My Thoughts on Each of the Survivor 50 Players

The Survivor 50 Cast has officially been revealed, and I'm somewhere between whelmed and excited.  I guess you could say my excitement is tempered.  There are a few things I'd like to comment on now, such as no players whose original season was between Seasons 19-31, and how we got 11 players from seasons 45-49.  Definitely some recency bias there.  But man, it is going to be so fun seeming some of these players interact.  For each player, I'm going to rate them on a scale of 1-5 (5 being the highest) on how much I'm personally clamoring to see them back (which includes how much I'll be rooting for them) and what I think their chances of winning are.  

After reviewing each player, I'm going to pick my Top 5 Duos I want to see interact.  Each duo will be someone new, so I won't use the same player for any two duos.   

Also, there are two rumored players from 49 on 50, but I won't comment on them just yet, since I haven't seen them play.  After 49, however, I'll come back and talk about them here.

Here we go, in order of their initial season...

Jenna Lewis-Dougherty - Borneo, All-Stars
How much I want to see: 3
Chances of Winning: 2
They had to have a token Borneo player, and I know people were rooting for Greg, maybe a Colleen or Gervase.  But Jenna works, I guess.  I kind of expect her run to go similarly to Kelly Wigglesworth's in Second Chances.  Possibly a purple edit with no real chance of winning.  But, you never know.  She will certainly not be a threat.  My biggest worry for her is the older players being targeted early, just like they were in Winners at War.

Colby Donaldson - Australian Outback, All-Stars, Heroes vs. Villains
How much I want to see: 4
Chances of winning: 2
I don't think I've even seen what Colby looks like in recent years.  Surely he's nowhere near as athletic.  But he was the first legitimate star of Survivor, with people naming their kids after him.  One thing I've wondered is if he may have had more win equity in HvV than AO.  He had Hero pals on the jury.  If he can make friends and get to the end, you never know.  But like Jenna, I worry about the newbies ganging up on the "oldies".

Stephenie LaGrossa-Kendrick - Palau, Guatemala, Heroes vs. Villains
How much I want to see: 3
Chances of winning: 1
Stephanie couldn't win a season she had an edge on as a captain, so I don't think she'll be capable of winning here.  I actually expect her to be an early boot, like she was on HvV, as I worry about her ingratiating herself with other tribe members, especially more recent players.  Or she could slip on by.  It'll depend on what the main driving force will be on a lot of votes.

Cirie Fields - Panama: Exile Island, Micronesia: Fans vs. Favorites, Heroes vs. Villains, Game Changers
How much I want to see: 2
Chances of winning: 4
Anyone else suffering Cirie fatigue?  That kinda rhymes.  And I didn't even really watch her Traitors season or her international Survivor season.  I worry the show may force her too much on us, or may try to hand her the win.  I'm okay with Cirie winning if it happens, but I don't want it in any way to be given to her.  Honestly, I'm kinda clamoring for her to go out in some way she hasn't gone yet.  

Ozzy Lusth - Cook Islands, Micronesia: Fans vs. Favorites, South Pacific, Game Changers
How much I want to see: 2
Chances of winning: 2
Just... why?  I don't quite get it.  On Game Changers, we saw he had physically declined and could no longer dominate challenges.  That was filmed 9 years before 50 will film.  So Ozzy will have to rely on his social and strategic game.  IF he gets to the end, I could see it, but he'd have to get to the end.  Also, since he got into the adult entertainment industry, I'm surprised they wanted him back.  Hmm.

Coach Wade - Tocantins, Heroes vs. Villains, South Pacific
How much I want to see: 4
Chances of winning: 2
Coach is such a great character, even in his 50s, I'm sure he'll bring something to the show.  I wonder who he will say is the "dragon" of this season.  There are a lot of choices.  And honestly, it'd be smart for a lot of the newer players to bring him along as a potential FTC goat, like Sophie did in SP.  I don't think Coach's chances of winning are a "1", as if he plays a similar game to SP and owns up his game at the end (unlike what he did that season), he has a shot... I guess.

Aubry Bracco - Kaoh Rong, Game Changers, Edge of Extinction
How much I want to see: 1
Chances of winning: 4
Typically, someone fairly smart (often a woman) wins these All-Star-type seasons, like Amber in All-Stars, Parvati in Micronesia, and Sandra in HvV.  Aubry could be that this season.  Is the fourth time the charm?  And yes, I don't really need to see her play again, but it is what it is.  I just think she's really going to fade into the background with larger names taking more focus.

Chrissy Hofbeck - Heroes vs. Healers vs. Hustlers
How much I want to see: 2
Chances of winning: 2
The show definitely "owes" Chrissy due to the stupid twist of forced fire-making that surprised the cast of that season.  I believe Jeff when he says it was planned (and not just put in because Ben was in danger), but I also believe he likely told Chrissy after the season how he probably felt bad with the way it played out and promised her a chance on a returning player season due to that.  Otherwise, her inclusion feels... a bit out of place.  She may get purpled, as I think she's one of the less interesting characters on this cast. 

Christian Hubicki - David vs. Goliath
How much I want to see: 5
Chances of winning: 3
I have been clamoring for his return for years.  Thank goodness.   I think Christian's chances are somewhere in the middle.  He'll definitely have to keep his threat level low enough into the merge, should he make it that far.  If he plays a great game and gets to the end, I could see it.  But the problem is, I don't see him making the end.  

Angelina Keeley - David vs. Goliath
How much I want to see: 3
Chances of winning: 2
It's hard to rank FTC losers higher than a 2 on chances of winning.  The only person to win AFTER losing at a FTC is Boston Rob.  But I'm fairly excited to see Angelina back.  I worry, however, that she won't be as engaging, funny, or meme-worthy.  I really hope she tries to negotiate something with Jeff, and the show would be smart to open that opportunity.  

Mike White - David vs. Goliath
How much I want to see: 2
Chances of winning: 1
Mike is a millionaire already, so he's not going to win.  He would have to play the greatest game we've ever seen.  However, he may be worth a few funny moments on the show.  I just wasn't clamoring to see him, and we know he only got back on due to his friendship with Jeff, and how Jeff very likely told him he'd be on the next non-winners returning players season.

Rick Devens - Edge of Extinction
How much I want to see: 5
Chances of winning: 3
Dude was made for TV, and I'm excited to see him back.  He's kept in touch with the show, being the co-host of the On Fire podcast for a season.  Like Christian, I'll be rooting for him and hope to see him go far, but I'm worried about his chances of getting to the end.  

Jonathan Young - 42
How much I want to see: 4
Chances of winning: 1
Yes, I am putting Jonathan's chances of winning at a 1.  He has little to no social/strategic game, as we saw on 42.  Is there a chance he has some on 50?  Sure, but there's no way it'll be enough for him to win.  His best shot would be to absolutely dominate the individual challenges and be likable enough along the way to win.  But the moment he doesn't win one, he's gone.  I'll still be stoked to see him dominate challenges, and whoever gets him on their tribe is going to be very lucky.

