Survivor finale recap: Season 40, episode 14: ‘It All Boils Down to This’ – Entertainment Weekly

Man, I’m correct joyful. In a shiny temper. Delight in slightly of extra pep in my step. Things shiny now, as I write this, are k. Don’t get me contaminated, things are legit awful accessible. Isolation. Economic catastrophe. Dying.

We buried my wife’s mom final week, and it changed into as awful as you might perchance presumably presumably accept as true with. We couldn’t focus on over along with her in her final weeks due to the we weren’t allowed within the sanatorium as she changed into demise. Then, after she handed away, our household grieving changed into dinky to a 5-minute ceremony on the cemetery attended by exclusively 5 people who were advised to preserve within the automobile. Don’t fear, this isn’t a woe-is-me column, correct an acknowledgment of the severity of the scenario accessible as all of us alter to this unusual abnormal.

And I also need you to leisure assured that I am going to get into the final gigantic moves and moments of the Survivor: Winners at War finale and weigh in on them as exclusively a seasoned Wednesday evening quarterback can. I’ll nitpick on obvious things I didn’t hold and presumably flow on a paragraph or two longer than I must still, but enable me for a 2nd to use a huge screech see of this episode and this season for a 2nd, if I’ll perchance presumably well furthermore.

Again in December, when I ranked Island of the Idols because the worst Survivor season ever, I wrote the following: “When it involves ranking Survivor seasons, it within the spoil comes all the map down to a feeling. You would attach execs and cons lists, but, within the discontinue, it all boils all the map down to how a season makes you if truth be told feel. And, unfortunately, attributable to the events surrounding the putrid touching — and the style it changed into handled by both production and the opposite contestants — the final feeling in phrases of this season is disappointment.”

So what’s the final feeling in phrases of Winners at War? I’ve been brooding about that so much, and from the first moment of day 1 when those 20 winners walked onto the sand spit within the center of the ocean, the overwhelming feeling I hold had is…joy. The enjoyment if truth be told started within the times main up to filming. I spoke with the contestants for our abnormal pre-sport interviews, and it changed into without grief the categorical series of pre-sport chats I had ever had.

Sure, about a of that changed into potentially attributable to my familiarity with the contestants, about a of whom I hold identified for shut to 2 decades now, but this changed into also a series of unparalleled gamers and personalities. Some people, hold Ben and Michele, had one thing to expose. Others, hold Yul and Kim, were revered one-timers who hoped to expose their first dominant runs weren’t a fluke. There were the legends — Parvati, Boston Steal, and Sandra — who were truly taking a nostalgia-fueled victory lap, their spot stable within the Survivor pantheon. And there changed into the return of the final Survivor, Ethan Zohn — a man who out of date his winnings on Survivor: Africa to help strive against AIDS on the continent and then had to outlive no longer one, but two lifestyles-threatening bouts of a rare blood most cancers. His return by myself changed into one among the categorical actuality TV tales ever.

They stepped on the seaside, and I got goosebumps. Twenty of the categorical gamers ever, collectively, on season 40 of a expose that even the host and creator blueprint would potentially be a immediate fad and then proceed away. It changed into awesome. And what changed into equally awesome changed into how the producers treated the season. Optimistic, we can debate and focus on about which twists worked and which didn’t, and likewise you might perchance presumably presumably flow motivate through my season recaps to see which ones I cherished and which ones I loathed, but what I mean changed into they didn’t correct sort out the season as a abnormal competition. This season would also act as a celebration of your complete franchise and its myth 20-year glide. They leaned into making the season if truth be told feel special, starting with a champagne toast and the announcement that they were doubling the winner’s prize to $2 million.

I bring all this up due to the that feeling of joy and celebration permeated your complete season, even when the bettering changed into slightly complicated and there changed into slightly of little bit of a lull in about a of the later episodes. Optimistic, there changed into some post-relationship awkwardness between Wendell and Michele at one level, and Ben had about a reputedly minor tiffs with Adam and Jeremy, but that changed into all expansive low on the abnormal Survivor scale of non-public animosity.

More on the final than no longer, we, as viewers, were celebrating. Celebrating a major sport switch hold Denise slaying the Queen, or Tony masterfully flipping the vote onto Sophie. Celebrating the unparalleled pressure and spirit of the people who carried out that brutal log carrying downside. Celebrating the household reunions that made even an impassive cyborg hold me wisely up.

