Survivor 49 Finale
JEFF’S INTRO TO SURVIVOR 49 FINALE
I know we say it every finale here on the blog, but by golly it deserves to be said, Jeff Probst is amazing! The ability to deliver a monlogue that succinctly recaps the season and sets the stage for the finale without hesitation, without tripping over words, and without wasting a syllable is Emmy deserving.
For the people out there who love this like me and the people rolling their eyes, let Uncle Jeff do his thing folks. Just sit back and enjoy the theatre of it.
LEWATU - NIGHT 23
I love hearing Sage own playing her game for herself. Don’t let her get to the final 3 folks.
Rizo still delivering catch phrases - “wiling to risk it for the biscuit” and reprise/remix his song “one boy on a beach”, lot of confidence.
Sophi feels like a total idiot. She should. She embarrassed herself in front of the jury. Maybe it’s enough to make her turn on Rizo and Savannah 👀 IT’S HER ONLY MOVE!
ADVANTAGE
Love the desperation. Love the immediateness. Love the music change. Love all the running around. Love the one at a time rule.
Savannah completes it first to complete the puzzle and takes off. She is easily going to earn the advantage.
Right???
Not if you don’t look up!!! It’s amazing how panic creates people who just blindly follow, but then Sophi has the brains to look up, chuck some coconuts pathetically at it, and then smarten up and use bamboo to knock down the advantage in the next Immunity Challenge.
Well done Sophi! There may be hope for you yet.
IMMUNITY CHALLENGE - DAY 24
REWARD - Sanctuary for steak, mashed potatoes, red wine, carrot cake.
LOSERS - 7th member of the jury.
ADVANTAGE - Puzzle pieces half way up the ladder. (time saver)
Welcome back to the mud. The give you four feet of coverage and then you are submerged in it. Slo-mo of Kristina is tremendous camera work. Immediately into the sand and human chicken cutlet is crazy. Sophi is lagging behind and her pony tail isn’t helping.
At the grappling hook, Rizo keeping his face clear of mud feels like an advantage. He gets up into the crow’s nest first to untie his bag with a lead over Savannah. Next comes the blood curdling scream from Kristina who looks like she tears an ACL coming down the slide. Disaster.
Savannah gets up on the barrel first with a slight advantage on what has to be the most difficult part of the challenge. It seems possible that the barrel is moved on top of a runway of sand makes it easier, but it looks so tough especially being covered in mud and awkwardly in your own skin and body.
Savannah and Rizo are up to the puzzle with Sage and Sophi making up ground. Sophi gets over the barrel and her advantage shoots her forward.
KABOOM!!!
Kristina picks up too much speed on top of the barrel and she wipes out AGAIN, hits her head, sends her glasses flying, and is lucky to not knock her teeth out. Do they get mouth pieces??? They really should. Also, how is Kristina’s ankles still functioning.
At the puzzle it’s an even start for the most part for Savannah, Rizo, Soph, and Sage with Kristina only a step or two behind. The shark puzzle is tough because it doesn’t have many indicators on it. It’s a circle with the shark in the middle. Savannah is first to complete the circle and at this point it seems inevitable that she is going to join the elite list of women to win four individual immunities.
Savannah also wins reward and the right to have one person join her. Without hesitation, she chooses Sage. The reaction from the rest is a nothing burger. In the end, Savannah wins the steak reward, but more importantly, she wins the real reward of guaranteed final four and cannot be voted out of the game. The only way she will lose is by fire. Honestly, you got to give it to Savannah at this point. She has been the “villain” of the season (and the character that the new era needed) and all she has done is win, succeed, and never let them get the best of her. She is going to be tough to beat.
LEWATU - DAY 24
Kristina realizes that it’s either her or Sage and she’s going for it. Savannah winning immunity makes it easy for Sophi and others to say “it ruined their plans to blindside Savannah”, but of course they say that. I think Rizo and Sophi would be crazy to not do everything they can to keep Kristina, vote out Sage, and hope to beat Savannah at fire.
SANCTUARY
The new found friendship of Sage and Savannah burying the hatchet has Kristina’s fire making skills taking center stage. Seems like a monkey wrench in the tres leches alliance. Savannah wants to keep Sage. Rizo wants to keep Kristina.
KRISTINA or SAGE
I love seeing the day 24 disagreement and you love to see the alliance splinter. It’s interesting that the first skill of Kristina all season is fire and has people stressing. Then, it’s interesting that in this moment Sage has to plead her case to Rizo and Sophi and her savviness may actually work against her.
