Babydoll's Last Stand

[Babydoll]

I just want to start by congratulating all three of you y'all had me worried there that at least one Nostro was going to slip through to the final tribal but at least we (or at least I) got our/my desired outcome of an all-blue FTC.




Truth be told my vote is still kind of up in the air? Like I want to come into this with a pretty open mind and I'm definitely open to having my perception swayed so long as it doesn't seem like you're making extensive bounds in order to lay claims to moves that weren't really yours. But I digress.



I'm not going to take up too much of your time to tell y'all what I think of you. I find that shit kind of petty - cause tonight is your night and I'm not going to be one to steal the spotlight. I have no reason to blast any of you extensively because I don't feel personally affected by what happened . But I flicked back to the opening challenge for the season and I've gotta say it was kind of interesting to see how perceptions of social games went from then to now.



On one hand we had Selene, who was super-up-there, but in the end your social activity kinda turned a few people against you because it seemed a lot of Sulaco didn't want to hear your "fucking essays" (not my words) and apparently you didn't take the hint about this when people tried to be really brief with you? You did play a good social game in the regard that I feel like you always were up for a good chat and I did really look forward to logging on and talking to you more because I do appreciate the long messages even if they get tricky to reply to when I've come home from a date night and I'm super drunk


Xena was like, mid-ground. Which I feel like it's a pretty accurate as a description for your pre- and post-merge. You did really well to kinda situate yourself dead-centre; or at least appear this way and yeah -- I think that definitely helped set you up for a good end game because I can't recall your name really coming up too often in the pre-merge as someone untrustworthy so I guess you must've had a lot of people trusting you when Sulaco started falling apart. Good job, but still, it kinda makes me feel like you didn't have to fight the same way that Selene did. And one bone I have to pick with you is how you feel that Tribal of Fear went down -- with you "hustling" to pull everyone together. The way I saw it, the hustler got hustled -- my plan for that round was to always get a split vote going at Sulaco so that I could try to get one Nostro and one Sulaco gone and you provided the best opportunity for that. You approached me and you started talking about wanting to do a split vote but essentially needing encouragement and it was the golden opportunity for me so of course I pushed you to go for it. So yeah, you did try to make a move, but was your move playing potentially against you? Maybe you could've seen my plan coming, probably not. But I wouldn't try to use that as an example of good gameplay when you're opening yourself up to potential burning that easily.



Mother Russia, you've had your tires pumped a fair bit in jury lodge as someone who had "amazing strategy". And yeah, if what I'm hearing is true, then I guess you did play the post-merge well in terms of game. But on the opening weekend you were ranked as the third-worst socially and then I think you kinda rode the back of Sulaco success in the pre-merge and never really attempted to chat to a lot of us? Like I'd go days where my messages were sitting in my outbox with no reply. It seemed like you came alive at the merge but OTOH I feel like you were sort of bottom-2 on the pecking order at Sulaco and had we lost a few more challenges I'm not sure you would've made the merge.




My questions are always multi-parted and I just want these answered as best possible. Keep in mind I'll probably check some answers in other threads here and there. Again, this is your night. So use it to your best ability.




PART ONE - All three

I want you to give me a spark-notes version of why I should vote for the other two ladies. You can take their opening argument and summarise it, but I don't want a word-for-word thing. If you can compress it down into one or two sentences; that's perfect. Just sum up what argument they're making about why they deserve to win. And don't be critical about it and be like "So-and-so says X but that is BULLSHIT!". Just summaries



PART TWO - Individual parts


Selene -- tell me why you should win when, at least from my perspective, it seemed like it was a little bit of a struggle for you to stay afloat on your own once the Trinity vote transpired. Outside of the obvious reason that "I overcame the odds".


Xena -- tell me why you should win when, at least from my perspective, it seemed like you never really had to sweat too many votes in this game. Outside of the reasoning about last round's challenge.


Mother Russia -- tell me why you should win when it seemed like you couldn't give that much of a shit about those outside your plans? There were two sections of this game where it took you four days to reply to PMs from me -- in fact before I left the game there was a six day period of total radio silence from you. You talk about the fact you hated being just tossed aside and yet you did the same to many people.

[Selene]

Hey Babydoll!

Sorry it has taken me so long to replying to this, as Ive had all sorts of issues going on at home yesterday and today Worst possible timing. My computer has been dying on and off. I seriously am getitng a new on e after this, after all the troubles have been having with it, definitly time for a new one, lol.

Never rains! I tell ya!