Most often Survivor can get grotesque, with final season being but one instance. However this season changed into presumably the least grotesque installment on file, and the finale serves because the excellent instance of that. We saw a massive speech from Sarah about gender bias within the sport. We saw Jeff Probst exit of his map to acknowledge his feature in that bias. We saw Ben tearfully quit his sigh within the sport to help boost the résumé of the girl he wished to see rep. We saw Tony and Sarah — the two supreme chums on the island — reduced to a mess of tears, kisses, and “I if truth be told hold yous” as one had her dream dashed and the opposite his dream fulfilled. And we saw a jury reputedly devoid of any internal most bitterness as they relentlessly praised all three finalists for a sport wisely played. (Even the one set a matter to Steal posed to Natalie about her lack of social gameplay on the Edge changed into accomplished in a respectful map looking for enter from her about it sooner than he made his final decision.)

After which there changed into Tony Vlachos. I wrote about a weeks motivate about how Tony is the most fascinating participant within the history of the expose due to the no person else mixes sport sense and nonsense more than him. His glide this season changed into dominant. He won four immunity challenges. He found an idol. He got people from two various alliances to help him when he got hit with an Extortion from the Edge. He managed to deliver nearly each vote he changed into a segment of, in a map without angering the people he blindsided. And he never had his name written down as soon as. Dominant. And potentially the most dominant Survivor efficiency ever, especially brooding about the level of competition. I’m able to’t expose you how stress-free it’s miles to hold a massive winner on this type of major season. Tony won in a 12 to 4 to 0 vote, with Natalie’s 4 votes coming from Jeremy, Parvati, and Ethan (who all played with Nat on her customary tribe) and Tyson (whom Nat bought an idol for).

However it indubitably’s no longer correct about greatness with Tony. Tony would perchance be FUN! Whether it’s miles striking ashes in each place Sarah’s face for her undercover mission, nearly killing himself on his dwelling made ladder, wiping out whereas sprinting throughout the jungle, nearly shedding feeling in his complete physique whereas perched in a Glance Nest™ for an hour, laughing about his extortion, or simply talking to the digicam within the style exclusively he can, Tony is the posterchild for the exuberant joy that Survivor can present.

Which is exactly what all of us hold wished these past few months‚ exuberant joy. It’s why the timing of season 40 changed into so excellent. Search for, you all know me. I’m no longer asserting I need every season of Survivor to be unicorns, and rainbows, and Glance Bunkers™ with about a verses of “Kumbaya” thrown in for shiny measure, but this changed into the season we wished for 2020 with the a hit efficiency we wished. Which is why I’m so joyful.

And it’s no longer correct the winner. I’m joyful Natalie got kudos for taking half in her ass off. In spot of now being immersed in controversy over whether someone voted out on day 2 ought in roar to rep the sport, we can all correct salute her for a in point of fact expansive effort. I’m joyful Michele fought off the internal most demons of her old controversial rep by now changing into the exclusively person in history that has played Survivor multiple cases and never been voted out or left early. There’s a motive Michele saved being bequeathed tokens. She might perchance presumably well furthermore no longer hold bought any votes on the discontinue, but she fulfilled her mission to expose herself mighty of the crown. And I’m joyful for Tony, who positively correct secured his spot on the Survivor Mount Rushmore next to Sandra, Parvati, and Boston Steal — gamers who all won twice (Tony, Sandra) or had two dominant outings (Parvati, Steal).

The season changed into no longer excellent, but it indubitably changed into the excellent season to air shiny now, and if Survivor within the spoil comes all the map down to a feeling, I want to relate that I’m feeling beautiful rattling shiny. And I’m no longer correct asserting that for the reason that final 3 all hail from the Garden Notify of Recent Jersey HOLLA!!!! Orderly sweep for the non-fuel pumpers within the house!

K, luminous overview formally over! Let’s now DIG DEEP on about a of the enormous finale moments in slightly more part.

Day 2, Day 2, Whatcha Gonna Pause?

As I outlined in final week’s recap, the fight-motivate downside to get motivate into the sport lacked some suspense attributable to the reality that Natalie had three advantages — which hold been three more than 9 other gamers had and two more than Parvati, Yul, and Wendell. (Tyson and Sophie bought peanut butter with their tokens.) Shockingly, Natalie then won the competition, narrowly beating Wendell (who also had a bonus).

