WylDawg wrote:

Jonathan Penner (Cook Islands)

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Yes, in a predictable outcome, Jonathan "Christ" Penner ranks as my all-time favorite castaway to ever appear on Survivor. Ironic considering the shitty casting since All-Stars. Even more ironic, given that he was in what I consider the worst season of all times. Unlike many disciples of the church of Jonathan, I venerated tha man from the very beginning, picking him as my pre-show fave. Many people hated him from the start thinking he was the continuation of the Tom/Terry bloodline. He did have a similar criteria: physically fit older dad. But something about a mactor/screenwriter made me doubt much that he would pick up after a fireman and war pilot. Of course I hated his mactorish background, but since he was originally from New York and obviously too old to be cast as eye candy, I decided to give him a chance. That and nobody else from that season really stood out. From the very beginning, it was clear Jonathan was going to be a huge character. His Alan Alda voice and clever narration were already a dead giveaway. Many people considered him a vilain at the beginning. I disagreed. He was just playing rationally to protect himself and was actually doing a pretty good job of it, sweetalking people into swinging the votes his way. He seemed the only one at that point playing the game. But things took a dramatic turn when Candice mutinied and Jonathan stupidly decided to follow her. Turns out the guy was just trying to show some loyalty, but the little whore sounded less than appreciative when she was back with her highschool clique. This turned him into the underdog as he was now hated by both sides and it's also when people started rooting for him. Realizing that the young Raro spoiled twunts weren't really all that grateful for his sacrifice, Jonathan switched back to the other side after a threat made by Yul. This angered the little Raro twunts deeply who were now taking their issues with him on a personal level, while Jonathan tried to keep a rational game going, but they didn't wanna hear it, so he fought back. He became like the reincarnation of Frank by becoming the spoiled whiny brats' #1 target, but unlike Frank he took it to a whole new level. He purposely went out of his way to piss them off every chance he got, making most viewers cheer for him more and more. By the time he was voted off, Jonathan left with a lot of class despite the smug, satisfied Adam and Partwati who didn't even realize Jonathan getting kicked off was merely for Yul to earn jury votes (Adam's at least).

From vilain, to unlikable underdog, Jonathan simply tried to play the game in a very rational way, but the way he went about it was all wrong and oddly that turned him into one of the most interesting people ever on this show. Whereas he tried to keep everything strategic, people made everything personal with him. There is just something unexplicable that I just dig about that man. Maybe it's his charisma, maybe because he just seems, despite the antics he pulled, just your average down to earth good guy, the kind you'd want as a drinking buddy. Whatever it is, he became my Survivor hero and apparentely I'm not the only one on this board. I am now dying for Micronesia to start ever since it was spoiled that he was on it. Let's hope for some serious JonathanOWNAGE and we know he won't dissapoint.
I never saw this list before. What a beautiful write-up for our Lord. T.ears!