“Fully Expecting Myself To Take You”: Taylor Turns 28 As Drew And Devens Map The Endgame

10:20 AM — Drew

Drew: “I don’t really know if I can beat Devens in a vote. Most people are really bitter. Like, I played an okay game. But he played a really good one. And… In what facet is my game… Better than Devens’. That’s what I’m trying to figure out. How do I one-up him in any sort of fashion?”
Drew: “But if he takes me to the end, I can’t even use the argument of, like… Devens wouldn’t be here if it weren’t for me. Because, I guess that’s true, but then they could say, but you wouldn’t be sitting in these chairs if it weren’t for him.”

10:58 AM — Taylor (Pod Room)

Taylor: “Did you know that today is my birthday? 28 years old. 28 years old.”
Taylor: “Make a wish, Taylor. I need something to make a wish with. Damn, I don’t have nothing.”

Taylor: “I have the most infamous pod of them all. Besides the cursed pod. You guys know which one is the cursed pod? It’s the one above Lala’s. That’s the cursed pod. Everyone who’s ever slept in that pod has gone home. And they went home in order of sleeping in that pod.”
Taylor: “Well, Ashley slept in this pod first. That was her pod under me. But Rome slept in that pod. Then Jason slept in that pod. And then Lyric slept in that pod. And they went home in that order.”
Taylor: “People chose to sleep in the have-not room before sleeping in that pod… And nobody has slept in that pod since day 38. Because it’s cursed.”
Taylor: “This has been my bed since day nine. And nobody else has slept in it since… This was Lyric’s bed first. And then she gave it to me. And it’s been mine ever since.”

Taylor: “Don’t be so obsessed with greed that you forget that this process in itself is a blessing. You’re going to learn a lot about yourself. You’re going to push yourself. This is the hardest thing I’ve ever done in my life. And I’ve done a lot of hard things in my life. In real life.”
Taylor: “So with that being said. Don’t fear failure. Don’t operate off fear. You shouldn’t let anybody put fear in your heart. Because people who put fear in your heart. Is only projecting the things that they can’t do.”
Taylor: “Happy birthday.”
Taylor: “I said day 38. It’s day 31, b—-tch. I just thought about it.”

11:49 AM — Drew and Devens (Backyard)

Devens: “What’s up, fella?”
Drew: “What up? A little bit of OJ in the morning?”
Devens: “A little bit of OJ.”
Drew: “Wow. Life sure is sweet.”
Devens: “Sure is, Drew. Sure is. Coffee brewing.”
Drew: “We just have two more mornings.”
Devens: “Tomorrow and the next day.”
Drew: “Yeah, two more.”

Drew: “She partied last night on her own.”
Devens: “I was going to bed. She was pulling that wine out.”
Devens: “Oh, should we decorate the kitchen or something?”
Drew: “Yeah, we have time, though.”
Drew: “This isn’t the person I thought she was. No. She’s changed this past week. I think. Just a little bit.”
Devens: “I would not disagree with that.”
Drew: “But I guess it’s game time. So I get that.”
Devens: “Yeah. Maybe it’s the pressure… There is a lot of pressure.”

Then Chuk.

Devens: “I bet he was pretty nice in his DRs. Like, he might have thought he was a mastermind a little bit.”
Drew: “I think a little bit, yeah.”
Devens: “Which is probably why Taylor doesn’t like him… Yeah, and I think she thinks she’s the mastermind… That’s my assumption.”
Drew: “I feel like I could totally watch the season back and see it like, yes, they put me up on the block again. Just the way I planned. And I’m not going to win the veto or the Blockbuster. But they’re going to keep me.”

Then the final two.

Drew: “You know what I do regret?”
Devens: “Your friendship with me.”
Drew: “No. Unless Thursday goes really weird. Then I might. I’ll be like, why? Why did I bring him to final three?”
Devens: “Well, just remember, if Dee were in my spot right now, you also wouldn’t be in final two.”
Drew: “I’m telling you, Devens. If you win part three, you win the whole show.”
Devens: “I, first of all, would have to win part three. And that’s far from a given. And then I would have to win the final two through the jury. And that’s far from a given.”

Drew: “No, I think it’s a lock, unfortunately. I feel like I may be destined for second place. Which means hopefully I’ll come back in four years and win All-Stars or something.”
Devens: “You know who’s going to be jealous of you if you do get second place?”
Drew: “Third?”
Devens: “Yep. Probably, yeah. Whoever gets third.”
Drew: “So Taylor?”
Devens: “It looks like Taylor last night even was like, Devens, you throw final three. That’s my birthday present. And then Drew, you do your final speech.”