I have been keeping this for now, so I wouldhave something to look forward to. A friendly face. Although, naturally, I am not being presumptious here, and am indeed intending to earn you vote. Obviously I would like to win the game, but your vote would actually mean a great deal to me personally

Right, in response to your first question, I am going to make this really easy for you. You shouldnt vote for either of the other 2, because you should vote for me as I genuinely played a more dynamic, adaptable game. I played the middle and the edges, and with your help created some huge bloody cracks to work with. And had an absolute ball doing it! Very simple.

But that's not what you asked, so here goes.

Mother.

If you are really not going to vote for me, this is your vote right here. Mother had some serious game, and I really wish she had been around more so you could gotten to work more closely with her. What attracted me about you, not only the way we clicked, was your eye for strategy and willingness to take a risk. It was exciting and it was fun, and I loved it. The fact you were pretty damn nifty at the challegnes also was jst icing on the cake bonus. But it was the strategy,  and it was this same quality that I now draw your attention to here.

Yes, Mother's character was well done, and she could be funny at times as well, when she was around. Therein lies the problem with her. She just wasn't around, not nearly enough, to be able to carry a decent social game. And although I did try to promote this and nudge you in that direction, without her about to really bond wiht the way that you, Kaylee and I did, it felt a bit disjointed. But I reckon that the 2 of you should sit down some time and talk some strsategy, because, you both had such heads for the game.

Honestly, if she had been around as much as we were, I know for certain you would appreciate her strategic mind every bit as much as I do.

So, she and I worked together since before the Trinity vote. Once we were seperated, Mother acted the double agent, routinely comparing notes etc, but kept it all on the downlow as didnt want anyone to discover what we were upto. Mother was also making inroads with Nostromo, which as a peripheral figure would seemingly keep her out of harms way anyhow, but she was always on the ball.

Despite the social flaws, Mother was very switched on.

Xena

...zzzzz

If Xena had been asleep for most of this game, would anyone have noticed the difference? Apart from the final 2 immunities, this is about as much positive impact that she actually had on the game. Or negative impact for that matter. The question is, did she matter? The good thing about having someone like Xena around was that she is a very predictable player. And those are wonderful, but if you can predict what they are going to do, you can anticipate what they are going to do. The have tunnel vision, completely oblivious to so much going on around them. Just out of interest, how many times was Xena left scratching her head after a blindside? 4? 5? The other strategic gems of the merge split and the F8 advantage play... and was then advantage played right out of the TC, . Seriously, anytime I need a laugh I'll be back to go back over that saga again, God, I am laughing at just the thought of it right now,

Ok, so she was likeable enough at her best and had a decent social game overall... Or maybe it was just reserved for some? I know I am not the only one that thought it was not all that ownderful. There is obviously a lot of love for Xena from some quarters, but really, if Claire and Xena were here side by side would anyone seriously be singing Xena's praises over Claire? I doubt it.

Bottomline, Babydoll, a vote for Xena would be a vote for mediocrity.

A vote for Mother would be one in recognition of a canny strategist with a limited social presence.

A vote for me, however, would be a vote for both a solid social and strategic game, one who was prepared to take risks, that was not locked in to just one thing, that was flexible and adaptable, that could cut someone's throat, turn around, work wiht that person's allies to cut someone else, and then turn around and do it again. I have blood on my hands, and I own it.  We blew this game up and created cracks everywhere that set the stage ofr Nostromo's story, which really was 3 big shields, but also laid the foundation for me getting here. I had a goal at the beginning of this game to get to the end. I achieved that, sitting beside 2 people that can be beaten. There was also other paths open to me to get here as well, but those would not give me the chance I wanted to actually earn Jury votes. This path did.

Hope this will suffice for what you are after.

Part II


As for part 2, You know where my head was at the night that yourself and Kaylee left. Even so, I was so very far from defeated, but it was impossible not to feel down following the back to back losses of 2 of my 3 closest allies in the game. Of course it sucked, because I genuinely had had a ball playing with you an kaylee. It realy had been a blast, even with its ups and downs, and things not always working out as we had hoped or expected, but god I was having a ball. Ive not played one of these games in years and it was so much fun. Then when we unleashed chaos at the merge, and even though my vote hadn't quite done what we had discussed, the net result was still what you had been after. My point here was, Iwould not change the time that we spent together for anything! Both on Sulaco and once on Serenity. It was a gas. Like taking a ride on a pinball. It was brilliant!

