Brandon (brandonrichie) Confessional EP:14 (Finale Episode)
From here I was able to pick up the pieces of my game and really come into my true form. I dominated for the next four rounds, dictating who went home and who voted for who. I had an alliance with every person left in the game, won immunity challenge after immunity challenge, used my social skills to turn my biggest rivals (Alex, Will, and Keizo) into loyal numbers, and even found another idol thanks to the clue that Will shared with me. If I wasn't already seen as a huge threat before, I definitely was at this point. Four challenge wins, no votes cast against me, an advantage AND an idol all left me in the position to be the frontrunner for the finale. Picking up from Vanessa Rousso's notion of needing "reasons" to vote people out, I was able to vote off people I had previous established loyalty to in Alexander, Will, David, and now Ethan in such a way that got little blood on my hands. How can people be upset when they were taken out for actions that THEY had done? The people who brought me information (Raul, Keizo, Alex, Qaz, and Ethan) all were kept close by being regularly fed information by me (such as knowledge about my idol and advantage as well as things others had said), keeping them in this cycle of knowing that I was the biggest threat but not wanting to do anything about it because they felt like I was their #1. Continuously winning immunity challenges also helped me establish my position as dictator as I became a huge power source and authority figure as I was unable to be targeted. Since people couldn't target me, they oftentimes had to just do what I wanted them to do, which was perfect for my positioning moving forward.
Now, coming into the finale, since I've been able to eliminate almost all of my opposition, I've set myself up in such a way that it's almost impossible to get me out before the final four. I have a very high chance of making it to the end, but there is still the possibility that I can be dethroned, meaning I need to be extremely cautious of how I handle this last night of gameplay. I have put so much into this game—I've created very strong social relationships, won challenges, called most of the shots, looked for idols and advantages for hours, and I really think that this is my time. I want this so badly. For me the crown is about REDEMPTION—the title of Sole Survivor is everything, and I am going to do everything in my power to get it. This game for me has been about pushing my own socio-political and motivational limits. I have done more in this game than anyone else—I got the ingredients for the cake, baked it, and now I want to eat it too. I want my Survivor fairy-tale ending, and I'm ready to do whatever it takes to see that happen.