ensured more options were available the following round.
But who was their target? Through a heart-to-heart with Revali and conversations with Mipha, I was able to deduce Kohga and Sidon were eyeing Epona. This proved problematic, as I needed Epona around as a shield: At that point, they were the only player people openly recognized as a Jury threat. If I found myself in a situation at Final Five where I didn’t have immunity, then Epona was my best bet for offloading votes or at least dividing consensus enough to pass by.
There was a key problem, though: I didn’t have a means by which to change the vote. The wagon was already in full motion, and I got the impression Kohga and Sidon saw this as their opportunity to make a move to add to their resumes. I couldn’t allow it to happen. I couldn’t sit idly, content that I would have another chance to fight at Final Five. I saw Kohga, Mipha, Revali, and Sidon as an immovable force at that point — I knew Mipha, Revali, and Sidon had made FTC arrangements, and I knew Kohga had been angling for the same configuration minus Sidon. I needed the four to turn on each other, to be forced into a situation where they would have to choose who to keep and who to eliminate. For all the reasons enumerated in my address to Oaki, I needed them to choose Sidon.
It is because of this thought process that I chose to target Epona with the Ice Arrow. I notified them ahead of time, but I also emphasized discretion would be key — I didn’t know if there were any advantages that could counter the arrow, so I couldn’t risk everything going to Ganon in a handbasket.
The plan went off as seamlessly as it could: With Epona off the table, I was able to appeal to Revali’s and Mipha’s desire for self-preservation. Kohga, too, was forced to decide whether to fall on the sword for Sidon, or to cut him a bit earlier than intended.
Simultaneously, I also decided this would likely be the last opportunity I had to remove Kohga’s idol from play. I targeted him with Revali’s Gale to, hopefully, ensure the battlefield was clear at Final Five. To my surprise, I received a half-idol instead. I took a risk here, one that felt necessary strategically but risked compromising the personal bond I had made with Kohga to this point. Ultimately, I don’t regret using the item steal, as it ensured more options were available the following round.
HYRULE TRIBAL COUNCIL 5: EPONA
This was, without a doubt, the hardest decision I had to make the entire game. My endgame goal was always sitting next to Mipha and Revali, but as I explained with the Sidon vote, I had hoped to keep Epona in the game until we reached the Final Four. They were a social shield I believed I could beat in a challenge, but were we both to find ourselves vulnerable that would have forced Mipha and Revali to choose which player was the bigger threat at the end. I never believed in the rumors Mipha tried to spread about rupees factoring into the final challenge. In hindsight, that blind faith paid off, but at the time I simply saw it as Mipha’s way of neutralizing Epona. I’m not sure if that is the case or if my Wisdom ally was deceived by Patricia (to whom she credited the information), but ultimately that didn’t factor into my decision here regardless.
Kohga winning immunity derailed my vision for the round. In doing so, I was forced to fall back to my contingency plan: Eliminating Epona a round sooner than I wanted. In my heart, I knew that all our talks of forcing firemaking at Final Four were a beautiful fantasy — I wouldn’t have expected them to follow through on that promise, and conversations with Kohga following this vote proved my assumptions to be correct. Still, in the heat of the moment I hated having to make this push. It was necessary to both survive and to have any shot of winning at the end, though.
Going into the Tribal Council, there seemed to be some question as to whether Sidon truly took his double vote to the Jury or passed it off. Kohga seemed to believe I had it, which made me take a step back and analyze the situation. In my mind, Kohga had no reason to lie about not having the extra vote — he would have sooner not said anything than bring it up at all. I didn’t anticipate Sidon passing the item to either Mipha or Revali either given what he had said in his final posts during Tribal Council.
This left Epona as the likely recipient.
In order for the vote to go through, I needed to ensure Kohga didn’t try to undermine me with his idol. To prevent the Power idol from being played, I casually slipped into our strategy talks that I wasn’t so sure idols would be as big of a factor in the vote. My hope was that he would either assume I had enough idols to make everyone immune (people seemed to assume I had multiple idols at my disposal) or something to invalidate an idol play. The former seed seemed to germinate, as both Mipha and Revali reached out at separate points during the deliberation to tell me Kohga was paranoid I had a way to make everyone vulnerable. This was all the leverage I needed. Confident that the vote wouldn’t be saturated with idols, I set to work on convincing Mipha and Revali that Epona was the optimal vote here. I knew Mipha, who had been gunning for Epona for several rounds, would be more receptive. Revali, however, likely intended to cast his vote for me. My argument, then, became “a vote on me is a vote wasted, and a vote wasted is an opportunity that the numbers are on you.” I told him I was playing my idol, but also revealed to him that I intended to play Urbosa’s Fury, an item that would cause players who voted for the recipient of the item to receive just as many votes, on him as a safeguard. To solidify the plan, I informed him I had received the Remote Bomb (an idol nullifier) from Ancient Oven before their elimination, which meant we could collectively vote Epona without fear of voting into an idol ourselves.
It is no accident that I made it through the Final Five Tribal Council with only Kohga’s vote on me. I hustled. I correctly anticipated where items were being hidden and had a plan in place to render them ineffective. I knew how to present my arguments to each player, and I did so in a way that convinced at least one of them to change their mind. I do not relish the fact that these actions came at Epona’s expense, but I could not risk letting both Kohga and Epona make it to the Final Four. Doing so would have guaranteed one if not both of them sat next to me at this FTC, and that was a risk I couldn’t take.
