If Russell had done anything, anything, to appeal to the jurors at final tribal, I think he might have picked up some votes. You have a final case to make to the jury before they vote. If you make moves and blindsides and handle a jury terribly, you're not going to win. Kim owned the post-merge. Completely owned it. Blindsides everywhere, huge moves, and Ponderosa had some anti-Kim movement. But she handled the jury extremely well, both when she was putting them there and when she answering their questions. He could've won against Shambo. He could've won against John. He could've won against a few other people had they lasted longer in the game (I see him winning against Marisa given certain circumstances, Ben too, and Christina). But he voted out everyone who he could've won against and brought with him too people he had no chance to unless he brought a very, very strong final jury game. He did not. Were they bitter? Most likely. But he made them bitter, and he did it every week. Look at his HvV play where's he just openly a smartass and complete wretch to everyone.
Jury management is key, and has always been key. Russell absolutely failed at that part of the game, the social game. Russell had a chance to plead his case and win them over, but he failed miserably.
*SPOILERS FOR VANUATU AND CHINA*
Look at Todd in China. Going in, as a viewer or as someone at tribal, you know there is absolutely no possible way Jean-Robert is giving Todd a vote to win the million. Todd blindsided him and he's still completely bitter about it. He doesn't want Todd to win that game.
And Todd just complete wins him over. Just says all the right thing sand gets his vote.
How about Chris? He lied to everyone out there and blindsided his way to the final two. But his management of how Twila should act to the jury (unapologetic and completely owning her actions) and management of every single person asking him a question, sometimes contradicting what he said five seconds before, won him the game. A man beating the women in a war of the sexes,
Just playing a scorched earth game means nothing if there's more to it than just getting to the end.
EDIT: "I think he might have picked up some votes."
Should be picked up some more votes because his two big allies voted for him. See? He got two votes from people, not because they respected his game, but because he reached out to them and made some social links with them. He was Shambo's only friend out there (her own doing, Monica still probably doesn't mind crazy Shambo while Shambo's still *****ing about them) and John's a similar 'big moves = awesome fun' even though it completely ruined his own chances at winning. See? The two he made bonds with versus the seven he royally pissed off and burned all bridges with. He handled them well socially. They're also crazy, delusional people who are terrible at the game, but whatever.
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