I won’t flow on and on about this as soon as more, but will simply sigh for any newbies who stumbled at some level of this recap — my apologies, incidentally — that challenges for me are powerful more dramatic when all people looks to be competing on a level taking half in field. As I wrote earlier this season, I don’t want to see a conflict of the titans at some level of which half the titans hold one arm tied on the motivate of their backs. This isn’t even about equity or the relaxation hold that — despite the reality that Nick lasting the final map to day 34 and having zero opportunities to originate a single token sooner than the competition without a doubt is the relaxation but shiny — but more about what makes for a more dramatic and engrossing contest.

Anyway, after Natalie — who changed into the first person voted out of the sport — changed into formally welcomed motivate with lukewarm hands, Probst gave a bunch of Survivor legends a likelihood to hold their moment within the spotlight sooner than presumably asserting goodbye to the sport forever. In a abnormal season, chewing up worthwhile clock on this would hold been infuriating, but for a season 40 of all-winners, it match. It worked. You simply want to hold the openness and honesty of Amber asserting out loud to Jeff, “Even whenever you read my name because the All-Stars winner, I knew that no person if truth be told felt hold I deserved it. Every person felt hold this guy deserved it and the exclusively motive they voted for me is that they hated him more than they hated me.” That’s uncooked. That’s real.

And Ethan! I made no secret of my want to see Ethan rep this sport. Every little thing that guy has accomplished. Every little thing he has been through. The oldest season winner. It would hold been righteous. However no no longer up to he provided the punctuation designate to this scene by talking about how the cash raised from Survivor Stand Up to Cancer helped fund the drug that fought his disease. “This expose saved my lifestyles.” C’mon, how incredible is that? Yet again, joy.

“We’re all segment of this map of massive routine household,” stated Probst, and without warning, the host changed into clapping, the gamers were clapping, I changed into clapping, my wife changed into walking within the room and asking, “Why are you clapping?” So, lumber, things got slightly of awkward on my discontinue, but it indubitably changed into still a pleasant moment.

Idols Wasted

Now that’s what I’m talking about! Eventually, a downside getting the people out and curious and grooving. This necessary final six contest had the gamers racing through an obstacle, gathering luggage, mountaineering a tower, and going down a water lumber. It regarded expansive stress-free and Michele got entirely destroyed within the bodily fragment of this contest, getting lapped by other gamers. It didn’t topic. Why? Dispute it with me: It’s all about the puzzle.

And Michele is shiny at puzzles. She’s especially shiny at puzzles she has solved sooner than, and with this being the identical three-tier brain teaser she conquered in Kaoh Rong, the opposite gamers — regardless of how luminous a lead they had or how powerful blatant copying they wished to strive — never stood a likelihood. Naturally, Michele famend her victory by kicking down the puzzle — the identical switch on the identical puzzle from her final season — and I judge I strained a hammy correct watching it.

With Michele now stable and Natalie likely having an idol, Tony came up with the exclusively just correct blueprint for the next Tribal — to throw two votes on Natalie (in case Natalie did no longer hold an idol or did no longer play it) and two votes on Denise (in case Natalie did). Factual! Easy! Is luminous! Accomplished!

One diminutive downside. Two, if truth be told. Sarah and Ben. They refused to say Natalie had an idol. “There’s no map she has one thing,” stated the Marine. The cop’s response changed into even worse: “Natalie doesn’t hold an idol. why? Because Natalie and I, within the at some point she’s been here, hold built a shiny ample bond that she would hold told me. These ladies don’t hold the relaxation, so chilly down dude. Bet who’s up to the designate? Sarah! Sarah is aware of what’s going on.” However does she?

At this level, Tony changed into shut to shedding his thoughts, and I don’t blame him. Because if Natalie did no longer hold an idol, then she would exit on the revote anyway. By splitting the vote 2-2-2, if Natalie plays an idol, you retain your two idols and vote out Denise. However whenever you don’t split the vote and Natalie plays an idol, now Tony and Ben both want to break their idols and likewise you discontinue up voting Denise out anyway!

And that’s exactly what came about. Natalie played her idol, so then Tony and Ben had to break theirs. The four votes for Natalie did no longer count. Neither did the two for Ben, so producers made up our minds to correct fly Cirie out to Fiji and snuff her torch as a change. Oh, I child! No, Denise changed into unanimously voted out on the revote. The exclusively engaging facet for Tony is that he got to play the area’s longest sport of “I told you so” in existence after watching his idol be needlessly wasted.

