Because the whole Edge edit has literally been geared toward Natalie returning so if she doesn't I'll just ask myself why.

It looks like it, but to me it still doesn't mean she's a deserving winner. The winner of the Edge yes, but not the whole game :skull:

Yeah I didn't say the whole game. I WANT Michelle to win based on her personality and her edit and frankly it'd be funny, but if Tony makes the final 3 he deserves to win based on his game. Ben and Sarah and Denise just infuriate me because their personalities not only suck but they're so willing to go to the end with Tony for some reason and they're so unaware that he'd just annihilate them in the final TC.

One highlight of the episode though was Nick: "I'm going to vote out the slayer of the queen" :clap1:

I would feel that way if they actually gave everyone 39 days of content but we haven't really seen anything from Danni or Yul or Wendell since they've gone to the Edge and we've seen very minimal content from Ethan and Amber (it's almost like the show was originally designed for a smaller cast of ~16 people :o)

I personally have two problems with the whole Edge/Fire Tokens combo: from a gameplay perspective, it's hilariously unfair. As much as I like Natalie, I'd be furious if I was out there because she's at such a huge advantage having been on the island the longest. She's going into the Return Challenge* with three advantages and an Idol, whereas Nick doesn't even have an opportunity to earn any Fire Tokens. Even if he had his six Fire Tokens, you typically have to bequeath them upon getting voted out. This creates a system that rewards you inversely for how long you last in the game. It's a laughably broken system where it's actually to your advantage to get voted out earlier, and that's the entire opposite point of the show in the first place.

And then from an editing perspective, the tandem of twists have entire suffocated the show. Even when they cut out a Reward Challenge, they still need to dedicate time in each episode to a scene from the Edge, a scene of someone on the island receiving an advantage and contemplating whether or not they should inevitably buy it, and possibly a scene of them needing to borrow additional Fire Tokens from their allies. It effectively creates ~10 minutes of dead airtime most episodes where there's no forward plot movement and no exploring of relationships between the players actually in the game. It's led to many confusing moments like Jeremy/Michele's alliance being dropped and picked back up again and random moments, Nick/Michele's alliance getting similar treatment, Sarah/Sophie being an strong pair who only interacted on camera in the swap episode where Rob was booted, and Ben/Denise somehow being airtight duo when they spent practically the entire game not seen together on camera. The idea of "wow there's just too much content for 45 minutes, I really wish the show had longer episodes each week!" never came into fruition until the show literally gave itself too much content by stuffing twist after twist into the clown car to the point of suffocation.

Oh I definitely agree with that! In fact it’s disappointing cause frankly I’d have much rather been watching the EoE than the people left for about a month now...

My point was more that from a production standpoint, they have 39 days worth of content from everyone to do with what they like

I guess we always have the same discussion about it, but a 45 minutes episode of Survivor has not been enough for a very long time, even before season 20. It's insane to have two challenges, tribal council and strategy/plot development in such a short period of time.
Not only that, but they need to cut out some of those twists and advantages and hire new people for editing.
And if in the end they still go ahead with those twists/advantages, the show still need to be longer and better edited.

So yes, in the current situation where the producers won't back down and that we have no other choice but to accept that (or stop watching), there's just too much content for 45 minutes, I really wish the show had longer episodes each week!:laugh:

This list could be completely wrong:

Denise - Most likely to go next
Michele
Sarah
Ben (Idol)
EOE Returnee (Idol)
Tony (Idol) - Least likely to go next

Predicted boot order:

Denise
EOE Returnee
Michele

Final three:

Ben 2nd runner up
Sarah 1st runner up
Tony Winner

Well at least a woman would get promoted from always coming third with no votes to 2nd place even if I do detest Sarah

I've been following a quarantine Survivor season that's been playing out on Instagram with miscellaneous comedians as contestants, and quite honestly I've been enjoying it more than Winners at War? (possibly because someone recently won an extra vote advantage by singing Reflection from Mulan the best)

