We’re at the point in The Challenge: USA 2 when the numbers are dwindling. All of the Amazing Race players are gone. Two-thirds of the Big Brother houseguests have departed. Half of the Challenge legends have left, yet only one of the seven Survivor players has been eliminated.
Now, we’re at the point where Survivor players are running the game, and many of the core members of the alliance haven’t even seen an elimination. This is impressive, but the alliance shouldn’t have been able to have this type of power. The numbers weren’t in their favor at the beginning of the season, but these players figured out how to navigate the game to get to the end.
1. The females have numbers. The biggest piece of Survivors’ success is the fact that Desi, Michaela, Chanelle, Michele, and sometimes Cassidy are all in the game. Having five out of 12 women come into the game with a preset alliance makes it easy for them to set targets and hit them. As the numbers dwindle, this group becomes more powerful, but people don’t want to target one of the “Secret Garden” members out of fear of retaliation from the other members.
2. They’re making smart moves. Aside from Chris blowing up his game, Survivor players know how to navigate a social situation. We often see them talking about people “moving weird,” and that’s because they want to ensure they’re not backstabbed. So, when they do make a deal, like Desi and Tori’s alliance, they know that they need to stay true to their word.
3. They know how to cut numbers. Now that we’re later into the game, it’s unrealistic to think everyone in the alliance will remain safe. But there are layers to the Survivor alliance, which is why they’re willing to turn on someone like Cassidy before Channelle.
4. They used the veterans as a shield. It feels like many people overlook the fact that Desi played the first Challenge: USA season, but she’s clearly using her knowledge from her last run at the game. She made people believe that targeting the veterans would be a smart way to level the playing field at the beginning of this season, but in reality, it preserved the Survivor girls and got rid of competition.
5. They can win. While the Survivor alliance has been strong socially, they’ve also won a lot, especially eliminations. Chris won three, Cassidy won two, and Desi, Michaela, and Michele both won one. Above all else, winning is a surefire way to keep yourself safe.
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