In pondering this past week's episode, I've started to wonder if the issues with analyzing the edit this season are because in revamping for season 41, the genre of Survivor has changed. Survivor up to this point has been told as a hero's journey. This season, in contrast, has felt like a slasher. In each episode I feel less like I am watching a character rise to greatness, but rather I am watching a group fighting the elements, the island and each other. From what I have seen, edgic has been used to look for the hero character who's story is being told. I think this season we might be looking for a "Final Girl" archetype.

If this is the case, I would lean towards Erika as she would fit as the quiet, innocent character who finds power and strength when faced with opposition. It would explain her quiet and kind of bland start as final girls are rarely the most interesting at the beginning of a slasher. Their presence and character develops more slowly as they gain agency in facing down the danger in the story.

Or Erika goes home next week and it's back to the drawing board for making sense of this season. I like to imagine there is a bigger plan though for at least one more day.