‘Survivor’ Season 43: All of the Advantages Going Into the ‘Merge’
Everywhere you look in Survivor Season 43, there is an advantage waiting to be picked up and played. There are multiple immunity idols and a steal-a-vote heading into the “merge” in Survivor Season 43 Episode 6. And more advantages will be available to the castaways in the coming episodes. Read on for a breakdown of the players who have advantages and disadvantages going into episode 6.
The players will ‘merge’ in ‘Survivor’ Season 43 Episode 6
The preview for Survivor Season 43 Episode 6, “Mergatory,” reveals that the three tribes will gather on Baka’s beach, and they believe it’s the merge. However, thanks to seasons 41 and 42, we know that they will have to earn the merge. Host Jeff Probst stated before the season premiered that the fake merge wouldn’t include the controversial Hourglass twist, though.
At the Immunity Challenge, Probst tells the 13 castaways there is “one final twist.” This assumingly is where the host will explain the details of how the players have to earn the merge.
The synopsis for “Mergatory” reads, “The game intensifies when the tribes meet each other at the same camp. Also, castaways must scramble and strategize before Tribal Council to avoid being the sixth person voted out.”
Which remaining castaways have advantages?
Four contestants will have an immunity idol going into the “merge” in Survivor Season 43 Episode 6. Karla Cruz Godoy, Cody Assenmacher, and Jeanine Zheng earned an idol by completing the beads task from the Beware Advantage. And Mike Gabler received an idol after risking his vote in the summit in the premiere.
While Karla, Cody, and Jeanine’s idols are good for a long time, Gabler has to use his at the next Tribal Council. If he doesn’t, the idol becomes void, and he’ll be vulnerable.
Meanwhile, Noelle Lambert has a steal-a-vote that she obtained when she risked her vote during the summit in episode 3. She went on the jury with James Jones and Owen Knight. And the two men allowed her to get the advantage by protecting their votes.
However, among the advantages, there are a couple of disadvantages. After Jeanine and Jesse Lopez risked their votes in episode 5, they lost their votes for the next Tribal Council they attend.
‘Survivor’ Season 43 fans have theories regarding the fake merge
After CBS aired the trailer for Survivor Season 43 Episode 6, fans went to the drawing board to predict what the fake merge would entail. And one shared their findings on a Reddit thread.
They wrote, “Everyone will be divided into two groups of six, meaning two people will win immunity. It will be a double-boot episode, with neither of the boots making the jury. The one who gets exiled is automatically safe and will make the jury. If this ends up happening, next week is gonna be crazy considering Jesse and Jeanine both lost their votes, and Cody, Karla, and Jeanine have idols.”
The Reddit user added, “Predictions for merge boot(s) are Dwight [Moore], Owen, James, and/or Ryan [Medrano].”
Another Survivor Season 43 fan commented, “I don’t like fake merges, but this is SO much better than the Hourglass, at least. The ‘winning immunity means you’re vulnerable at Tribal’ part of the Hourglass is one of the worst things they’ve done. So at least, that isn’t part of it anymore. As for who goes, I’ll say Cody, maybe? I like the idea of building him up as the biggest character and then getting rid of him right before the merge.”
Survivor Season 43 Episode 6, “Mergatory,” airs Wednesday, Oct. 26, at 8 p.m. ET on CBS.