Kohga winning immunity derailed my vision for the round. In doing so, I was forced to fall back to my contingency plan: Eliminating Epona a round sooner than I wanted. In my heart, I knew that all our talks of forcing firemaking at Final Four were a beautiful fantasy — I wouldn’t have expected them to follow through on that promise, and conversations with Kohga following this vote proved my assumptions to be correct. Still, in the heat of the moment I hated having to make this push. It was necessary to both survive and to have any shot of winning at the end, though.
Going into the Tribal Council, there seemed to be some question as to whether Sidon truly took his double vote to the Jury or passed it off. Kohga seemed to believe I had it, which made me take a step back and analyze the situation. In my mind, Kohga had no reason to lie about not having the extra vote — he would have sooner not said anything than bring it up at all. I didn’t anticipate Sidon passing the item to either Mipha or Revali either given what he had said in his final posts during Tribal Council.
This left Epona as the likely recipient.
In order for the vote to go through, I needed to ensure Kohga didn’t try to undermine me with his idol. To prevent the Power idol from being played, I casually slipped into our strategy talks that I wasn’t so sure idols would be as big of a factor in the vote. My hope was that he would either assume I had enough idols to make everyone immune (people seemed to assume I had multiple idols at my disposal) or something to invalidate an idol play. The former seed seemed to germinate, as both Mipha and Revali reached out at separate points during the deliberation to tell me Kohga was paranoid I had a way to make everyone vulnerable. This was all the leverage I needed. Confident that the vote wouldn’t be saturated with idols, I set to work on convincing Mipha and Revali that Epona was the optimal vote here. I knew Mipha, who had been gunning for Epona for several rounds, would be more receptive. Revali, however, likely intended to cast his vote for me. My argument, then, became “a vote on me is a vote wasted, and a vote wasted is an opportunity that the numbers are on you.” I told him I was playing my idol, but also revealed to him that I intended to play Urbosa’s Fury, an item that would cause players who voted for the recipient of the item to receive just as many votes, on him as a safeguard. To solidify the plan, I informed him I had received the Remote Bomb (an idol nullifier) from Ancient Oven before their elimination, which meant we could collectively vote Epona without fear of voting into an idol ourselves.
It is no accident that I made it through the Final Five Tribal Council with only Kohga’s vote on me. I hustled. I correctly anticipated where items were being hidden and had a plan in place to render them ineffective. I knew how to present my arguments to each player, and I did so in a way that convinced at least one of them to change their mind. I do not relish the fact that these actions came at Epona’s expense, but I could not risk letting both Kohga and Epona make it to the Final Four. Doing so would have guaranteed one if not both of them sat next to me at this FTC, and that was a risk I couldn’t take.
To summarize points made in each section, I have had my finger to the pulse of this game since its earliest stages.
I played a significant role in forcing errors with items and idols as early as the Heart Container Tribe: Convincing Revali and Link to flip their votes onto Robbie to avoid voting into Mipha's idol; Passing Link an item to convince him to flip during the PM-prohibited Tribal Council; Reading the group accurately to save Revali and eliminate Kass; Working with Mipha and Oven to capitalize on Sidon's paranoia, prompting him to play his idol while Mipha also used hers; Convincing Kohga at Final Five to not play his idol for anyone for fear of exposing him to a vote if all parties were immune; Correctly countering Epona's use of the extra vote; Risking my own game by not playing an idol on myself. The list goes on.
These measures were necessary to clear the field, to ensure my plans weren’t undermined by variables beyond my control — evidence of which can be seen from the Final Six onward. I utilized a portion of my own arsenal accurately and with intent. I heavily influenced the Royal White Horse and Oaki eliminations, and I directly engineered the eliminations of the game’s post-Merge power players: Kass, Prince Sidon, Epona, and Master Kohga.
More so than either of my peers, I consistently adapted to the fluid framework set forth by the Guides — a record number of idols and items, swaps, Tribal Councils with communication restrictions, returning players, etc. — and, in doing so, unquestionably influenced this game at all junctures. When I was vulnerable, both prior to the Divine Trial Tribe and after at Final Five, I was able to steer myself out of danger by keeping a level head and trusting in my social strategy. It is no accident that, despite having the largest target, I only accrued one vote when Epona was eliminated: I had planned for every possible scenario, and I knew exactly what I had to do to see myself to safety.
Fortune favors the prepared mind. I am here not only because I fought for each immunity, but also because I navigated the perils of Hyrule proactively rather than reactively. I alone controlled my narrative, and I alone ultimately determined my fate in this game. I had a vision of where I wanted to see the game progress, and I made it a reality. I took the steps necessary not only to reach the Final Tribal Council, but to also win. I made the moves others were hesitant to make, and I took the heat all the way through. This may be perceived in a negative light, but I pray that, when placed in the larger context of the game, each of you can appreciate the lengths to which I fought to survive.
Ultimately, this has been an adventure that I can reflect upon with a sense of peace. I cannot praise Mipha and Revali enough, as both champions demonstrated wonderful and diverse gameplay. That said, I must also assert that I executed the most well-rounded performance of the Final Three.
In conclusion, it has been an honor to share this experience with each and every one of you. Collectively, we have weathered the many twists and turns of a complex game, and that alone is something to celebrate. These are truly times that try the soul — thematically with the looming threat of Calamity Ganon, and in the dose of reality waiting just outside our front doors. It is with that notion that I simply say thank you.
Thank you for your time.
Thank you for your consideration here.
Thank you for the questions to come.
Regardless of how this game concludes, thank you for undertaking this journey with me. May Hylia smile upon us all.
