Season 1, Episode 13 - "The Final Four" (Part 2)

“Kelly, Rich, and Rudy are all that remain of the Rattana tribe.  Still to come:  two more Tribal Councils and we’ll find out who will be the sole survivor” - Probst 

Day 38 - 4:00am

Rise and shine, it’s Day 38. Two Tribal Councils, and only one immunity challenge remains. But first a ceremony, a final right of passage, set on the sand spit which has played host to many previous challenges as well as dazzling viewers with its remote beauty.

Included in the right of passage is chanting natives, paying tribute to fallen comrades, and doing it all while covered in the mud from the mud volcano. As the final 3 inch closer to their final immunity challenge the show flashes to each person voted out of the game beginning with Sonya. This montage isn’t just a moment of reflection for the remaining castaways but for the viewers as well. It makes you think about the game. How the game progressed, took form, and told a story over 13 episodes. It makes you reminisce about the now extinct Pagong and how they played the game so poorly and ended up being voted off. It gives a deeper feeling of the show’s arc now coming to the end as the final immunity challenge begins.

IMMUNITY CHALLENGE - “Hands on the Immunity Idol”

Whoever keeps their hand Immunity Idol the longest wins immunity and a guaranteed 50/50 shot at the million dollar prize.

2 hours into the competition, Jeff comes with some temptation in the form of oranges. After 38 days of rice and fish, oranges would be pretty amazing, but not worth the million.

Then, after 2 hours, 30 minutes, Rich says it is time to make a speech.

“I’m thinking I’m probably never going to outlast you, Kelly. I’m going to hope that either one of you just recognize what I’ve done to get here.” - Rich

Rich lets go. All screenshots via Amazon Prime Video.

And in the next breath… Rich lets go!

He’s out! Control of the game, finito! His fate in the hands of his competitors. Wow!

The “intestinal fortitude” it takes to gamble on your “game calculations” is simply admirable. I stand up and applaud your confidence Rich. I don’t think I could have done that even if I had reached the same result that you did in your head.

As Rich digs into his orange slices he continues to explain his rationale for exiting the challenge. “This game is about a lot of different things, and one of those things is mental strategy, and I thought to myself, it’s doubtful I would outlast Kelly because she just stands there until the cows come home period. And it doesn’t mean I’m giving up a million dollars necessarily.”

Rich explains his decision. All screenshots via Amazon Prime Video.

Probst interjects out of what must be complete and utter dumbfounded curiosity. “How come?”

How come? All screenshots via Amazon Prime Video.

Rich answers, “It means that whoever is immune has to pick between the other two people as to who goes to the jury. Each of them could 50/50, pick me. I really can’t tell. Even if I am somebody that she’d be better up against I don’t know that she would do that and even if Rudy’s been loyal the entire time, I don’t know that he’d continue to be so. I think so. It’s all a game of odds, and who knows what somebody’s going to actually do.” - Rich

Wow! The number one strategist of the season, the guy who declared on day one that he was the winner and the million dollar check had his name on it, makes a million dollar move and lays it all out for the 70+ million viewers, Jeff, and his remaining competitors how he came to the decision. Is this scripted?? Rich is right in his reasoning, but let’s jump into his decision and thought process brick by brick.

First, Rich expresses the mental strategy piece of the move and the game. He admits that he wouldn’t outlast Kelly. He knows his limitations physically against the 22 year old river rafter with a winning streak in challenges, but I think his confession is all part of his plan. I think Rich is using this piece of the speech to stroke Kelly’s ego and in turn see his stock rise in the mind of Kelly. He knows Rudy won’t win this challenge and thus it is imperative that he and not Rudy, is the one that Kelly picks to join her at the final Tribal. In addition, even though Rich mentions Rudy’s loyalty could flip flop, I think he knows that he has a better chance at Rudy taking him over Kelly.

