\u201cI didn\u2019t come out here to tie any records. I didn\u2019t come out here to make Survivor history in that way. I came out here to be the winner.\u201d \u00a0\u2014 Savannah Louie\n<\/p>\n
And that is why Savannah Louie<\/a> was crowned the champion of Survivor 49<\/a>. Here Jeff Probst<\/a> was, just doing his job asking her to reflect on tying the record for most challenge wins by a woman in Survivor history, probably looking for some spiritual triumph talk and definitely keeping fingers crossed for a few tears, and she basically tossed it back in the host\u2019s face like she was tossing herself to the ground trying to steal MC\u2019s immunity idol<\/a>.\n<\/p>\n But Savannah\u2019s hyper-aggressive approach to the game and hyper-focus on victory was more than just a winning formula. It was also a welcome course correction in the kinder, gentler new era of the franchise. She\u2019s out there hovering over MC as the adversary opens her idol. She\u2019s interrogating Kristina about voting plans. She\u2019s talking trash to opponents during endurance challenges.\n<\/p>\n And just look at the power pose she adopted at Tribal Council \u2014\u00a0leaning forward, legs spread open \u2014 sitting confidentially and attacking the questions from the jury. Her best answer actually came when Jawan<\/a> asked for her \u201cWhy?\u201d This was a big, fat softball thrown right over the middle of the plate for all three finalists \u2014\u00a0a chance to show off a personal sob story and connect with the jury on a deeply emotional level.\n<\/p>\n Instead, Savannah rejected the premise of the question. \u201cYou don\u2019t have to be the right why in order to be the Sole Survivor. So should my why impact your decision tonight? Honestly, I\u2019m going to say I hope not. And I\u2019m just being real with you.\u201d\n<\/p>\n Savannah Louie on ‘Survivor 49’.<\/p>\n 2025 CBS Broadcasting, Inc.<\/p>\n On the surface, that seems like an absolutely terrible answer. Almost intentionally so. And maybe there was some intent behind it, because by doing so, Savannah actually set herself up as the person that was going to do exactly what every jury asks their finalists to do \u2014 be honest and tell it like it is. In showing that she would not just tell the jury what they wanted to hear, the pint-sized powerhouse managed to come off as the most reliable and self-aware narrator in those final three seats.\n<\/p>\n Should we get into Kristina\u2019s final Tribal question now? Like, I was going to do it later, but should we just go there? Because I think it plays into what Savannah said at the start of this recap, and also how she answered Jawan in the very question before. First off, loved Kristina\u2019s question. Which was not even a question, but rather a request for Savannah to name a family member or partner of everybody on the jury.\n<\/p>\n I cannot properly express how incredibly awkward the absolute silence that followed Kristina\u2019s request was. \u201cI don\u2019t think I can do it.\u201d Savannah finally responded after doing some quick mental math in her head and coming to the educated conclusion that she was royally screwed.\n<\/p>\n \u201cI would like for you to try it,\u201d replied Kristina, not letting her target off the hook. God bless you, woman for adding some much needed spice to the proceedings. I mean, Kristina didn\u2019t go full Brenda Lowe or anything. This was not a vindictive question meant to embarrass anyone (although I\u2019m guessing had embarrassment ensued that would not have been an unwelcome development). It actually spoke to Savannah\u2019s social game \u2014 or lack thereof \u2014\u00a0that Kristina was trying to highlight.\n<\/p>\n So how would the former reporter handle this live grenade tossed onto the Tribal Council set? For a second there, I was legitimately hoping Savannah would just confidentially start blurting out names that were nowhere even close to actual loved one monikers, like Jack Black<\/a> passing out nicknames to students in School of Rock: Mr. Cool, Spazzy McGree, Brace Face, Fancy Pants, Turkey Sub.\n<\/p>\n<\/p>\n Seriously, as a jury member, that would have earned my vote right there. In the end, I think she only got three (Nate<\/a>, Steven<\/a>, and I\u2019m assuming Rizo<\/a>) correct, and as someone who also has complete name blindness, I can sympathize.