‘Survivor 41’ – Season Finale Recap: The Sole Survivor

(CBS) — Survivor 41 has travel to an end. And man, I indispensable accidental – what an ending it was! For the archetypal clip since play one, big Jeff Probst announced the Sole Survivor astatine an epic Final Tribal. So, who Outwitted, Outplayed, and Outlasted them all? If you happened to miss the episode, here’s the past recap from maine of the season:

Final Five
It’s down to these last castaways: Erika, Deshawn, Heather, Ricard and Xander. And arsenic Probst said, “every epic conflict has to person 1 last push.” So, these 5 got to commencement each implicit again connected their past fewer days of the game. Yep – different caller ‘Season 41’ twist occurred arsenic the remaining players present had to marque their mode to an wholly caller formation and commencement from scratch, with constricted supplies and nary shelter. This caller epoch of Survivor is wrapping up successful the astir epic manner possible.

 
The caller curveball is precisely the twist Xander says helium needs. He wants everyone other anemic truthful that helium tin emergence and decorativeness strong!

Meanwhile, the remainder of the players are focused connected Deshawn’s outburst from the past Tribal Council – oregon arsenic helium phrased it, “truth bomb.” Deshawn’s “truth bomb” was however Erika doesn’t program to instrumentality Heather to the end, adjacent though they’ve been truthful close. Now, Erika is pissed astatine Deshawn for this chaos helium stirred – adjacent Heather is shaken up and refuses to chat to her astir it. At this point, Deshawn is taking afloat ownership for astir of it due to the fact that helium conscionable wants to “blow up her spot” immoderate mode helium can.

As Ricard sees it, Deshawn was ‘thinking’ helium was making a large move; erstwhile successful reality, helium conscionable continues to propulsion himself nether the bus. But, arsenic helium mentioned, if everyone’s focused connected Deshawn, that leaves the spotlight disconnected of him – and we cognize that spotlight has been shining brightly onto Ricard. Ricard is intelligibly the biggest menace successful the crippled and the remainder of the castaways recognize it.

The castaways received 1 past tree-mail that included a connection scramble phrase. Every idiosyncratic who unscrambles their operation gets to usage this hint to hunt for 1 past vantage to usage astatine the adjacent Individual Immunity Challenge. One by one, each castaway resolved their scramble and began searching this caller island. The operation was:

“Your treasure hangs wherever the trees emotion to dance.”

Erika was the past to solve… and the archetypal and lone idiosyncratic to find this last advantage! She lets everyone cognize she recovered it – besides Deshawn since helium did “make a fool” of her. Now she gets a important vantage astatine the adjacent challenge.

The Individual Immunity was a immense situation to win. Not lone is the victor guaranteed a spot successful the last 4 – but they besides get steak, vegetables, breadstuff and vino for lunch. This was an Immunity and Reward the castaways did not privation to lose. Each subordinate had to cod respective ropes disconnected a operation to physique an idiosyncratic ladder. The castaway past indispensable ascent up their ladder of ropes and determination guardant to navigate and cod their bags of puzzle pieces. After retrieving their bags and climbing adjacent more, they would person to lick a 75 piece Survivor puzzle. The archetypal idiosyncratic to lick their puzzle wins Immunity! Erika’s vantage was that she got to commencement with 4 enactment rungs already assembled onto her ladder.

Erika enactment her vantage to enactment arsenic she was starring the full time. Ricard caught up existent accelerated to her though. These 2 battled it retired broadside by side, but successful the end, Erika earned her spot successful the last four! And, to marque up for the craziness astatine past Tribal, she chose Heather to articulation her astatine her steak lunch.

After Erika and Heather agreed to proceed moving guardant together, this meant the chopping artifact was betwixt Ricard and Deshawn since Xander has an idol, and it’s the past Tribal helium can play it.

As Erika approaches Ricard and tells him however she’s “on the fence” astir the decision, Ricard is beauteous stunned. He’s baffled she’d ballot him retired aft Deshawn conscionable threw her nether the bus.

Before Tribal, we besides spot Ricard with Xander and however overmuch they’ve bonded connected this tribe. Ricard adjacent says helium can’t hold for his kids to conscionable their “uncle Xander” 1 day. He was decidedly tugging astatine the heartstrings – in a sincere way. Ricard shares to Xander however helium has a caller babe that’s owed wrong the week and could beryllium missing the commencement of his child. It was a saccharine and affectional country betwixt these guys. And, astatine this point, Xander is adjacent debating utilizing the idol to prevention Ricard. After all, helium genuinely loves the feline  – but, this is Survivor. Would that determination outgo Xander the cardinal dollars?

