Ashanti - Congrats on making it to FTC. I'm very impressed with the game you played. You seemed to navigate through alliances until F7 perfectly. Then, it became apparent that you and Kellen were playing the best games, and you became a threat. This is something I brought to your attention before I was voted out. My question for you is... Do you think keeping Kellen, the other major threat in the game, could be your downfall in winning the whole thing? Do you think your physical dominance should be rewarded over his social dominance?

Thank you so much, Tyler! It was a pleasure to play with you again. I do think Kellen being here does somewhat threaten my opportunity to win. I didn't want him here simply on that notion alone, though he managed to weasel his way out of fire by deceiving Juan. However, I do believe I played a game equal to if not better than him. Immunities are an integral part of this game, without them Survivor wouldn't be what it is. I think it's quite unfair for my fellow finalists to discredit my wins when I needed them to get to this point. They're right, I DID need to go an immunity streak to get to this point, which is a testament to the threatening presence I offered in this game. There were two consecutive opportunities where I could've been dealt with and taken out of the game, but the two sitting next to me miscalculated the benefits of keeping me here (specifically during the Kevin vote) and I did what I needed to do.

A physical game is just as sustaining as a social game, and even then I pride myself on having excelled at approaching the game socially (see: touchy subjects) and strategically. You could argue that my lack of vulnerability weakens my game, but I was an already vulnerable player to begin with. There was no way I could survive a vote F7 onwards without immunity based off of the resumé I had already built for myself. Most, if not all, knew what they were getting into when the merge came around and I was still here. Compared to Kellen who simply outwitted and outlasted, I was the only one of us three who outplayed.

I'm not discrediting your wins, you earned them and deserved them. You won the outplayed portion I agree.

"Compared to Kellen who simply outwitted and outlasted, I was the only one of us three who outplayed."

I do feel like you are discrediting my outwit and outlast portions of the game, by saying I "simply" did that when that's 2/3 portions of the game though.

I wasn't discrediting your ability to outwit and outlast at all, though. I credited you for your achievements with no intent to minimize them. I was merely highlighting the fact that I was the only one who managed to encompass all three aspects of the game. I do feel as though you've both used my necessity to win competitions, and doing so, as some sort of knock against my game to uplift yours as evident through your speeches/answers. And while that may be the case that neither of you didn't HAVE to rely on immunities to get to this point, I don't think that being a situation for me in anyway devalues my game which was what had been insinuated prior.

With all due respect to you and your game, Ashanti, I don't know how you encompassed all three elements when you needed to win comps to stay in the game. I totally respect that aspect of your game, but had you lost any of the comps after f8, the votes were there to send you home and I personally just don't see how that makes you a well-rounded player or shows that you had a solid social game.

Kevin Martin, winner of BBCanada (yes, I know this isn't Big brother but it still applies), once said "If you are ever at a point in the game where you need to win competitions you have done something wrong on the social level". I think this holds true for this situation.

3/7 votes received.

And with all due respect to your take, Zach, but I already acknowledged my awareness of the fact that without immunity I was out of the game. That doesn't knock anything I did socially, as I was already considered a threat for most of this game. One can be a threat and still manage to excel at the social game. My case being that everyone was already conscious of the fact that I was a strong player and at some point would need to go. My social game showed through the personal relationships I forged with every contestant, you included, so I do think you're devaluing my achievements in that sense.

I think it's quite incomparable for you to cite a series that is totally different in terms of its dynamics and mechanics and apply it to my case, as it just doesn't make sense. I never stopped playing the game when I won those immunities, I never stopped continuing my relationships with players when I won those immunities. My social game was there, yet you choose to ignore it.

Honestly though the fact that Ashanti has been slaying challenges since day 1, quite literally, and still managed to get to the finale despite few opportunities of being able to get him out means that he did something right, wouldn’t you agree guys?

Personally for me, I believe a true social player can keep themself safe even without immunities.