Emily Flippen - 45
How much I want to see: 3
Chances of winning: 3
She can make good points and I think if she gets to the end in 45 against anyone except Dee, she likely wins.  I'm also surprised to see her, as I know she said on social media shortly after 45, that she likely wouldn't play again.  Well, I guess we all have to eat our words at some point.  There are certain players I know she won't like, such as Coach, Q, and Jonathan, and she's very likely to have someone like that on her starting tribe.  

Dee Valladares - 45
How much I want to see: 2
Chances of winning: 2
I almost wanted to put Dee's chances at a 1, but Sandra pulled off the back-to-back wins, and they have similar games, so I could see it.  But man, I wish they hadn't cast winners.  It'll be interesting to see how she downplays it.  I could see her being an early target, or make it very far.  High variance player to say the least.

Quintavius "Q" Burdette - 46
How much I want to see: 4
Chances of winning: 1
Like Coach, Q is such a great character for TV.  I cannot see him winning, however.  His problem is that I don't think he'd be taken seriously enough.  He's kind of like the male Angelina that way.  But he is going to have some interesting interactions with people, I can almost guarantee that.

Charlie Davis - 46
How much I want to see: 4
Chances of winning: 3
Charlie is the young white male who's come the closest to winning in the New Era, technically losing by a single vote.  I don't think he'll be considered a threat, which is good for him.  I wonder if he'll find another Maria on 50, perhaps Jenna, Chrissy, or heck, even Cirie.  I'd be down for any of those duos.

Tiffany Ervin - 46
How much I want to see: 1
Chances of winning: 3
I'm really perplexed by this one.  There are plenty of African-American women in the New Era to choose from, and they go with... Tiff.  Here's a list I'd personally rather see: Shan, Drea, Lauren, and Sai, and Star.  All to me are either better players or characters.  Tiff is a well-rounded Survivor player, but I don't think she excels at anything.  Perhaps she'll be the Wentworth of the season and blossom more of a player and character.  

Genevieve Mushaluk - 47
How much I want to see: 2
Chances of winning: 4
I was a bit surprised by this pick, mostly because Gen was purpled in the pre-merge on her season.  I really like her chances, but I worry because of the All-Star cast that she'll get purpled again.  If she wins, they better not.  There are so many threats that she could sneak by and be the Parvati/Amber of the season.

Kyle Fraser - 48
How much I want to see: 1
Chances of winning: 1
Like... why?  I don't dislike Kyle at all.  As a character, he was mid.  Not boring, but not the most engaging, either.  As a player, well, he just won, so why?  Kyle ties Jenna (6 and 8) and JT (18 and 20) as the players who returned most quickly after winning.  Neither of them did particularly well on their returning seasons, although Jenna left of her own accord.  I cannot see Kyle doing well, and his target as a winner will either carry him as a goat or be a target for him at some point.

Joe Hunter - 48
How much I want to see: 2
Chances of winning: 2
I just finished his season, so I'm not exactly clamoring to see him back at the moment, especially considering he wasn't the most interesting character.  Will he find another Eva this season?  There aren't many options for someone of that archetype.  I could see him trying to Godfather his way through the season but be on the outs at some point, like Boston Rob was on WaW.  He's got almost no shot.

Kamilla Karthigesu - 48
How much I want to see: 3
Chances of winning: 4
Yes, I actually want to see Kamilla back, but I wasn't counting on it with Kyle.  They'll likely be put on different starting tribes, however, but if they both make it to the merge, Kyle better do everything in his power to help her.  Although I could definitely see if they both make the merge, that putting a target on both of their backs.  But Kamilla is one of the smarter players in recent history.  I could see it.  If she did win, she would tie Jeremy Collins (29-31) in the quickest return from the game to a winning season.  Boston Rob also won two seasons after he played, but his winning game was his fourth time playing. 

And there are two players on 49 who are also on 50, who I did see who they are, but I won't spoil it here.  But at this point, I would give each of their "want to see" scores a 1 and a chances of winning also a 1, because no one has won any season playing back-to-back.  

And as previously promised, here are 5 duos I'm excited to see interact:

- Christian and Kamilla
Or Christian with anyone smart.  I want to see them decode a really tough puzzle together.  That'd be fun.  

- Coach and Q
Can you imagine the chaos?  I bet Coach will make Q his dragon if the opportunity arises.

- Colby and Jonathan
The OG challenge beast and the New Era challenge beast.  I know Jonathan must look up to Colby, so this would be cool to see.  I know Jonathan is good friends with Boston Rob, so this is a natural fit.

- Cirie and Devens 
Or Charlie, Christian, really any likable younger man.  I bet she'll bond with someone like that.  

- Aubry and Emily
I bet they will form an instant connection if given the chance.  Let's hope they are.  

And lastly, just for organization's sake, here's everyone ranked by their chances of winning:

1's: 
Stephanie LaGrossa-Kendrick
Mike White
Jonathan Young
Q Burdette
Kyle Fraser

2's: 
Jenna Lewis-Dougherty
Colby Donaldson
Ozzy Lusth
Coach Wade
Chrissy Hofbeck
Angelina Keeley
Dee Valladares
Joe Hunter

3's: 
Christian Hubicki
Rick Devens
Emily Flippen
Charlie Davis
Tiffany Ervin

4's: 
Cirie Fields
Aubry Bracco
Genevieve Mushaluk
Kamilla Karthigesu

And I did not give out any 5's.  Well, it's hard to figure out what each player's threat levels are going to be like coming into this.  And I didn't really want to hand out any 5's because that's basically giving away my winner pick.  Anyway, I'll come back and add the players from 49 once that is over, and probably do another post or two about this cast before the season even airs.  

My Votes in Each Round of Survivor 50's Fan Voting

Survivor 50: In the Hands of the Fans (Lame title, IMO) has started its online voting as they're going to allow fans to have an impact on certain game elements.  A lot are cosmetic, but some will impact how the showrunners and producers run the game.  Here are the rounds and votes so far, what I said for each, and why.  

ROUND 1

Rice or no rice?  

I said: Rice

I think Survivors play a more intelligent and well-thought-out game when they aren't nearly starving to death.  Operation Italy doesn't happen in 47 without the food reward.  Give them rice, I say.  Yes, I like Survivor to be tough, but this still allows the game to be tough.  They had rice in S2: The Australian Outback, one of the toughest seasons.  It also adds a potential layer of drama with someone maybe eating too much rice, them using up too much too soon, or someone not cooking the rice well.  

Forced Fire-Making at Final 4?

I said: No Fire-Making

I wish Jeff understood that by introducing Final 4 Firemaking, it only made it so that the threats were taken out even sooner, and we got less time with them.  Some say Ben only won HHH because of this, but I say he only won it because of all the idols he kept finding.  So if Jeff wants big names like Ben to get to the end, allow Idols to be good through the Final 4.  Also, if you're a good enough player, you can stay under the radar, and you'll be a part of the majority at Final 4.  Allow firemaking if there's a deadlock at Final 4, sure, but let them have a chance to vote first.  

Live Reunion in Los Angeles or Fiji Aftershow?