\n<\/p>\n Normally, that would be complete and utter jury death \u2014 even if Savannah was able to work in some fun family facts along the way to show that she was not completely clueless \u2014 since juries way more often than not vote for the person they feel closest to. But because Savannah had constantly and consistently been open about her singular focus of winning the game, you could almost excuse the lack of genuine connection.\n<\/p>\n It would be another thing entirely if Savannah had branded herself as a soft and gooey social player there to make bonds with people on this incredible journey of self-discovery. This sort of name game failing would have then been seen as disqualifying under those circumstances. But she never pretended to be that person. Did anyone even expect her to ace that test? If you\u2019re grading on a curve, maybe getting three right was actually a pleasant surprise!\n<\/p>\n The point is, whether you loved her or loathed her, Savannah always kept it real and on brand, and that had to have helped peel off folks like Alex<\/a>, Steven, and Sophie<\/a>, who declined to provide winning votes for their original allies Sophi and Sage.\n<\/p>\n Sage Ahrens-Nichols on ‘Survivor 49’.<\/p>\n CBS<\/p>\n You all know I have nothing but love for Sage<\/a>. One of my absolute favorites of any era. Not to get too Probstian, but she\u2019s a person who clearly struggled in her past fitting in before finally embracing her own uniqueness. She was also no mere kooky character sideshow, but a player who was actually heavily involved in strategy talk. Sage played the damn game.\n<\/p>\n I\u2019m sure Sophi<\/a> frustrated viewers by constantly talking about making a move against Rizo and Savannah\u2026 and then not actually doing it. But with more intel now delivered in my pre-finale interviews with the final five<\/a> and the jury<\/a>, it is now clearer that Steven, not Rizo, was the bigger threat to win the game. And Sophi\u2019s lack of action against her ally now looks at least a little better knowing that. She also rebounded well from the Knowledge is Power disaster<\/a> to win the advantage and the final immunity competition.\n<\/p>\n But let\u2019s get real: Savannah earned this title. She was the consensus biggest threat when the merge hit, and still made it to the end. She won four immunity challenges. She undeniably played balls to the wall every single second of the game. A very deserving winner, to be sure.\n<\/p>\n Thought I was finished? To quote Sage: Oh, I\u2019m not done! So let\u2019s recap everything else that went down on the Survivor 49 finale.\n<\/p>\n Sophi Balerdi, Sage Ahrens-Nichols, Savannah Louie, Kristina Mills and Rizo Velovic on ‘Survivor 49’.<\/p>\n CBS<\/p>\n Herstory is made <\/p>\n Things started off a bit rough for the latest victim of the Knowledge is Power curse, as Sophi regretted not stealing Rizo\u2019s idol to fast-pass herself to the final four. \u201cOn top of that, I embarrassed myself in front of the jury for no reason,\u201d noted the Silent Assassin.\n<\/p>\n But things would soon turn around as a boat arrived to kick off the now traditional finale scramble \u2014\u00a0where contestants run around searching for something to give them a leg up in the first immunity challenge. And the players (at least the ones with shoes on) went all out.\n<\/p>\n \u201cI know making it to day 24 out of 26 sounds like a huge accomplishment, but 24 out of 26 is not enough for me,\u201d said Savannah in the most Savannah quote imaginable. But while the athletic marvel dominated the physical portion of the advantage hunt \u2014\u00a0collecting her puzzle piece bags and getting a big head start in the bag search \u2014\u00a0it was Sophi who finally decided to look up and procured the advantage.\n<\/p>\n And the advantage allowed her to essentially skip half a stage in the giant obstacle course portion of the first challenge before the puzzle. If she could ever get out of the mud, that is.\n<\/p>\n Want to be kept up with all things Survivor? Dig deep and sign up for Entertainment Weekly’s free Survivor Weekly newsletter<\/a> to have all the latest news, interviews, and commentary sent right to your inbox.\u00a0\n<\/p>\n Honestly, there is no person I enjoy watching struggling in challenges more than Sophi. Not because I necessarily wish her any ill will, but it\u2019s all about her running DVD commentary track along the way. The woman is constantly talking to herself in unintentionally hilarious terms about how poorly she\u2019s doing \u2026 which only makes me want her to do even worse! To continue making me laugh! At her expense! It\u2019s like one sidesplitting cycle of incompetent doom. The only thing that could make the entire thing any better is if she had a hat affixed to her head with the words SILENT ASSASSIN custom embroidered on the front. Probst should have put her on season 50 for that reason alone.