Season 1, Episode 13 - "The Final Four" (Part 1)

“Now, only four remain, but tonight one of these castaways will make it through the last three tribal councils and become the sole survivor.” -  Probst

Day 37 

This is it.  The final four are here.  Three tribal councils to go.  Two finalists.  One million dollars and the title of sole survivor.  Let the tension begin.  

With only 60 hours left in  the game you can tell that the rice has gotten blander, the bug bites itchier, and the flab, well, flabbier.   

The original 4 established a voting alliance, then they didn’t, then it was back but forever  punctured, and in the end the original 4 became the final four.  Rich, Sue, Rudy, and Kelly being the last ones remaining on the one hand isn’t surprising.  “We formed this alliance way in the beginning, and, you know, we were in a position of power where we could get rid of anybody we wanted to—we had’ed lined up.” (Rudy)  They knew the advantage this could provide them, they seized the opportunity and it has helped them get as far as they have.  On the other hand it is surprising and it isn’t even because of how Sue and Kelly’s relationship/alliance fell apart, but rather in the lack of a plan from the other 12 castaways.  “I was shocked in the beginning by how few people were planning.  It seemed a vacation to 16 people who were told what this was about, who saw the logo that said “out wit, out play, out last,” same as I did.” (Rich)  Sonja, BB, Ramona, Stacey, Dirk, Joel, Gretchen, Greg, Jenna, Gervase, Colleen, and Sean all couldn’t put an effective game plan together for one reason or another.  As much as the Tagi alliance is the story of Borneo, perhaps the bigger story arguably is the ineffectiveness of the other 12 players at the game of Survivor.  

MAKING THE CASE FOR EACH OF THE FINAL FOUR 

My previous blog post discussed theringer.com's “The Bill Simmons Podcast” episode with host, Bill Simmons, and his guest, the acclaimed author/Survivor Super Fan, Chuck Klosterman talking and tweaking the beloved show.  But, Klosterman poses a fundamental Survivor question that in his opinion has been the precedent for deciding a winner.  Every jury member when they make their decision to choose a winner, they consider this question…

“Am I voting for the person who played the best or the person I liked the most?” - Klosterman

Though he is posing the question now, with hindsight being 2020, and knowing how people voted through 20 years and 39 seasons, the first jury in Borneo channeled their inner GW and in answering Klosterman’s question, set a precedent that would be followed for years to come.

So, if that is the fundamental question that a jury member is faced with as they uncap the tribal marker one last time with a million dollars on the line, lets pause the episode play by play, and see how each of the final four stack up to that question and rank them from least likely to get the votes necessary to win to the most.

I will separate the question into its two parts and rank each of the final four from worst to first in both questions.  

• 3 points for 1st

• 2 points for 2nd

• 1 point for 3rd

• 0 points for 4th 

4 - RUDY - 1.5 points

• Who played the best? - 4th (0 pts.)

• Person I like the most? - T-2 (1.5 pts.)

As much as I have enjoyed Rudy’s banter and punch line pop ins, his entire game has been his loyalty.  Loyalty to the rice cooking and loyalty to the voting alliance.  Valuable? Yes, no question.  But when you think about the bigger game and how likely he would be to win a jury vote based on game play, his only chance to get a vote for playing the best would be if he was in the final against Sue.  He didn’t outplay anybody.  He did win immunity once, but his only influence in the game was in his bluntness and the stroke of his marker at Tribal.  Then, when it comes to getting a jury’s vote of “person I liked the most”, he stands a chance against Sue and Rich.  Sue and Rich were the two who likely ruffled the most feathers and would most likely not get the “I liked them” vote.

3 - SUE - 2.5 points

• Who played the best? - 3rd (1 point)

• Person I liked the most? - T-2 (1.5 points)

Did Sue play the best game of the final four?  Absolutely not.  She is the only one of the four remaining to never have won an individual immunity challenge.  But lucky for her, the game is more than just the challenges.  Sue was an integral part of the alliance and pulling the strings of the game.  Her assertiveness among the alliance, the voting, and calling out Kelly’s bigger game gives her an edge over Rudy in who played a better game.  When it comes to the vote based on “person I liked the most”, Sue played the “dumb redneck” and midwestern values card from day 1 making her a quasi sympathetic figure should she be matched up against the corporate America Rich in a final jury vote. 

2 - RICH - 3 points

• Who played the best? - 1st (3 points)

• Person I liked the most? - 4th (0 points)

Rich played the best game of anyone and it wasn’t close.  From episode 1 and his Joe Namath moment guaranteeing a victory, to forming the alliance, to winning immunity when it mattered most, Rich was the puppeteer pulling the strings of the game from the jump.  He immediately identified Rudy’s loyalty and stashed it in his back pocket.  He created the alliance that would manipulate the game and its naive speed bumps along the way.  If someone is voting on who played the best game, Rich is the winner.  However, if the jury voter is favoring what person they liked to most, Rich will be in trouble.  He played a great game, sure, but the game he played rubbed people the wrong way.  Rich is smart, manipulative, and calculated in every move he made.  That won’t get him far with the “person” voters.

