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Hello JFRX, and thank you very much for your excellent post of comments. I appreciate you taking the time to be so thorough and detailed about everything, and I've always enjoyed reading your thoughts when you have a chance to post them.

Firstly, I just want to apologise for not being able to comment very often this season. I haven't had much time to write detailed comments as I usually do, but I've been keeping up with the story as much as possible and I've really enjoyed it. Congratulations on another sucessful season.

Thanks, but please don't apologize. I would only want people to comment as much as they are able to, and I know that everyone else is just as busy as I am too, so no worries at all! :)

I enjoyed it despite being fairly certain of the outcome before it started. It wasn't your best finale, but it still tied up the season very nicely and resolved lost of the themes. I liked your decision to have a fan win, and although final tribal council was very predictable, it was still a great read. Like the recap, it did a good job of summing up what Tracy had done to reach the end of the game. On a separate not, I think this is the second time that your winner has been last in alphabetical order.

Thank you. I'm glad you enjoyed it, and I apologize for the predictable aspect of it. I agree that it wasn't my best finale. I think I'd probably put it behind Fiji and China, but I honestly don't remember much about some of the other finales (specifically All-Stars and Exile Island). Cook Islands was probably the worst finale, and that was the other one that was pretty obvious too.

About the winner, what I've noticed is that USUALLY, the winner's name either falls very close to the beginning of the alphabet or very close to the end of the alphabet. This holds true for the real show (Ethan, Brian, Amber, Chris, Danni, Aras, Earl, //// Rich, Tina, Vecepia, Sandra, Tom, Yul, Todd) and for my stories as well, (Brandon, Candice, Dave //// Tina, Stacy, Tracy), which is quite strange because it was something I didn't realize until recently, so it wasn't planned like that. And I definitely did not purposely pick the last alphabetically or anything.

(B) Which story has been your favorite so far: Guatemala, Exile Island, Cook Islands, Fiji, All-Stars: Belize, China, or Micronesia?
China. As great as this season has been, the blindsides and suspense happened a bit too early. China's last few episodes were fantastic, but Micronesia seemed to peak some time ago. It would have been better if the middle of the game had been predictable and not the end.

Glad that you think China was the best. I have to agree with your assessment of Micronesia - it was the last few episodes that were the most predictable rather than the beginning ones, and if you look at the ratings for them, most of the 9s are in the first half of the season, which I noticed as opposed to China.

The double tribal concil- a shock for both the castaways and for me.What really surprised me was the double tribal council and the final two. Ever since the merge, when you updated the challenge tracker on page 1, and I saw that the finale would start with five people left, have two immunity challenges and one 'final' challenge, I expected that you were going to have a final three going up against the jury that would result in a tie, to be broken with some sort of challenge, not a 'final' immunity challenge at the final three. So you really got me with that one, but it all makes sense now!

I'm not sure if you read my notes or not, but if I did have a Final Three of Tracy, Brooke, and Mikey, it would have resulted in a 3-3-1 vote with Eliza being the sole vote for Brooke. She would have had to change her vote and vote for either Tracy or Mikey to win. I considered having this because it would make a much more suspenseful ending rather than Tracy obviously beating Brooke, but I wanted to have one Fan and one Favorite in the F2. If this was a regular season, I would have more than likely done those three as the Final Three to have a dramatic finish. Glad that the Final Two was a surprise for you. I personally prefer the Final Two as I feel it sticks more to the roots of the game, and I don't want to randomly switch it up for no reason. I try to stay consistent unless there's really a clear advantage to doing something different.

9- There have been better episodes and finales, but this was excellent once the predictability was taken into account as there was clearly nothing you could do to adress this. I had no issue with Tracy being such an obvious winner- just as in the real Fiji, the unanimous outcome demanded a somewhat obvious edit.

