Survivor48 castaway Star Toomey has been working hard to stay in the game throughout the season, but after choosing not to play her shot in the dark in the most recent episode despite being told to do so,Star took a calculated risk that may have become a grave error. ThroughoutSurvivor48, there have been some fascinating moments during tribal council that have flipped the game on its ear and changed the course moving forward. While some moments have been strategic mastery at its finest, others have been tough to watch despite keeping the game moving forward.
Although there have been moments throughoutSurvivorhistory that have made castaways look like they don’t know what they’re doing (and to be fair, in some instances they don’t), there have also been masterful moments. Withthe advent of the shot in the dark, which didn’t come into play untilSurvivor41 and has been a hotly debated part of the new era, castaways have even more of an opportunity to keep themselves safe. While there have been some successful uses of the shot in the dark in the past,Star chose to forego her opportunity, ending her time onSurvivor.
While Star didn’t have all the answers in the game, she was usually clear on what was going on within her tribe.
Star Toomey’s Known She Was An Underdog All Game
She Hasn’t Been Part Of The Majority
From the first days ofSurvivor48, Star has known that she’s been an underdog. Coming intoSurvivorwithout a ton of knowledge, Star put a target on her back from the early stages of the game. Sharing that she was struggling to connect with others, Star knew coming into the competition that she was going to be a long shot to win the game. The 28 year old Augusta, GA resident, who’s originally from Liberia, would be able to handle the conditions ofSurvivor, but had some physical limitations. In particular,Star didn’t know how to swim beforeSurvivor.
While her physical contributions to the tribe were never going to be the strongest,Star was able to play the game itself well. Relying on her social game to carry her through, Star had an under-the-radar strategy that made it easier for her to move through the game with a bit more ease than she expected. Star’s strengths in social integration and adaptability positioned her as more of a dark horse than anticipated. While Star didn’t have all the answers in the game, she was usually clear on what was going on within her tribe, regardless of her current position.
Star Became The Target For The Strong Six Over Mary Zheng
She Was More Of A Threat
Although Star made it through the tribe swap and the merge, she wasn’t in the large majority alliance when all was said and done post-merge. Though she’d made alliances earlier in the game, Star wasn’t in a position of power by the time the tribes merged, and it was quick to notice she wasn’t one of the castaways that the six-person alliance controlling the game was interested in keeping around. While Mary Zheng, who also didn’t make it into the majority alliance post-merge, had originally been the target for the six, they realizedStar may be smarter to eliminate socially.
Star Was Told To Play Her Shot In The Dark
She Chose Not To Listen
As tribal council loomed, Star was warned that the six had flipped on her rather than going after Mary the way they’d originally intended. While Star was concerned, she maintained her composure, feeling like she could still have a shot. Star waswarned to use her shot in the dark, a divisive new-era twist that allows a castaway to nullify votes against in exchange for their vote at tribal with a dice roll, but Star didn’t want to leave things up to chance. Instead, she tried to regain her social capital,choosing not to use her shot at safety.
Was Star’s Choice To Ignore The Advice The Right Move?
She Played The Game In Her Own Way
Although Star was ultimately voted out by the majority, it was clear thatshe was happy to be coming to the conclusion of her journey onSurvivorin her own terms. While Star will now be on the jury and move forward observing tribal councils, she won’t be playing the game in the same way anymore. As a social player, it does make a bit of sense that Star chose not to use her shot in the dark to try and shift the tides of the vote.Star was the person the sixwere coming for, and that would’ve continued.
Rather than coming back, Star decided to let fate take its course. While she could’ve found her way back intoSurvivorwith her shot in the dark, Star would’ve had to fight tooth and nail to get back into the mix, and wouldn’t have been guaranteed to find her way in the game. In all likelihood, depending on competition results, Star probably would’ve found herself back in the same position in the next tribal, this time without a shot at safety. While she could’ve fought to continue onSurvivor,Star seemed to make the right decision for her.