Anyhow, after Trinity left, I was far from defeated.  I know the figure I was portraying, because Selene's character is not someone that does the happy dance, si it came across a little dspondant, but still to fingt and be optimistic for the opportunities there were. But I was ever doong a happy dance. Seriously, full Snoopy mode, lol. It had done what I anticipated it would. It would either unite tje tribe, or it would splinter the bitch, and either way would have it's advantages. A splintered group means you can see exactly where lines are drawn, and if you can see it yu can do something about it. If it remained concealed in a blue wall of 9 then that cn cause problems when people start to turn on each other then. This way would give plenty of places to work.

i know I never told you this either, but I actually went for the mutiny when we had the chance. Nox beat me to the punch, but that indicates right there where my heads was at. I wanted this game to get messed up some,  create some chaos which you were right there with also

Cry havoc, and let slip the Dogs of War.

You and I know we hit the merge effectivrly 6-3-4. So we knew what we were up against. A pagonigng would leave us well down the totem pole, so we needed to use the Nostromos to and keep them in the game. I am sorry I biffed at that vote and that Cherry stayed that ight at the expense of losing Cameron, but as you put it, it was a net gain of what you had wanted - One of each side gone. It gave us some marbles to play with and we were able to get it together and oust Cherry. On the 3rd attempt. lol.

I can only assume this us when you are referring to me as being not able to do it on my own? Quite simply, I was pretty content with the spot we had found ourselves in, and was fine with being patient, exercise some alliance management, so the green girls felt comfortble with us and us with them. I was trying to be the glue. So a lot og this was reassuring, a lot of it was trying to engage with them, at the bar, getting drunk while online on here with them, things like that. I know you had already expressed an interest in trying to reconnect with Sulaco once Cherry was gone, but i really did not see any reason for this to have to happen. Just get through the weekend, keep in touch and try to make usre things stayed the course. . And I wish I hadve been around that Saturday just ahead of that back to back round, as maybe I could have done something more to dussuade from what happened. Came in in the Sunday to messages from the NOstromo girls saying they hadnt heard from you, that there was some fued going on between Kaylee & Xena, and perisitend rumours getitng fed back to me asking about what you were up to. I deflected all these off as best possible, indeed, you hasnt sent me a 1:1 msg for a few days at that point, it has all been in the group chat. I did all I could to reassure, but maybe had I been there the day before maybe it could have been avoided entirely. My objective at that point would have been to wait, and let the back to back play out, and not rock the boat. At which point then we would be able to hook up with Mother - which was why I prompted you in that direction also,, in anticipatin of that happening at F8.

Anyhow, we know what happens next, Old Sulaco & Nostromoe team up and lost my 2 besties.

But even when that was happening, I was gettign told that I wasnt the target, that I was wanted to be worked with and that thinkgs were going to get going. Tie to get back in the race. So F8 hook up again with Mother. No more sleeper, time to wake up. We plan and orchestrate the Nox blindside, without it appearing ike we are together, and I make the conscious efforr to be al distraught and upset, and all the whole the words of Chris Daugherty in my ears.

"You question a woman's character. You question a woman's integrity - she'll snap yout neck like a twig. You show a woman you ar vulnerable, that;'s when they open up that back door for you. And thats what's happened here. "

And that is exactly what happened here. So that set up the Nox blindside, as I had stated my intent to vote Nox, and think these girls wee more than happy to get on board with that, which I continued to get futher in. Which was important as it lead to one of the defiing moments of my game here, the F7 blindside of Alice. I know it really hurt Alice the way it went down, especully i the aftermath, and I did feel bad about just how cold blooded I had been here. But it was me entirely that got the numbers togetherwith Xena and Claire, as nieth er made n effort to reach out to me.

Now, tisis impirtant to you as you wanted to know was I playing my own game. Yes. I was.

I coud  have easily have tuck it out with Nostromo and probnaably still reched the end with a combinatin of those, but with probably zero shot at winning the game. Or blindside Alice, set up the opportunity to be here with 2 other orig Blues, as i had said. The numbers needed to be splintered and then comeback when the likes of NOx and Cherry, peoople tjhat really were never going to work with me were out of the scene.

Then F6 set up this direct F3 FTC cinfiguration, by taking out Claire, so it meant I did have an in n the end game.

Anyway you look at it, I did overcome, I was flexible I was able to vote someone one, go to theur allies the very next round and set up a betrayal of somoene else with those people. I was a central figure in 3 back to back to back blindsides, and I had my choice of options in howe to get to the end and who with effectively.

