We’re just days away from discovering who will win Big Brother 18 and which two Houseguests will make up the season’s F2 pair. Now that we’re through the second round of the Final HoH we can start looking at each of the Final 3 for what they could be planning to do next.
Nicole Franzel has two options for who she could sit next to at the Final 2 should that choice come her way with either Paul Abrahamian or James Huling joining her at the end. So what’s the Vet planning for her potential trip to stand before the Jury?
Earlier this week when the Feeds returned from the extended Fast Forward blackout we soon found Nicole and Paul shaking on a F2 deal with James on the outside of their agreement. This deal was proposed by Paul after his confirmation that with his Veto win there was no chance he was letting Nicorey stay in the game together. While it seemed clear that Paul was sincere about his half of the agreement it’s been less so with Nicole’s intentions.
Later that same night when she was talking with Corey she asked for his opinion on taking Paul to the end but he quickly shot down that idea suggesting it could be game suicide and James was her safer bet. Interestingly Nicole didn’t reveal to Corey any details of the deal she had just made with Paul as she might if she were to flaunt it as a fraud designed to fool Paul. That could have simply been to hide the fact that she was upstairs making deals that were game-enders for Corey.
The next day after Paul won Round 1 of the final HoH competition we heard another talk between Paul and Nicole that again appeared a convincing mutual agreement between them for heading to the F2 together. Flashback to 10:49 PM BBT on 9/14 to watch that talk.
But wait, a couple of hours later (12:35 AM BBT 9/15) Nicole is telling James she’d take him to the end “1000%.” This was part of her talk as James basically offered to throw the R2 competition though it could be argued he was simply anticipating losing Round 2 and trying to make the most of it with promises while he still had leverage.
Round 2 is now over and James’s leverage is gone with his loss to Nicole. So has Nicole’s tune changed in anyway that might hint her latest plans? I’d say it has.
Deep in to the night after the Round 2 comp ended and Nicole was declared to the winner we saw a more enthused attitude toward Paul and a bit more reserved towards James. Flashback to 2:00 AM BBT 9/17 to find Nicole and Paul alone just after James is called to the DR.
Nicole and Paul jump around and celebrate their success with huge hug and high five. Paul promises Nicole that there is nothing James can say to sway him from taking Nicole to the F2 and she says the same goes for her as well. Nicole even repeats an earlier promise that she’s ready to tell James that she’s taking Paul to F2 if she wins R3. Paul asks if there is anything that’s giving her pause in the plan for her to take him to the end. Nicole promises Paul they’re good to go.
Now let’s take a look at what she told James overnight…
Jump forward to Nicole talking with James at 3:51 AM BBT as he wants to know if she told DR who she was planning to take to the end. “I don’t knooooooow James,” teases Nicole in response. James says he’s at the mercy of Nicole and Paul and he hopes one of them would take him. “We both said we would,” responds Nicole. “I mean, I know Paul wouldn’t take me which is fine. Hopefully I win [R3].”
Nicole never gives James an answer as the talk shifts to the MacGyver competition as she suggests that was a turning point in their effort to get Natalie out and keep James that week. But if we look at what Nicole did say she only mentioned that previously both she and Paul made a promise to James. It’s as though she’s reminding James in case of a Paul R3 win that the new Paul/Nicole deal would be a betrayal by Paul so James might consider a revenge vote against Paul by going for Nicole instead.
So would Nicole really be willing to go up against Paul instead of James? Julie Chen’s assessment suggested Nicole had a better shot against James than Paul, which I think is accurate. Why then would Nicole take that risk? If she does take Paul then obviously she thinks she could beat him as there’s no way she’s going to the end to lose by choice.
Speaking later in the night with Paul Nicole told him she wouldn’t have been worried about facing off with Victor in the F2. Now that would be bold. I think everyone may have been whooped by Victor at the end. Then there was also a talk a few weeks ago when Nicole told Corey she believes Natalie would vote for her over James in a F2. Huhwhat?
Okay, if Nicole thinks she could beat Victor in F2 and also believes she could even get Natalie’s Jury vote even when up against James then maybe she’s just really bad at reading the Jury. Could her vantage point from the corner bed most of the summer have spoiled her judgment?
I’ve got to say I’m becoming more open to the idea that Nicole is actually considering taking Paul to F2 and just might do it if she wins the third round. I do think she’ll lose to him there though that could possibly be swayed depending on which of them won R3 and brought the other. Nicole’s best move instead would be to take James but that choice may be fading in her rear view.
What do you think Nicole will do? Share your thoughts below on what Nicole might do on finale night for picking a F2 partner and anything in the recent weeks that supports your expectation. You can also vote in our poll below and see what the rest of our readers think might happen.