The Winner of Survivor: Island of the Idols is…
Reading Time: 8 minutes
We’ve officially made it to the finale! After last week’s removal of Dan and vote out of Elaine, we’re down to five! And one of them will be the winner of Survivor! So, will it be Dean Kowalski, Janet Carbin, Lauren Beck, Noura Salman, or Tommy Sheehan? Read on to find out!
The episode opens with Rob and Sandra talking about how much the game has meant to them, before a boat summons the final five to Island of the Idols for the final time. Tommy finally meets Sandra and Rob, who then inform them that they are moving to Island of the Idols full time. They also give them a special buff, before leaving the Island.
The players celebrate their new lush living conditions, but the game quickly turns back on. Dean says they need to vote out Janet, but Noura says Dean is a weasel and wants him gone next.
Survivor Idol Hunt
Tommy notices a small change on his buff, the idol that is normally in the season logo has been replaced with a machete. He then notices a machete on the beach, cleaving a coconut in half. He opens the coconut, and sees it’s inside is colored pink. Unfortunately, Tommy is colorblind, so he enlists Dean’s help to find the color on the island.
However, Tommy manages to find a colored plank that has an ‘H’ symbol on it, which he tells Dean. Tommy begins scouring the island, but Dean realizes its not an H, it’s the swing that Rob and Sandra built. He goes to the swing, and sees a piece of bamboo near it. He cuts it open, and finds a Hidden Immunity Idol!
Final Five Immunity Challenge
The players will retrieve rope rings for a ladder, climb that ladder, and the maneuver two balls through a table maze. First to finish win immunity and a steak reward.
Dean and Tommy are the first two to finish grabbing their ropes, and are also the first two up their ladders. Noura and Lauren follow, but Dean and Tommy are neck and neck. Janet quickly catches up, and scores with Tommy, tying them up. Dean scores, and then Lauren scores. Dean scores his last ball and wins Immunity and a spot in the Final Four! After the challenge, Dean shares his reward with Noura, trying to bury the hatchet from the final eight.
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Post-Challenge Survivor Strategy
Dean and Noura feast, and have a game discussion. They make a pact to go to the Final Two with each other, and decide to vote for Janet.
Janet and Tommy decide to put all the votes on Janet, and Janet to play her idol, voting out Lauren. However, Tommy says that he needs Janet out, and gets Lauren on board. Dean says it’s up to him who goes home, because of his idol nullifier.
TRIBAL COUNCIL: Survivor History is Made
Dean talks about how his mind doesn’t stop until he’s in the Final 3. Lauren compared camp after the challenge to pandemonium. Janet plays up her reputation as fire-maker, with Jeff bringing up the Final Four Fire-making Challenge. Noura says it’s all about the Jury’s perspective at the Final Three, not the Final Three’s perspective. Dean calls the vote a coin flip as we head to the vote.
Janet plays her Hidden Immunity Idol. Dean plays the Idol Nullifier against Janet. Janet immediately realizes her game is over.
The Votes:
Janet receives four votes.
Lauren receives one vote.
Janet is voted out in heartbreaking fashion, leaving Dean, Tommy, Noura and Lauren as our final four. After Janet’s Elimination, the final four head back to camp. Tommy starts working Noura over trying to get her to take him to the end.
Final Survivor Immunity Challenge
Players must stack letter blocks on a wobbly platform. First person to spell “Island of the Idols” wins immunity and a spot in the Final Tribal Council.
Everyone struggles at the start, and drops all their letters in their first few attempts. Dean is the first person to spell a word, and is followed by Noura. Noura and Dean are in a dead heat, with Noura in a slight lead.
Noura places her last five blocks, and slowly moves to lock in her letters, which she does, guaranteeing herself a spot at the Final Tribal Council!
After the challenge, Noura says she has already made up her mind. She explains to the other three reasons why she should take them, before telling Lauren and Dean that they are going to fire. Lauren breaks down, but then resolves to win. Both Dean and Lauren practice making fire, with assistance from Tommy.
