Being an outsider coming onto The Challenge can’t be easy, but it seems the rookies on Vendettas have taken different approaches.

While some rookies are trying to band together and make a rookie alliance, others are trying to cozy up to veterans an ride their success.

Somewhere between the two extremes lies Natalie. The Big Brother transplant has found herself in power this week and trying to navigate between forging relationships with veterans like Bananas, Veronica, and Kailah. Meanwhile she may be losing her initial friendships with rookies like Alicia, Melissa, and Kam.

This isn’t Big Brother, and a lot of these cast members have had friendships for years. It’s unlikely Bananas would stab someone like Leroy, or even Cara Maria at this point, in the back for Natalie. Still, Natalie has been making deals with a lot of people who go far in the game. Kailah has established herself as a strong newbie, Bananas has the most wins ever, and Veronica is crafty and known to slide through dangerous situations. If Natalie truly has deals with these people and they honor these deals, it will serve her well. This will bring her close to the final and give her safety when a lot of veterans win.

On the flip side, the rookies will view her has a snake. At some point, rookies get power. In fact, Kyle was in the Troika last week. Once Natalie is a known traitor it’s unlikely she will honor her status as one of them and she will be nominated to go into elimination. Even if some veterans like Natalie, she’s still the low woman on the totem pole. Bananas will sacrifice her before Leroy and Veronica will sacrificed her before Jemmye.

To be honest, I think she’s playing for a mid-season elimination. In Big Brother, it’s easy to rely on alliances to navigate to the end. On The Challenge, there are some true friendships/ alliances that she won’t be able to break. I think some veterans are willing to offer some protection to Natalie, but their relationship is strictly business. When push comes to shove, they’re not going to lose a friend to save Natalie.