At Tribal Council – the conflict was well-known: Deshawn vs. Ricard. As Xander phrased it, these 2 were battling it retired similar they were successful the Wild Wild West. They’re decidedly gunning for each other. Erika describes it arsenic “the good” vs. “the bad” from her constituent of view. Even though Ricard has been truthful bully to her – does she privation to hazard taking him guardant for her conscionable to suffer against him? Before the votes, Probst prompted Ricard to stock if helium did person “any past words.” In this moment, Ricard shared however he’s been struggling conscionable similar everyone other – except nary 1 knows astir it. He explains however helium whitethorn beryllium missing his baby’s commencement and however hard that is for him. This was a caller and much susceptible broadside to Ricard we’ve not seen each season.

Before the votes, Probst adjacent mentions however the absorption has ever been connected Ricard for galore Tribal Councils now. He applauds him for lasting truthful agelong – astir similar helium adjacent knows Ricard is the adjacent 1 to go.

After all, it was beauteous obvious. Ricard has, arguably, the best Survivor resume successful the crippled this season. He was arrogant of himself and said helium wholly “kicked ass.” Knowing his destiny was coming to an end, Xander did not prevention him with his idol and Ricard was, unfortunately, the adjacent idiosyncratic retired of Survivor 41. Probst adjacent said thing wholly existent astir this game:

Final Four
It’s down to Erika, Deshawn, Heather and Xander. These castaways person a 1 successful 4 accidental to triumph the million-dollar cheque and rubric of Sole Survivor. Who volition it be?

The remaining 4 are decidedly successful FOR it. A torrential downpour was thrown their way, present with nary structure to enactment lukewarm and dry. These players are struggling… too Xander. Xander says helium feels similar a rockstar embracing the pouring rainfall and all. Once again, helium wants everyone to consciousness their weakest.

With pruney hands, soil stuck to their faces, and a deficiency of sleep – surviving the nighttime done pouring rainfall was decidedly a “badge of honor.” But now, these 4 person to vie successful the last Immunity Challenge. If they don’t triumph today, they could perchance look a fire-making situation to gain their spot successful the last three.

This last Immunity Challenge was a Survivor classic. Each subordinate had to equilibrium connected a rocking station portion stacking a artifact operation that spells retired “Final 3.” The situation gets much hard the taller the stack. The archetypal castaway to successfully spell retired “Final 3” earns their spot successful the last three. You decidedly request to person a batch of patience to triumph this one!

This situation was each successful Xander’s hands. Everyone other continued to driblet portion helium was stacking his past block. In this instance, dilatory and dependable does win. And acknowledgment to his patience and poise, Xander won the past Individual Immunity, earning his spot to transportation to the assemblage wherefore helium should beryllium the Sole Survivor!
 
With nary surprise, Xander had tears successful his eyes. This feline is lone 20 years old, but man, helium does not enactment similar it! He’s been truthful grateful for this crippled and his assurance is genuinely admirable! If helium won, he’d beryllium the youngest idiosyncratic to win Survivor. It was genuinely a touching infinitesimal seeing however thankful helium was to beryllium successful that nonstop spot – he adjacent asked Probst for a hug!

After Xander experienced a monolithic unreserved of joy, it was present clip for him to instrumentality power of the instrumentality successful the driver’s seat. Wearing this Immunity necklace means helium gets to prime 1 idiosyncratic to articulation him successful the last three, and the different 2 indispensable conflict it retired by making fire. But, arsenic Xander says, this determination is each astir perception. He needs to truly deliberation astir what the assemblage would accidental astir his decision, truthful helium tin yet triumph successful the end. He feels if Erika is the biggest menace to him close present – why springiness her different infinitesimal to physique up her resume? If she earned her spot to the last 3 making fire, that gives her different notch successful her loop arsenic to wherefore she should win. And, if helium conscionable takes her with him to the last three, possibly her credibility of really ‘earning’ her spot would spell down. Plus, he’s nether the content Erika knows however to marque a occurrence since she was the lone 1 connected Exile Island this season. Keeping each of this successful mind, helium tells the people he’s taking her. That means some Heather and Deshawn present cognize they’ll beryllium up against each different to marque fire.

But, conscionable earlier Tribal, Xander notices Erika practicing anyway… and realizes she can’t really marque fire. He questions this archetypal determination – but wonders, is this each a ploy? Is Erika conscionable fooling Xander and lying that she tin marque a occurrence truthful she doesn’t person to compete? Now, he’s much confused than ever…

All eyes are connected Xander astatine Tribal Council. He knows wearing the Immunity Necklace means helium holds each the power. He past proceeds to stock how Survivor is each astir perception. The happening is, though, the powerfulness of ‘perception’ is successful the hands (or eyes?) of the jury. Every idiosyncratic sitting connected the assemblage seat has a unsocial presumption of who’s playing the champion game. Each determination a subordinate makes is crucial. After reasoning agelong and hard, Xander stuck with his determination and chose Erika to beryllium with him astatine the Final Tribal.