Lacina is Born

Whereas the ouster of the Queenslayer changed into without a doubt powerful, as changed into Sarah and Ben’s flub in underestimating Natalie’s get entry to to a hidden immunity idol, the highlight of your complete affair had to be Sarah’s speech about gender politics. Now, let’s acknowledge one thing shiny out of the gate: The impetus for Sarah’s speech changed into no longer necessarily to take a seat down there and focus on up for the final ladies whose accomplishments hold been minimized over time as their male counterparts were rewarded for the identical behavior. I’ve tracked this perspective for the past few years and written several articles about the gender bias in voting — which has now considered males rep the final six seasons of the expose and 12 of the past 15.

I’m certain Sarah doesn’t hold that, however the speech had more fresh just correct considerations as wisely: Getting her votes! She stated it herself after Natalie joined Koru and neatly told the tribe that all people on the Edge blueprint about Tony the categorical participant: “I want to get my legend out to the jury and attach certain that they know that ladies are correct as equal as males,” stated the Game Changers champ. “And proper due to the a person and girl are working collectively, that doesn’t mean a person is making an are attempting the final shots.”

Sarah knew she wished to get into jurors’ heads that she changed into as equally adept and educated a participant as her alliance accomplice, and here’s why what she did changed into so just correct: Lots of gamers would hold waited till the final Tribal Council to attach that speech. The downside is, by that time, the jury’s thoughts is already made up. Sarah wisely knew she had to strike sooner than then. Why wait to hit them up with that on day 39 whenever you might perchance presumably presumably fall it on day 36 and give it a whereas to marinate?

So when the topic of what Natalie stated about Tony came up at Tribal, Sarah changed into ready to pounce with a message the jury would be very receptive to. “It made me realize that if a lady on this sport lies or cheats or steals, then she’s unsuitable and phony and a bitch. If a man does it, it’s shiny gameplay. If a man does it, he’s a stud. What it’s miles, is a gender bias.”

Clearly, she changed into shiny. And it changed into very impactful to hear Sarah focus on about how for two years after she won Game Changers she blueprint she changed into a putrid person and how exclusively now she realizes that “I’m able to play nevertheless I need due to the if a person can rep it, so can I. I is potentially no longer defeated by a gender bias.” I truthfully use into legend Sarah to be one among the categorical gamers to ever play this sport. I’ve told you a astronomical choice of cases how she changed into considered because the largest threat heading into this season and but she still made it the final map to the tip 4 and changed into never if truth be told even in any trouble at any level. She’s a excellent participant, and she underlined that shiny here by talking reality to energy that also — no longer so coincidentally — would also land with the jury.

So, in that sense, due to the Sarah is luminous and Sarah is fierce, what came about there changed into no longer so shiny. However what came about next changed into. Because then Jeff Probst entered the fray and, fully unprompted, stated this: “Let me rep my segment. I’m obvious shiny now if I were to see motivate on the final feedback I hold revamped 20 years, I would catch the categorical identical bias in me. Who I call by final names. Guys hold various relationships with every other, and I’ll perchance presumably well furthermore no longer know the map to hold that relationship with a lady. So I’ll positively rep the reality that I positively don’t judge I saw it when Survivor started. And I don’t even judge I do know I changed into supposed to search it. However I’m very powerful aware about it now.”

Gutsy. Because here’s the article: No person on this scene changed into calling out Jeff. No person changed into asking him to point out himself. No person changed into accusing him of the relaxation. He might perchance presumably well furthermore hold stayed out of it, regarded if truth be told deep and pensive, and nodded his head on the final shiny cases whereas Sarah spoke. However he didn’t. He went there — as soon as more, unprompted — and addressed his rep feature within the alpha-dominated tradition of Survivor. The reality that he wished to head there is massive. However the truly shiny thing is no longer that Probst stated it. It’s that he aired it.

Endure in thoughts, Tribal Councils can flow on for hours and are then condensed to correct a diminutive while. Especially in a finale, every 2nd is worthwhile. Jeff can sing whatever the hell he desires at Tribal Council stable within the conception that they are able to correct within the discount of it out later. It’s no longer dwell, so he can let it rip. So for him to publicly acknowledge this no longer correct to the forged, but to the hundreds and hundreds watching at some level of the area — and to attach the time to rep so — is the truly excellent thing. Especially after the events of ultimate season, at some level of which the expose looked flat-footed in reacting to an undesirable touching disaster, this changed into an sudden highlight of the evening that no person might perchance presumably well furthermore hold considered coming.

And now Sarah is truly tiresome. Prolonged dwell Lacina.