I agree that he definitely did somethings right to keep himself safe at the few spots where he wasn't vulnerable and I can respect that, but I simply believe that a true social threat doesn't need comp wins to stay safe. Talking and being friendly with people from start to finish in the game is one thing, but getting people to not vote you when you aren't immune is another, and I do believe based on everything I was hearing and seeing during the merge phase that you would have gone home had you lost any comp after final 8. Maybe you could have turned it around and gotten people to save you, who knows, but that opportunity never came about because you yourself say you needed to win or you were going home.

Your comp record is undeniable, but if you were definitely going home had you not won a challenge (or multiple challenges for that matter), then that shows a lack of social game undoubtedly.

I don't think it >undoubtedly< shows a lack of social game at all, however. I disagree with your downplaying of crafted relationships as I feel as though that is the most utmost key part of a social game. The idea of fending for myself without immunity teeters more on the line of strategy as at that point it would be nonsensical from a game standing to have someone like me in the game remaining. (Though, I managed to leave both rounds unscathed.) My reputation preceded me for most of this game and that was always going to be my downfall if ever in a position of vulnerability. That doesn't place my social standing into question, as someone can be well liked and socially engrained and still be a person-of-interest (i.e: Nathan).

I think it's safe to say that we agree to disagree on the matter.

100% Ashanti did things right in this game. The immunity wins are undeniable, that I respect. However, there are three stages of the game. I believe I won the social and strategy stages, while Ashanti won the physical. That seems to be the jury's consensus anyways. In no way am I trying to take away from that aspect of Ashanti's game.

Ashanti played a good game and great physical game and that is known. I'm not going to sit here and take that away. Yes Ashanti did things right in this game, we all did.

Well well well...

Congratulations you three. It takes a lot to get here and all three of you did it in very unique interesting ways.

I have one question directed for each of you and another for the whole group.

Ashanti, when I voted out Brad he told me directly that YOU would be the one to vote me out. Which leads to me believe you had a pre-existing relationship in the game that made it so you were dedicated to my utter demise in the game.

Was you pushing oh so hard for me to get idoled out beneficial for your game or was it simply you being a bitter pushover after I eliminated Brad from the game? You said in your speech it was to Isolate Juan but surely it was pretty apparent that Juan was closer to both Zach and Kellen. Also please explain to me what social game you had? From the conversations I had with jurors it seems like you simply relied on immunities, pre-existing relationships, and often would just send negative gifs whenever people didn't vote with you. Is Jury management not a huge deal to you or was it just simply in the game moments that directed these actions? Not to mention Brad also stated he would be sitting on calls with you helping you with immunities. So to me it seems like a big portion of your game (the immunities) are actually thanks to Brad? IF what he said is true. I want to vote for you but for YOU.

Kellen, It's not surprise you clearly outwitted, outlasted, AND outplayed everyone here. You by FAR had the strongest social game out of anyone here. But I think a lot of the jury wants to know what you did strategically to earn their votes.

Zach, I think people are really underestimating your game.... I think from day 1 you were playing HARD you would go on constant calls, chats, and truly did everything you could to set yourself up in a good position. I think mainly people don't see you as a front runner is because you weren't a "big target name" But isn't that something that should be celebrated? To get to the end WHILE making big moves and solid connections is one of THE hardest things to do in this game. Please explain to me and the jury what specific moves were YOUR moves and how you would integrate yourself into a non-threatening position after making such moves.

Question to all 3: If you had to pick 3 jurors to be in your positions, who would they be, why, and who would you vote for?

Anyway xoxo ponderosa queen out.

Kellen- When people are talking about you, I hear the word "manipulator" a lot. Who were the people you manipulated the most, and how did you use them to get where you are in the game?

Ashanti- I feel like I played a way too naive game. And people definitely took advantage of that. I think you were one of those people. Now I want to know why you lied to me. And don't say "It's a game", give me one good reason why you had to lie straight to my face on multiple occasions.

Washed- I'm going to be honest, it does not seem like the jury house is taking you seriously. What is one big move that you

And for all 3 of you, say the best and worst aspect of each of your fellow FTC members

Kellen, It's not surprise you clearly outwitted, outlasted, AND outplayed everyone here. You by FAR had the strongest social game out of anyone here. But I think a lot of the jury wants to know what you did strategically to earn their votes.