I said: Live Reunion in Los Angeles

This is a no-brainer.  The Fiji aftershow is downright cruel to the final tribal council losers.  At least give them time to reflect on their game and prepare themselves for what to say if they lose.  Plus, the live reunion allows us to get all players in on it, not just the ones who made the jury.  I'm tired of the pre-jurors getting snubbed.  

Tribe Colors

I said: Orange, Teal, and Purple

First off, *sigh*, it looks like it's going to be another three tribe season.  No way one of the three is the merge tribe.  Anyway, it was between this and Blue, Orange, and Green for me.  I chose the one I did because we don't see teal enough as a tribe color.  But the remaining two options each contained colors that have been used 3+ times in the New Era.  My second choice would've been Blue, Orange, and Green, because those are my three favorite colors.  I guess I'd also be okay with Red, Green, and Yellow, since those were the colors in the first returning player season ever (All-Stars, Season 8), so it would pay homage to that.

ROUND 2

Final 4 Challenge

I said: Simmotion

What can I say, I love Simmotion.  If you don't know, it's the one where you have to constantly catch the balls out of the chutes and put them back on top as they make their way down a mechanism, and you slowly add more balls to it, increasing the difficulty.  It really does a good job of showing which Survivors still have the best focus in the game.  Plus, it's a classic going back to (at least) S18: Tocantins.  I decided against the Final 4 challenge from 46 because pre-game alliances could affect whether someone decides to help another player here.  They could abandon their puzzle and help the other player know when to catch their ball.  I don't think people want to see that.  The third option looked way too similar to dozens of other new era challenges: an obstacle course with a puzzle at the end.  Easy one to rule out.  

Advantages: How much power?

I said: Minimal power

There is a fine line between too many advantages and not enough.  I think the consensus on it is less than what Jeff and production think, which is why I chose "minimal" power.  Also, let the players play.  They will be legends of the game, after all.  And yes, a lot of great game moments have come from an idol or advantage being involved, but typically not multiple, and typically it's a situation not too convoluted or complex to understand.  Lastly, there's a good chance a lot of viewers will be returning to the show for the first time in years, likely due to a returning player they like, so they really shouldn't overcomplicate the game for anyone returning after not watching the past dozen seasons or more.  

Tribe Swap or No Tribe Swap?

I said: Tribe Swap

This one I debated on.  I don't like how the showrunners have only used a tribe swap when a tribe has struggled in the New Era.  It should be more random.  If they keep it up, players may throw a challenge to avoid a tribe swap.  But maybe they want that.  Anyway, tribe swaps add a layer of complexity to the game, and especially for a returning player season, we will want to see as many interactions between players as possible.  If this were a newbie season we were voting on, I'd likely say "no swap" since I like to see tribal lines tested, not blurred.  But again, returning player season.  Got to have as many interactions as possible.

ROUND 3

Immunity Necklace Design

I said: Option B (Bird and wingspan make up half of the necklace)

Option A isn't bad, but minus the bird emblem, it looks like dozens of other immunity necklaces.  Option B, however, is pretty sick.  The literal wingspan of the bird makes up half the necklace.  You would look like you literally have a mythical bird on your chest when wearing it.  Whereas the other one is relegated to a round emblem on the bottom of it.  

Tribe Supplies

I said: Give them Tribe Supplies

This goes with the rice, so I'm sure people will typically have the same answer for this as they did for rice.  I said to give them supplies.  The "sweat vs. savvy" and the one-on-ones in recent seasons have been underwhelming and a waste of time, frankly.  Don't make whether or not they have a pot or machete yet or flint a part of the game.  Let the players be the focus.  Also, why even have this be a part of the game if they don't even bother to show the tribes struggling when they don't have supplies?

Twists

I said: Keep them straightforward/rare

I'm a big fan of old school Survivor.  New School has had its fun with twists, but I fear introducing twists could leave older players in the dust, strategically.  Like in Winners at War, I don't want to see all the old school players go early.  Give them a chance.  Keep the game simple and give them a chance to run their game without having twists they wouldn't have had to worry about on their original season(s). 

ROUND 4

Idols or No Idols?

I said: No Idols

A bit disappointing this final round of voting only had one thing for us to vote on.  I voted "No Idols", but I could've been convinced to vote the other way.  I voted "No Idols" to basically spite Jeff and the producers.  The way they word some of these, they think we can't have a good season of Survivor anymore without a bunch of twists and idols and advantages.  But here's the other thing: I'd rather have a season with no idols than a season with too many idols.  I think this vote will be a bit close and I ultimately think there being Idols will win, but I just wanted to show Jeff and production more of us want a less twist and Idol-heavy season than he may think.

Rating New Era Survivor Twists and Changes

Something I still need to do, being a big fan of Survivor, is rating the new ERA twists and changes.  I'm gonna recall from memory each twist added or change made to the game since the start of 41, and then give it a rating out of 10.  A 10/10 is a perfect idea, and I honestly don't know if I'd give that to any twist in Survivor history, including the hidden immunity idol, so you won't be seeing that here.  A 0/10 would be an idea that is so asinine, whoever came up with it should be fired.  

There may be the occasional advantage that I have forgotten, but if I forget it, it's because it had such little impact on the game, and therefore isn't worth rating.

26 Day Format: 3/10
I don't think I'll ever fully come around on this.  Leave it to Survivor to stick with the 26-day format after COVID restrictions end since it's cheaper.  The bad thing about it is that it doesn't allow for close bonds to form or for people to struggle out there.  There's no time for the game to breathe, in a sense.  It feels like when Survivor reduced its quantity, it also reduced its quality.

No food/losing flint if immunity is lost: 5/10
I'm okay with teams suffering a penalty if they lose, although going to tribal council should be penalty enough.  But taking away flint doesn't have the impact it used to, since they are given access to clean drinking water, and the pre-merge lasts no more than 2 weeks.  Meanwhile, odds are each player will eventually get access to food via some sort of reward.  It seems like taking away flint is just for show, and honestly shouldn't even be mentioned anymore.  It's not an awful idea, just an unnecessary one that adds nothing to the show.  Also, I might add, taking away flint from the losers only increases the chance that they'll lose again, thus creating a "disaster" tribe that enters the merge with only 3 or even 2 members.  

Hourglass Twist: 1/10
The hourglass twist is easily one of the dumbest things Survivor producers have implemented.  The worst part is that people who rightfully won immunity had it stripped away from them.  If anything, the hourglass twist should have made them replay the challenge, and see if we get the same result--although that wouldn't have made for as good of TV: seeing the same challenge done twice.  Maybe they could've used a different challenge.  But heaven forbid Survivor pay for another challenge set.  

Knowledge is Power: 5/10
This is an advantage that has yet to work, other than causing people to swap their idols and advantages.  That effect really made it confusing to track who had what.  It did create some good moments, such as Dwight going home with Jeanine's idol in 43 and her shock at finding out, even though the KiP wasn't shown on that season.  I wouldn't hate it if they brought it back, but I'd rather it be tweaked a little.  My suggestion is that if the owner of the KiP can correctly name who has an idol or advantage, you get an extra vote.  I don't think people's idols/advantages should be able to be stolen.  

