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S7 Guest Column:
S7 Guest Column: "Sandra Reigns Supreme"
By
12/16/2003
A review of Episode 12, the finale of Survivor: Pearl Islands.
Sassy Sandra Diaz-Twine managed to outwit, outplay, and outlast fifteen other contestants and claim the title of Sole Survivor. She now joins the illustrious company of Richard Hatch, Tina Wesson, Ethan Zohn, Vecepia Towery, Brian Heidik, and Jenna Morasca in the "Survivor"
winners circle.
She has also managed to break the tradition of a man
and woman alternating victories. Since the last time I offered my opinions, Burton was voted off basically in part because he got too cocky. Burton didn't respect the
women enough to realize they would plot against him, and it cost himself the game.
At the beginning of the finale, it looked as though Jonny Fairplay was about to receive his walking papers, but don't underestimate the power of Mr. Dalton's manipulative ways.
Jon set it up so Lil and Darrah were able to get in a slight tif and both immediately became targets. Lil didn't want to compete against Darrah, who had won three immunity challenges in a row, and Darrah knew it would be a hard task to try to defeat Lil in the finals.
After the final four trivia immunity challenge, in which the jury won in yet another twist, Darrah was given the walk of shame in a three-one vote, leaving Boy Scout Troop Leader Lillian Morris, Jon, and Sandra as the final three in the game.
The final three started the day by giving the eliminated castaways their due in the traditional, "show sappy clips of everyone that got the boot" ceremony.
Osten Taylor, the show's first ever quitter, did not get the privilege of having his torch ceremoniously burned like the others.
If I was Osten I would try to get it back and sell it on ebay, but that's me. The final immunity challenge, definitely the most crucial, then began for the final three.
In the grand tradition of "Survivor", endurance played the biggest part. Each contestant had to stand on a crate in the water, with only their feet and hands able to touch the
crate.
Sandra went down at about the fifteen minute mark, which was relatively early in the contest.
Jon then took Sandra's departure as an opportunity to try and make a deal with Lil. Lil, who has gradually lost her mind as the season progressed, responded with, "My daughter wants to be a doctor."
Okay, Lil has officially fallen so far off the rocker, she needs a pair of binoculars in order to see it from her angle. Jon responds by shouting, "Do you understand how a deal works, Lil?!" I can answer that one for you Jon,....no.
Jonny Fairplay, not doing too well at the balance thing and not getting far on the deal thing, falls and immunity passes to kooky Lil. Lord help us all.
Lil now has the opportunity to pick the person she wants to go with her to the final two, which is the best position available in the game at this stage.
Surprisingly, Lil ends up voting off Jonny Fairplay
and keeping Sandra as her final two opponent. This is shocking seeing as how Jon has made a ton of enemies, and the obvious choice would be to choose Jon to go with you because you are almost guaranteed victory, but Lil chose to take Sandra, who has many friends on the jury.
Don't forget though, Lil is quite mentally imbalanced at this point of the game, and any decision she makes is pretty nutty.
So, the mastermind of the season, Mr Dead Grandmother himself, Jon Dalton, gets the axe at the final three. He now joins the group of third-place finishers that many fans see as either deserving of the win, star of the season, or the strategic mastermind.
He joins the likes of Rudy Boesch, Lex Van Den Burghe, Kathy Vavrick-O'Brien, and Rob Cesternino. I miss Jonny already.
It's time for the final tribal council, and the jury is ready to feed on the carcasses of Lil and Sandra. Well, not really, seeing as how this was one of the more tame final tribal councils compared to other seasons, in my opinion.
That being said, Lil seems to stomp into the ground the fact that she knows everything through her Boy Scout
training, and blah, blah, blah.
Lil crys at times, looks sad, says she is sorry, and tries to justify herself being there, so basically Lil gives one of the worst final tribal council performances ever. Again, my opinion.
Sandra, on the other hand, gives a great performance. She
answers everything in her extremely honest style, manages to be funny at times, and admits when she lied to whomever.
Sandra is herself, whereas Lil seemed to be giving a big production number, or to quote Mike Skupin, burn victim from the Australian Outback edition, she made everything theatrical with her, "Look at me, la la la!". The "Survivor" knowledge is just flowing out of me, can't ya tell.
Live from Los Angelos, host Jeff Probst announces the winner, no surprise here, it's Sandra. She defeats Lil in a six-one vote, that's the same as Jenna defeating Matt from last season for all you crazy "Survivor" fact-finding nerds out there.
Sandra also joins the group of winners whom have never gotten a single vote cast against them the entire time in the game, which includes: Tina Wesson and Brian Heidik.
I tell ya, I'm killing with the facts today.
Jeffy then gets to host the reunion, featuring all sixteen
survivors. Sandra gets to say some things, then Lil gets a little more time than Sandra, and then the show suddenly shifts to "The Rupert and Jonny Fairplay Smile-Time Variety Hour".
We are treated to possibly the game's all-time most popular player in Rupert, who discusses his popularity, his enthusiasm for life, and wanting to defeat Richard
Hatch.
Then we are treated to possibly the game's all-time most hated villain in Jon Dalton, who discusses his big lie, wanting to be hated, and possibly revealing his Grandfather's death in another lie for a future edition of the show.
Good times are had, indeed. Attorney Andrew
Savage says some interesting things, but other than him, everyone else is mostly glossed over and forgotten.
Well, it's been a great season. There were so many different and interesting twists that the show never got boring, stale, or predictable, and that's always fun.
I can say that I am fully satisfied with the winner, I assume most people are this time around, I could not
say the same last season, so I am happy concerning that.
With that being said, congratulations Sandra, your "as long as it's not me" strategy worked brilliantly, well-played game. I'll see you all in a couple of months for All-Stars. Peace out, my homies.
Note: The opinions and views expressed above, do not represent the views and opinions of Futurizmo Co. in any way.
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