Thanks a lot! I'm more than happy with a 9! :)

How would the jury have voted if Brooke had taken Mikey to the end, or if there had been a final three.
Also, how much of Brooke's attitude was created by the editing? For a while, I've been confused by her almost robotic blandness compared to Guatemala, and I thought that perhaps it was just the edit sugesting that she would lose in the end (which indeed she did), but to have Aras point it out confused me slightly.

Thanks for these questions. I sortof addressed the first one a few lines earlier (I'll still ask about Brooke vs. Mikey in the Final Two), but I'll answer the second one now: I think it was a combination of both. I definitely think that Brooke tried to be somewhat emotionless so that she could focus more on the game, but it was also a conscious decision in my part to show her in this way so that it would tie in to Ian's question (I think you mean Ian, not Aras). People called Yul and Earl "strategy bots" or something like that in real Cook Islands and Fiji, and I felt like Brooke was almost the same way. Her confessionals were always strategic and methodical, yet fairly bland. I don't know if that was a good answer or not, but it was definitely a mix of both.

I'd be willing to read either and I believe that you could certainly pull off original characters, so do whichever you think would be better! I really can't wait for whatever it is that you write next.

Thank you. It is going to be a tough decision for me to pick one, but I'll have to wait to see the rest of the Gabon cast too.

Thanks for filling out the Popularity Poll and for those Edgic ratings! :)

Brooke - CPN4 (Rooting for Tracy meant rooting against Brooke. I think the 4 is a bigger achievement for her than winning final immunity)

I was wondering about this one. I think it would have to be a weak negative, if there is one, but lol about the 4. That was something that really surprised me when she continually got 3s in every episode.

Tracy - CPP4 (We were supposed to get behind her and accept her right to a unanimous win)

I'm glad that everyone has given her CPP! :)

Finally, thank you for still writing these fanfics. They're getting better and better, and I know ow much time and effort you put into them. I look forward to great things in the next season and beyond. Thank you!

Thanks for the thanks, but I definitely owe everyone a bigger thank you for reading these! I'm glad you feel they're getting better and better (I certainly hope so!), and I do have lots of interesting ideas to come still, so I'm sure everyone will enjoy next season too. :)

Thank you again for all of your detailed comments. I know that you've been reading my stories for a long time, and it's great to hear that you're still anxious to read #8! Thank you for being a loyal reader. Hope you have a great day! :)

Just wanted to post that it was three years ago tonight that I first posted Episode 1 of Guatemala. Hard to believe it's been so long! Another big thank you to everyone for reading so many seasons! :)

Editing Analysis of Survivor: Micronesia - Fans vs. Favorites

In the following pages, I will go through each episode and pick out a few of the most significant lines and confessionals that were important to the outcome of the story, and explain what their deeper meaning was. Note: This isn't everything. I can't give away all my secrets, but I hope you enjoy this "behind-the-scenes" look at the season!

Survivor: Micronesia - Fans vs. Favorites Preview

Erik - CONFESSIONAL: I mean, this is war between the Fans and the Favorites… <The camera then scrolls over to Tracy, and focuses in on her>

Tracy - CONFESSIONAL: I'm playing Survivor for everyone who's watching at home. <A wide view of the ten Favorites is then shown, before the camera zooms in on Aras>

Aras - CONFESSIONAL: The Favorites absolutely don't want to see the Fans win, <Alexis can be seen smiling sweetly> and the Fans obviously want to beat the Favorites. <There is a prominent sound, as the camera turns to Terry and Brooke> It's gonna be a long and glorious battle. <The camera now cuts ahead to show a clip from the Malakal tribe>

Dave: <sarcastically, to Sherea> You know all the right things to say… <The camera shows a close-up view of a tense-looking Sherea>

Jeff Probst: Will the former Survivors be able to put aside their past conflicts and come together as a tribe? <A wide view of several Malakal members standing together is shown>

Earl: <to Dave> Just <short pause> don't even talk to her anymore… <Sherea is shown next>

Sherea: <talking loudly> Don't even talk to me for the rest of this game, please! <Dave can be heard saying "Happily obliged," as the camera fades into a view of Brooke>

Brooke - CONFESSIONAL: The level of animosity between them is beyond belief. <The camera cuts ahead to show a clip of Mikey chopping into a coconut and doing no damage>

Guatemala Fanfic says: In this section of the preview, I gave away a lot of what ultimately happened in the season, although it wasn't obvious at the time. The confessionals from Erik and Aras were supposed to indicate that the season would remain a battle between Fans and Favorites right until the end with one Fan and one Favorite in the Final Two.