Ben Falls on His Sword

First off, is it correct me, or did Tony nearly correct burn down a full island? That nighttime idol hunt where the loopy person made a fireplace within the jungle and out of date a lit log as a flashlight changed into as if CBS plugged a machine into my brain that suctioned out my dreams and fantasies and set them without extend onto my television screen screen. Only in my dreams, Tony certainly does location the island on fire, then tries to get away it by mountaineering up into his Glance Nest™, and is set to be burned to a crisp when he is beamed up out of trouble by a UFO manned by the final Tony Vlachos clones that were never unleashed in Game Changers and hold been biding their time ever since talking with alien lifestyles sorts angry by learning the secret as to how one human from Recent Jersey might perchance presumably well furthermore be so awesome. Unfortunately for Tony, his idol hunt changed into fruitless, and Natalie found the idol as a change. On the plus facet, he didn’t burn the island down, sooooo…

The 2nd immunity downside changed into every other gigantic fabricate on both land and on sea because the gamers raced through obstacles, grabbed a key, unlocked sandbags, and then had to land two on a table. Factual stuff all over as soon as more from the downside production department. Ben changed into the first one throughout the obstacles and the first one to land a earn. That’s major to bear in mind due to the had he landed that 2nd earn, your complete discontinue sport might perchance presumably well furthermore hold been very various. However he didn’t, and after several excruciating on and off shots, Tony took the necklace — his fourth of the season. I mean, it’s the identical necklace. It’s no longer hold they offer him a various necklace every time. what I mean.

After the downside, Tony changed into motivate up within the Glance Nest™, despite the reality that I’m no longer if truth be told certain why. After all, if Lacina is the one talking to Natalie, and Lacina and Tony are so carefully aligned, can’t she correct, hold, expose him what came about? I want to attach it entirely certain that in no map, shape, or fabricate am I advocating for Tony Vlachos to be anyplace but perched in his Glance Nest™ due to the a grown man hiding in a tree for see you later that his physique goes numb is my authorized thing on this planet that doesn’t own Jeff Probst skydiving with an urn of votes. I correct don’t understand it. Nonetheless, mere mortals can no longer be expected to attain the logic of the gods.

However one thing gigantic did approach out of that Natalie and Lacina meeting, when Lacina seen that Natalie changed into hiding an immunity idol below her buff. That location off a series of events that resulted in a jaw-shedding insert-file-scratch-sound-pause-here moment from the Marine when Ben told Lacina to jot down his name down at Tribal Council. SAY WHAAAAAAAAAT?!? Lacina changed into Ben’s No. 1 all along, and after listening to her gigantic speech, but recognizing she wished every other gigantic switch to compete with the lovable lunatic, Ben told her he would sacrifice himself to help her rep your complete thing.

“Utilize that as your résumé,” he told her, his eyes turning red as he welled up. “I’m for it… That map you might perchance presumably presumably’t sing you bought drug along.… I’m being entirely serious. I if truth be told hold you. You would furthermore hold got my permission.” I do know what you’re taking into consideration, and it’s potentially one thing along the lines of… BEN DRIEBERGEN IS A CRAZY PERSON! HE MUST BE A MEMBER OF CYPRESS HILL BECAUSE THE MAN HAS GONE INSANE IN THE MEMBRANE!!! HOW COULD HE DO THAT? WHAT IS HE THINKING? HE’S GOT ME SO ANGRY RIGHT NOW I AM WRITING IN ALL CAPS FOR WAY LONGER THAN IS SOCIALLY ACCEPTABLE!

Whereas you’re taking into consideration that, I get it. How might perchance presumably well furthermore someone get to the final 5 — and be the categorical fire-making threat within the neighborhood — and then quit? All that you must rep is attach it through this vote and likewise you’re beautiful powerful guaranteed final three! All 39 days! Two seasons, 78 days? That’s legendary stuff.  However as a change Ben quits? Who does this guy judge he is, Ian Rosenberger?!?

Yet again, whenever you’re taking into consideration that, I get it. However judge about this: Ben had ZERO likelihood of a hit the sport. Factual read what my panel for ragged all-stars had to relate about Ben’s chances heading into the finale. They knew he had no likelihood. The jury knew he had no likelihood. And Ben knew he had no likelihood. No longer exclusively did Ben hold some lingering animosity with jurors hold Adam and Jeremy, but Ben changed into luminous ample to understand that both Tony and Sarah were considered because the conductors on that educate, and no longer him. He changed into viewed as a passenger. And he knew that. Factual two days prior, he changed into remarking that he clearly changed into no longer completely liked by the soon-to-be jury.

