And, quite possibly, it was.

Indeed, JT engineered a “brilliant” plan to help Russell escape the non-existent female alliance on the Villain’s tribe.  What was the plan?  Handing an immunity idol over to him after a challenge.

Argh.

Now, sure, it was easy for us usual fans to cringe.  We know the story on each tribe.  We know Russell’s running the show.  We know there’s not danger for him.  But for the Heroes?  Well, perception told a different story.  With Coach’s recent departure, it sure looks like the women have an alliance.

Who can blame JT for perceiving differently?

Who?  Who could blame him?

The answer?

ALL OF US!  YES!

As we discussed last week, anyone who’s watched the show knows that Russell is somehow always in control.  In other words, your perception of Russell is not Russell.  If you think he’s down, he wants you to think that.  If you perceive that he’s not in control, it’s usually because that’s how he’s structured it.

JT’s…brain infraction…isn’t crazy because he handed an idol over.  That was a good idea.  Brilliant even.

What makes it crazy is that he handed it to Russell Hantz.

Ideas in and of themselves aren’t good or bad.  It’s the intention behind them…or maybe the perception that drives them…that makes all the difference.

Good idea, Heroes.  Bad perception.

It’s gonna cost ya.

-josh

I mean, except for Russell.

You have chance after chance to dump Hantz, and you don’t.  And then the teaser for next week shows JT possibly hatching a plan to offer his idol to Russell on the other side (probably because of the suspected women’s alliance on the Villain’s side which doesn’t exist).

Hello?  Hello, Villans?  Heroes?  Do any of you watch the show when you’re not on it?

This season is a little devastating because it shows the power of the Russells of the world.  Bullies.  Egomaniacs.  Figures who revel in being awful to others, all the while justifying it by making reference to their awfulness-as-greatness.  Now, I don’t know his persona outside the game.  Perhaps he’s a model father, husband, and boss.  Perhaps he has this strategy worked out with his loved ones ahead of time so that when they actually see him in action, they don’t hide their heads in utter shame at the fact that they are related to an egomaniacal horror show.

Fine.

But what about the other Survivors?  They don’t need to know his persona outside of the islands.  They know it.  He is what most of them (hopefully) aspire not to be with others…even in a game.  And yet, vote after vote, there he is.  I even found myself rooting for the mighty Dragon Slayer to stay around this season (What?  Really?), if only to lead a charge in the opposite direction.

But no.

Next week should be interesting.  Maybe the Survivors saw the show about the Buddha the other night on PBS, about the “Awakened One.”  Maybe they’ll wake up at some point to the truth and do what they have to do.

But probably not.

Of course, if they were the Buddha, they probably wouldn’t be on the show, but hey, there’s always room for a mixed metaphor now and then.

-josh