Second, Rich answers everyone’s question of “why is he giving up the million dollars?!?!?!?” as eloquently and nonchalantly as we have come to expect from Rich. He shrugs off the notion that he is giving it up to say that he is rather playing a game and playing the odds within the game. He’s giving a “scientific answer” to a “religious question”, or for the sports fans out there, he is using analytics and statistics to backup his argument for why the 2017 Warriors would beat any of Russell’s Celtics, Magic’s Lakers, Bird’s Celtics, or Michael’s Bulls. When you pull the numbers card or the statistics card it takes the emotion out of the response and soon we forget that Rich took himself out of the challenge. His rationale is disarming.

Lastly, Rich acknowledges the unknown or the gray area in his thinking. He doesn’t know that Kelly or Rudy would act one way or another even if their prior actions and behavior would sway him to think so. He shows his top level mental game again by sucking the emotion out of the decision and remaining calm with his convictions when 99.9% of others wouldn’t.

I get it. I understand Rich’s thinking and frankly, it is brilliant. Bravo!

Back to the challenge. 3 hours in. Jeff brings a glass of water and a new twist. Rudy and Kelly must break their concentration and change position every 30 minutes.

After 3 hours and 30 minutes Jeff begins to talk to Rich about how the game unfolded and the inner workings of the game. Rich discusses his alliance with Sue and with Rudy individually and Kelly joins the conversation talking about her alliance with Sue going south.

Rudy remains silent.

After 4 hours Jeff either tries to stir up controversy or he is just bored when he asks Rudy about Rich’s move to quit and step out “Does it bother you that he’s sitting there and dropped out early?” Rudy responds to Jeff and enters conversation with Jeff and Rich.

And then…

Rudy takes his hand off the idol. All screenshots via Amazon Prime Video.

Rudy lowers his hand during a position shift. Rudy’s done. Kelly wins immunity. Kelly is guaranteed a final spot with the jury. But, she is faced with another “game in hand” decision. Who does she take?

RUDY REFLECTS

“Dumb. It was a dumb move on my part. I gave away a million bucks. I would have won a million bucks if, uh, if I, uh, stayed there, didn’t let go of it. It ain’t nobody’s fault but mine.” - Rudy

Rudy lets go of the idol and loses the challenge. Rich quit the challenge 2 hours prior leaving Rudy up there to win it for their alliance and who does Rudy have to blame for losing the idol, and in his opinion, the million dollars, himself. Advantage Rich.

PRE-TRIBAL COUNCIL

“I’m extremely nervous about tomorrow. I’m nervous about if and what I’m going to say tomorrow and what impact and effect that’s going to have on the jury.” - Kelly

“I think it’s in Kelly’s best interest to keep me here, but I don’t know that she’ll do that. I’m hoping she will.” - Rich

“I know some people that would vote for me. I don’t know of hardly any that would vote for Rich. He stepped on some toes and people ain’t going to forgive him.” - Rudy

What stands out the most is Rudy’s statement. He tells the viewers that he would get votes and Rich wouldn’t because Rich “stepped on toes”. But, isn’t that exactly the reason that Kelly should take Rich and not Rudy to face the jury? I think so. In the end, Rudy may have ruffled feathers in the beginning, but people would likely be more sympathetic in voting for Rudy versus voting for Rich.

Previously I had blogged in response to a podcast conversation about Survivor featuring theringer.com's CEO Bill Simmons and his friend and acclaimed author Chuck Klosterman. In it Klosterman touches on an important question for all jury members to consider whether it is season 1 and completely new or season 40 and the jury is all former winners.

Klosterman’s Question About Voting for a Winner

• “Am I voting for the person who played the best or the person I liked the most?

Leading up to this Tribal Council, Kelly has to be thinking about this type of question because she has the power to pick her opponent in the final 2. Her choices are Rich and Rudy so lets make the case for why Kelly should pick each of them.

Rudy

All screenshots via Amazon Prime Video.

