JEFF’S FINALE INTRO
WELCOME TO THE FINALE OF SURVIVOR 48 and arguably my favorite part of the entire season. 6 different challenge winners, a reminder of the emotional connections this season, and the importance of tight bonds got us here and Jeff delivers once again!
He dazzles us once again! I hope as you read this, you too are in awe of what Jeff does here. It’s unbelievable.
NIU NAI - Night 23
Kyle is taking his victory lap. He and Kamilla have pulled it off. Joe’s trust in Kyle and Kamilla’s ability to lie to people is a winning combination in Survivor 48. Joe and Eva trust Kyle and I think have one last shot to not only make it to the end but also win and that is for them to figure out why Kyle did what he did and vote him out and then beat Kamilla at fire. I think the only way Joe wins is a final 3 with Eva and Mitch.
NIU NAI - Day 24
READ WITH ALL TRIBEMATES TOGETHER - ADVANTAGE
I love the design here. They bring back the puzzle lock and the animal symbols around camp from the beginning of the game. There have been gold rivets added to the symbols and it looks like people are counting them to correspond to letters of the alphabet.
I love watching everyone sprinting around, eyes wide open, and totally frantic.
Once again, we see consistency in the way things went down all season when Kyle is outwitting everyone by simply asking others for the numbers and letters on the symbols and Mitch and Eva tell him. Just when we are convinced that Kyle has it…
NOPE!
Eva, once again, is the winner of an advantage in the game! She has the idol, she won a Safety Without Power and now this. It’s unbelievable!
IMMUNITY CHALLENGE - Day 24
REWARD - Sanctuary for pasta and chocolate cake.
These final five Immunity Challenges are the best. The stakes are enormous. The challenges are behemoths. Players are hanging it all on the line and I love it.
What I don’t love is the twisting net in the mud. Flashbacks of Carolyn getting stuck in 44. (I love Carolyn).
Next, Phys ed teacher Mitch underhands the ball where it needs to be on first try and takes the lead over Joe who then catches up by following Mitch’s strategy.
The sandbags through the cage is no problem for Joe and easily landing his ball in the hoop helps him extend his lead. Mitch isn’t far behind and neither is Kyle.
Joe is first to the puzzle with a lead of at least 25 seconds over Mitch and Kyle. Eva’s advantage in the challenge allows her to make up significant time. Even Kamilla who has been lagging behind is able to catch up to everyone at the puzzle. Now, everyone is at the puzzle and the shot at guaranteeing not being voted out at stake.
Kamilla and Eva are leading the puzzle early and others are falling off. Mitch and Joe are left looking at Kamilla’s puzzle for any chance of getting going but it’s too late.
Kamilla comes from behind and crushes the puzzle to win her second Individual Immunity Challenge! Once again, the person who is being underestimated once again wears the Immunity Necklace. Even her own family underestimated her and didn’t think she would have success. She is TOTALLY proving them and everyone else wrong.
She also wins reward in the form of pasta and cake at the sanctuary and chooses Eva. This choice is the right one. Eva has been taken on everything so why not keep the trend rolling on. She can’t take Kyle and risk blowing their alliance’s cover. Plus, Joe will understand and Mitch has always been on the outside. The Eva choice keeps everything consistent and nobody will think anything different. Smart.
NIU NAI - Day 24
A great moment back at Loser Beach with Kyle, Joe and Mitch. They are self aware of how ridiculous they look with the mud and they look even more ridiculous having to do it during low tide. It’s a welcomed reminder of the other side of camp life that we don’t always get to see.
SANCTUARY - Day 24
At the reward we see Kamilla’s journey reach it’s climax. She has earned the right to not be voted out. In this moment she has officially proven her parents aka the doubters wrong. Of course if she wins the game, that would actually be her climax, but if she doesn’t, which I don’t think she will, this moment feels like her moment of triumph. In recognizing how much this moment means to her, you can’t help but root for her. She never thought this would happen and neither did we.
NIU NAI POST REWARD - Day 25
Coming off of Kamilla’s climactic moment, she shares with us that despite all the lying, enjoying the lying, and the satisfaction of using information to throw people under the bus throughout the season, Kamilla tells us that she isn’t able to separate the game from the personal connection she has with Kyle.
Wow!
Did I hear her right? Kamilla is telling us that despite all she has accomplished in the game, she isn’t capable of doing what Jesse did to Cody and taking down her biggest ally in the game to position herself to win. Instead, she is anchoring herself to Kyle and the idea of at least one of them winning the game instead of turning on him and trying to win it herself. I love how authentic and honest she is. Like us, she can’t believe she’s arriving at playing the game this way. Also, I love the candid convo where she and Kyle don’t see Joe and Eva as a threat at all.