We also can’t forget that both Sage and Kristina have openly disliked Savannah all season. It’s obvious that Savannah would want to send Kristina to the jury and have the last laugh, but is it foolish?? Chances are she wouldn’t earn Kristina’s jury vote, right? So, I think her best bet is to put that aside, vote out Sage, and take her chances in the final four challenge where she is the favorite to win. Then, take Kristina to the end and let Rizo and Sophi battle it out at fire. Kristina can’t win the game.
PREDICTION: Rizo plays his idol for himself or Kristina (incredibly risky and unlikely) in order to vote out Sage. Sage gets voted out.
TRIBAL COUNCIL - NIGHT 24
I love how Savannah pushes the elite challenge winning club aside to make her first pitch to the jury that she is here to win the title of sole survivor.
Kristina takes the complement approach to appeal to Savannah, Sophi, and Rizo as to why Sage should be the one to vote out. I like Kristina’s approach and it hits deep. It’s the right move. Combined with the moment, it cuts Sage, and then Kristina uses Sage’s rebuttal and gently walks with it to turn it back onto why Sage should be the vote.
Kristina is doing great, WHERE WAS THIS KRISTINA ALL SEASON LONG???????
Jeff wraps it up and he’s right. At final five you
“the people who think they’re in trouble fighting and the people who think they’re in power feeling uncertain of what to do.” - Jeff Probst
RIZO FINALLY PLAYS HIS IDOL
STANDING OVATION!!! 👏👏👏👏👏👏👏👏👏
Come on everybody. Stand up and clap it up. The man deserves it. He took a Beware Advantage and stretched it to the final 5 magnificently. If his idol were a cow, it’s utters would be tapped out of milk. Rizo used this idol to shift the target of votes off himself and his alliance. He used it to gauge reactions at Tribal. Finally, he used it to protect himself at 5 and guarantee final 4. Well done RIZGOD!!!
VOTES
KRISTINA - 4
SAGE - 1
Kristina feels like too little too late. I know she exits the game with her head held high, her mom in her heart, and her Final Tribal speech ready, but there was no chance she would have won. She found herself on the wrong side of the votes, being blindsided by votes, and despite finding an idol, she played it incorrectly.
Kristina’s journey was a transformative one. From what I can tell, Kristina came to Survivor to honor her mother and challenge herself to grow despite not having her security blanket in life nor a blanket at camp. I think Kristina achieved that goal and then some. Finishing 5th and being on the jury feels like a tremendous outcome for her and for us the viewer, I feel like there was more meat on the bone for Kristina in this game.
IMMUNITY CHALLENGE - DAY 25
The stakes cannot be higher. Guaranteed spot at Final Tribal and the choice of who will join you and who will fight for it at fire. For Savannah, she has a chance to stand alone with the most individual immunity wins by a woman with 5.
Savannah is first through the sand and onto the balance beam to retrieve bags. Rizo and Sage join her and Sophi is far behind. Savannah is also first to the cage to retrieve the ball up and out. I wonder if this was inspired by the bird cages in 44.
Rizo is first to get ball number two out of the cage and begin the puzzle that will turn into the table track. Rizo, Sage and Savannah are all on the table track and the pressure is on. Savannah’s puzzle talent and Rizo’s puzzle struggles back on display. Sage is hanging tough showing no emotion but is right there.
Sophi FINALLY gets her second ball out and at this point Savannah has the puzzle done, Sage is close, and Rizo is dead in the water. I like this puzzle/table track a hell of a lot better for this stage than a puzzle like the previous challenge. I like the puzzle as a separator and then the game of landing the ball as the decider.
And all of a sudden Sophi puts the puzzle together and LANDS HER FIRST BALL!!! She is going for broke and it is totally working. Wow, what a comeback!!!! All gas, no brakes and she did it!
She is having a pre-Final Tribal speech moment pouring her heart, soul, and feelings all out. She’s vomiting it all out. She is in the final, she has made her grandma proud and she will choose who is coming with her. Now that Sophi won she is faced with the all important decision of who to take to the final three with her.
WHO SHOULD SOPHI TAKE TO FINAL 3
TAKE RIZO - Sophi and Rizo have worked together for the whole post merge game. They have been on the right side of votes together and she has trusted him throughout. Unlike Savannah, Rizo has stunk it up at challenges and has only made his mark at Tribal with his 9 lives idol. I think he is a beatable opponent for her.