\n<\/p>\n Eventually \u2014 after a certifiably awesome slow-mo shot of Kristina in the mud followed by two massive and equally entertaining wipe-outs \u2014\u00a0all the players made it through the obstacle course and onto the platform for the puzzle. \u201cThis is where this challenge is going to be won or lost right here,\u201d said Probst, stating the obvious while doing his best Dalton Ross impression.\n<\/p>\n And the challenge was won by \u2014\u00a0who else? \u2014\u00a0Savannah, enabling her to join Kelly Wiglesworth<\/a>, Jenna Morasca<\/a>, Kim Spradlin<\/a>, Chrissy Hofbeck<\/a>, and Rachel LaMont<\/a> as the only women to claim four individual immunity challenges in a single season. (Note that all six of those ladies made it to the very end, and four of them won.)\n<\/p>\n Before moving on, respect to Sophi for walking all the way across the platform to copy Savannah\u2019s puzzle. If producers are going to continue to make it so easy for players to cheat off each other \u2014\u00a0and they will continue the practice because it makes an exciting comeback more likely \u2014\u00a0then you would be a fool not to do it. Just ask Rizo!\n<\/p>\n Sophi Balerdi on ‘Survivor 49’.<\/p>\n CBS<\/p>\n A non-united front <\/p>\n I thought Savannah was making a brilliant jury management move by bringing Sage on reward with her. You know, fill her with a nice hearty steak dinner, say your hands are tied on the vote, and bid her au revoir. Only it turns out Savannah didn\u2019t even want her on the jury. At least not yet.\n<\/p>\n In a very un-Savannah-like move, she said it was actually a bad strategic decision, but on a personal level just wanted to eat dinner with Sage. Instead, she wanted Kristina out. Now, to the viewers, this seemed Cuckoo for Cocoa Puffs, as the edit has painted Kristina as exactly the person you want to be sitting next to at the end.\n<\/p>\n However, there is one thing the edit has not shown us: Kristina apparently takes to fire like Michael Skupin\u2019s hands. So if she ended up in a fire-making competition, whoever was sitting next to her would be in deeper trouble than Rizo\u2019s awful facial hair situation. Savannah wanted no part of that, which is to say she wanted no part of Rizo\u2019s awful facial hair situation or taking on Kristina in fire.\n<\/p>\n But The Man The Myth The Legend R-I-Z-G-O-D RizGod baby wanted Kristina around because he saw her as easily beatable at the end. And Soph appeared to be leaning that way as well, especially after talking to Sage. \u201cThe more that Sage talks to me, the less I want to keep her,\u201d Blue Sophi noted. \u201cShe\u2019s very strategic. She\u2019s thinking way more than Kristina is.\u2026 She\u2019s not a very strategic player.\u201d Harsh.\n<\/p>\n It was then off to Tirbal Council to see which way it would go, and if Kristina would finally get to eat a real plate of spaghetti with her hands as opposed to a metaphorical one.\n<\/p>\n Kristina Mills on ‘Survivor 49’.<\/p>\n Robert Voets\/CBS\u00a0<\/p>\n End of an idol <\/p>\n Now I realize what I am about to say is impacted strongly by the newly uncovered knowledge of Kristina\u2019s secret fire-making skills. But even so. Even with the threat of Kristina mastering and handling fire not unlike the Human Torch, I have to tell you that when the ultimate showman Rizo walked up to Probst at the final five Tribal Council to finally play his Beware Advantage Idol, every fiber of my being was daring to dream that he would say the following words\u2026\n<\/p>\n \u201cJeff, let\u2019s have a little fun. You know, I\u2019ve had this pretty baby for a while now. Have managed to fool some people now on the jury with it. Some may say it\u2019s the best use of an idol by the best player this game has ever seen. That\u2019s not for me to say, but other people may be saying it. Probably saying it, in fact, if I had to venture a guess. Accurately, too, I might add. But since this is the last time this bad boy can be used, it\u2019s time to finally play it. And play it, I shall. Jeff, I would like to play this immunity idol\u2026 for Kristina.