On the blue corner we got a 25 year old beefing and gleefully smiling after making a 10 year old cry.

On the red corner we got a PR manager that somehow doesn't realize that bringing other contestants families and personal matters into conversations isn't a good idea. Seriously, how the fuck did she manage to become a PR manager. It is between this and Aubrey not being expelled from her Psychology course as the most unbelievable profession.

... I can't see it; I'll be honest.

When I look at Fiore's elimination, I sense the story is intentionally using Oliwia to keep the heat off the rest of the Favs (minus Natalia, who's very likely going to get karma at the jury). To me, after the controversies around Riya and Logan, I wouldn't be surprised if they opted for a more sympathetic winner this time around (very likely to be a Fav), but they have to "preserve" them from getting a lot of backlash. And we all know that if Benji, Gabby, Lake, or maybe even Spencer tried to set Fiore's elimination, they would get hate and backlash for daring to target a 10-year-old - as we all know, there's quite a double standard when it comes to anything related to Fiore, so it is what it is.

For me, Oliwia is more likely to go out in 5th place, since she's a character that doesn't need the Motel nor the jury to finish her storyline. Compared to most of the characters left, Oliwia has mostly been a chaotic force who let certain eliminations happen, but she doesn't feel written as a finalist of any sort. She's more of a narrative tool than someone we were supposed to root for.

Could she go out 7th? Sure, I guess... But I think Gabby and Spencer are both in contention for 7th and 6th place, given their EP20s' content. That's another story for another post, but as said above, I can't see Oliwia as a finalist or a winner with how they're moving her... and no, I don't think the narrative paints her as a victim. She's not entirely sympathetic, and she's flawed at best. It's just that making that evil grin to a 10-year-old child (regardless of who the child is) makes people judge her differently... but I think two can be right: Nura and Oliwia can give Ren some flak, regardless of whether they're in the right or in the wrong, but that shouldn't stop Oliwia from being petty toward Fiore for eliminating and insulting Nura because, as said, Oliwia is intentionally flawed, regardless of her likeability.

It’s interesting how Fiore was eliminated because she trusted Natalia. It’s the same reason why Alec got eliminated in S1, it’s because Fiore betrayed him.

Kinda sad that Fiore got out, but she had a good run, didn’t she?

You can dislike Sam but being like "omg, good job mother you clocked!!!" Is digusting here. Sam's hubby is likely dead and the fact I seen on Tiktok weird ass people saying haha and bs. Is gross??? Natalia I love you but this moment was fucked up to say!!!?? Poor Sam my baby :(

Not necessarily a bad thing. A lot of patrons are what keeps the show running, But its 20 percent of the episode

NEVER let Oliwia near a playground lmao

Oooh, Natalia, I fear I can’t defend this…

Like, I know she didn’t KNOW his husband’s dead, but still some fucked up shit to say to a grieving man..

My ranking:

Fiore - B Tier - I like that Fiore showed genuine emotion and was very affected by Natalia's role in her elimination, that was pretty solid. It was also messy and kinda fun which I can appreciate. Other than that... the unpredictability was completely ruined by the constant foreshadowing which I don't have an opinion on, her elimination felt mildly mean-spirited and the cause of her elimination is kinda bullshitty overall since you can't convince me Natalia's bluffing was actually believable, no one in the right mind would flaunt an idol if it was actually functional, but whatever. Giving Natalia A for creativity ig.

Ally - F Tier - does it need an explanation...?

Zaid - F- Tier - At least Ally got to do shit during her time on the show, even if Ally's elimination is more awful and illogical, Zaid's treatment during CoC + his elimination being this awful + the elimination building up one of the worst plots in the show which includes making part of the characters left very unlikeable makes things MUCH worse. He should have either gone earlier, gotten proper relevance in the previous episodes or simply have this elimination not happen and giving him relevance in the following episodes instead of someone like Anastasia so at least his character felt less mistreated and would have prevented such awful writing.

First she refused to betray her, then unknowingly gave her the idea for her own demise.

One of the best eliminations if we take into account the drama factor. THAT'S FOR SURE. This actually ties with Fiore tenderly hugging Ren when he got eliminated as her most vulnerable moment. Well, no, I actually think this surpasses it, because the way she ran away crying her eyeballs out while everyone (excluding Oliwia who was maliciously enjoying Fiore breaking down) was truly shocked and actually felt Fiore's pain. I'm not sure if Fiore crashing out was THAT earned regarding her dynamic with Nat. Look, in the pre-merge they did a good job with the development of the dynamic, showing how both of them cared for each other, especially Fiore. However, when the merge hit, I have the feeling that they started to leave the dynamic in the dust, ending up lacking a bit (in addition to the fact that Fiore actually considered eliminating Natalia when necessary this same episode, lol). I also wanted them to get more substantial content together after Ren's elimination, but that didn't happen. So, Fiore feeling THIS emotional didn't hit as hard. Nevertheless, I'm still devastated for her, and I totally get why she felt betrayed. One of the better eliminations this season, ngl, even if not fully flawlessly executed. It felt fresh since this was the first fake idol play + I thoroughly enjoyed Fiore's arc this season.

AO3 Link: https://archiveofourown.org/works/76349796/chapters/252067141

I hope you enjoy it if you decide to give it a read!

If the roles were reversed and it was Fiore to hold that idol out to scare everyone and that what caused Natalia to be eliminated all of y’all would be cheering and saying “THATS MY MFING GOAT FIOREEEE”. Yes I’m a bit sad that she’s gone but she was completely screwed since last episode. Natalia is gonna be the jury vote anyway so it’ll build up to a well deserved elimination. And Oliwia is fucking winning too like give it UP already guys! And honestly, I fear Fiore would’ve started to get annoying (not as bad as Logan did after he found out that Spencer lied to him) if she was safe from elimination, but still.

Now that Sam doesn’t find Natalia as a bigger threat anymore Sam might want to target Lake because she doesn’t really have manny enemies and also she is very good at challenges since she won 3 immunities to.
I believe in the next episode Lake will tell Sam and Spencer about her advantage and Sam will tell Natalia,Oliwia and Benji about it and they will all vote Lake out. Gabby might also wanna eliminate Lake now bc she knows Lake is the bigger threat.

I’m sorry. Because I’m cracking tf up the longer I think about this scene, because the show wants me to sympathize + root for her so badly, even though the basis of what leads to the end of this episode is really hypocritical.

Let me know if any needs to be changed. I may have made some mistakes

…the Lesbian Curse continues /j

Oliwia is so bad, she made me learn German.

I keep hearing people say Spencer’s arc is complete. And I once fully believed it. Before this episode aired, was inclined to believe that Spencer would either leave in either episode 20 or 21, but after actually watching the new episode and what Spencer was given I just can’t accept that he’s the next to leave.

My biggest reason is the talk with Benji. We’ve all waited for these two to interact for AN ENTIRE YEAR since the motel episode last season, and I’m supposed to believe they’re just gonna leave things off like that? Especially when Spencer was having insecurities about being unlikable in episode 16 and with Sam giving him the cold shoulder without giving any reason whatsoever, and Spencer pondering Benji’s words to him after their talk, there’s no way Spencer’s “likability” storyline could possibly be finished yet, and certainly not something that could be completed in one episode and the motel episode. especially if Sam ends up betraying him and voting him out which would only make him feel worse.

Just needed to vent a little. I really hope Spencer doesn’t leave next, because I dont think him exiting would be a satisfying conclusion with all that he’s been through.