Also notice that both of the Final Two were specifically given a confessional in the preview, with Tracy appearing to be representative of the Fans by saying she's "playing Survivor for everyone who's watching at home."

Episode 1 - "Those Who Are At War With Others Are Not At Peace With Themselves"

1. Tracy's Key Confessionals and What Was Said About Her

Jeff Probst: So welcome to Survivor: Micronesia. <A view of Tracy is then shown next>

Tracy - CONFESSIONAL: I'm anxious; I'm pumped up. <The camera continues to focus on Tracy for a few seconds> You know, I've been a Fan of Survivor for a long time, so I feel like I'm playing Survivor for everyone who's watching at home. <Another wide view of all ten Fans is shown> This is the opportunity of a lifetime, and so <long pause> I just want to see my competition… <The camera cuts back to Jeff again, as rain continues to pour down>

Guatemala Fanfic says: The second confessional of the season went to the winner, Tracy, and is an extended version of the one from the season preview. Once again, the confessional that represented the Fans was given to Tracy, and it should have been a little indicative of her being an important character to be put so early in the episode. In the past when there's been a big opening twist, I've had the winner make an important comment about it.

Tracy - CONFESSIONAL: We're gonna know really fast what everybody brings to the table, because these challenges, they're not easy. <The camera shows Joel grabbing the orange challenge flag> Survivor is the toughest game out there, and we don't want to lose. <A front view of the ten Airai members walking out of camp is shown> We have to forget about our conflict at camp, put on a united front, <Both Mikey and Tracy are then shown next> and show the Favorites that we can play at their level…

Guatemala Fanfic says: Tracy was given this confessional right before the Immunity Challenge, where she said that the Fans didn't want to lose and they had to show that they could play on the same level as the Favorites. This confessional also spoke to Tracy's game individually as well, not just for the Fans. She definitely didn't want to lose, and she had to prove that she deserved to beat a Favorite in the Final Two.

Honestly, I feel that these were both two very important confessionals for Tracy, and I was pleasantly surprised that no one really picked up on them, because then she would have been an obvious winner immediately - not just after Episode 3.

Jason: What's your name? <Tracy is shown, as she says "Tracy" to Jason> Tracy? <Tracy now says "Yeah"> Nice to meet you, Tracy.

Guatemala Fanfic says: This isn't a confessional like the other two, but it's important for Tracy. Botice that I had Jason asking Tracy what her name was because she was the winner and I wanted her name specifically to be known.

Joel - CONFESSIONAL: Mikey and Tracy, right off the bat, got into an argument because Mikey wanted food and Tracy wanted shelter. <Mary is shown, as she says "I just want to have a shelter"> I know it got under Tracy's skin because she's used to being the boss in her business, and boy, I'll tell you, Tracy likes the control. <laughs>

Guatemala Fanfic says: This confessional told us right away that Tracy likes to be in control, and as we soon found out with the blindsides of Erik, Natalie, Earl, etc., Tracy was very much in control during most of the game. Even when she came into the merge with a 7-3 disadvantage, she quickly found herself in a majority alliance again and did not receive a single vote against her after the Final Ten.