So its not that I fluked my way here and just overcame the adversity. I worked my social game. I worked myy strategicl game and dedicated a hell of a lot of time doing it. I was ruthless at times, cold blooded when I had to be, used every trick in the book to weazel, hustle, snake, and crawl my way though. I tugged on emotions, I carried a pretty damn big target on my back from the first weekend all the way to the end, a target that got bigger, one that I added some negative strings to in order to camoflauge this and made the moves that best suited me to be here. I may have been rusty at times, but I was never dusted.

Anyhow Babydoll, hope this covers what you were lookiing for, if you have anything extra, by all mean let have at it!

Sorry again, it took me til now to reply to this, as I have wanted to have either yours to finish out on. I appreciatr you patience!

Love ya,girl!

[Xena]

Hey Babydoll

Here are my spark notes of the other two finalists games.

Mother Russia:

I think the reason for why you should vote for Mother Russia is because she played a behind the scenes game that allowed her to go unnoticed an keep her finger on the trigger. She only received one vote in this game and that was due to her being so involved with her allies and sliding past them undetected. She has played the underdog game, going from being one of the first girls on Sulaco to be voted out  to final 3. She had been on the right side of multiple votes in this game and has been apart of some of the best moves in this game. She was able to work with all of her enemies and keep them close to her with out every being suspected as a threat until she pop the gun and killed her victims. For someone who has be inactive in this game she was always apart of the important conversations and had people coming to her left right and centre to try and make a move or gain her vote. She has played her own game 100% and has been able to decide for her self how she got here. She is serious player in this game and has proved us all why she deserves to be here.

Selene:

Selene started this game in an incredible position. She one the opening task and used that to her advantage on Sulaco, being able to stay the most social out of all the girls and form allainces with who ever she liked. She used her guaranteed safety to her advantage and using that extra time she had to solidify her core alliances. Despite things not going her way at her first tribal and the beginning of the merge was able to maintain her life in the game and was always able to make herself an option for someone else. Although she lost her two closest allies in this game it didn't stop her from carrying on her game. Once she had lost her allies she saw no other option but to flip her way through to the end all while remaining an open option to the majority of the players. She may not have been trusted by anyone in the end but she was still a vital part to everyone's plan. She secured her spot in the final 3 at final 5 turning on the remaining blue strong preachers and even though she knew she was going to final 3 she still managed to maintain strong social relationships between the remaining players. She has had to fight to be here and things may not have gone her way but she has showed us all why she did get here.

Part two:

The reason for why I should win is not just because I have played a loyal game or a strong social game it is because I set my self up to be here. From the beginning I knew where I wanted to end up and I knew that the best skill I had was my words and likeability. I situated myself into the middle of the game and maintained that situation for the whole game. Despite my failed attempts at making moves I still stay on track and was never distracted by the previous rounds. My game was clean and clear and was to keep myself safe for as long as I could. I made alliances with many people in this game who trusted me and kept me close. I watched their back and they watched my back but in the end it was my self positioning that got me this far. I up front and clear in how I would play and how I would vote, I showed enough respect to the people who I was playing with to be honest with them and to show them that my word was worth something. I may have lost a lot of my allies but I always had choices and options in this game and was always able to choose my path to get me to the end. My moves may not have worked but my over all strategy and game play did. I had one of the most unique games in this game and it has proven to me that it is not a wasted game play seeing that it has gotten me this far all while still maintaining friends, encouragement and support. I never had to fight like my fellow finalist because I never allowed my self to end up in that position. I never had to play a desperate game, My game was not sloppy and my game play was exactly how I wanted it to be. I proved I had endless connections in multiple rounds and was never left on my own to survive. I also pay credit to where credit is due, I can admit that I did not just get here by myself that it was my alliances and the people who had my back who helped me. I always saw a time to congratulate the remaining players on making it so far and it was never to much of a stretch for me to reach out to people on a personal level. I may be the only one who did not have a personal or emotional strategy in this game but I most certainly did play a personal and emotional game with my allies. I do hope you vote for me but I understand if you decide on someone else, all three of us have very different stories.   

[Xena]

I would also like to point out that I have made a point of not throwing people under the bus in this reply because I feel like it is not necessary and I am not a punch lasagne vagina

[Babydoll]

I'm gonna post a lil follow up statement. Not expecting a response this close to deadline.

Selene, you didn't read what I said about not being critical. I wanted an unbiased, two-sentence answer as to what Xena and Mother Russia were arguing.

Xena in your latest post you've claimed you never slammed anyone during FTC but... I dunno, I see a lot of Selene trashing. And it's really not a good look on you at all. I'm disappointed.

Mother Russia you are out of your mind if you think I'm voting for you after the quarter-assed approach you have taken to FTC. Also your dismay for HvV Sandra disgusts me.

Babydoll out.