Survivor
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Im the king of the jungle!
he declared during one of his many idol finds on his way to the million-dollar prize.
Little did we know how prescient those words would become.
Thats right, Tony Vlachos is the champion of champions, the recipient of $2 million.
However, I can sleep a little easier knowing Tony and Sandra are the King and Queen ofSurvivor.
Tony, zero percent chance of winning the game.
All-star seasons tend to favor the quieter, under-the-radar players, and Tonys previous games were anything but under-the-radar.
And to do it with zero votes against him the entire game?
Whats most impressive about Tonys victory is that he didnt have to compromise his gameplay or his personality.
Tonys game was complex, multi-layered, and overall, dominant.
He displayed unexpected patience early on, hoping to avoid the mistakes of hisGame Changersouting.
And it worked both the strategy and the ladder.
People lowered their guards, allowing him to make the merge thats when the old Tony emerged.
Even when he wasnt immune, hed put himself into a position where nobody dared take a shot.
It was a game worthy of the ultimateSurvivorcrown.
Natalies return seemed inevitable.
Not only was Natalie dripping in fire token swag, but she never had to betray or blindside anybody.
She didnt have to deal with the pre-Tribal paranoia and ever-shifting alliances.
When she wasnt collecting tokens, she was bonding with the very people who would ultimately determine the winner.
Not to mention that an Edge dweller voting for one of their own validates their individual experience.
Dont get me wrong, Im not blaming Natalie.
I think Natalie is fantastic, and under normal circumstances, Id have been rooting for her.
But it demonstrates the inherent flaw in the Edge.
It punishes those who make it far while rewarding those voted out earlier.
She immediately causes waves by pumping up how much the jurors are on the Tony bandwagon.
Deep down, I hope thats true, Tony says.
But, I hope the others dont believe it.
You cant debrief or corroborate her stories because she holds all the cards.
Thats a Hallmark movie in the making.
Michele and Natalies decision here baffles me for a couple of reasons.
Firstly, why did they target Ben over Sarah?
Surely breaking up Cops R Us is priority number one?
And secondly, why didnt they force a tie on the re-vote?
But thats not the most bewildering move of the finale.
Lets talk about Bens mystifying act of humanitarianism.
This time he tried to form trusting alliances and make genuine friendships.
Having friends is worth more than money, he says.
Weve come a long way from Kelly Wiglesworths, Im not here to make friends.
Now, theres a lot to wrap our heads around here.
First, lets provide some context.
Its the final five, Tony just won Immunity, and Natalie found another idol.
But it doesnt matter, right?
Ben, Sarah, and Tony can just vote out Michele.
Its that consideration that suddenly sees Ben offer himself up as a sacrifice.
Its a weirdly Rafe-like (Survivor: Guatemala) gesture and one that Im not quite sure I understand.
Still, does this really improve Sarahs odds of winning?
Sarah is right about one thing, though, she needed to make a move without Tony.
Other than the Sophie vote, the Cops R Us alliance has worked in tandem this whole season.
Sarah has been a part of every decision Tony has made and vice versa.
Its been one of the most remarkable performances by aSurvivorduo ever.
However, as Natalie reiterates, the jurors perceive Tony as the one running the show.
If a guy does it, theyre astud.
She makes a valid point that is true not only ofSurvivorbut many facets of everyday life.
He admits how its almost always male players he bestows the surname honor upon.
you could call me Lacina, Sarah quips.
I can play however I want, she says.
Because if a man can do it, so can I.
Because while what Sarah says is true, its also true that Tony played his ass off.
Both deserve credit, and both would have been deserving champions.
Alas, the blue-blood showdown at Final Tribal is not meant to be.
This, in its own way, is the perfect ending to the Cops R Us arc.
Im so sorry, Tony cries.
You have nothing to be sorry for, Sarah assures him.
This is also very likely the moment that secures Tony the win.
Natalies decision not to put herself in fire-making against Tony is clearly a mark against her.
But thats the game she played, the Edge game, as Adam puts it.
Michele, unfortunately, ends up the zero-vote-getter.
Michele came into this season wanting to prove herself worthy, and she started strong.
But come the merge, Michele struggled to keep up with the increased pace and aggressiveness.
She often found herself on the wrong side of the votes.
Its not as if she pissed people off or made any huge blunders.
However, that scrappy, socially adept but under-the-radar strategy did not work for this season.
And so, we wrap up the book onWinners At War.
It hasnt been a perfect season it certainly isnt the greatest season of all time as Jeff keeps repeating.
But you know what?
It made me laugh, it made me emotional, it made me happy.
Ill always cherish this season for that.
Tonys Spy Nest, Tonys ladder, Tonys shark, Tonys everything.
Despite the promises of a virtual reunion, we didnt get one.
I bet there somewhere out there is footage of Jeff breaking down over Zoom.
Jeffs makeshift Tribal set in his garage was pretty neat, though.
I just wish we had more time to dwell on Tonys win after the rushed reading of the votes.
Jeff cut him off like he had dinner waiting.
When will we see Survivor again?