Kamilla follows it up with the perfect line to Mitch to slit his throat. She tells him “if she sits next to him, you would win” and the cliche line is unarguable. Mitch just accepts it. Mitch accepts that his fate has been sealed. Mitch has the realization that he never made his move and I think he knows he made a mistake.
It SUUUUUUUUUUCKS to be Mitch right now. I feel bad for the guy. He is literally being told by the other four people with a smile that they love him but they are going to vote him out. Mitch entered the game filled with uncertainty of whether or not people would accept him for who he is and despite his speech impediment. Now, 24 days later, with a smile, these same people who have accepted him are telling him that he’s too likeable to keep in the game.
The one word that comes to mind, bittersweet.
TRIBAL COUNCIL - Night 24
Deep breaths from Mitch, political speech about winning the challenge from Kamilla and Kyle shooting Mitch straight. Joe follows it up with the plea of the directness filled with respect for Mitch.
Mitch gets his swan song moment. He communicates his acceptance of how Kyle and Kamilla were going to vote. Mitch tells us that it’s heartbreaking and we know it is too.
Then, I remembered that Mitch had once last chance. A true Hail Mary.
Eva’s idol.
I am literally screaming at Eva “PLAY IT FOR MITCH!!!!!!!!”
She doesn’t. Any votes cast for Eva won’t count. Womp womp.
VOTES
MITCH - 4
KYLE - 1
Mitch’s journey predictably ends. In this moment Mitch exits the game with his head held high and saying all the right things. He projects being at peace with the result and his hopes and dreams of playing Survivor and being accepted for who he is came true. I agree with him. I think anyone watching could understand that and making it to the final five is no easy task. Mitch should be proud of himself.
However, I have to believe that there’s also a part of Mitch that will feel the disappointment, regret, and frustration of never making his move and taking a shot. In this moment as I reflect on Mitch’s game I am left feeling like he played the game to make it as far as he could and not to win. He didn’t play the game like it was his second time playing. He played with an ounce of hesitation and doubt and I think that goes back to his uncertainty of whether or not people would accept him and like him for who he is. Totally understandable. And maybe that’s ultimately why Mitch wanted to play Survivor.
NIU NAI - Night 24
This final four is actually two sets of two. The difference is the public duo of Joe and Eva versus the private duo of Kyle and Kamilla. They have played the game sooooooooooooo drastically differently, yet both have gotten to this point. Joe and Eva are here to make it to the end together, but Kyle and Kamilla are playing to win together. Fascinating outcome to this season and the connection between the two duos.
NIU NAI - Day 25
It’s judgment day for the Kyle and Kamilla duo. Despite the love they have for one another and the journey they have taken together, they both realize that their best chance to win, is not not competing against one another.
IMMUNITY CHALLENGE - Day 25
Simmotion baby!!! A Survivor classic and fan favorite for the chance to plead your case at Final Tribal Council. The stakes don’t get any higher. The winner also gets to choose who will join them in the final three.
Let’s do this!
The final Immunity Challenge begins and the tension is palpable. The ball swirling around and around rubbing against the metal, changing direction, and testing the players is intense.
The warm up period is over and the second ball enters the fray, kicking the challenge intensity up another notch. The audio team has turned up the microphones on each player’s station.
My heart is literally pounding as they drop ball number three.
The player’s movement quickens. Their senses heighten. Their focus intensifies.
Eva drops. Down to three.
The remaining three are locked in. Their concentration is at an all time high. Their eyes are tracking the balls like an eagle on the hunt for prey.
Fourth ball drops. The music changes.
Kamilla drops.
Kyle versus Joe for the final immunity of the season. A spot at Final Tribal is within grasp.
Joe drops.
KYLE WINS IMMUNITY AND A SPOT AT FINAL TRIBAL COUNCIL!!!!! Kyle is guaranteed a chance to plead his case for sole survivor. He also gets to choose who will sit next to him and who will duke it out in the Fire Making Challenge.
KYLE’S CHOICE
TAKE JOE - After defeating Joe in the challenge they hugged it out and exchanged I love yous. They have connected emotionally at a deep level during this season and I think Kyle believes Joe deserves a chance to be at Final Tribal Council. They have been allies through the entire second half of the game, but Joe’s number one has always been Eva. Lastly, if Kyle doesn’t want to sit next to Kamilla, Joe is the best choice to take her down at fire.
TAKE EVA - Eva has won immunity, earned many advantages and even been handed them too. Eva has connected with Kyle and been an ally with him as long as Joe has. However, despite all that, Eva remains a non-threat to win the game in my estimation. I think the jury will be happy that Eva is there but under no circumstances will she have a winning narrative to share at Final Tribal. I would bet serious money that she is headed for a zero vote third place, so I think she is the best choice to sit next to. If Kyle lets his head decide, he will choose Eva.