TAKE SAGE - Sage is a wild card in the game and I think Sophi is too. That could make taking Sage tough. Like Rizo, Sage has not won any challenges and she has seen many ups and downs in the game like Sophi. She has not been in the power position nor alliances, but has been on the right side of votes for Nate, Steven, and Kristina. I think picking Sage is a better bet than Savannah, but may take away from Sophi’s kind of narrative at a Final Tribal because they both are the underdog.
TAKE SAVANNAH - This is Sophi’s girl. They have bonded in more ways than one this season. They’ve shared many rewards together as well as secrets in the game. They have voted together, eaten together, and cried together. However, despite their relationship, I think Sophi understands the position that Savannah is in and that is, she is the biggest threat to her at a final 3 and the favorite to win.
My vote for Sophi - TAKE RIZO.
In this moment there are many dynamics happening at once. Sophi is taking her moment and savoring it. She earned it and she decides to set a boundary between her and the other three. The rest of them get to work on fire and it’s all for the first time.
Savannah is vulnerable for the first time in a long time and is questioning her entire relationship with Sophi. Rizo is prepared to go into the fire challenge and wants to take down Savannah. It’s the right pitch to make because you want her to pick you but you also want to take down the biggest threat if Sophi doesn’t take you to final 3. Regardless of who Sophi picks, I think it’s fun that they all suck at making fire even if that makes for bad television. LOL.
TRIBAL COUNCIL - NIGHT 25
Good job by Sophi reiterating how much adversity she has had in the game all the way from KELE.
Rizo has the right mindset and is channeling his athletic self, despite sucking at challenges. You have to be confident. You have to be prepared for the big moments, but not allow them to control you.
SOPHI’S CHOICE - Sage. It’s the right choice by Sophi. Sage is “crapping her pants” and rightfully so lol. Savannah is open to admit her lack of confidence (is she playing rope-a-dope?) and Rizo has no lack of confidence.
FINAL FOUR FIRE MAKING SHOWDOWN - RIZO vs. SAVANNAH
Early on, it’s clear that they both are not breaking any records that they want to break. Savannah gets the first flame going and has some sticks going. She’s got a growing fire by the time Rizo gets his going and he’s smothering it. Savannah’s fire continues to gro and Rizo’s never truly gets going.
SAVANNAH WINS FIRE AND A SPOT IN FINAL 3!!!!
Savannah is going to the final three and making it an all girl final which means Rizo comes up short. He was never voted out and got as far as you can in the game. Rizo came out there to win the game, to make a mark on the game, and to play for his family, his friends, and Albania. His ego comes out when he says that “sometimes the best players don’t win the game” .
Cue the eye roll from the jury.
The man, the myth, the legend, R-I-Z-G-O-D, RIZGOD gets got and comes up short, but I think he succeeded tremendously in this game and was able to make his mark. His over the top personality and persona was a major contributor to this season. Frankly, he carried it in that department. The pairing of him and Savannah was what made this season compelling. They had power. They had ammunition. They were strategic. They left their mark.
At the beginning of the season we knew two players from 49 would be on season 50 and it’s clear that Rizo is the male player. I do think he earned it. He is all personality and strategy and he represents Gen Z so well that I believe he was the right person and right character for season 49. It’s hard to imagine this season without him.
As we say goodbye to Rizo I find myself wondering, “Was I even rooting for him to win?” and the answer is yes. After the Shannon vote, I was definitely rooting for Sage, but that was mostly out of my disdain for Shannon which Sage shared and exposed. But, as the season goes on I tend to root for the best players like Ricard (41), Jesse (43), Carolyn (44), Kyle (48) and now Rizo (49) and Savannah (49). Rizo was one of the best players no matter how much the jury wants to roll their eyes at him saying it, and I will always root for that. Call me a front runner, call me boring, or join me in that pathway of viewership, but my Survivor is rooting for the best player to win. Rizo did enough this season to enter that category and I think that’s what he wanted for his Survivor story.
LEWATU - DAY 26
The final three is set - Savannah, Sage, and Sophi. One of these women will be the next sole survivor and a millionaire.
JURY RE-INTRODUCTION
NATE - Champions Savannah’s small in stature but large in fight story.
ALEX - Reminds us about Sophi’s journey from the bottom at KELE to final three.
JAWAN - Shows his girl Sage some love and her underdog status. “I’m excited to see how this horror movie ends!” (reprise from the season opening)
SOPHIE - Gives us the challenge angle for battling against Savannah and coming up short. This is not a poplarity contest
STEVEN - Sophi is the silent assassin and underestimated.
KRISTINA - Says Sage needs to own her game.