Drew: “You’re gonna take her, Devens?”
Devens: “I’m, in this moment, right now, from here until the end of this sentence, fully expecting myself to take you.”
Drew: “Oh no, the sentence is over.”
Devens: “I’m up in the air a little bit.”
Drew: “Are you really?”
Devens: “No. No, sir.”
Drew: “I do believe that.”

Then Dee.

Drew: “That’s the thing that would surprise me, though, is, like, I do think you and me have played a pretty similar game.”
Devens: “Which is why you can give it to either of us.”
Drew: “But I could see them being like, Devens had a bigger target the whole time because he wasn’t an icon.”
Devens: “Yeah, a lot of Dee’s approach at the end has surprised me.”
Drew: “I think if I didn’t win the mummy veto… Dee would have voted me out.”
Devens: “I would have been so mad.”
Drew: “Because she knew he wouldn’t play in the next HOH. And it would have been Melody, Taylor and her playing. And they were already kumbayaing in front of us.”

Devens: “It’s going to be really interesting to see what Dee has to say about things. Because I know that at that same vote, I was seriously considering Dee.”
Devens: “But for the same reasons, I was like, I can’t… If I get rid of her now, I’ll never even get to the final… So that’s when I was like, you know what? I’m locked in with these two to the final three.”
Drew: “But I had a feeling that you were also considering this… Because, like, it feels one week too early… Or two weeks too early.”
Devens: “Like, I’ve been thinking for a long time, I can’t sit next to her at the end, but would you do that? And I just kept hoping, like, maybe it’ll take care of itself. Maybe it’ll take care of itself, which it did. Thanks.”
Drew: “Hey, man, no problem.”
Drew: “Because when it was your HOH, the second time, she brought me over there in the hammock and was like… I can’t sit next to them… I want to bring you to the end.”
Drew: “…But then she was also like, anyways, I’m done talking to you. I’m only going to talk to Melody and Taylor for the rest of the day.”

12:58 PM — Drew and Devens (Kitchen)

Streamers for Taylor’s birthday.

Drew: “And that’s the best gift of all. Reassurance.”
Drew: “Dude, I’m proud of you.”
Devens: “I’m really proud of us.”
Devens: “I think most people would have thought they might not be great at this.”
Drew: “And they’re right.”
Devens: “But look at this now.”
Devens: “When you said they’re right, you mean they’re not right? Because we’re really good at this?”
Drew: “I mean, like, they’re right that they should never have doubted us.”

Devens: “Self-doubt is like the harbinger of self-doubt. The more you start doubting yourself, the more you start doubting yourself.”
Drew: “Don’t doubt. No doubt.”
Devens: “We need to approach this the way we’ve approached everything. Blind confidence.”
Drew: “Blind confidence.”
Devens: “Yeah, dawg. It’s gotten us this far.”

Big Brother tells them to stop.

Devens: “I could be wrong, but I think Big Brother was saying, like, stop throwing it so lightly. You really got to chuck it up there.”
Devens: “Big Brother, can you confirm that what you meant is that we really got to chuck it up there?”
Devens: “Sometimes I get the impression that they don’t even want us throwing things around the house.”
Drew: “All I want to do is do something nice to my friend and you guys keep doing this.”
Drew: “If Dee was here, she would for sure know what to do. For Dee. For Dee.”
Drew: “Unfortunately for Taylor, it’s me and Devens. But we’re trying our best. I think we’re crushing it. It’s like when your brother and your dad are like, we’ll do something fun for your birthday because mom’s out of town… It’s just like, oh, a gift card would have been cool.”
Devens: “I would be excited for my birthday… It is clear that birthday festivities are taking place.”

1:36 PM — Drew and Devens (Backyard)

Drew: “…How the new way of Big Brother is, like, big alliance. And, like, they sort it out after everyone’s gone. She’s like, I hate alliances. And I’m like, what? What about the Primaries? What about the Primaries? And the tethers.”
Drew: “…She was like, I love alliances.”
Drew: “Was your tether Dee?”
Devens: “I don’t really have a tether. Because it was… It was like you or Barrett was maybe going to be in the alliance.”
Devens: “So it’s like, we’re gonna have ten people in this thing. No one’s gonna talk about it… It’s like it could work if just everyone did whatever you said to do.”
Drew: “Well, she’s a really big fan of Tiffany. That was Tiffany’s philosophy. But the issue is they had a really greater purpose… That’s what brought them together was the greater purpose.”
Drew: “I think that’s a really great modern Big Brother strategy. If it’s week one… But she might be a winner in two days. And we’ll be like, we’re the idiots.”