Reunion not live/held right away: 2/10
I understand not being able to do it in the early stages of the new era due to COVID, but just like with 26 days, again Survivor sticks with it since it's a cost-cutting measure.  I really hate it because players are not given the chance to think about and digest their games.  I also love hearing the audience's reaction to the votes being read, and without it, the result always feels subdued.  It's like seeing the final out of the World Series but no one in the stands to cheer on.  Bring back the live reunion!  

Most idols being beware advantages: 6/10
I can live with this.  The reason I kind of like this is that it doesn't allow players to keep finding idols easily and playing them one after the other, like Ben in HHH.  It makes players work for it.  Idols were getting too easy to find, so adding steps to "activate" or find their idols made it more difficult.  I wish players didn't lose their votes until they fully found or activated their idol, but there's got to be some "punishment" to it, I guess.  I was not a fan of having to wait for a certain phrase to be said at the immunity challenge mat chat like we saw in 41 and 42.  I much prefer having to accomplish something, like getting beads in 43 or the cage twist in 44, and not having to rely upon someone from another tribe.  

Amulet(s): 4/10
Again, another idea that just falls flat.  We've seen this now in 42 and 45, and each time it just seems to put a target on people's backs.  I think if the showrunners try it a third time and the players are given the option, I think they'll choose not to have it.  I get that they're trying to create cross-tribal alliances, but all they're doing is making them targets for one another.  They should change it so that the combined amulets become more powerful so long as all owners are still in the game at certain points.  All three make it to the merge?  Extra vote.  Final 10?  Steal a vote.  Final 6?  Full-blown idol.  But they haven't really laid out who gets control of the advantage once it gets those points, so that'd be interesting to see...

Shot in the Dark: 7/10
The "SitD" as I call it, is one of the better new era ideas.  It creates drama when there likely is none.  Obvious boot?  Well, there's still the shot in the dark, which could save them!  It also adds a layer of strategy, because you have to decide if losing your vote is worth it.  For example, in 41, if Sydney hadn't played her shot in the dark and instead had voted, she likely survives.  I just can't rate it higher than 7/10, because, to me, it overcomplicates the game a bit.  With SitD's being transferrable and only able to be played once, I now have to keep track of who currently has their SitD?  There comes a point where there's just too much to keep track of.  

"Merge-atory": 4/10
Jeff says that you have to "earn the merge".  You know what, Jeff?  They earned the merge by getting that far in the game, you dick.  Fortunately, it's a lot better without the hourglass twist, but I'm still very against the idea of likely only 6/13 people being eligible to be voted for.  I also do not like when they add a layer of luck to the game, because some good players can get unlucky and have to leave the game, and a layer of luck is added when they randomly divide them into two teams.  

Split Tribal at Final 12 or 10: 2/10
Just... stop this.  Please.  I get having to have two people be voted out in one episode.  But instead of dividing them into two teams of 5 or 6, just have two tribal councils with all 10 or 12 people.  We've lost some decent players because of this awful twist, such as Matt in 44.  It adds another layer of luck that I am not a fan of.  And I think they've done this in seasons before 41 (Ghost Island, for one), but since it's been used every season since the start of the new era, I consider this a "New Era" twist.  

Three tribe format: 4/10
The worst part of this three-tribe format is that they never swap into two tribes.  I'm okay watching three-team immunity challenges, because there's usually some drama, either between 1st and 2nd or 2nd and 3rd.  But only having 6 players per tribe is getting very tiresome.  There's not much room to maneuver as a player, and if you are put on a struggling tribe, you will likely not make the merge.  Also, if there is one tribe having a lot of success that never goes to tribal council, the whole tribe could end up getting purpled, like we saw with the Coco tribe in 41.  If we had a regular two-tribe format, we likely see J.D. in 41 at the merge.  But because his tribe struggled so much pre-merge, he was voted out.  

Do or Die: 1/10
I almost gave this a 0/10, because it was that bad.  What saves it from that 0 mark is the fact you can opt out of the challenge, therefore not risking elimination via a game of chance.  I wish everyone had opted out of one of these, just to spite the showrunners.  Fortunately, each time the Do or Die did not work, saving Deshawn and Lindsay.  Thank goodness they stopped it after 42.  But much like with the hourglass twist, it breaks a Survivor cardinal sin.  This time, you can get eliminated from the game without a single vote against you.  You could be playing a perfect game, but because you wanted to compete in a challenge, you get eliminated from the game.  If it had eliminated someone, I wonder if Jeff was going to say, "The tribe has spoken".  Probably not.  

Choose Your Champion: 7/10
We've only seen this once, in 43, and unfortunately, we might not see it again.  Essentially, you choose who you think will win an immunity challenge, and if they do, you win immunity as well.  I wish the reveal was done sooner, rather than at tribal council.  I think people should know if they can vote for you or not.  But I guess it's like an idol, which a lot of people don't get to know about.  But I liked the element of how well people know their tribemates.  I think they should incorporate these for reward as well.

Sweat or Savvy/Earning Supplies: 4/10
I'm just not a big fan of having to "earn" your supplies.  As viewers, what do we care if someone has their supplies or not... honestly?  They kept tweaking the sweat vs. savvy challenges.  At first, they were too easy, then they were too hard, then they just got rid of it.  They clearly couldn't design sweat vs. savvy to be the right difficulty.  For 47, they made a "captain" from each of the losing tribes compete in a kind of scavenger hunt, which is slightly more fun to watch.  But again... why do we care?

Average: 3.93/10
The twists and changes in the new era have largely been disappointing.  Survivor's at its best when its a slowly evolving game, and I felt like in the new era, they did too much too fast.  I like how bad ideas were phased out, such as the hourglass or "Do or Die".  I wish they'd go back to two tribes or 39 days, but we can't always get what we want, can we?  Anyway, that's all I have for now, but if there are any others, I'll add them to the list and give my thoughts.

Top 10 Celebrities I'd Realistically Like to see on the Masked Singer

The Masked Singer has become a hit TV show, one I got myself into and have seen every episode of.  I generally enjoy singing competitions, but the identity of each masked person is really the reason to watch the show.  My favorite performer won Season 1, in which the Monster turned out to be T-Pain.  My favorite performer of Season 2 was the Rottweiler AKA Chris Daughtry, but he finished as the runner up.  So far in this third season, I've only seen two of the three groups, and my favorite is either the Turtle or the Kitty.

Which led me to thinking, which celebrities would I most like to see on the show?  Now we're never gonna see huge A-List celebrities like Taylor Swift, Dwayne Johnson, Beyonce, or Oprah.  But here are some common traits I've noticed in a lot of the celebrity performers so far:

- Being a parent
A lot of the celebrity performers have done the show for their kids, namely Tony Hawk, Lil Wayne, Chris Daughtry, and Ricki Lake.  If a celebrity is a parent of kids under the age of 18, there's a good chance.

- A celebrity that's laid back, likes to do fun competition-type things
Most celebrities on TMS have been fun people who like to just go out and have fun themselves, such as Drew Carey.  They don't consider themselves above doing such things.

