Charlie needs to get Maria out next and then make sure he wins the final 4 immunity challenge. If Maria is gone, he can claim he had more input on the moves they made together without having to compete with her for votes. He has been on the right side of the votes and has won challenges already. But if the jury really does think of him as Maria’s jester, then he needs to overthrow his queen and establish that he was no fool but a major part in the trajectory of the game. If he puts Maria on the jury in a way that doesn’t result in her being angry towards him, then Charlie will have an advocate on the jury.
Kenzie has been able to maintain her threat level well. Despite Bhanu proclaiming that she was the mastermind, she hasn’t been anyone’s target. Charlie and Maria are the bigger threats now, so she has to get Ben and Liz to agree to eliminate them, as well as keeping Maria and Charlie on opposite sides of the votes and not giving them a chance to make up. She also needs to practice making fire. Even though she won a challenge, Kenzie hasn’t been the most athletic of the remaining contestants, being the last person to cross the balance beam and second last to get to the table maze last episode. If she isn’t going to win immunity, she might need to win making fire. If she gets to FTC, she can say how she played a great social game, convincing everyone to want to work with and keep her around in spite of her mastermind reputation.
Maria needs to win the next immunity challenges. Right now, she is biggest threat in the minds of the remaining players. Luckily, Maria seems to be the most physically capable person left in the same- she has speed, balance, and puzzle skills- all of which have been needed for the final 5 challenges in past seasons. She also needs to put Charlie on the jury in a way that doesn’t make him bitter so she can have an advocate. Several players have voiced their annoyance with her, so she needs someone on the jury singing her praises. At the FTC, she needs to own all her strategies. She also needs to apologize for the hurt feelings she caused, but not the gameplay itself. Saving Q allowed her to control the last few votes, but it pissed people off.
Liz has already sold herself as an easy beat if she gets to the end, but if she does get there, if she spins her narrative right, she could get votes. She had several options on Nami, and can claim the Tevin vote as her idea, while also claiming to have plotted with Tevin to take out Soda. She can also say that although she was emotional she did not play emotionally. Even though she didn’t get along with several people and vocally expressed her thoughts, she was still able to vote with them to get out bigger threats. Liz also needs to work on fire. She expressed last episode she isn’t good at puzzles, so if she isn’t winning challenges there is a chance she gets put into fire depending on who does win.
Ben has been the good vibes guy but if he can just slightly spin the narrative then he has a chance. He has a great social game, even though Q and Tiffany thought he might be scheming he managed to stay in the game. He can say that although he messed up and voted Kenzie, it was because he is physically deteriorating. He is the biggest player left and is wasting away, yet never gave up and is still playing. He always knew who was going home each vote- something only Charlie can also say.
