Hall of Fame Moment: Yul Uses the Idol Without Using the Idol on Survivor: Cook Islands

Yul and his Aitu allies had their backs up against the wall. While they had managed to win every immunity challenge after the mutiny left their tribe at only four members, they were still entering the merge at a numbers disadvantage. The Raros had five, the Aitus only four. They were sure to be Pagonged mercilessly, especially given the way Ozzy ruled challenges and Yul appeared to be a strategic threat as well.

But Yul had a trick up his sleeve – the hidden immunity idol. And he was determined to use it in a way that would turn the game around. He did just that.

The hidden idol can be used in many ways. Yul could have simply held onto it and waited for the vote to go against him. Then, in a flash, he would have remained safe while somebody else was sent packing. But in the situation he found himself, using it that way would have been of limited help. He would have sent home a Raro and the alliances would have been tied. He would have given up his main weapon, and a fire-starting challenge (presumably) would have decided the outcome of the rest of the game.

Instead, Yul used his head, not just his idol. He knew that Jonathan, of all people, played the game of Survivor rationally. He also knew that Jonathan wanted to stick around in the game and would not likely be swayed by friendships or other emotional attachments. And finally, he likely knew that Jonathan was the odd man out in his Raro alliance. This made Jonathan the perfect target for Yul’s plan.

And what was Yul’s plan? Essentially, it was blackmail. He basically told Jonathan, “Switch sides or you’re gone.” Simple as that. And he let Jonathan know he had the means to follow through on his threat, and that he would certainly do so.

There are some who say Jonathan could have double-crossed Yul. He could have told Yul he was good with the plan but then convinced his Raro allies to vote against Becky instead. The main problem with this is that both Nate and Candice said in post-show interviews that the main reason the Raros voted against Yul was because Jonathan wanted to switch the vote to Becky! Jonathan himself said in his RealityNewsOnline interview that the other Raros “were not being rational.” He suggested possibilities of what they could do if Yul had the idol, but they responded, “Yul doesn’t have the idol.” As Jonathan said to me, “I did everything in my power and then when I told them the next night that Yul has the idol, they still didn’t believe me!” So Jonathan found himself between a rock and a hard place – and he was put there by Yul.

It wasn’t simply that Yul made a threat. Anybody could do that. Yul showed a particular understanding for who was most vulnerable to his threat, and he used that knowledge. Almost everybody else – players and viewers alike – believed that Jonathan could never go back to his old tribe. Yul knew better. And he used that information to completely turn the game around.

Certainly we have to recognize that Yul’s opposition, the Raros, helped him out. Adam and company believed they had the game in the palm of their hand. They refused to listen to Jonathan. They would not accept that anything could ruin their plans.

But that should not detract from what Yul accomplished. He made the best possible use of the tools at his disposal. Best of all, he still got to keep the hidden immunity idol, for potential use later in the game! And even though he was the one who forced Jonathan to make the move, all of the anger from the other alliance focused on Jonathan! This put Yul in a great position for later in the game.

As I write this, it’s unclear if Yul will be able to follow through to the end. Jonathan is now gone, which I believe was a mistake on Yul’s part – we’ll see as the game plays out. Be that as it may, it cannot take away from the fact that Yul ensured his survival in the game through some brilliant strategy, and he is deserving of recognition through this Reality TV Hall of Fame Moment.

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