- Has something to prove, musically or performance-wise
Whether's it's that they still got it, or that they're capable of rapping and singing, or that they're capable of being on a stage and letting their voice be heard, each has had something to prove.

So which celebrities fulfill these (generally) qualities that I would love to see?  Heck, perhaps one or two of these are on Season 3 and just haven't been revealed yet.  Generally, these are celebrities that have connections to the judging panel or the host, Nick Cannon, but not always.

10. Cobie Smulders
I have her so low because I don't think she would do this show, but I'm not positive.  She does have two daughters, one of which is 10 and might watch the show.  I'd want her on because of her connection to Nicole Scherzinger.  On How I Met Your Mother, they played former singing partners.  I would just love to see Nicole's reaction to Cobie.  And Cobie can kind of sing, as we heard her do on that show as "Robin Sparkles".

9. Yvette Nicole Brown
Of course the main reason I'd want her to do TMS is because of her connection to Ken Jeong through the show "Community".  She also does have a talented singing voice.  It can be heard on a few episodes of Drake and Josh, where she played the theater manager they worked at.  She doesn't have kids that I know of, but that wouldn't stop her.

8. Jim Carrey
A-List celebrity?  Perhaps.  But we know his stage presence would be on point.  And being Jenny McCarthy's ex would make it interesting to see her reaction.  He's one of my favorite celebrities, and with him not really doing A-List movies anymore, it wouldn't shock me.  If you do a Google search for "Jim Carrey singing", you can see he is not uncomfortable at all with singing in front of people.  Perhaps he wants to prove that singing is one of his talents.

7. Amanda Bynes
Hear me out.  Yes, she's been out of the spotlight for a long time.  But what if she wanted to prove something?  She's been sober for at least four years now, and what a way it would be to come back into Hollywood, if she wanted to.  She was in Hairspray in 2007, so she can hold a tune.  Her long-time connection to Nick Cannon through All That make her unmasking maybe one of the best ever.  Nick's reaction would be priceless.  She said she's retired from acting, but TMS isn't acting, it's singing.

6. Brittany Snow
Brittany is currently starring on a TV show called "Almost Family", which by the way, is on FOX, same as TMS.  She does have some singing talent as she was in Hairspray and the Pitch Perfect trilogy.  Finally, she does have a connection to one of the TMS panelists, Jenny McCarthy.  Jenny played her mom in the film "John Tucker Must Die".  I would love to see Brittany on the show, especially since I used to have a huge crush on her.

5. Bow Wow
Formerly "Lil Bow Wow", Bow Wow would be an interesting addition on TMS.  In terms of Hip Hop artists, they've had T-Pain and Lil Wayne, so Bow Wow would not be a stretch.  He has supposedly retired from rapping, but perhaps he wants one more crack at performing on a stage?
Comment: Bow Wow was actually on The Masked Singer as the Frog!  I definitely liked his performances.

4. Whoopi Goldberg
We know she can sing, and Whoopi may want to prove she's still got it.  She's no stranger to appearing on crazy shows, as she guested on "Whose Line Is It Anyway" before.  She would definitely get one of the best reactions from the panel, despite not being closely tied to any of them.

3. Kevin McHale
We know he can sing from his time on Glee, but what we didn't get to see too much of on Glee were his dance moves.  Playing a paraplegic, it's kind of hard to show off your dance moves, aside from one fantasy sequence.  But Kevin was quoted by many as being one of the best dancers on the show.  Like Whoopi, he was on WLIIA, so being on TMS wouldn't be too far of a stretch.

2. Weird Al Yankovic
The dude is a legend, and he would fit in perfectly on TMS.  He has done a parody version of one of Robin Thicke's songs, Blurred Lines, called "Word Crimes".  And he's already been guessed by Robin to be one of the singers, but he wasn't.  So imagine Robin's surprise when a singer turns out to be Weird Al and Robin doesn't guess him.

1. Bryan Cranston
First off, Bryan is just one of the coolest dudes ever.  Secondly, he does have a small background in the vocal arts as he's done a few Broadway shows.  He wouldn't win TMS, but he could get surprisingly far.  He's definitely willing to do entertainment of all types, from shows to plays to commercials.  Doing a singing competition would check one more box off that list for him.

Top 10 Guilty Pleasure Movies

I thought I'd go for a fun kind of post and I was thinking about what my favorite guilty pleasure movies are the other day.  I have come up with my Top 10 Guilty Pleasure Movies.  None of these are critically acclaimed, but every single one of them is entertaining and I have seen multiple times.  It's just something about these films; I just enjoy sitting back and turning my brain off and watching these every few years.  And, in order for a film to be on here, it has to have less than a 7.0 rating on IMDB, and the ratings on IMDB follow the titles of the films.  Here they are:


Honorable Mention: Smart House - 6.3
I had to give honorable mention to my favorite Disney Channel original movie growing up, Smart House.  It's only a TV Movie, so I couldn't quite count it.  But as a kid I wanted a smart house just like the one in the movie, one that would make me meals, instantly clean up messes, and play whatever I want to watch on the entire wall.  And I would know better than to disobey it and piss it off, unlike the family in this movie.

Second Honorable Mention: Rat Race - 6.4
I remember my parents taking me to see this in theaters, and yes, I was only 12 at the time, so a bit raunchy for 12-year-old me.  But I thought it was one of the funniest movies I had ever seen, and it still to this day makes me laugh.  I got it on DVD in the early 2000s and watched it every few years as I got older, each time understanding a new joke or two.  And the cast is just terrific, from Jon Lovitz to Cuba Gooding Jr. to Rowan Atkinson to Seth Green to Whoopi Goldberg.  


10. Jack Frost - 5.4
Another film with a hard-to-believe premise: A father dies, but his spirit/soul brings a snowman to life and he is able to interact and talk to his son a year after passing.  I liked this movie growing up, and it always made a great movie to watch around the winter holidays.  I particularly like the song "Hey Now Now" by Swirl 360 that plays when Charlie and his "dad" get away from the bullies.  It's so 1990's.

9. Like Mike - 5.2
A kid finds some of Michael Jordan's old sneakers and suddenly gains his basketball ability by wearing the shoes.  It's an interesting story, but I like that it has a basketball theme.  There's a sub-plot of the kid being at an orphanage and trying to get adopted, and eventually does.  Jesse Plemons is in this in the first role I saw him in, as a fellow kid/bully in the orphanage.  I also like the cameos by all the NBA players in this, although no Michael Jordan.

8. Jingle All the Way - 5.6
My favorite guilty pleasure Christmas Movie, Jingle All the Way is fun to watch even outside the Christmas season.  There are so many hard to believe things in this film, but there are so many classic scenes and lines such as "Put the cookie down, now!" and "I'm not a puh-vert!".  It's just a fun film and Arnie just kills it.  And this is not the only time a film Jake Lloyd acted in is on this list.