\u201d\n<\/p>\n Can you imagine? Think about the look on Kristina\u2019s face. Think about the look on Savannah and Sophi\u2019s faces as he just negated the two votes of his biggest allies to wrest complete control over the elimination. Think about the faces on the jury! My main man Jawan \u2014\u00a0who has somehow transformed into a male juror version of Eliza Orlins<\/a> with his constant exaggerated facial expressions and wild gesticulating \u2014\u00a0would have positively LOST HIS MIND!\n<\/p>\n Would it have made any sense? With Kristina\u2019s fire-making skills, probably not. BUT IT WOULD HAVE BEEN CINEMA!!!!! You want to go down as a true icon of the game, then make like Montell Jordan, because this is how you do it.\n<\/p>\n Anyway, that sadly did not happen. Instead, we got Sage and Kristina arguing why they were the easier person to beat at the end and thereby more worth keeping. This is such a fascinatingly tricky spot when you get into these last few Tribal Councils and have to somehow thread the proverbial needle to convince the other players deciding your fate that you are no threat to win\u2026 while also not completely denigrating your own game in front of the jury, who could be deciding your Survivor take-home pay in 48 hours.\n<\/p>\n In the end, Kristina was cut loose, and the tribe just kind of sat there silent and awkward as she went to go retrieve her torch before hugging her uncle. Unfortunately, she did not take Rizo\u2019s torch, and it still makes me mad that every post-Jawan person voted out did not do this because it would have been the funniest thing in Survivor history.\n<\/p>\n Kristina Mills, Sage Ahrens-Nichols, and Sophi Balerdi on ‘Survivor 49’.<\/p>\n CBS<\/p>\n Worst to first <\/p>\n \u201cSoph, once again dead last.\u201d\n<\/p>\n That\u2019s Probst during the final immunity challenge of the season \u2014\u00a0another obstacle course, this one leading to a table puzzle that needed to be put together and then used to get two balls into two holes. (Insert your own jokes here. And then insert your own jokes over the use of the word \u201cinsert.\u201d)\n<\/p>\n Once again, Sophi was struggling, and once again her pain was our gain as she provided some classic play-by-play on her lack of success. And then\u2026 up became down! Black became white! Yin became yang! Dogs became cats! (Strike that last one. That sounds scary.) The point is, Sophi came from nowhere (well\u2026 last place) to suddenly catch up, put her puzzle track together in less time than it took me to write this sentence (which, granted, is becoming a longer sentence by the word) and then sunk both balls before anyone else had landed one.\n<\/p>\n She didn\u2019t just come back and squeak out a win, she flat out dominated those fools. S-O-P-H-G-O-D!\u00a0And The Women The Myth The Legend was feeling herself, suddenly making like my gal Shannon<\/a> in our pregame interview and being unable to stop talking. \u201cI earned my spot to the final three,\u201d she told the host. \u201cNow I feel like I really do have a shot to win this!\u201d (Hold your horses there, my friend).\n<\/p>\n While that may have sounded like an overzealous assessment, had RizGod been able to lord over fire, then there\u2019s a very strong chance your Survivor 49 winner is named Sophi. Or Blue Sophi. Or Soph. (PLEASE STOP CASTING PEOPLE WITH THE SAME NAME IN THE SAME SEASON!!!)\n<\/p>\n But she was right about one thing in her elated state. She will always have that moment. To be a massive fan of the show and then not only have Probst put an immunity necklace around your neck, but to do it at the final immunity challenge \u2014\u00a0that\u2019s straight-up awesome. And it\u2019s nice Sophi got to have that moment, especially after the Silent Assassin was very loudly murdered in front of way too many witnesses at the final six Tribal Council.\n<\/p>\n Sophi Balerdi and Rizo Velovic on ‘Survivor 49’.<\/p>\n CBS<\/p>\n Rizo gets burned <\/p>\n My favorite part of the entire episode may have been when the final four returned to camp after the challenge and Sophi told the others that she didn\u2019t know what she wanted to do\u2026 yet there was also nothing they could say to convince her. (???) I\u2019m not quite sure how that all adds up, but what I do know is that Savannah was not pleased. Not only was her bestie potentially not taking her to the end, but she was also not allowed to even pitch her case. \u201cIt feels like I\u2019m getting screwed over,\u201d she told us. \u201cIs this the real Soph? It feels like I didn\u2019t know my best friend out here.\u201d (Best friend? Quick: What\u2019s her fianc\u00e9\u2019s name?)\n<\/p>\n