2. Mikey B Is Not Enthusiastic To See The Favorites

Mikey - CONFESSIONAL: I was not clapping when the Favorites came out. <A close-up view of a stern-looking Joel is shown next> My first thought was "Damn! This is not fair!" <The camera switches angles to show the ten Favorites again> Those guys have a lot of experience and knowledge under their belts, so <long pause> I look at it as a disadvantage. <Terry, Earl, and Ami are shown next> My chances of winning just went way down! <There is a prominent drumbeat, as the camera shows Mikey subtly shaking his head, and then returns to Jeff>

Guatemala Fanfic says: This confessional was foreshadowing of Mikey's ultimate fate in the game. He said that his chances of winning went way down because of the Favorites, and in the finale, it was Brooke (a Favorite) who cost the sole vote that eliminated him from the game.

3. "A Long and Glorious Battle…"

Aras - CONFESSIONAL: The Favorites absolutely don't want to see the Fans win, <A wide view of the Favorites putting their buffs on is shown> but at the same time, the Fans obviously want to beat the Favorites. <A close-up view of Mikey is shown, before the camera scrolls over to Kathy and Erik> It's gonna be a long and glorious battle.

Guatemala Fanfic says: As I mentioned with the preview, this confessional was supposed to set up that it would remain a battle between Fans vs. Favorites right up until the Final Two.

4. …And A Long and Prosperous Game?

Earl - CONFESSIONAL: I'm not even supposed to be able to swim, <laughs> so <long pause> now I have Immunity so I'm immune at the first Tribal Council and I can't be voted out. <A clip of Eliza hugging Earl is now shown next> That's a good start to what will hopefully be a long and prosperous game… <laughs>

Guatemala Fanfic says: This confessional was ironic in that the game was not long and prosperous for Earl because he was blindsided in Episode 5. Quotes like this tend to be a red flag that whatever is said will not happen, although this is not always true.

5. Contrasting the Fans and Favorites

Joel - CONFESSIONAL: If this is the group they expect us to survive 39 days with without somebody killing somebody, we are in serious trouble. <laughs> <Tracy is shown again, as she says "Let's start building"> We haven't accomplished one single thing, <A clip of Mikey wading aimlessly through the shallow ocean waters is shown> and at this rate, the Favorites have probably got a shelter with at least two floors. Um, <pause> they're living in a luxury suite by now… <laughs>

Guatemala Fanfic says: This confessional was supposed to indicate that the Fans really would be in serious trouble, as they about to spiral into an eight-challenge losing streak.

6. Eliza Is Determined Not To Make The Same Mistakes

Eliza - CONFESSIONAL: I have been a huge Survivor Fan since the very first season of the show, <The camera now focuses back in on Eliza for a few seconds> so I just think it's ironic that that the time there's a tribe of Fans, I end up on the other tribe… <laughs> <A wide view of several Malakal members working on the roof of their shelter is shown, before the camera scrolls over to Eliza and Brooke again> I've spent the last three-and-a-half/four years thinking about everything I could have done differently in Vanuatu, <The camera shows a quick clip of Ami carrying a bamboo chute, and then returns to Eliza again> and I'm determined to not make those same mistakes again the second time around.

Guatemala Fanfic says: Despite saying she was determined not to, Eliza did make a lot of the same "mistakes" as in Vanuatu, and she even ended up being voted out on the same day in both seasons.

7. Brooke and Eliza's A-law-ance

Brooke: My gut instinct says that you're definitely the one person I can trust. <Eliza can be seen nodding her head assuringly>

Eliza: <to Brooke> Yeah; I thought the same thing about you, <Brooke now says "Good"> so it's definitely reciprocal. <The camera zooms out to show both Malakal members again>

Brooke: <to Eliza> Us lawyers need to stick together… <laughs> <Eliza is shown laughing>

Eliza: I love that! <laughs> <Eliza is now shown high-fiving Brooke>

Guatemala Fanfic says: I usually try to keep my premiere episodes less focused on strategy, so anytime I show a specific alliance in Episode 1, it's a pretty good indication that that alliance is going to be important to the story somehow. It doesn't necessarily mean the alliance will go far, but just that they'll have a strong impact on something in the story.