7. Bruce Almighty - 6.7
This is one of my favorite Jim Carrey roles.  Carrey, playing the titular role, gets the powers of God and uses them with hilarious results.  The casting of Morgan Freeman as God was absolutely perfect.  And Jim perfectly inserts some of his funny and quirky mannerisms into the role.  I'm surprised this doesn't have a bit higher rating, but there are times when the movie just tries too hard to be funny.  I like Jennifer Aniston in this, but she seems a bit out of Bruce's league. 

6. The Island - 6.8
Ewan McGregor in a sci-fi movie?  I'll always go for that. 😉  In this, he plays a clone that escapes his institution along side a very fine looking Scarlett Johansson who also plays a clone.  This movie has been out for a while now, so much so that when this film was shot and set "in the future", well that future is now the past.  I happened to watch The Island the day this was set, July 19, 2019.  This film was also made by Michael Bay, maybe the king of guilty pleasure directors, but he's only on this list once for me.  My favorite line(s): "I'm Tom Lincoln!" "No, I'm Tom Lincoln!"

5. Godzilla (1998) - 5.4
Yes, the 1998 Godzilla starring Matthew Broderick is one of my favorite guilty pleasure films.  I remember how hyped the movie was when it came out, and I even owned a Godzilla toy from that film that screamed like the movie version and stomped and "wagged" it's tail.  I remember seeing it as a kid and it scaring me a bit, but not anymore obviously.  As a sports fan, I loved how the climax was set at Madison Square Garden where the Knicks play.  They set up for a possible sequel with one of Godzilla's babies surviving in the end, but nothing came of it.  Oh well, the sequel probably would have been even worse.

4. Click - 6.4
This is my favorite Adam Sandler movie, believe it or not.  And I just found out, for the longest time this film had Adam Sandler's only death scene (until "Uncut Gems", I believe).  It's got such an interesting (but flawed) concept, but I love it.  He controls the universe with a remote, with unfortunate side effects.  I like how the film teaches us to enjoy moments in life we take for granted, such as time with our parents, working, and foreplay with the wife 🤣.  I also love all the actors in this and their connections to other things or people.  Adam Sandler's mom was played by Julie Kavner, who voices Marge Simpson.  We also see his kids played by Lorraine Nicholson and Jake Hoffman, the children of Jack Nicholson and Dustin Hoffman, respectively.  And we see a small role from Jonah Hill.

3. National Treasure: Book of Secrets - 6.5
You knew Nicolas Cage had to be on here at some point, right?  He's the king of guilty pleasure actors.  In this sequel, he "kidnaps the president" and goes to a secret cave inside Mount Rushmore.  I just love the two National Treasure films, and I wish they had made another.  By this point, a third National Treasure film would feel forced, irrelevant, and not as interesting.  However, a third one is listed on IMDB as "In Development", although I believe it has been that way for a few years.   I believe they are having trouble either writing the script or finding writers for it.

2. Star Wars Episode I: The Phantom Menace - 6.5
What, I can have a Star Wars film on here!  And there's no better example of a guilty pleasure Star Wars film than Episode I: The Phantom Menace.  I do enjoy watching this and I never skip over it when I watch the Star Wars films (or prequel trilogy).  I remember all the promotions for the film when it came out and each time I watch Episode I, it gives me that feeling of nostalgia.  Sometimes I even get the urge to watch just this film and not Episodes II or III.  Jar Jar doesn't annoy me quite as much as he annoys other Star Wars fans.

1. National Treasure - 6.8
Well, you knew if National Treasure 2 was on here, the first one would have to be on here as well.  I have lost count of the amount of times I have seen this.  I love the history they incorporated into this movie, even if it's not all true.  And, this was for the longest time the only thing I had seen Sean Bean in where he doesn't die.  And, I could be mistaken, but it might be the only film where he plays the villain but doesn't die.

Like I said, I just enjoy turning my brain off and watching any of these films.  I think the thing they have in common is that each one has something happen in it that is just never possible in the real world: A person coming back to life, a dog playing football, a universal remote that controls the universe, and stealing the Declaration of Independence.  Oh, and Star Wars.

Star Wars Episode IX: The Rise of Skywalker - Five Questions and Predictions

With Avengers Endgame out (and having seen it), the next movie I am REALLY hyped to see is Star Wars Episode IX: The Rise of Skywalker.  The teaser trailer and title were announced/released two weeks ago, and I've had some time to dwell on them.  Below are five questions people might have about the film, and I put forth multiple choice possibilities and choose my answer with reasoning.  It'll be interesting to go back here 8 months from now (Yikes!) and see how close I was.

I have now seen the Rise of Skywalker.  For my full thoughts on it, you'll have to see my more recent post here.  *SPOILER ALERT* I will of course be discussing spoilers so this is your warning.

1. So, apparently Palpatine returns, based on his cackle at the end of the teaser trailer.  How is he able to return?
A. He returns as a spirit, much like a Force Ghost (The dark side version of it possibly).  Not able to physically appear but in spirit.
B. A clone was made of him
C. He survived falling down the ventilation shaft.
D. He inhabits the body of someone or something else (Like Voldemort)

Answer: I'm gonna go with A, but neither C nor D would surprise me.  My prediction is that there is a Dark Side way of becoming one with the Force.  Obviously, we'd hear him and he'd be able to influence Kylo Ren and say things like, "Do what your grandfather failed to do."  I only included B because I believe that happened in the Expanded Universe novels, although I doubt they'd take that idea straight from them. Option D would be cool to see, however.  Could we see him inhabit Snoke's body?

The closest actual answer would be C.  He had some assistance, clearly, but never fully died.  

2. What will the relationship of Kylo Ren and Rey be like at the end of Episode IX?
A. Non-existent, as one will be dead.
B. Still enemies
C. Allies, or at least will have a truce
D. Romantic

Answer: I want it to be D, but Rey's parentage is still in question.  Kylo told Rey her parents were nobodies, but he could have been lying (or possibly misled by Snoke).  She still could be his sister or cousin.  I'll go with C as my prediction, but I want it to be D.  They won't kill Rey off, and I don't think JJ Abrams will want to kill Kylo off either, so I don't think it will be A.  And I highly doubt they'll still be enemies; it would just feel like we need another film to resolve their conflict.

Officially it is A 😢, but for a brief moment is was C and D.  I should have known Ben/Kylo would die because this film was billed for it "concluding the Skywalker saga", and if he had survived, the Skywalkers would live on.

3. Speaking of Rey's parentage, what is it?
A. Kylo was telling the truth.  Her parents were nobodies.
B. Luke is her father.  He abandoned her mother, and her mother (And stepfather?) left her on Jakku.
C. Han and Leia are her parents.  She was conceived in secret and hidden on Jakku.
D. She is a manifestation of the Force, much like Anakin.

Answer: I just find it difficult to be B or C.  Wouldn't they know about it and want to tell her?  Also, I've noticed a bit of a conflict between JJ Abrams and Rian Johnson, who directed Episode VIII.  They had different ideas for the films, so I think it might not be A.  I'm leaning more and more to D.  It would be kind of a copy cat origin story, but if they do it differently and uniquely it could work.  So I'll go with D, with A as my second choice.  They have to address this in Ep. IX, at least to some extent.