Rudy’s game - Rudy was a loyal soldier to the alliance and in the voting. Rudy ran “Rowdy Rudy’s Diner” effectively serving up Borneo’s finest fire grilled sting ray over boiled white rice, but that’s about it. Other than that he won 1 Immunity Challenge. From the viewer standpoint, he kept his mouth shut after making waves initially and from then on he followed Rich’s lead. He didn’t really “play” his game but rather the one that was laid out for him by Rich. Rudy was smart enough and emotionally detached enough to know this was the smart move to make.

Rudy’s likability vote - It seems like people came around on Rudy, especially the Tagi people. If Kelly picks Rudy she runs the risk of going against “grandpa” and the older guy narrative. I could easily see everyone from Tagi (Sue, Sean, and a would be eliminated Rich voting for Rudy) and then Rudy needs only 1 Pagong vote to win. Risky.

Rich

Rich’s game - Rich played the “game” better than anyone and he did it from the time the tribes jumped ship to the very end. He knew from the marooning that this was a game, he needed alliances, he formed an effective alliance that ran the game, he won an immunity challenge, and he helped feed people by catching fish ever since Tagi won the fishing equipment reward. Plus, he also served as a buffer between the Sue and Kelly rift and even played it to his advantage. If the jury votes for “who played the best game” then Rich will win. He played the best game all around and it isn’t close.

But…

All screenshots via Amazon Prime Video.

Rich’s likability vote - Playing a masterful game did rub people the wrong way. Rudy was right in pointing this out about Rich’s game. When you play the best “game” you inevitably manipulate or influence people to help your game. But that may not sit well with a jury comprised of former Pagong tribe members aka the lined up lambs to the slaughter via Rich’s alliance. They are more likely to vote for Kelly than Rich because they liked Kelly. She wasn’t responsible for Pagong being picked off 1 by 1. She even distanced herself from the alliance vote for potential help in a jury vote. If people are going to vote based on who they liked most, then Rich is the obvious choice for Kelly.

Not an easy decision, but I lean Rich over Rudy as the best opponent for Kelly.

Voting

Kelly - R______ (no comment)

Jeff asks her if she is ready and she begrudgingly nods her head yes. This is two straight decisions that Kelly has made with the power of the game in her hands. She has been able to play “God” in the game and decide who stays and who goes to the final.

Votes - Rudy (1)

PROBST’S CLOSING THOUGHT

“So here’s how it will work tomorrow. Each member of the jury will get one question. You guys will get to respond, and then you’ll get a chance at the end to sort of state your case. Now the tables are turned. The power’s out of your hands. It’s up to them. Hope you can get a good night sleep.” - Probst

The final two is set. Kelly vs. Rich. With 5 straight challenge wins, Kelly survived being eliminated and controlled the destiny of the game. Now, her destiny and the million dollars is in the hands of the 7 jury members - Greg, Jenna, Gervase, Colleen, Sean, Sue, and Rudy. (More later on predicting their votes)

RUDY EXIT INTERVIEW

“Today’s the first time I got a vote since a month ago. And it was the fatal vote.” - Rudy

He lasted longer than anyone would have predicted, even himself. I know one thing though, I am glad Rudy outlasted 13 others all the way to day 38. The show was better and every viewer’s experience was better as a result of having Rudy around. Rudy also taught us something. His relationship and bond in the game with Rich showed America that two people who are different in basically every conceivable way can not only coexist but can share a truly special bond. Differences don’t have to separate us. Thank you Rudy.

Rudy is Rudy til the very end. All screenshots via Amazon Prime Video.

MINI CATEGORIES AND AWARDS

1 - Best Quote

Rudy brings his torch to be snuffed out and says “I don’t blame her” to Jeff. Classic.

2 - Who won Part 2 of the episode?

When you can calculate the odds of winning a challenge and realize it’s not in your favor, then voluntarily take yourself out of the challenge, putting your fate in the game and the million dollar prize in the hands of others, with confidence, and have it all work your way and NOT be voted out, Rich you have my admiration and respect for that move! You deserve the part 2 win.

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

The blog has spoken!