Steve Moses has found himself holding the short stick this week with his Austwins alliance and it might be just a few weeks too late to do anything about it but his wheels are turning.
Speaking with James and Meg last night Steve made an off the cuff remark that may have just shifted the target to his back thanks to the Goblins’ desire to gossip instead of advance their own game.
After a long day of Vanessa truth-hunting everyone might have been just on the edge so when Steve stopped by to chat with James he might not have been thinking with what he was about to say. Flashback to 1:58AM BBT to hear Steve share his revelation that the other side of the house may be a bigger threat than he originally imagined.
Steve comments to James and Meg that he had just gone upstairs to talk to Austin and Vanessa. “It’s a very strong fortress,” says Steve. “What do you mean?” asks James. “Vanessa, Austin, and the twins,” replies Steve.
There’s a long pause before James asks back, “you think so?” “You think not?” replies Steve. Another long pause from James before Steve tells them not to worry about it and “I don’t want to start going there.”
There’s more general chatter about playing chess later and Steve leaves. James turns to Meg and asks if she heard that comment. He wonders if they should tell the Austwins. “Duh!” says Meg.
The Goblins then spend a few minutes debating whether or not and when to share this information with Austin. Remember the Goblins are part of the “Brass Tacks” alliance with the Austwins. Vanessa believes she’s part of it too though the Goblins don’t think she really is.
So here they’ve got a Houseguest who clearly feels isolated and instead of forming a potential working arrangement with him, even a fake one, they immediately start plotting how to make him the next target while in turn strengthening the “very strong fortress” he was just warning them about.
Even if the Goblins do feel good about their 5-HG deal, there aren’t that many other players left and do they really think the two of them can split up a die-hard 3-HG alliance? They could join with the returning HG plus Steve and have 4 vs 4. These two must not be able to wait to get to the Jury House.
(Side note: Yes, James & Meg could make this arrangement with JMac staying too, but this would hedge their bets for either outcome.)
Fast forward a half hour to 2:28 as the Austwins are passing through the bedroom when James and Meg grab them and turn on the lights. They immediately spill to them what Steve just said but they forgot something.
Meg tells the Austwins that Steve said the “strong fortress” comment about the Austwins, but she doesn’t mention Vanessa, the agreed upon target for their group. That additional information wouldn’t have exonerated Steve for including Austin and the twins, but it does change the scope of his concerns a lot. Steve could have later explained it away as he was worried about Vanessa combo’d with them, not them in particular. Sure, that’d be flimsy, but it would have been something to try.
Meg plays the comment up a bit more saying Steve acted like the had immediately regretted what he said, but it actually seemed more like he just wasn’t going to push it right then. Soon the Austwins scatter when they think someone is coming.
Jump again to 2:58 AM BBT as Austin and Liz head upstairs. They can’t believe Steve said that and agree this was bad news for Steve. “You’re gone, bro,” says Austin regarding Steve. “You’re gone,” agrees Liz.
The debate continues between them as they get ready for bed. Back and forth on “maybe we should send [Steve] out.” Liz worries that if they get Steve out this week then if he returns with the twist that he’ll be coming right after them for good reason. Austin counters that with won’t Steve just stay then and try to get them out anyway? “I don’t knooooowwww-uhhh,” replies-uh Liz-uh.
Austin and Liz don’t understand why Steve is making this kind of move when they told him to keep calm this week and that he had their trust “more than anyone else.”
The Veto Ceremony will be coming up later today but I doubt this event will impact any decisions since Austin had already been advocating to keep things the same. Now we’ll just have to wait, watch, and see what it could mean for Steve’s chances of staying this week.
Update: I think it’s a great counterpoint made in comments below that revealing this info could have been done to keep Steve on the Block, or at least that was their hope. I still think they mismanaged this though by not including all the details (Vanessa as part of the fortress) and I don’t think it was an intentional exclusion on Meg’s part.