Big Brother Blowout: Veto Winner Determines Final Three -- Who Grabs All the Power?

With the end so close, and a heightened prize of $750,000 on this season of "Big Brother," the Final Four showed a lot of surprising emotion bouncing from paranoia to remorse to a whole lot of unnecessary attitude.

It gets very hard to keep your cool when the game is this close to the end -- next Wednesday is the finale! -- but it's also absolutely essential. All of the power this week resides with the Veto holder.

Xavier is already Head of Household, so if he wins the Veto he gets to decide not only who is on the Block, but who gets to cast the vote. It's actually the least powerful potential outcome because Xavier can't necessarily control how that person will vote.

If anyone else wins Veto, they automatically secure their safety, put the other two non-Xavier Houseguests on the Block and get to decide which of them goes home. So for Xavier, it's ultimate influence, for anyone else, it's ultimate power.

As such, even though Azah and Kyland are both on the Block right now, it doesn't really mean all that much as so much comes down to this final Veto competition of the season. You can never relax on the Block, but maybe don't cop attitude with the person who might have all the power.

We've been seeing hints of it all season long, that Kyland has an arrogance about him in this game, and possibly more than that if you've been watching the Live Feeds. Anyone who watches "Big Brother" knows that you tell people in power what they need to hear.

At this point, Derek F has all the power. If nominations stay the same, he'll be the one to decide who goes home. So why on earth would Kyland cop an attitude with Derek F when he comes to him for assurance of their Week 2 Final Two deal. Just tell him you're good and be done with it.

Instead, in two different conversations, Kyland gets all pissy and refuses to give a straight answer and then dares to feel offended that Derek F is asking him this from a position of power. Uh yeah, that's how this works. He has the power. You have to grovel or manipulate or do whatever you have to do.

Is this too much pride?

It's honestly inexplicable behavior from Kyland, who's played a pretty solid strategic game to this point. This is just one part of it, and yet he sits there and insults Derek's part in the game -- effectively telling him he's had none -- and won't affirm their working relationship, even if we know it's a lie.

Kyland wants to honor his Final 2 with Xavier, but boo, you gotta get there first!

Easily one of the most challenging competitions, this one required great memory, math under pressure and physical balance and care as the Houseguests had to transport balls back and forth to a giant paddle on the other end of a fulcrum.

This was do or die for everyone in the House, as all the power rested in this competition. It was also a lesson for future Houseguests. Don't just memorize the competitions and game-related big moments. If you set the kitchen on fire, maybe remember that, too.

That was the only day they struggled with. Beyond that, it was just getting through it and balance. Based on the edit, it looked like Kyland was over-eager, as he was moving too quickly and knocking his balls loose, forcing him to start over.

If he'd have been a little more steady, he might have won. Instead, he shockingly went out first. He was followed by Azah, who'd come in first and second in the first three rounds, but came in third in the next two.

Once again, as we've seen in recent competitions, Derek F was so close on this one through most of it. Xavier was burning in the final round, but Derek F had another strong showing, proving that he's so close to winning something this season -- if there's time.

Ultimately, though, Xavier gave himself the victory.

Then, in the ultimate irony, Kyland got all pissy with Xavier for not giving him the assurances about their Final Two that he was looking for. We're pretty sure that he has no clue this is the exact scenario that played out between him and Derek F, only with the roles reversed.

Now, Xavier has secondary power to keep Kyland on the Block, but he won't be the one casting the vote. And yet, Kyland is pleading his case to Xavier instead of Derek F or Azah. Has he dismissed them entirely?

Xavier has an interesting choice ahead of him. In order to honor his side of his Final Three deal with the guys, and his Final Two with Kyland, but also get Kyland out of the House, he needs Derek F to take the shot. The problem is, it's not certain that he would.

Azah would certainly do it, but Xavier is thinking of Jury management with this decision. We didn't get to see if he used the Power of Veto yet, so it's going to be a lot of conversations with Derek F to see if Xavier can be confident he'll take Kyland out of the game while allowing Xavier to save face.