RIZO - Wants to see all of them fight for it! “I need to see you dig deep”
FINAL TRIBAL COUNCIL - NIGHT 26
RIZO - Words of affirmation
SOPHIE - What was your role in your duo or trio and how was that different from your partner?
Sophi - adopted by Savannah (muscle) and Rizo (strategy) and she was the social one. People talked to her and it set up the blindsides.
Savannah - Every vote was a three way road. She agrees with the muscle role and winning immunity was for her but it was protecting the trio.
Sage - Connected with Jawan over mental health and poop. Sage was the under the radar strategy player and then drops her military background. She shields her emotions with her quirks.
JAWAN - Emotional/cheesy question - What is your why and should it play a role in my decision?
Savannah - Lost her news anchor job, doing it for herself today, her future self, and for her past self. Pictured and channeled her 7 year old self. You don’t have to have the right why to be the sole survivor.
Sophi - Immigrant parents, selling mangos, and working at McDonalds. At 18, sacrificed for her grandmother and became her caretaker. It’s about herself and her grandmother.
Sage - Jesse, her friend who passed from leukemia. For her partner. However you make your decision, I appreciate the opportunity.
KRISTINA - Savannah, seemed you didn’t care to get to know me, so please name one family member of everyone on the jury.
Savannah - she knows she can’t do it. She admits it. MC, doesn’t remember. Alex, we talked about work. Jawan, I know your family means everything. Sophie, I believe you’re the oldest and I apologize for not knowing their names. Steven, your partner is Kelsie. Kristina, I know you are a mom of two, and I can’t remember right now.
MC - Walk me through a time you were persuasive enough to get your way on a vote.
Sage - Steven was her vote and Kristina jumped on board because of Sage.
Sophi - KELE days when Sophi snuck up in the shadows, which persuaded the vote her way.
Savannah - to take out Kristina and not face her at fire.
STEVEN - I have not made up my mind. Sage - we were in 7 person alliance, but convince me why your betrayal should earn my vote.
Sage - Everyone leaked information on me. Calls out Alex leaking info and why he got voted out. She played a more strategic game than she got credit for.
NATE - What move are you most proud of?
Sophi - People were willing to talk to me and her social game.
Savannah - Best strategic decision was a convo with Sophie. When Jawan and Sage decided to flip, Savannah learned it from Sophie. That relationship she formed helped her get Jawan out.
Sage - Sophie is tight with everyone, confirmed adversary, so you needed to go. (rebuttal from Sophie because it was a unanimous vote)
CLOSING STATEMENTS
SOPHI - 12 Tribal Councils. Not hiding behind idols or advantages. Played a social and strategic game. Earned my spot.
SAVANNAH - I deserve the million (love hearing her say it) because I dodged the most bullets successfully. Survived from bottom, built relationships that got her through the game, and won immunity and needed to. (best answer)
SAGE - Social component. Find my fellow weirdos. Bucket list of final three.
This was a great Final Tribal Council and from my standpoint, it was great because of Savannah was the villain. Kristina’s question put Savannah against the wall. She tried to embarrass her and succeeded.
VOTES
SAVANNAH - 5
SOPHI - 2
SAGE - 1
CONGRATULATIONS TO SAVANNAH, THE WINNER OF SURVIVOR 49!!!! SHE DESERVED TO WIN AND I AM THRILLED TO SEE HER WIN. Like I said earlier about Rizo and who I was rooting for, I root for the best players and I include Savannah in that. She was for my money the first “villain” in the entire new era, she was the target people wanted to aim at but never got there, and she played a game that she needed to in order to protect herself and continue to dodge everyone’s bullets. I am so happy she won.
In my opinion, she won people over at Final Tribal when she owned being there for her past, present and future self, when she was honest with everyone as she handled Kristina’s attempt to embarrass her and point out the lack of knowledge of player’s family member names but then stood up for herself at the end and shoved that back down Kristina’s throat by saying I built the relationships with the people I needed to in order to move myself forward in the game and avoid being targeted. I loved that answer and I think the jury did too.
I love that Immunity Challenges actually mattered for once. Not because she tied the record for individual immunity wins for a female, but because she needed those wins to protect herself from being eliminated. All four times she won immunity would have been four more opportunities for people to target her, but having the necklace changed the game and got other people eliminated because the obvious target was immune.
We knew that Jawan was going to vote for his fellow weirdo Sage regardless of the fact that she hid her military background. We knew that Kristina would vote for anyone but Savannah. MC was a surprise vote for Sophi citing that she was convinced via Tribal. That’s three, which means that Rizo, Sophie, Nate, Steven, and Alex voted for Savannah and gave her the win.