Devens: “It’s a cool name. Because it’s based on colors. Because she was using M&Ms to describe everything. Like primary colors.”
Devens: “One night she was like, this is when I was sleeping in the pod room. So she was right above me. And she was like, good night, yellow. I was like, huh? She was like, Eminem. I was like, oh, is that one of his songs?”
Drew: “I don’t think you can get very far in this game without an alliance.”
Devens: “Unless you’re a comp beast.”
Drew: “Unless you’re a comp beast. But even then, you’re eventually going to lose.”
Devens: “Yeah, I hate alliances is a weird take.”

Drew: “…I was like, are you glad you met Lala? She’s like, yes. She’s like, but I don’t like anybody else. And I was like, what about Yash?”
Drew: “She was like, I like Yash, but only when he would listen to me. Because we would fight a lot. And I was like, what about Melody? She’s like, I love Melody. And I was like, what about Dee? She’s like, I love Dee.”
Drew: “…She’s like, and I loved Devens. That’s when she said that. He’s never annoyed me. And I was like, what about me? And she’s like, oh, yeah. So I was like, it sounds like you liked everybody.”

Drew: “Any advice for anyone who’s coming in next summer? Have fun. Because nothing’s promised. You can be evicted within 12 minutes of talking to somebody because they change your mind about you. But if you have fun the whole time, you’re going to walk away going, like, that was a really good experience.”
Drew: “And I’ve had fun the whole time, and I’m still here. And I think Devens has too. So that’s two out of three people in this final three that have had fun for 12 weeks straight.”
Devens: “You can’t have a good story without adversity.”

2:02 PM — Drew and Devens (Pool)

Devens: “What year was Tombstone Wet and Wild?… I want to say 1888.”
Drew: “That’s why I’m like, it’s probably not even worth the brain effort to learn them.”
Drew: “Part one is endurance, always. Part two is like, what we played.”
Devens: “We nailed it, by the way. We had no questions about who did what.”
Drew: “I know. That’s what makes it harder for me to lose. I’m like, damn, I knew the answers.”
Drew: “And then part three is always like, always a video of the jury… It’s always a booth. And she’s like, I don’t know. It’s probably going to be the dates. And I’m like, how?”
Drew: “…I could be loud and wrong, and I’ve been loud and wrong a lot… But it’s always the booth.”

Devens: “…I was pretty sure, but I wasn’t positive whether Melody had been renominated.”
Devens: “So I just knocked them all down except her, buzzed in. And then it was wrong. And then it was wrong, and I knocked her down.”

Drew: “…I am worried that if she takes you out, the jury is going to vote for her. And I’m going to be the guy who sat next to Taylor.”
Drew: “But what would you ask her? Maybe, why did you start playing the game in week 12? That’d be a good question. Do you feel like you were playing the game or the game was being played around you?”
Drew: “The only constant in this game has been like, I’ve got you, Devens. And you’re like, Drew, I got you. And I think that’s why it’s worked. Even after all the weird s— of Barrett.”
Devens: “…I think someone will ask something probably not to help me… About being an icon. Is that being an advantage? That’s my guess, but I welcome that because I got an answer to that.”
Drew: “What if somebody asked you what your biggest mistake in this game was?”
Devens: “…My biggest mistake in the game, I guess I over-trusted Barrett.”

Then the jury house.

Drew: “…I’ll say Lala’s going to be the loudest voice… But who’s going to be the loudest voice that has some sort of substance?”
Drew: “I just think Melody’s delivery will not be helpful to me. I gotta be honest. And I don’t think Barrett cares enough.”
Devens: “But I’ve been on two juries, and I don’t think there’s a single person who changed their mind…”
Drew: “I feel like you would come in knowing what you’re going to do. Especially if you had four weeks to think about it.”

Then Dee, the week of Drew’s HOH.

Drew: “…Oh, like, Dee, you put me up last week… But then she proceeded to ignore me the whole week. Like, did not talk to me once… And it kind of got under my skin.”
Drew: “They didn’t trust me. Like, no one trusted me… Except Slick Devens, and that’s why he’s the one that’s here.”
Devens: “And I only trusted you enough to keep me safe.”
Drew: “Exactly.”