Xavier Prather (27) just about has this game all tied up in a bow. He's surging with comps at just the right time, and if he orchestrates the removal of Kyland -- who's rubbed a lot of people wrong -- he'll pretty much assure himself a victory if he can get to the end, and he'll be setting himself up with the best chance of getting there at the same time. Grade: A+

Derek Frazier (29) is so close to making the right decision to give himself the best shot at making it to Final Two. Xavier would probably honor their deal if he cuts Kyland from the game, and he's seen already what Kyland thinks of him in this game. He needs to make the bold decision to cut Kyland now. Yes, it's a betrayal of the alliance, but it's the only way to give himself the best chance to get to the end. Grade: B

Azah Awasum (30) will hopefully be safe this week, if Derek F can make the move he needs to make ... or if Xavier decides to put Big D on the Block and let Azah take the shot. Beyond this, though, it'll be up to her to carry herself into the Final Two. There is the slightest chance that Big D could take her if he wins final HOH as both are playing an emotional game and it would be better odds for both of them, but one of them has to win that final HOH first. Wouldn't that be a shocking finale twist. Grade: C-

Kyland Young (30) is starting to realize the trouble he's in. Xavier is in a position to not betray his alliance at all, but rather have someone else do it. If they take the shot, Kyland is done. If for some reason, they don't, Xavier's hands are still clean. It's a masterful position. But we have a feeling Big D or Azah is about to take the shot. He needed to win, or at least be more gracious with his back against the wall, and he was capable of neither. Grade: D

• “It’s essentially win this veto, or lose this game.” --Kyland
• “Up until now, I made it the entire season without being nominated. And it’s sobering, because I might be going home.” --Azah
• “Do you have a Final Three with them?” --Azah (to Derek F)
• “No.” --Derek F
• “That’s essentially a Final Three with the guys, you know that, right?” --Azah (after Derek F tells her he has a Final 2 with both Xavier and Kyland)
• “I could have not sent Hannah home and sent a guy home. Would have probably set myself up better than I am now.” --Azah (truth too late)
• “We’re in the best position.” --Derek F
• “It’s not us anymore, boo. It’s you.” --Azah
• “I feel like right now you’re having a conversation with me about fears of making it to two. And rIght now, I’m just trying to get to three.” --Kyland (to Derek F)
• “What I’m getting at is to make sure that our deal that we made to the end sticks.” --Derek F
• “I recognize that. We’re in different positions. I’m more vulnerable than you. I don’t think it’s your intention to leverage it because I’m in a vulnerable spot. It is, like, a leveraged question.” --Kyland
• ‘You want Wonder Woman?” --Azah (after Xavier says Kyland is looking at a Batman/Superman Final 2 with him)
• “If I sit next to Azah or Big D, my chance of winning this game increases significantly.” --Xavier
• “The difference between me and you is that I have gotten to have an active role in those decisions. So it’s not that I would be willing to do it, I did it. You haven’t been able to.” --Kyland (to Derek F about decisions made to push Cookout to Final 6)
• “I’ve shown many times that I have been loyal to Derek, so now this feels ungrateful. It feels like at is very first opportunity, he’s asking what I can do for him.” --Kyland (planning to honor Final 2 with Xavier, not Derek)
• “I’m just going to say that our Final 2 deal is dead. We can revisit it after we see what happens [with Veto].” --Derek F (to Kyland)
• “I think I would do better if I leave this conversation right now.” --Kyland
• “Kyland has this habit of deep-sniffing everything. Why you putting the whole tortilla on your face, dog? That’s nasty.” --Xavier
• “After seeing that and thinking of all the meals he’s cooked for me, I have to win this Veto so we can get this sniffing band out of this house. His ass gotta go.” --Xavier
• “The fact that you were willing to save me, the fact that you were willing to be there for me just like I have been there for you, I need to respect that.” --Derek F (to Azah)
• “I’ll be back for you.” --Kyland (to Veto necklace heading into competition)
• “Being eliminated first feels like I’ve let down myself.” --Kyland (after Veto comp)
• “I don’t know why between you and I would have to be a conversation for tomorrow. It’s just vulnerable moments I think reassurances help. That’s why to not get them instantly has my worry amplifying.” --Kyland (he wouldn’t give Derek F any reassurances)
• “If Big D is having any doubts, then Xavier should use the Veto on me because I have no deals with Kyland and no problem sending him out that door. At all.” --Azah