Who's Too Big a Threat to Win Survivor 50?

"One of the most frustrating things about Survivor all-star seasons is that, often, the players we are most excited to see back are also the players who pose the biggest threat to their fellow contestants. And so you end up with a Survivor: All Stars in which Tina Wesson, Richard Hatch, and Rob Cesternino are voted out pre-merge."

"Boston Rob and Amber made it to the end of All-Stars because they were an unbreakable romantic pair, yes, but also because in the early weeks, nobody was particularly threatened by Amber. Parvati Shallow is a legend now, but her road to victory in Micronesia was paved by alliances with people who'd seen her as nothing more than a flirt in her first season."

"The most dangerous stretch in a Survivor all-star season is that first couple days before the players have a chance to build relationships. Here, they're most at the mercy of preexisting reputations."

Survivor 50 features an all-star cast where discussion of composition has dominated pre-season coverage. The central challenge of all-star seasons is that the most exciting returning players often become immediate targets due to their threat level. Historical precedent shows legendary players like Sandra, Tony, and Malcolm were voted out pre-merge in Game Changers, while less threatening players advanced further. Success in all-star seasons sometimes depends on being underestimated or having protective alliances rather than individual strength. The Survivor 50 cast contains numerous strategically skilled, backstabbing, and likeable players whose past performances establish them as significant threats, making early vulnerability a critical factor in their gameplay.

Read at Vulture