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Survivor Tribal Council: Fiery Conversation Leads to Fire-Making
Noura admits that winning the challenge was everything. Jeff asks Noura to explain her decision, causing Noura to at Lauren, who fights back. Noura then tells Jeff that Lauren and Dean are making fire.
Lauren and Dean both start making their fires, and Dean gets a small flame first. However, Lauren quickly catches up, and both start building their fires. Dean’s fire burns through the rope, sending Lauren home.
The final three eat their Day 39 Breakfast, and both Dean and Tommy seem to count out Noura. Noura realizes this, and she says they have another thing coming tonight.
Survivor 39 Final Tribal Council
The jury enters and we start the Final Tribal Council. The conversation is divided into three parts: the Outwit Portion, focusing on strategic and social play; the Outplay Portion, focusing on challenges and idol play; and the Outlast Portion, their last plea to the Jury. Outwit portion opens the discussion.
Outwit Portion:
Jack lets the Final Three know that the Jury haven’t made up their mind. Kellee says that she wants to know how they played the game. Dean plays up getting Kellee to give him her idol, saying it was a tribute to her social game.
Noura tried to explain how she played the game, reflecting everyone’s attitudes against themselves. Elaine refutes this as a strategy, but Kellee refutes this, saying she made people feel like they could work with her.
Tommy pushes his playing in the middle, and his social connections with everyone. Noura exposes Tommy’s fire making gambit, and everyone debates Dean vs Tommy.
Jamal asks what lines they wouldn’t cross. Noura says she doesn’t want to make a move that she looks back and doesn’t like who she is. Tommy says he never wanted to bully anyone. Dean says he never really thought about the ethical lines he would cross.
Outplay Portion
Jamal asks Noura why she took Tommy with her final 3. She explains that. Tommy says that winning fire isn’t the only thing that matters.
Aaron asks about their approach to immunity challenges. Noura says she always tried her best. Dean says he played strategically with his challenge wins. Tommy says that he didn’t want to win immunity challenge.
Dean explains his fake Legacy Advantage, and also shows the Immunity Idol that he had. Dean proves that he killed the Outplay section. However, he explains he had a deal with Elizabeth.
Outlast Section
Tommy explains that he played since Day 39. He says he didn’t need to win immunities to make it and that his game was based on knowledge of other people.
Noura says that she was trying to be transparent. She wanted to do everything she could to win, winning challenges and pushing herself forward.
Dean says that he played against the wall. He made it to the end, didn’t need to use his advantages, and said that he believes his game deserves to be etched in the history books.
The Jury then votes. We see that Lauren voted for Tommy, and that Aaron voted for Dean. Jeff retrieves the votes, and it’s now time to see who won!
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The Reunion
Jeff reads the votes! Remember, these are votes to win!
First Vote: Tommy
Second Vote: Dean
Third Vote: Tommy
Fourth Vote: Dean
Fifth Vote: Tommy
Sixth Vote: Tommy
Seventh Vote: Tommy
The winner of Survivor Island of the Idols: TOMMY!
Elizabeth and Aaron voted for Dean, everyone else voted for Tommy.
After reviewing moments from the season, Jeff announces who won the Sia Award. Sia is giving $15,000 to Jamal, and $100,000 each to Elaine and Janet.
Kellee Speaks Her Peace
Jeff discusses the level of social change conversation on the show this season. However, he focuses on the sexual harassment situation with Dan and Kellee. Jeff gives Kellee the chance to speak her peace, and tells her she was right to speak up.
Kellee says she feels nervous about speaking. She says that it was hard for her when Dan remained in the game because she felt like she wasn’t being believed. Jeff says they needed to clarify their reason for the production meeting. Kellee says she didn’t want her Survivor experience to be defined by this, and that some people may not be ready to speak up. She finishes that she doesn’t want this season to be defined by sexual harassment, she wants it to be defined by change.
Next Season of Survivor Preview
In the preview of season forty, our previous prediction of an all-winners season was confirmed! Also, the Edge of Extinction is returning and the prize will be two million dollars!
So, that’s been Survivor: Island of the Idols! Do you think Tommy should’ve won? And who is your favorite for Winners at War? Let us know in the comments!