So Ben might perchance presumably well furthermore hold stayed, gotten about a more days out of it, scored some extra cash, and been one among the remove few to attach it the final map to the discontinue in both of their first two cases taking half in (joining Sandra, Amanda Kimmel, and Russell Hantz, with Michele presumably getting voted out as a change on this scenario). That might perchance presumably be major to a mode of oldsters, but one thing else changed into more major to Ben: “I do know that it’s no longer if truth be told major what happens, I’m going to hunch away from Survivor with my head held excessive and if truth be told hold real chums. Because having chums is value more than cash.”

We all know Ben has demons. We know this due to the he is so factual and candid about it. We know Ben has struggled with how his final a hit effort changed into perceived. We know he changed into very still to no longer bulldoze over people this time at some level of the style he felt he might perchance presumably well furthermore hold accomplished his final day day out. Sooner than Lacina utilized his needs at Tribal, Ben spoke about how his season changed into about impart and making an are attempting to characterize his household in a higher gentle and to “No longer flow motivate dwelling and no longer hold the person I changed into… Tonight is set being courageous and being sturdy and having friendships.”

Final week spread out the dialogue about the emotional designate Survivor can use on gamers after they flow away the island. It’s real. Ben chose a route of motion that might perchance better back his psychological wisely-being within the lengthy-time period, and if that’s the case, then the dude made the shiny call. That’s to no longer claim Ben is no longer competitive. I’ve been around him lengthy ample to understand that he’s. However he knew there changed into no map for him to rep this sport. No likelihood. If he saw a route to victory, I’m assured he would hold taken it. So he chose a decided route, and if that affords him peace of thoughts, I’m engrossing in it.

The truth is, that’s all a lie. I’m correct joyful Ben took himself out of the sport so we might perchance presumably well furthermore witness that DOPE ASS HORSESHOE MUSTACHE in all of its jury glory. Jesus Christ, give Ben’s facial hair its rep spinoff already! And let Tony witness if he can cover in it and turn proper into a Glance Stache™.

Friendly Fire

The final immunity downside changed into the human hypnosis machine identified because the ball chute… which, now that I write those words, sounds slightly of dirtier than I supposed. Ball chute. Yuck. Sorry. Anyhoodle, it changed into that one which Nick Wilson made famend by jumping around expansive awkwardly with one arm tied on the motivate of his motivate after he won in David vs. Goliath. Normally, you preserve striking balls into chutes — as soon as more, sorry — till you fall one and likewise you’re out.

It finally came all the map down to a truly impressive fight between laser-focused Michele and Natalie, with Natalie at final a hit. And whenever you’re retaining rating, that meant attributable to her purchased immunity idol, found immunity idol, and downside rep, Natalie did no longer want to face one single vote or fire-making downside to attach it to the final three. Originate of that what you will.

The broad set a matter to now changed into: Who would use Tony on at fire? Natalie had zero interest in pulling a Chris Underwood and giving up her immunity, which meant it’d be either Michele or Lacina, and a form of alternate choices perceived to bask in the downside: “I’m hoping she picks me,” stated Lacina. “I want to step up to the plate. I’m no longer worried. Decide me!” So Natalie did. No longer exclusively did Lacina want to head to fire, she also wished to head against her supreme pal within the sport. “I if truth be told hold this guy. He’s my accomplice, and if we’re gonna get shot, I’d moderately us shoot every rather then every other person shoot at us.”

K, we want to get into this fire-making fight, and no longer correct due to the an MIA Sophie potentially still has no blueprint what came about so I’m going to rep her sturdy by clueing her in. Let me originate by asserting this: You all know I’m no longer partial to the final four fire-making. It’s a cheat set in to help obvious gamers get away their inevitable destiny and if truth be told punishes people for a hit the final immunity downside, which is absurd. There are a million things contaminated with it, and I hold spent several seasons now outlining them, so I won’t bore you as soon as more. However, all that stated, it’s miles k to acknowledge that one thing that fundamentally must still no longer be segment of the sport can still yield dramatic dividends.

Due to the fire-making, we were treated to a Wendell-Domenick final and the first tie in Survivor history. Due to the fire-making, we saw someone quit final immunity for the first time in Chris. And now, thanks to the fire-making, we saw one among the strongest and emotional reactions ever to an elimination.

It started with a ridiculous amount of fist-bumping and a few shiny-natured ribbing (“You’re finally going to pray to relate I’m better than you. That’s gonna anxiety, isn’t it?”) and resulted in tears, hugs, and kisses. Tony won the fire downside. That changed into just correct-making an are attempting, however the uncooked emotion on expose after it changed into finished changed into overwhelming.

