Interestingly enough, it was Yul who picked Ozzy ("Well, I only have one choice left") in the pick-em portion of tribe selection. As Ozzy makes his way accross to Jonathan and Yul, the music works up to a crescendo and the welcome embrace is punctuated by a drum beat. No other player is introduced the same way. At a minimum, this suggests that both Yul and Ozzy are significant players for the season, but it could be argued that the hold on the Ozzy close-up is a good sign for him individually.

The Mutiny episode began a two-episode showcase arc for Ozzy. Just a week before, he was most likely the next player in danger of being voted out of his tribe. After Candice and Jonathan's impulsive decisions, Ozzy suddenly found himself at the core of his tribe. Significantly, it is Ozzy who is shown with a single close-up before any other player once the Mutiny is official. When Probst addresses Aitutaki for their reaction, he asks the first question to Yul, yet it is Ozzy who is shown first, again in a close-up.

After the RC in the Mutiny episode, as Probst notes that "it would be an understatement to say that this game has just taken a dramatic turn", we are treated once again to two close-ups of Ozzy. In the first Ozzy is reveling in the results of the challenge, while in the second he is relishing the choice of Exile he (the tribe?) is about to make. As they are leaving the challenge area, Ozzy is given a final solo shot, as the standard bearer for his new tribe. While still in the context of the tribe, that shot does underline what Ozzy will come to say in Episode 13. He has been playing an individual game.

Following the IC in the Mutiny episode, instead of the traditional losing tribe shots, we are treated to a sweeping shot of Aitutaki from Yul to Becky, in which everyone is turned towards Ozzy.

The episode following the Mutiny cemented Ozzy's position as the voice and the heart of the underdogs. He has a series of confessional sequences which highlight mental strength ("We're being tested in a way few Survivors have been able to come out of. It's an incredible opportunity. To be the underdog is amazing. And I'm happy, totally happy to be an underdog."), humility ("We're up against these amazing odds. We come into the challenges humble, knowing that we can only try our hardest and that's all we can do.") and respect for local culture ("Basically, it was a warriors' welcome. And we were warriors that had just come out of a fierce battle. It was incredible.")

It is here that Ozzy delivers the confessional which defines his journey in the game: "At this point in the game, we've gone from being separated into all our same ethnicities; now we're able to come together and experience a totally new culture. And we carry a part of their spirit with us."

The first Tribal Council after the merge had suspense built in it because Yul put the power of the Hidden Immunity Idol into play. Significantly, the person with the most interesting response to that night's vote possibilities was Ozzy. We would normally expect Yul, as the architect of the shift, or Jonathan, as the one switching allegiance, to be the one to drive home the importance of the vote. Instead, it is Ozzy (prominently featuring his Immunity Necklace) who says that "this [vote] will definitely set something in motion. At this point, I think we're definitely at a pivotal moment."

The prevalent wind blowing across the spoiling boards over the past few weeks has given the edge to Yul. The argument has focussed on his reported people skills and his timely decision in playing the Hidden Immunity Idol.

There is an argument to be made for Ozzy having peaked too soon, whereas Yul got the sort of negative edit in the last episode that is necessary for redemption and a win. In the end, we believe that Yul may suffer Jonathan's fate, being viewed as playing the game too hard. It is always dangerous to be a politican, and in the end, rare are the ones who come across as being authentic. Yul may win some votes for the strategic game he played, but he may lose others if he attempts to play off his game as morally superior to others.

We do wonder if there will be some voter nullification on Yul. He did use the power of the Hidden Immunity Idol to flip the game on its head, so that should get him points in the gamesmanship column, but the fact remains that it is the fear of the Idol rather than the Idol itself that drives decisions. And while it is certainly not Yul's fault the producers set it up as such, we find it absurd for the holder of the HII to be guaranteed a seat in the finals simply because players fear putting the Idol into play.

Finally, the F3 finale may in fact work against Yul if players consider that Yul and Becky played as a team. Contrary to usual editing patterns, the point was made on more than one occasion that their alliance is a strong one. Might any player want to reward Becky as being instrumental in that alliance by awarding her a vote? Hard to say, but not out of the realm of possibility. If so, that would be a vote lost to Yul.

Ozzy is featured at three key moments in Probst's Intro Speech. First in the "...these strangers have volunteered to be marooned for the next 39 days..." segment, followed by the gathering of supplies (slings). Finally, when the ethnic breakdown of the four tribes is announced, Ozzy is the only one of the Final 3 shown as representing his tribe.

And "...in the end...", the shot of Aitutaki has Ozzy missing.

Ozzy is the seventh player shown in the credits in unlucky season 13. Hey, we're just passing along what has been dissected ad nauseum on the boards. Just in case, we rubbed a white bird's foot for luck.

Speaking of which, Ozzy's sequence is followed by the image of a white bird soaring against an azure blue sky.
A quick disclaimer: the Intro credits have been discussed on many different boards, in many different forums at the same boards. It is impossible to determine who first linked the white bird with Ozzy. In naming one, we would be offending many, so everyone take a bow. Thank you very much.

More significantly, for a player identified as the main provider for his tribe, as well as the god of the sea, Ozzy is not given a water shot. For those who think that no winner has had a featured water shot in the Intro Credits, this bodes well for Ozzy and not so well for Yul. Of course, there was always Tina in 'The Australian Outback', so pick whichever observation you choose to believe.

Motukitiu - the island of Aitutaki Tribe
The island which sheltered the Aitutaki tribe up until the merge is featured prominently in the promo for the Finale. Is this is a hint that the winner comes from Aitutaki? Keep in mind that Ozzy is the only member of the F3 to have lived at his initial tribe's location until the merge took all the players to the Rarotonga beach.

In the end, we said it before , it comes down to this shot.