Wow, none of the above.  Technically A is right, but they were trying to be nobodies in order to protect their daughter from her grandfather.  I had a feeling JJ would decide Rian Johnson's choice wasn't good enough, I just had no idea she would be related to him.


4. What does the title, "The Rise of Skywalker" mean?
A. Skywalker is or becomes a title for Jedi.  Much like "Darth" is for the Sith, Skywalker becomes a title for Jedi as the Jedi rise and Rey (and possibly Kylo/Ben) start a new Jedi order.  So Rey would be "Skywalker Rey".
B. Rey is a Skywalker, and she learns her true identity.
C. Luke's influence as a Force Ghost is critical to the Resistance and he aids in their victory.
D. Luke and Palpatine have a Force Ghost battle and Luke comes out on top.
E. Kylo sheds his name "Kylo Ren" and becomes "Ben Skywalker" (Not Solo).

Answer: It's a pretty vague title.  I got answer "A" from someone's theory on Reddit, which I really liked obviously.  Although you wouldn't see a title called "The Rise of Darth".  But I can see Skywalker referring to a group of people and not just one person.  B is obviously a candidate.  C and D kind of go together and both could be possible.  I know D sounds ludicrous but I could see it happening.  E could mean the title is about Kylo Ren, since he has Skywalker blood.  If he returns to the light he could identify himself "as a Skywalker".  The title of Episode VII referred to Rey (indirectly).  The title of Episode VIII referred to Luke.  I think the title of Episode IX will refer to someone else as well, which leaves only Kylo Ren.  It could be about his redemption and return to the light side, so I'll go with E.  However, most people are figuring this must refer to Luke, so my next best guess would be "C".

The actual answer is kind of a cross between A and B.  Rey assumed the Skywalker name, almost as if it were a title.  My friend even said it was like Luke or Leia adopted her from beyond the grave. 

5. The fates of the following people:
A. Kylo Ren:
                a. Dead
                b. Alive, but still Dark
                c. Alive and turned to Light

Answer: C.  It's gotta be, right?  I touched on this in question in number 3, and I said I don't think they'll kill Kylo off.  At least I hope they don't.  If it was B they would need another film or something to resolve this, wouldn't they?  It would be like leaving Darth Vader alive and still dark side oriented after "Return of the Jedi".

I should have known, like I said above.  He sacrificed himself for Rey and hopefully Rey would respect his memory and tell everyone he was a hero.

B. Captain Phasma:
                a. She died in Episode VIII
                b. She comes back in IX but dies
                c. She comes back in IX and lives
               
Answer: B.  JJ and Rian have an internal conflict going on from what I've gathered.  JJ will want to undo what Rian did and bring back Captain Phasma, only to have her die for real.

Falling that far into a pit of fire on a ship going down is hard to survive, especially for a non-Sith/Jedi.  I think bringing her back would've been a slap in the face to Rian Johnson.

C. General Hux:
                a. Dead
                b. Dead
                c. Dead

Answer: All of the above.  Is there any chance this guy survives?  He clearly has no good in his heart.  The only question is how he will die.

Well, yes, but who saw him helping out the good guys?  Not me!  Kylo clearly got on his bad side, so Hux took action.  Too bad for him General Pryde saw right through him.

                C. a. How  will Hux die?
                                1. Rey kills him
                                2. Finn or Poe kills him
                                3. Kylo turns on him and kills him

Answer: Number 1 wouldn't be satisfying enough.  I'd like to see 2, have a battle between non-Force users.  But I think it will be 3.

I didn't even consider him being a spy and one of the first order generals killing him.  Gotta consider every possibility.

D. Leia:
                a. Alive and present
                b. Alive but gone away/missing
                c. Dead

Answer: I almost forgot about Leia.  Hard to say how much of an impact she'll have, with Carrie Fisher passing before they could film any of Episode IX.  I will say C, and they'll make it as tear-inducing as possible.

I was right.  I was impressed with how much footage they had of Carrie and how they were able to use it.  It was tear-inducing, although I didn't cry myself.  But I felt like it after seeing Chewbacca's reacting to Leia's passing.

Well, there you  have it.  I answered the five (plus) biggest questions about Episode IX.  It's still almost 8 months away and I cannot wait for it to get here! 

Meh, not terrible predictions, but some really caught me off guard.  Click the link above to see my full thoughts on Rise of Skywalker. 🙂

Star Wars the Last Jedi Hopes and Predictions

Later tonight I am going to see Star Wars Episode VIII: The Last Jedi, and I am super stoked as you would expect.  I did a blog post right before seeing The Force Awakens so I thought I should do the same for The Last Jedi (Which shall henceforth be abbreviated as TLJ).  I'm going to make 10 predictions and summarize with what I hope will happen. 

1. Someone's origin will be revealed - But perhaps not Rey's
I do believe Rey to be related to Obi-Wan Kenobi, but I don't necessarily think that  will be revealed in TLJ.  Instead, maybe the origin of either Finn or Snoke will be revealed.  I do think Finn could be the son of Lando Calrissian, because Maz Kanata recognized his eyes and she's probably met Lando as she was good friends with Han. 

2. Deaths: General Hux, Leia
For TLJ I think General Hux will die.  I think it will be him being in a ship and it explodes.  As we know, Carrie Fisher passed away after filming TLJ (RIP), so they'll have to write her out somehow.  I think it would be better to give her a non-violent death, somehow.  But please, don't let it be of a broken heart/loss of will to live.

3. Snoke will not be a lightsaber wielder
So we finally will get to see Snoke in something other than a projection (as revealed in the trailer).  I think it will be revealed that he doesn't believe in lightsabers and that he is powerful enough in the force to succeed without one.  Perhaps he will own a weapon of some kind that can stand up to a lightsaber.

4. Finn and Rose Tico will eventually be a couple
Now this may not exactly happen in TLJ, but I've seen a few different stills of them in scenes together, leading me to believe there could be something between the two.  I don't like the idea of Rey and Finn, I feel they have more of a brother/sister bond.  But I could see Finn and Rose together, and we may only get hints of it in TLJ with them hooking up in Ep. 9.

5. There will be a new Dark Side Force Power revealed
So we've gotten new planets, creatures, even types of lightsabers in this new trilogy.  But we haven't really gotten any new force powers yet.  I think either Snoke or Kylo Ren will debut a new force power, something like Force Drain (seen in KOTOR), Force Destroy, Force Pain, or Force Fire.  Obviously if it's something extremely powerful like Force Destroy (which in my mind destroys anything you concentrate hard enough on), it would be only Snoke who can do it.

6. Poe will get to fight outside of an X-Wing
This doesn't seem like a surprise, as it has to happen at some point, right?  The beginning of TFA doesn't really count as he took one shot and was immobilized.  I hope to see some Han Solo type fighting out of him in TLJ. 

7. Luke does not get to reunite with Leia
It's unfortunate, but I think the writers/producers were planning on Luke and Leia reuniting in Ep 9., but because of Carrie Fisher's passing, unless it happens in TLJ, it won't happen at all.  If they have Leia pass away in this one hopefully Luke hears and can grieve.