TAKE KAMILLA - We know the deal. Kyle and Kamilla have somehow pulled off an incognito alliance all the way to this point in the game. It’s truly unprecedented. However, the prospect of sitting next to Kamilla at Final Tribal Council presents the steepest uphill climb to the title of sole survivor and the million dollars. He knows it and she knows it. The question is will Kyle use his head and take Eva or his heart and take Kamilla to honor their alliance all the way to the end to battle it out for the title? My guess is he goes head, not heart.
PUT HIMSELF IN FIRE - STUPID, STUPID, STUPID. He doesn’t need to do it. He won’t do it.
PREDICTION: Kyle takes Eva to Final Tribal which sets up Joe vs. Kamilla in Fire Making Showdown for the third spot.
NIU NAI - Day 25
Getting back to camp, Kyle immediately makes his decision and he’s taking Joe. He is choosing Joe because of the love he has for him. However, privately, Kyle doesn’t want to give Joe the momentum boost of winning fire. I get Kyle’s move. It makes sense emotionally, but not practically. Eva isn’t the best choice to defeat Kamilla.
EVA’S 2ND “EPISODE”
The decision to take Joe is waning when Eva’s second episode happens. Joe hears the fire bell ringing and comes to Eva’s rescue again. He squeezes her and helps calm her down. Another incredible moment.
But that’s not all.
With Eva's struggles echoing through the jungle, she isn’t the only one struggling. Kyle is too. Kyle’s emotions are making his internal conflict feel like a heavyweight prize fight. Does he put Eva in this position to beat Kamilla when she is struggling so much? Does Kyle need to step up and take down Kamilla himself because he can’t rely on Eva and he feels compelled to keep his promise to Joe?
Back to Joe and Eva.
Now that Eva is calm, Joe is pleading with Eva to let him take her place. He wants to protect her like he wanted to protect his sister. But, Eva wants to do it. Instead, Joe has to accept that Eva can do it and he doesn’t have to protect her, but instead, help her. So, he teaches her how to make fire.
Over to Kamilla.
Before the final challenge, Jeff drilled down on Kamilla’s sense of intimidation and made her reframe how she was approaching it. He said she was acting like “old Kamilla” and Jeff wanted to hear how “new Kamilla” would approach the challenge. She obliged and in that moment, I think Kamilla has forever left behind “old Kamilla” like a train releasing a dead weight caboose on the tracks.
Fast forward to practicing for fire making and “new Kamilla” is meeting the challenge in front of her head on. She is able to work through her struggles to figure out how to make a better fire.
Let me just say this. This post final challenge scene is why Survivor is the GREATEST SHOW ON TELEVISION! These four people are incredible. They are compelling. They are empatheic. They are not just intelligent people but emotionally intelligent people and their emotions, their struggles, and the humanity they display is why this season is INCREDIBLE!
TRIBAL COUNCIL - Day 25
Kyle chooses Joe to sit next to him in the final three. That means Kamilla and Eva are going to battle at fire making.
The compelling story continues with Eva staring at the fire making stations, analyzing them, and not paying attention to the Tribal conversation. The reason is Eva’s stuck on the supplies for fire making not being what she was using at camp to practice.
FIRE MAKING SHOWDOWN - EVA vs. KAMILLA
The showdown begins and Kamilla is cramping. She is struggling to stand up.
Eva gets the hessian to burn and she’s getting her sticks to catch fire. The fire is burning and nearing the rope.
Then, Eva’s fire DIES DOWN. PANIC CREEPS IN.
But, Kamilla cannot get a fire going AT ALL.
Eva battles back, gets her fire back up and running and in her lowest point, Joe is encouraging her and SO DOES KAMILLA?!?!?!?!?! It’s f***ing incredible that Kamilla is doing that. My jaw is on the ground. She is literally failing at making a fire that could help her win $1,000,000, yet she is compelled to help Eva.
EVA WINS!!! Eva earns the final spot at Final Tribal Council.
KAMILLA’S ELIMINATED
Kamilla is incredible. Her journey on Survivor is one of triumph over self doubt. She has transformed on national television through the experience of playing Survivor. She truly embodies the spirit of Survivor and what the show is aimed at doing.
I think Kamilla could have won.
NIU NAI - Day 26
Kyle recaps that he was “people first” meaning he prioritized relationships to use them to his advantage. I love that Shauhin chimed in on Kyle’s game because he was the one that fell victim to Kyle’s strategy of patience and waiting you out and then making his move. Also, he needs to communicate how he played the game to the jury.
Next, Eva comes clean on her PhD and Kyle comes clean about being a lawyer. Joe is left with his eyes wide open.
Joe recaps that he wanted to play a straight up game driven by loyalty. He’s going to need to own his game and the moves he did make (especially with David) and not just rely on challenge wins and being a great guy.