TONY [in between sobs]: “I if truth be told hold you so powerful, Sarah.”

LACINA: “I if truth be told hold you motivate. Police officers ‘R’ Us.”

TONY [sobbing even more now]: “I’m sorry, Sarah.”

LACINA: “Get hold of pleasure from this. To rep but every other day and likewise you’re accomplished”

TONY [just a complete mess at this point]: “I if truth be told hold you.”

LACINA: “I if truth be told hold you.”

Tony couldn’t even see at her as they both sat down. Was as soon as unable to even blueprint shut take a look at contact. “If I changed into going to exit of this sport,” Lacina told Probst, “that’s how I changed into going to exit. And if I wanted someone to use me out, that’s who I wanted to use me out. And if someone changed into going to use him out, I wanted it to be me.”

Tony couldn’t see. He grew to vary into his head and, hold, cried to a tree or one thing. For me, this fire fight changed into hold motivate within the 1980s when the NFC championship sport changed into the categorical Tall Bowl, or the more fresh stretch where the two most dominant Western Conference basketball teams would rep fight within the categorical matchup of the two supreme teams on this planet. Tony and Lacina are dominant gamers that came in with a rock-sturdy relationship that all people knew about, and but they still might perchance presumably well furthermore no longer discontinuance them.

I would hold LOVED to hold considered them fight it out at final Tribal collectively, but when here is how we had to see their legend discontinue, it changed into a hell of an ending nevertheless, and I judge that expose of uncooked vulnerability if truth be told helped Tony with the jury in that it if truth be told humanized him. We all witness Tony as this guy with the final loopy antics, zany schemes, and vitality drink enthusiasm, but this showed his heart at this moment… I mean, mumment. When he without grief might perchance presumably well furthermore hold been celebrating, Tony changed into mourning. Most often a jury — especially a jury made from a mode of oldsters — desires to see that. And each so generally viewers rep as wisely. It’s correct every other motive to adore on the altar of Tony Vlachos.

Why Does Europe’s “The Closing Countdown” Frequently Play in My Head When Closing Tribal Council Starts?

The exclusively thing better than a final Tribal Council? A final Tribal Council in a punishing monsoon! Optimistic, Survivor gods! Handsome on cue! Cherish it! I mean, I don’t fancy it for Sophie, who I’m certain changed into still feeling depressing and then had to endure a downpour whereas having no blueprint what came about to Lacina, but in every other case… chilly.

There were no real fireworks on the final Tribal, and in general, that might perchance annoy me. Cherish, throw me no no longer up to one bitter juror who can attach it all about himself or herself (in general himself, let’s be factual). Or no no longer up to one thing fully out of nowhere. Give me Colossal Tom leaving Boston Steal placing on a low 5. Give me Natalie Bolton asking Parvati how being a flirt in Survivor resonates for her within the bed room. Give me a rat and a snake. Give it all to me! We didn’t get any of that this season, but that’s just correct-making an are attempting due to the as soon as more, this season changed into no longer a abnormal season of Survivor. Listed below are about a bullet-level highlights from the dialogue.

• Natalie changed into requested about her missteps within the sport, which is type of a routine set a matter to to search data from seeing as how Natalie wasn’t even in the sport for terribly lengthy. “My misstep changed into positively my day 1,” she answered, which made sense seeing as how she changed into voted out on day 2.

• Steal dinged Natalie slightly for her social sport on the Edge, where she it sounds as if isolated herself slightly. I discovered that fascinating due to the whereas we saw Natalie dominating the Edge from a bodily and foraging standpoint, the largest advantage the Edge affords is the flexibility to bond with people in a non-sport atmosphere against the people who voted you out (and that you are going to be sitting next to later within the final 3). However whenever you don’t attach those bonds, as Natalie it sounds as if did no longer with some people, then you positively don’t hold any likelihood to rep whenever you’re motivate in.

• Steal also dinged Nat no longer talking on Tony at fire. That’s the kind of thing you don’t necessarily want to rep whenever you’ve been within the sport your complete time, but after Chris Underwood location the template for how to approach motivate from the Edge and rep, it’s laborious to question every other person to rep it without going to the identical lengths.

• Traditional readers know I changed into blown away by my pre-sport interview with Michele. Surely one of my authorized interviews ever. She changed into so birth and factual about going throughout the negative response to her rep in Kaoh Rong and how meaningful it’d be to expose no longer exclusively to others but to herself that she deserved her victory. She wasn’t going to rep here within the final three. I judge she knew that. However she did rep. For the reason that lady has now played twice and never been voted off. A excellent accomplishment. And she or he won two immunities.