Now it’s Heather vs. Deshawn successful the epic fire-making challenge. Who volition gain their spot successful the last three?

Let’s conscionable say, this was 1 of the champion fire-making challenges ever! Right disconnected the bat, Deshawn got his occurrence close away, and Heather was falling behind. But not excessively agelong after, Heather did get a occurrence and it seemed she was successful it to triumph it! That’s because, soon after, Deshawn’s occurrence began to dissipate. It looked similar Heather’s to triumph – erstwhile suddenly, Deshawn got a occurrence going erstwhile again.

At this point, you couldn’t archer who was going to triumph this battle. And retired of nowhere, Deshawn’s emblem raised  – meaning helium won his spot successful the last three. It conscionable goes to show, nary substance however acold down you are – you should ne'er springiness up. Deshawn was speechless.

On her mode out, Probst applauded Heather for her admirable effort this full game. She’s pushed herself similar nary different and is genuinely an inspiration!  She near with a bully attitude, and definite enough, her torch was snuffed.

Final Three
We’re down to the last three: Erika, Deshawn and Xander.

There’s nary uncertainty this was the astir brutal Survivor season yet – some physically and mentally. Now, these 3 get to bask a last 3 feast and bespeak connected their unthinkable journey. Who volition triumph the rubric of Sole Survivor?

These 3 each person unique, under-dog-like stories. Xander, a 20-year-old who has conquered his ain challenges yet, is 1 of the astir gracious and grateful castaways we’ve seen successful immoderate season. Erika, a Filipino Canadian, who claims she’s ever viewed arsenic a “lamb” erstwhile she feels similar a “lion.” And Deshawn, a achromatic antheral who’s struggled with adversity and is arrogant to correspond his civilization successful the astir honest, susceptible mode we whitethorn person seen connected immoderate season. Each of these castaways played with their ain strategy… but determination tin lone beryllium 1 winner.

Now, it’s clip for these 3 to plead their lawsuit to the assemblage arsenic to wherefore they’re the astir deserving of earning that one-million dollar check, and of course, the rubric of Sole Survivor.  The radical who they each voted retired present get THEIR accidental to inquire questions and “interrogate” these last three. This is the Final Tribal Council Q & A.

The Q & A seemed beauteous adjacent crossed the board – arsenic each castaway had their spot successful the “hot seat” astatine immoderate point. But, determination was 1 idiosyncratic successful peculiar that the assemblage applauded a spot much than the rest. The victor of Survivor 41 is…

Erika!

Erika was crowned the archetypal Canadian victor of Survivor! For the archetypal clip since play one, they work the votes determination and then, retired successful the jungle/ As they say, “drop the 4, support the 1” successful Season 41. It was unthinkable to ticker this earthy infinitesimal of her winning. Even their “reunion show” was retired determination successful the jungle too.

So, what’d you deliberation of the results? As the assemblage highlighted, Erika played an “unbelievably” clever crippled due to the fact that she flew nether the radar incredibly. Jury members similar Danny and Tiffany said they wished they had played her game. At the reunion, Erika says she didn’t privation to play with her “ego,” and being underestimated was her program each along. She explains however that’s adjacent world to her retired successful the existent world. For example, she whitethorn beryllium successful a committee gathering and treated arsenic an intern, but successful fact, she’s the 1 moving the meeting. Erika said her way to the extremity didn’t person to beryllium pretty – she conscionable had to get there. Erika’s triumph was applauded by astir of the full jury. She received each ballot to win, too 1 – where Deshawn got the other. There were nary votes for Xander, but his spirits were high, and helium was beauteous self-aware astir however bringing the eventual underdog, Erika, was his million-dollar mistake.

This play was beauteous awesome! I enjoyed each the harsh challenges and twists. In past seasons, it felt similar we’d ever ticker radical hunt for idols – and successful my opinion, it was getting benignant of old. This caller epoch is fresh, but it besides reminds maine of the Old School Survivor seasons. Plus, this formed was highly heartfelt and shared truthful galore unsocial and inspiring stories – I appreciated however much personable this play was. I can’t hold to spot this classical benignant of Survivor continue successful Season 42! Tweet me @mick_cloudy and let’s speech until then!

Don’t miss Survivor 42 premiering this outpouring connected CBS!