8. The Porg does something adorable to make everyone go "Awwww!"
Ok, this might be the most predictable item on this list, but can you blame me?  BB-8 had its moments in TFA (The thumbs up to Finn, for one), and the Porg will do something in TLJ to make mostly women swoon and wish they were real creatures.  Perhaps someday a toy manufacturer will make a lifelike and realistic version that is similar to a Furby.

9. Benicio Del Toro's Character DJ will be like Boba Fett and Cad Bane
Hard to say how each of the new characters will fit in and what they'll be like.  But with DJ, I think he will be one of those rogue types that looks out for only himself, and perhaps assists the bad guys (much like Boba Fett and Cad Bane).  He won't be inherently dark sided, however, and may end up redeeming himself in Ep. 9.

10. Cliffhanger?  You betcha
TESB finished with a cliffhanger.  Technically AotC did too.  So to keep the tradition alive of 2nd movie in a trilogy having a cliffhanger, this one will too.  This time, someone's fate will be in the balance: Probably either Rey or Luke. 

So really all I hope is for another solid Star Wars film.  I really hope it doesn't follow the plot of any other Star Wars movie, like many thought TFA did with A New Hope.  I think it will undoubtedly fulfill most of our expectations.  And as you might guess, I'm going to see it multiple times in theaters.  I can't wait! 


Well, I just saw TLJ and while most of my predictions were wrong, some were close and I nailed one in particular.  Let's see how many I got right.  Obviously, spoilers ahead

1. Someone's origin WAS revealed, and it was Rey's.  So I'll give myself a partially correct on this one.
2. Wow, totally wrong.  Leia will more than likely die between 8 and 9, but she did not die on screen.  Hux didn't, either, but he's almost a lock to die in Ep. 9.  Instead we saw Phasma, Snoke, and Luke as the notable deaths.  One wrong.
3. Well, he died before we could see if he did use or own a lightsaber.  I don't recall seeing one on his person.  I have to give myself my first correct answer on this one.  Not a lightsaber user that we know of.
4. Well, I was pretty spot on with this one!  Might see them as a legit couple in Ep. 9, as time will undoubtedly pass in their story between 8 and 9.  Another correct prediction
5. I feel like I saw a hint of a new power when Snoke did an almost lightning bomb at Kylo, I believe it was.  I'll have to watch TLJ again to see but to me it looked like something we hadn't seen before.  However, I'll give myself just a partial on this one.
6. Well he wasn't in any legit battles outside of his X-Wing (or the speeders on Crait), but he did defend the bridge on the rebel ship, as well as get slapped haha.  I'll give myself just a partial.
7. Ok, this is a tricky one.  Luke sort of did, but he wasn't actually there.  So does this count?  Hard to say.  He didn't reunite with her in person.  Again, just partially correct.
8. Well for one I thought there would only be one Porg in the whole movie.  And the most adorable thing was the sad faces on the group of them as Chewie was about to eat one of them.  So again, just partial.
9. Well this wasn't necessarily hard to predict, but he did end up turning on Rose and Finn for a monetary gain.  That's exactly something Boba or Cad would do.  Another one right.
10. There wasn't much of a cliffhanger, certainly not like in TFA.  So I did not get this one right.

In total, I got 3 right, 5 partially correct, and 2 wrong.  Not bad.  This movie definitely surprised me in spots, especially in Snoke's death and Luke not actually being on Crait.

I will probably end up reviewing TLJ in another post (definitely gotta see it again), so stay tuned!

My Insane Theory for the New Star Wars Trilogy

With Star Wars Episode VII still a year and a half away, it's never too early to theorize or speculate about characters, their motives, or possible twists.  I do believe there will be a twist, perhaps revealed at the end of Episode VII much like how the twist of the original trilogy was revealed in the middle movie of the trilogy.  Ready for it?  Here it is:

Kylo Ren is not evil.  He is a spy sent by Luke to infiltrate the dark side and take down Snoke.

I'll give you a minute to put your mind back together after it's been blown. 

Basically, Kylo was in training with Luke when Luke learns of this dark lord that has been in the shadows (Supreme Leader Snoke), and comes up with the idea to use Kylo/Ben as a weapon and spy to try to learn something about Snoke, take out Snoke, or both. 

If you've ever read Harry Potter, this would directly parallel the events of the popular book series.  In this case, Luke would be Dumbledore using Kylo (Snape) to take down a dark leader: Snoke (Voldemort).  Funny thing is Kylo with his long hair and long face looks like Snape.  In the Harry Potter series, Snape reported to Dumbledore about Voldemort.  Is Kylo somehow in secret communication with Luke?  Also in this analogy, Rey would be Harry Potter and Finn would be a combination of Ron/Hermione.  Or maybe Poe is Hermione, haha. 

I know there's a lot against this theory--such as why does it seem like Kylo Ren in TFA is so desperate to find his uncle?  It could be an act.  But to back up my theory, Luke went in hiding--not out of shame--but because contact with anyone would risk him revealing his plan.  Perhaps Luke found out something about Snoke so bad that he gave up his relationships with Han and Leia so that he could secretly get Kylo Ren to spy for him.  Perhaps Luke learned how to expertly flirt between dark and light so well without going too far either way that he felt confident in letting his nephew pretend to be dark.  Luke being disgraced about his nephew turning dark is a cover for his solitude--it's so he can meditate, and also communicate with his nephew secretly.

You're probably thinking: Why did Kylo Ren kill Han, then?  Well perhaps Han is a bit like Dumbledore in that he might have been dead soon, anyway.  Maybe there was someone so hot on Han's trail that they were about to catch up and kill him.  I doubt Luke would want Han dead, but if Luke knew Han didn't have long in the galaxy anyway, and it would convince Snoke of Kylo's evilness, Luke would probably say it would be worth it for the greater good.  Perhaps Han knew he was going to die.  He did say to Rey that he was looking into taking on a second mate, but perhaps that was code for someone to take over the Millennium Falcon... period.

One other thing to back up my theory: Kylo did not appear to be trying to kill Rey.  On Starkiller Base at the end of TFA when Kylo fights Finn and Rey, he did not seem to be trying to kill Rey.  If anything, he was trying to get her to come with him so he could perhaps fill her in on the secret.  I believe if Kylo wanted to kill her he could've, seeing how inexperienced she was.  The fact that (while injured) Kylo had trouble with two untrained young adults leads me to believe he wasn't trying to kill them, because he isn't evil. 

I know my theory is a bit of a long shot, but I'd love to see it come true.  I do believe in some way by the end of the trilogy Kylo Ren will have come back to the light (if he even left it).  I mean, what's more badass than being bad, but not actually being evil?  You get all the coolness of the dark side but none of the hate.  Severus Snape is revered in the Harry Potter series--I think Disney wants the same for Kylo Ren. 

Bonus: Take a look at Kylo Ren's lightsaber.  Looks like a cross, doesn't it?  Like the cross Jesus died on?  Perhaps that is a subtle hint that Kylo will sacrifice himself for the greater good.  I can definitely see that happening, most likely in Episode IX.