FINAL TRIBAL COUNCIL - Night 26
Cedrek - What was your weakness and how did that carry throughout the game?
Eva - Her autism and need to rely on trust
Joe - Wearing his heart on his sleeve and not being able to make his move
Kyle - Overconfidence which made him have to pivot in the game.
Mitch - Votes were made based on deep meaningful relationships, so how did you leverage relationships to propel your game forward?
Eva - She knew the relationship with Joe would be so strong and that helped her game.
Chrissy HAS TO question about when they have to diverge from their bond and Joe just SQUASHES IT.
Star - What is it that we don’t know? Wow me.
Eva - Safety Without Power that she never had to make because the alliance did it all without it.
Kyle - Shares his incarceration story, becoming a teacher, and then becoming a lawyer practicing in New York.
Chrissy’s mind is rightfully blown.
Eva - jumps in again to tell the jury about being a PhD student at Brown and all her academic success.
Mary - What do you think is the jury’s perception of you? Are we wrong?
Eva - You will believe that I’m Joe’s plus one but underestimating my role in that duo. Eva says they made their decisions as one.
David wants examples and rightfully so, but Kamilla is signalling to Kyle that she’s ready to serve Survivor 48 up on a silver platter for Kyle to explain the Shauhin vote.
Kyle -
David - Knock knock joke. (awkward). How did you use the Immunity Necklace to your advantage?
Joe - I’m going to keep winning it for the alliance. Being 45, ACL and miniscus reconstruction.
Kyle - Bubble butt lol. When it mattered, who won? Me.
Eva - Beating jury members helped Eva prove she is a “big dog” by beating them.
FINAL WORDS
Kyle - He built relationships and played the middle best. I love how he asks them to let him be the representative of this season.
Joe - 45 year old, Dad, just a fireman who takes care of people and wants to take care of his kids for the rest of his lives.
Eva - believes it’s time to let a player like her for the first time be the winner. “This unprecedented season should be represented by someone like me”
VOTES
Kyle - 5
Eva - 2
Joe - 1
CONGRATULATIONS TO KYLE, THE WINNER OF SURVIVOR 48!!! Congratulations to Eva and Joe as well!!! Each of them were worthy winners of the title of sole survivor and the million dollar prize this season. No doubt about it. I am actually really satisfied by the fact that all three of them received votes to win. It feels like a 100% fitting way for the votes to play out this season.
Kyle was incredible this season and deserves to be the winner most of all. When you consider everything that transpired this season - the alliances, the emotions, the deep connections, and the strategy - he embodied it all. His alliance with Kamilla lurked in the shadows and controlled the game with nobody ever knowing about it, and when juxtaposed to Joe and Eva’s very public alliance, I believe that’s what made the difference and why he won. He was able to somehow both form deep, meaningful relationships with multiple people while also strategically position himself a step ahead by striking first or letting you strike and then using it against you.
His winning decision was aligning with Kamilla (and her decision to align with him) and most of all keeping it to themselves, somehow. This has not been done in Survivor before and for good reason. The level of difficulty is at the max. Kyle’s winning strategy moment was the Shauhin vote. Leveraging his relationship with Kamilla, which stemmed back to Shauhin searching Kyle’s bag, and executing the plan of creating paranoia around Shauhin having an idol and convincing Joe (the body) and therefore Eva (the heart) to vote out Shauhin (the brains), for sure, won him jury votes. Lastly, Kyle’s winning moment came at Tribal Council with an assist from his number one Kamilla when he finally got to reveal their secret alliance throughout the entirety of the game and the scheme they pulled off to vote out Shauhin.
Congratulations once again Kyle! I’m so happy you are the winner of Survivor 48. You blew me away in the opening moments of the season when you decided to help Kevan finish the challenge you knocked yourself out of and I have been rooting for you since. You played the best game and the jury’s vote reflects just that.
Congratulations to Joe and Eva! You both have been equally as inspiring to watch grow and transform before our eyes this season. The relationship you formed, the decency you played with, and the humanity you displayed were inspiring to myself, my students (I showed them video of Eva’a episode after the challenge) and everyone watching has indelibly left an imprint on every viewer’s heart. I believe we all have transformed through watching your relationship play out over 26 days.
I know I say it seemingly every season but they really just keep getting better and better. This season will stand out the rest in the new era to me because of the deep meaningful relationships and the emotion that the players played with. I am an emotional person and this season had an inordinate amount of connective tissue for me. Players like Joe, Eva, Kyle, Kamilla, Mitch, Shauhin all played a game that reflected a value in emotional connection and building authentic relationships and those are two things I lead my life with too. For those reasons, this season is very special to me and why I am sad to say goodbye to it.
However, in this moment the old adage of “all good things must come to an end” feels appropriate.