I strategically put me in the position to make the moves that got the so called "blood on my hands." I got my way into an alliance with Tyler, Nathan and Arek early merge which allowed me to use the info given there to strategically plan what to do. At this point I had idols and I wanted to strategically put myself in a position to idol Juan or Washed if the votes were going that way. They needed me as a vote, so I thought I would always be in the loop. I strategically worked with Zach to get Juan to vote Zach at the final four, it was strategy to split Ashanti and Juan's votes.

I was able to put myself in a position at f8 where everyone was "alligned with me" except for Ashanti, but even then Ashanti was telling me to not trust nathan and telling me what he would say to him. I then strategically leaked that to Nathan ahead of the Fast Forward to ensure they would be gunning for each other. All my strategic moves were to benefit my social game really and it started at pre-merge by saving Juan. That was strategic because I knew the long-term benefits of the move would out-weigh the risk of sticking my neck out for him.

Then there was just lots of strategy talk between Zach and I about what we would tell people etc. I never stopped strategizing this whole game and it's what got me here.

Question to all 3: If you had to pick 3 jurors to be in your positions, who would they be, why, and who would you vote for?

I would pick Sam, Juan and Arek because I try to be team loyal for as long as I can and I had the strongest allegiance to you three. I would have voted for you to win Sam because you were also playing a strong social and strategic game and I could easily have seen you done what I did had i been idol'd out and not you. Also, you were the next closest ally to me after Zach and we built a friendship from this game. But relationship aside, I just think your game would have been strong socially like mine, but also with the opportunity to win immunities!

Thanks for the questions <3

Ashanti, when I voted out Brad he told me directly that YOU would be the one to vote me out. Which leads to me believe you had a pre-existing relationship in the game that made it so you were dedicated to my utter demise in the game.

Was you pushing oh so hard for me to get idoled out beneficial for your game or was it simply you being a bitter pushover after I eliminated Brad from the game? You said in your speech it was to Isolate Juan but surely it was pretty apparent that Juan was closer to both Zach and Kellen. Also please explain to me what social game you had? From the conversations I had with jurors it seems like you simply relied on immunities, pre-existing relationships, and often would just send negative gifs whenever people didn't vote with you. Is Jury management not a huge deal to you or was it just simply in the game moments that directed these actions? Not to mention Brad also stated he would be sitting on calls with you helping you with immunities. So to me it seems like a big portion of your game (the immunities) are actually thanks to Brad? IF what he said is true. I want to vote for you but for YOU.
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First off, I would like to dispel the statements Brad made about him helping me in challenges and sitting on call with him as they are wildly untrue (I haven't had a formal conversation with that man in YEARS before this game, let alone spoken to him on call). I only talked to Brad briefly actually, and while we did have a pre-existing relationship and were probably gonna work together, he was the only person I knew coming into this game aside from you and Tyler. However, as you can see, I didn't rely much on them! My suggestion to have you go home was with the pure intent of attempting to get closer to Juan. My confessionals will reflect that. Brad didn't even mention you when I messaged him like "wtf" after he went home. His elimination did not influence my game any further than probably bringing me closer to Nathan in the first round of merge, as we were both friends with him.

As for the social game I've boasted throughout the FTC, I do believe that it is present like I've said. I definitely took the time to get to know the players and check-in on them personally. I'm never one to jump straight into gameplay, and I'm drawing a blank when it comes to sending "negative gifs" because I don't recall doing anything of the sort. I think the only occasion that can be perceived this way was after your vote, where I messaged everyone who told me they were voting.. not Tyler and that was intended to be completely harmless joking. Jury management is of course a huge deal to me and I would like to apologize to anyone who was upset by any of my actions throughout the game, it was far from my intention to create a negative environment and present myself as a nasty player.

The immunities were a good portion of my game, but that's not all there was to it. I do believe that I was a strategical and social player for a great part of this game, though my influence notably depletes as the numbers got tighter. I will defend that these immunities were necessary if I wanted any chance to get to this point, as I knew no one wanted me in this game any further than I did.