All in all I am against the edge of extinction, like Chris Underwood’s win was one of the most undeserved wins of any survivor season. I only have liked it being able to see all the winners more that have been voted out. The idea of an edge winner would be good, like who’s worked the hardest and won the most fire tokens over there. Fire tokens I also like, I just wish the ‘menu’ had been more visible to viewers who wanted to buy something. The final five (without the returnee) are a good final five and I think all have worked hard for that and being there at the end game. Ben is the only one I really don’t want to win, can’t remember who said it but a Ben Dreiberg Zoom win would be the worst thing to happen to this season. Ben so didn’t deserve to win his season, Chrissy played the best game by far. All in all I have loved winners at war, just think for the amount of players and the quality of players the usual 40 minutes has not been enough to explain what’s really going on within the tribe. I agree with Macie (can you believe it) that the whispering tribals are frustrating, at first they were entertaining but the fact we don’t even see the votes nowadays it makes things not make much sense. I want Tony to win the most because I appreciate him as a player and he has played his ass oft. Natalie deserves to return but doesn’t deserve to win, if you are out of the game you are out of the game in my view.

So agree with the fact that Edge is unfair, purely because Nick who was just voted out has a far lesser chance than Natalie who was voted out first. Survivor definitely needs to take a note from the challenge and have one hour episodes too, so many episodes have been so rushed and with ten minutes spent on edge it’s not showing enough of the players still in the game and going to tribal. Honestly though I still have found winners at war so entertaining and one of my favourite seasons, every season has it’s flaws though.

Yeah it really is a flawed twist. How you gonna reward people for being out of the game earlier? The whole fire token system was reeeeally poorly done in this and it's a shame they decided to do that on a legendary ALL WINNERS season :bored:

I'm sure many realise the Extinction twist is unfair, but the challenges can be quite boring too. Here it was just a run to somewhere, of course they couldn't tell us that others knew where it was but it looked extremely likely that they did.

And Denise's strategy of pretending she was ok going looked far from convincing.

The elimination always seemed between Michelle and Nick. Nick got the advantage but all it did was help Michele in the end.

In the words of Sarah Harding, it's about time

Why did they stop opening credits? Also, I'm so excited for the finale

I think they stopped because they had to put in so much stuff in 45 minutes, so they scrapped it :shrug:

Tonight is the night guys! Can't wait for Tony snatching that crown over Zoom :joker:

"There's just too much of a story to tell so we can't afford to waste forty-five seconds on opening credits" --a show that has somehow gotten even worse at storytelling.

Tony probably wins comfortably, with Sarah getting a few votes and Ben ending up with 0 or 1.

Denise gets voted off first, then the returning contestant and Michelle loses fire making against Ben.

Returning Extinction Islander is either Natalie or Tyson, most likely Natalie. Rob and Parvati are only distant possibilities, but more possible than the others on EOE (excluding Natalie and Tyson). Unless they are making it too obvious on purpose and then blindsiding with a surprise returnee.

Denise would probably vote for Ben, I don't really see anybody voting for Sarah as she's not as likeable as the others, so yeah if Tony gets there he wins.
A bit more scared if Denise or Michele gets to Final 3, they might snatch some votes.

I would die if they make Natalie too obvious and ends up losing, but it's unlikely at this stage because she has an idol and makes top 4 at least, so they're building some resume for her.

What time is it on? Don't know if I wanna stay up and sit through commercials

8:00 PM EST and it's a three-hour season finale.

3 hours? :o

You've got to be bloody joking

No, it's true.

Top 5, unless she wins an immunity idol before that.

I would imagine anyone who returns and has an HIID and does not have an immunity necklace, uses it on the final 6 tribal.

Rob and Tyson also have idols, but Rob's edit has decreased in terms of quality, so he probably isn't returning. Tyson's is somewhat better.