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In a perfect world, it would be time to play It’s Anyone But Kat. Alas, we know that this is unlikely for the reasons enumerated above. Kat has a powerful ally in Alicia and she is in the five player alliance in a nine player tribe. Unless her allies acknowledge her failings and flip allegiance, something they should do, she is safe at Tribal Council. 51-year-old Nina is a full decade older than her counterparts and almost 30 years older than Kat. The young and pretty girls are unlikely to react rationally to their failures thus far.

A couple of the Salani women, Kim and Chelsea, express dissatisfaction over the way events have unfolded thus far. We hold out hope that maybe they will work together to eliminate Kat. Unfortunately, Kat acknowledges her failings in the challenge and apologizes to the group. Had she not done this, there was a chance they would have warmed to the idea that she should go home.

We know by the first response of Tribal Council that this will not be the case, though. Kim is queried by Jeff about what she could do to help the team. She explicitly states “I don’t feel like there’s a place for my vote yet.” In other words, she knows what the decision will be and she strongly disagrees with it. Moments from now, Nina will be eliminated.

Nina is clearly bitter about the situation. She points out that the tribe is currently in a “five against three” situation. Chelsea, Kim, Alicia, Sabrina and Kat outnumber Christina, Monica and her. She cannot believe that the utilitarian value that she brings to the tribe will be discarded in favor of Kat, who bombed the challenge and took a swim rather than provided food for the tribe as promised.

Nina is justified to feel this way, but this is the aspect of Survivor politics that is beyond the control of the players. Once people align, they generally stick with their situation until the bitter end or at least until much later in the game when treachery is more advantageous. People rarely break alliances on day six. While Kat cannot even explain anything tangible she brings to the tribe when pressed by Jeff, she is still propped along for at least another three days and probably much more. This is a perfect summary of the current state of the women’s tribe. Thus far, men do in fact rule while women drool.

“Outlast, outwit...but you can’t when you’re witless.” – Nina, speaking the truth about Kat

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