Devens: “Having a 40-second song about a fruit tree is really actually making it difficult.”
Drew: “If it were me, and I was in season 28, I think I would be awake the whole day on my birthday.”
Devens: “We’re very different. I think that’s fair to say.”
Devens: “She’s got a different way of operating, and that’s why she’s here.”

3:19 PM — Taylor, Devens and Drew (Backyard)

Taylor sees the decorations.

Taylor: “You guys are so sweet.”
Devens: “Hey, happy birthday.”
Taylor: “Thanks.”
Devens: “We’re not the best decorators in the business, but we try.”
Taylor: “I think it’s the best I’ve ever seen in my life.”

At 3:43, Drew.

Drew: “Happy birthday.”
Taylor: “Thank you for the decorations.”
Taylor: “Oh, happy you guys have fun. I really appreciate it.”
Drew: “We were looking at them and we’re like, I think they look good.”
Taylor: “It looks amazing.”

3:50 PM — Drew and Taylor (Hot Tub)

Drew: “So, what’s it like being 28?”
Taylor: “I just feel like I’m 27, and…”
Taylor: “I don’t want kids right now. I don’t want to be married right now.”
Taylor: “It’s just a responsibility. Something breaks, you gotta fix it.”
Drew: “You got your speech on lock?”
Taylor: “…I’m still studying. I have my points, though, for my speeches. I just gotta put it together.”
Drew: “Yeah, like, do you wanna touch on everything a little bit during that one minute, and then… Then you can go deeper into stuff, or like, what if they don’t ask me about something?”
Taylor: “I’m hoping that I can just answer the questions, like, you know?”

Drew: “I woke up, ate food, walked. Ate more food. Walked and then went in the pool. Because that’s all I’ve been doing this whole f—ing summer. And it’s been so f—ing fun.”
Drew: “Like, lock in, like, the last two days, like, fully do it. Like, just, like, figure out your bullet points and then, like, come up with a nice little summary.”
Drew: “I’m a college student, man. It works, though. We always do things last minute.”
Taylor: “Oh, I know. Trust me. Been there.”
Taylor: “You’re going to procrastinate. Cram.”
Drew: “Cram.”
Taylor: “That’s what I did for that veto. I was like, I just crammed the morning of.”
Drew: “And killed it.”

Drew: “Isn’t it weird to think that someone on Thursday is going to have $750,000?”
Taylor: “That’s weird as f—.”
Taylor: “If I was to get that money, I would take half of it and put it in… trust that I can’t touch until, like, 35… So if somebody does try to rob me, they won’t be able to even get to it.”

Then Drew’s mom.

Drew: “I think she probably deserves it.”
Drew: “For 22 years. Think about how many headaches I’ve given her. Too many to count.”

Drew: “Who’s your top three for America’s favorite?”
Taylor: “From which perspective? Because the perspective changes based off being in the house and watching.”
Taylor: “Maybe Lala. I don’t know. But maybe Lala. Maybe Mallory.”
Taylor: “And I wouldn’t say certain people wasn’t here long enough, but Tucker was only here like six weeks.”
Drew: “Mallory was seven weeks.”

4:48 PM — Drew and Taylor

Drew: “Dude, you’re halfway done.”
Taylor: “It took me like four hours to get halfway done. This is not halfway, but…”

Big Brother calls Taylor to the diary room.

Taylor: “Yeah, I need an outfit.”

4:55 PM — Drew and Devens

Drew: “She seemed to like the decorations, though… Which is cool.”
Devens: “We crushed.”
Drew: “What can you say except happy birthday, Tay? Because it’s her birthday.”
Drew: “You were snoozing for a sec, pops.”
Devens: “Living the dream.”

Drew: “I’ll show you why we do it and how we do it in Temecula.”
Devens: “That’s how we do it in Temecula.”

Drew: “In a future season of Survivor… Do you think they’ll be like, oh, Devens is a loyal ally? Or do you think they’ll be like, oh, Devens is a super cutthroat?”
Devens: “That’s an interesting one. What do you think?”
Drew: “I think loyal?”
Devens: “I’ve always been very loyal in my Survivor games. I feel like I was pretty loyal in this one to the people I started with.”
Drew: “Agreed.”
Devens: “So… Hopefully the loyal option.”