Brooke and Eliza stayed true to one another until the Final Five, and Eliza even mentioned in her final vote that Brooke is the only person ever to stay loyal to her.

Brooke also calls Eliza the "Ultimate Fan" in this scene, which is an important quote discussed later on in the Ongoing Themes and Storylines section. Thanks to Kitty Pryde1 for the term "A-law-ance."

8. Tracy Steps Down As Airai's Leader

Guatemala Fanfic says: This whole situation was put into the episode partly because I wanted the winner to be vulnerable at the start of the game. Tracy rubbed some people the wrong way early on by taking the lead on the shelter, and then made matters worse the next day by stepping down as the leader because the tribe thought they needed her.

To Tracy's credit though, it was an example of her being adaptable in changing a situation around to benefit her, which was one of her key points when answering Ian's jury question.

9. Dave Can't Make Fire

Dave - CONFESSIONAL: Right now, I am trying to figure out a way to start a fire from scratch, without flint and without a lighter of any sort. <A comical sound is heard, as his 'fire bow' snaps in half> I thought I had some pretty good fire techniques down, but everything I tried has been a miserable failure. <laughs>

Guatemala Fanfic says: You may recall that in the China finale, there was a scene where Erik and Leslie were trying to make fire and Dave took the flint and made fire in a few seconds. Of course, Dave ended up winning China. Now in Micronesia, he got the opposite scene where he couldn't make fire and he was the first person voted out. Remember, fire is life on Survivor!

10. Brooke and Tracy's Pre-Immunity Challenge Confessionals

Brooke - CONFESSIONAL: It's pretty crucial for us to win Immunity tomorrow because we definitely don't wanna go to Tribal Council before the Fans, but I don't know how solid of a tribe we'll be with Dave and Sherea.

Guatemala Fanfic says: I already included Tracy's confessional in the first point, but Brooke and Tracy were both given the last confessionals before the Immunity Challenge for their respective tribes. Also, Brooke's confessional talked about wanting to beat the Fans, and Tracy's confessional talked about wanting to prove that the Fans can play at the same level as the Favorites.

11. Erik The "Superfan"

Erik - CONFESSIONAL: I'm so excited to be in this game right now. I mean, just to be on this island and to have our first Immunity Challenge against the Favorites today, it's surreal. <The camera continues to focus on both Erik and Kathy> I mean, I would be crushed if I came half-way across the world and was voted out before the merge, at least. <laughs> <A close-up view of Erik is now shown> There'd be no point in doing that, so <pause> I just want to stay in this game as long as possible. Losing is not even an option…

Guatemala Fanfic says: This confessional, in my mind, was an immediate indicator that Erik would be voted out before the merge. I'd basically say the same thing I said about Earl's confessional. Anything like this is probably an example of irony rather than foreshadowing.

12. Brooke Says The Fans Will Be Gone

Jeff Probst: Brooke, <Jeff takes a short pause, as the camera shows a wide view of the entire Malakal tribe> is there a distinct advantage to coming in with the experience of having played this game once before? <A close-up view of Brooke is now shown next>

Brooke: I think there's definitely an advantage to being a returning player. <Terry can be seen subtly nodding his head> Survivor is a game that has a huge learning curve that you can't get just from watching the show at home, <The camera switches angles to show Dave> so I think some of the Fans'll be gone before they even get a chance to figure out how the game works.

Guatemala Fanfic says: This Tribal Council question was given to the last Favorite standing, Brooke, and can be taken two ways. At first, it did come true because Chet, Erik, and Natalie were all voted off, so the Favorites ended up outnumbering the Fans. However, by Episode 13, there were four Fans left in the game and only two Favorites, so it really could go either way.

A Look At Episode 1's Edgic

I'm only going to do this for Episode 1 because I want to illustrate the general importance of the first episode edits. Again, this is not always going to hold true, but this season provides a strong example of how the premiere episode sets up the story.

PLAYER	EP 1		PLAYER	EP 1
DAVE	CPN5		IAN	UTR2 <