1 - KELLY - 5 points

• Who played the best? - 2nd (2 points)

• Person I liked the most? - 1st (3 points)

For my money, Kelly is the favorite.  She played a solid game winning reward challenges and immunity challenges on several occasions.  She needed those wins because of the threat she poses in a final 2.  Kelly’s game walked the line between alliance and experience the best.  She voted with the alliance when she had to but voted her own way whenever she could.  When the tribes merged she tried to get to know the people in the Pagong tribe as her inner conflict raged.  She knew the bigger game that loomed down the road would have those former tribe mates deciding who the winner is.  The alliance knows her game and it has burned bridges with Sue.  She may not get Sue’s vote, but she may not need it.  To me, Kelly’s only challenge is Rich and a jury who votes by who played the best game.  Unless, there is something that happens from the jury that doesn’t fit into Klosterman’s question for a final jury vote thought process, my money leans Kelly. 

IMMUNITY CHALLENGE - Fallen Comrades

The game is a simple quiz game asking questions about the other castaways who have been voted off.  The drama of this immunity challenge comes from housing it at Tribal Council with the jury watching.

Questions included who received a vote at the first council, whose jacket is this, what are the names of these two girls (Jenna’s daughters), what department was Sean the chief resident in, what items did Pagong bring to Tagi beach, and name the order of Pagong voted off?

Kelly took the time to know the members of Pagong and it is paying off. All screenshots via Amazon Prime Video.

Kelly and Sue each answer 7 questions correctly, so it comes down to a tie breaker question.  The question is a tough one and it is for immunity.

“What was Sonja’s last name? She was in your tribe.” - Probst

Kelly took the time to know people and it pays off. All screenshots via Amazon Prime Video.

Correct answer - Christopher.  

With that correct answer, Kelly wins immunity again, and blows up the alliance once and for all.

VOTING

Rich - _________ “Who knows why.”

The viewer doesn’t see who Rich votes for, but he would be a fool to vote for Rudy.  

Rudy - SUE - “Her number was up”

That is 2 votes for Sue.

Kelly - RICH - “It’s time for Rich to get…off the stage.”

With this vote, Sue has a chance.  Will she make the right choice and vote Rich or leave the game after 37 grueling days because she didn’t care enough to know Sonja’s last name…

Sue -  _________ (no words)

She knows who it has to be.  Kelly forced her hand.

Votes - Sue (2), Rich (2) TIE 

TIE BREAKER VOTE

The tie breaker vote will be with Rudy and Kelly voting only.  Both Rich and Sue were given 30 seconds to make there plea for why they should not be voted for.  Rich goes first.  He speaks eloquently as we have come to expect.  

“We worked well together, and I think, uh, I have a certain responsibility for pulling the alliance together from the beginning and, uh, I'd ask for your help.  Love you Sue.” - Rich

When Rich finishes, Sue doesn’t even make much of an attempt to sway Rudy’s vote.  She can’t and she knows it.  Rudy’s loyalty is to Rich and it’s not changing.  

This leaves Kelly with a decision to make.  Her look is worth a million dollars.  On the one hand, she doesn’t like Rich.  She wants him gone.  But, she also doesn’t care for Sue either.  Remember, Kelly has been soaring on her solo flight fueled by immunity challenge wins for 3 episodes.  She also made that clear before Tribal Council, “I’m here for me and everybody else can kiss my ass.” 

Kelly listens to Rich’s plea to stay in the game. All screenshots via Amazon Prime Video.

So what should she do?  Who does she pick?  How does she decide?

This is a jury vote type decision.  Does she go by who played the best game? or the person she likes, or in this case, dislikes the least?  or does she make the move to be the sole female remaining?

VOTING

Rudy - SUE - “Same reason.”

Rudy stays true to who he is and doesn’t hesitate.

Kelly - _______

Kelly plods toward the voting booth, for the fate of the game rests in her hands.  Her eyes gaze down with uncertainty.  After seven torturous seconds, she furrows her brow, her hands nailed to her hips.  The stare down continues.  Voting music cuts out.  Silence.  As the tension mounts and Kelly scrambles the viewer is left gasping for the answer.  She furrows her brow again and after 15 hellish seconds, she makes her decision. 

Votes - Sue (2), Rich (0)   

Kelly made her decision.  No matter who she chose, Kelly knows she has to win immunity to stay in the game.  We shall see if her streak  continues.

Kelly switches her vote to eliminate Sue. All screenshots via Amazon Prime Video.

PROBST’S CLOSING THOUGHT

“You guys need to go get some sleep.  The last immunity challenge is tomorrow.  I’ll be waking you up.” - Probst

The game is nearing the end and the remaining castaways will need their energy.

SUE EXIT INTERVIEW

“this was a lot easier for me than driving a truck through Chicago every day of the week.  Th-that’s a lot worse than being out here in the bush.” - Sue

Sue takes Kelly’s flipped vote and her exit from the game with an awkward smile and wave goodbye.  She’s proud to have made it this far in the game as anyone would be.  Ultimately her fate was sealed when Kelly kept winning immunity challenges.  Sue needed Kelly to slip up, but she never did.

MINI CATEGORIES AND AWARDS

1 - Best Screenshot

When the fate of the game is in your hands.

The most tension filled moment of the season. All screenshots via Amazon Prime Video.

2 - Who won Part 1 of the episode?

Rich. Even though Kelly wins immunity, saves herself in the game, and then votes Sue out of the game, Rich wins because he doesn’t get voted out. His plea worked? Kelly decided she would keep Rich over Sue.

Check back later this week for the conclusion of episode 13! Until then, outlike, outcomment, and outshare the rest. Appreciate the support.

The blog has spoken!