5:51 PM — Devens, Drew and Taylor

Devens: “I’m just asking so I know. Don’t get upset. Do you think you’ll propose to Melody at the finale?”
Drew: “Should I? Would that be a good move?”
Devens: “I think it would be a good move.”
Drew: “I just… That one would be crazy. I think they only have room for one proposal.”
Devens: “So you’re going to wait to see if Rome does it?”
Drew: “I think Rome’s got it covered.”

Drew: “But no, I don’t think I will be proposing. I don’t think I’ll be proposing.”
Devens: “Follow up, don’t get mad… What do you think the odds are she proposes to you? She’s a modern woman. She is a modern woman. She’s strong. She’s got to stand on her own two feet. She’s a little older. Maybe she decides to pop the question.”
Drew: “Yeah, times have changed… I don’t think so.”
Devens: “She could maybe borrow an engagement ring from Angela.”

Devens: “Tay, do you think Melody will propose to Drew at the finale?”
Taylor: “Definitely.”
Devens: “See? You gotta be ready.”
Devens: “You got to think positively, Drew.”
Devens: “The more you think someone’s not going to propose to you during a live finale, the more likely it is that you’re not going to get proposed to during a live finale.”
Drew: “But what if… What if Mellie stands up and proposes to Barrett?”
Taylor: “Um, I think Melody proposing to a man alone is just stupid, but if that’s what her heart desires, I’m all for it.”
Taylor: “I’ll be the maid of, no, that would be Mallory. I’ll be the second maid of honor.”

Drew: “But if she proposes to Barrett, do you think I’ll even be invited?”
Taylor: “I don’t think you should want to go.”
Taylor: “Would you go to your ex’s wedding? I wouldn’t.”
Drew: “I guess you’re right. But she’s not my ex.”
Taylor: “I knew you was going to say that. But Barrett is.”
Drew: “Barrett’s my ex?”

6:04 PM — Devens and Drew

Drew: “…Do you want a banana? Should I bring one over?”
Devens: “How do I know if it’s going to be a good one? Because aren’t they supposed to have a brown spot on it?… Or is a pure yellow one the best?”
Drew: “Trust your gut. It’s like Harry Potter. Let the banana choose you.”
Devens: “I was just going to correct you because it’s wands that choose you, not bananas… In Ollivander’s wand shop.”
Devens: “I had a wand choose me at Universal Orlando… Where I still hope to go to Halloween Horror Nights.”
Devens: “Somebody send this to Universal Orlando and let them know that I would love to come with a friend to Halloween Horror Nights if they can hook me up.”
Drew: “Send Devens to Halloween Horror Nights in Orlando.”
Devens: “Please. With a friend. With a friend.”

Devens says it’s been a little over eight years since his last banana.

Devens: “What if I don’t like it?”
Drew: “Dude, if there’s one thing I hate, it’s wasting food.”
Devens: “What if I throw up?”
Drew: “Well, just don’t get on the carpet.”
Devens: “You want it on the couch? Is that what you’re saying?”
Drew: “The grass would be better.”
Devens: “It’s fake grass, though.”

Drew: “Now, say something inspirational for, like, the people to try something new. Like, don’t be scared.”
Devens: “Sometimes in life… Change is the only constant in life. Sometimes you have to take a chance on something. And maybe something that didn’t have much appeal before is all of a sudden… Appealing now.”
Drew: “One small step for Devens, one big step for banana kind.”
Drew: “If you knew how to throw up on purpose, I think now would be the time you would do it.”
Devens: “Oh, I can throw up any time I want. It’s a gift.”
Devens: “It’s not great.”
Drew: “…Guys, guys, he’s going in for his second bite.”

Devens: “It’s better than I thought it’d be. It’s not as bad as I remember. I feel like you picked a really perfect banana for me.”
Taylor: “So you like bananas?”
Drew: “No. I don’t think he likes them, but he’s more neutral on them now.”
Devens: “But I’m not gagging on it.”

Devens: “Coming into this banana experiment, I expected this to be a one or two.”
Drew: “Whoa, low bar.”
Devens: “Very low. Really don’t like bananas. Now, after experiencing this banana with you… I would put it at a four.”
Drew: “Whoa, guys, we just jumped two spots.”
Devens: “I guess if you don’t count the tip, I ate like half a banana.”
Drew: “That’s good. After eight years?”
Devens: “Can I have that Twinkie?”
Drew: “Look what you earned yourself.”