Michele did a pleasant job talking about how, no longer like Tony down the stretch, she did no longer hold enormous alliances to shield her and changed into compelled to fend for herself.  She also did wisely declaring how others saved sending her tokens on the style to the Edge and, in her final words, stressing how she survived 15 of the 19 Tribal Councils along the style (one thing Denise must still without a doubt like). “As a fellow controversial winner,” Ben stated at one level, “I seen why you won your season, and likewise you potentially did a heck of a job this year and likewise that you must be very joyful with what you’ve accomplished.” “I’m able to see myself within the mediate on the discontinue of the day rep or lose and be joyful with that,” Michele stated in her final words. For someone who struggled so powerful after a hit the sport her first time, that’s a massive step, and it’s beautiful very no longer in point of fact to no longer be joyful for her. Yet again, joy.

• Natalie’s checklist of the final devices she found, won, or sent into the sport changed into truly staggering. Optimistic, about a of those were early within the season when she had diminutive or no competition, and her data of the island helped her later with the downside she sent to Nick, but still… admire.

• I believed Tony did a masterful job of presenting his case without coming on too sturdy and braggy about his gameplay. He spoke about how laborious he worked in shopping for idols every evening so he wouldn’t attach himself a threat by shopping at some level of the day, he talked about how he no longer exclusively had to beat the final other gamers, but also had to beat the Fringe of Extinction, which saved sending Fire Tokens and advantages to other gamers and hit him with the dreaded extortion twist, and he harassed out how he changed into “main votes without people shiny I changed into main votes.”

However his strongest observation came on the very discontinue when he famend that, “I understand it’s a huge enormous Tall Bowl season of Survivor, and I attempted my supreme to be a massive participant for the season, and I’m hoping you all can just like the laborious work I set into it to get to where I’m tonight.” That’s it shiny there. These jurors wished to be joyful with their vote. They wished the categorical series of gamers in history to hold a massive representative as a winner. Tony knew that and played to that instinct with his final words. They wished a massive winner, and they also got it.

• As for the some distance-off reading of the votes, it changed into… awkward. However there changed into no map it might perchance presumably furthermore no longer be. Optimistic, it’s miles a humungous shame that the largest season ever of the expose might perchance presumably well furthermore no longer hold the parable reunion all of us wished, but see, them’s the breaks and there are without a doubt bigger tragedies occurring accessible shiny now. And I believed the opening with Probst in his storage changed into entirely charming. They made the higher of a putrid scenario.

And is it correct me, or did those audio remembrances from the forged over the montage of photographs if truth be told feel hold a full throwback to the Rites of Passage segments where gamers would awkwardly wax poetic about people they barely knew or played with? Recent college might perchance presumably well furthermore hold dominated ragged college this season, but you can’t discontinuance the ragged college Rites of Passage! You would exclusively hope to own it. The exclusively thing that might perchance hold been better is if they introduced motivate the gong and tacky trunk of cash for the final Tribal Council. Optimistic, I’m bummed we did no longer get the moral dwell ship-off this anniversary season deserved, but let’s focal level on what we did get. Yet again, it wasn’t a excellent season (I set it at number 10 sooner than the finale, and I judge it might perchance presumably furthermore sneak up but every other sigh after the final episode), but it indubitably changed into the excellent season for the time we’re in.

And we’re no longer accomplished, people! I’ll hold interviews with Tony, Natalie, Michele, Sarah, Ben, and Denise, so preserve your eyes peeled for those. A finale Q&A with Jeff Probst? Sure, I got you covered. And I’ll perchance presumably well furthermore presumably correct hold a decided diminutive Survivor bonus legend down the road I’m working on to preserve you tide over for slightly till Survivor is motivate on our TV sets, which are a whereas. Meanwhile, my right thanks to all people that took the time to bother reading this some distance, and reading the relaxation and the entirety at some level of the final four months, for that topic. I’m hoping you dug the articles, and videos, and tweets, and Instagram photos, and whatever other nonsense I changed into throwing accessible. This marks my 40th season of writing about Survivor in some map, shape, or fabricate, and it has been my honor taking this scramble with you.

Meanwhile, weigh in along with your finale thoughts within the message boards below, and attach certain that to peer our exit interviews with the final six. I’m hoping you hold truly loved this final scoop of the crispy.

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