Survivor’s Ground-Breaking 40th Season

Source: Cinema Blend

Source: Cinema Blend

Cael Brennan, Editor

February 12 will mark the beginning of Survivor’s biggest milestone as it reaches its 40th season. The special 2 hours premiere will feature possibly the biggest battle in Survivor history. Season 40 dubbed Winners at War will bring together the greatest winners of the title of “Sole Survivor”, as they compete for a jackpot of 2 million dollars the largest sum of money ever to be won in reality show history. These returning masterminds, liars and competitors will face some of the greatest challenges ever to be faced in the history of this now 20 years old pop culture phenomenon. As they align, backstab and orchestrate blindsides all the way too final tribal council where only the champion amongst winners will stand. Below is a list of the people who are competing.

  1. Natalie Anderson Winner of Survivor season 29 San Juan Del Sur. Natalie competed in season 29 the second indication of the theme blood vs water where players would enter the competition with a family member that would play on the opposite tribe. After losing her twin Nadiya in the first episode, Natalie would utilize this drive to lie and outwit her competitors spectacularly. Most notably convincing her alliance she had turned on that the person she had voted out was only by mistake.
  2. Tyson Apostol Winner of Survivor Season 27 the original Blood vs Water. Tyson after losing seasons 18 and 20, Tyson returned to the competition in Season 27 where he would decimate his competing castaways. Similarly to Natalie Tyson lost his now-wife Rachel early in the competition. This furthermore empowered him to become a challenge legend, and made way for even more of his iconic snarky and sarcastic confessionals.
  3. Danni Boatwright Winner of Survivor Season 11 Guatemala. Danni will return to the competition after 15 years. This winner will be forced to change her game and evolve to fulfill the expectations of the new seasons. Although this will surely impose a challenge, audiences anticipate her perfect social manipulation abilities. 
  4. Sophie Clarke Winner of Survivor Season 23 South Pacific. Sophie perfectly played Season 23 as she laid low and manipulated every strategic move her tribe made. Being an underestimated competitor and possibly one of the craftiest winning strategists, It is assumed these traits will sustain her ability to remove targets off her back and align with more threatening castaways.
  5. Jeremy Collins Winner of Survivor Season 31 Second Chance. Jeremy originally completed along Natalie Anderson on Season 29 where he was eliminated after a blindside. Jeremy would then return on Survivor Season 31 Second Chance where he’d push through the competition and end as one of the biggest winners ever to compete. He formed an amazing strategy dubbed the “meat shield” of which included him aligning with bigger threats that would become targets far before one would be placed upon his back. As he returns to a season made of targets it will be interesting to witness his new strategies and gameplay.
  6. Sandra Diaz Twine Winner of Survivor Season 7 Pearl Islands and Winner of Survivor Season 20 Heroes vs Villains. The Castaway ever to win twice Sandra is a survivor icon. Known for planting brilliant lies into her competitor’s heads and elongating her game tenfold on strategy alone paints her as already one of the best to ever play. She will surely have to escape the label as the biggest threat and once again outwit her competitors, it is exciting to see how she will once again put her title as queen on the line to compete.
  7. Ben Driebergen Winner of Survivor Season 35 Heroes vs Healers vs Hustlers. Heroes vs Healers vs Hustlers one of the more odd themes pitted castaways against each other based on their dominant perceived trait: “Heroes” (courage), “Healers” (compassion), and “Hustlers” (tenacity). Ben was a Hero who won on sheer grit as he collected immunity idols that would save him from elimination three tribal councils in a row. He played an aggressive game that gathered him lots of respect in the end. He now though will be pitted against players who will not sit idle and challenge his gameplay strategies.
  8. Michelle Fitzgerald winner of Survivor Season 32 Kaôh Rōng the second iteration of Brains vs. Brawn vs Beauty. Season 32 for the second time ever separated tribes by the tribe members archetypes. Michelle was placed on the beauty tribe where she’d learn to quickly amass trusting relationships and form many alliances. Michelle was a player who knew, in the end, it would be the trust she enamored from her fellow castaways that would decide her games fate. Michelle, the audiences perceive will once again perform spectacularly on the social front as she flies under many’s radars only to gain the alliances of several tribemates.
  9. Wendell Holland Winner of Survivor Season 36 Ghost Island. Wendell One of the more recent winners competed on Survivor Ghost Island. A season that’s theme was utilizing the past mistakes of former castaways in gaining advantages. In a more particular theme, Wendell proved himself a formidable opponent in gaining the title of Sole Survivor. He formed long term alliances and strategies sustaining his time on the island. Now he will have to compete with competition capable of lying and cheating better than ever before.
  10. Adam Klein Winner of Survivor Season 33 Millennials vs Gen X. Season 33 pitted two different generations against each other. In tribes of such differing ideals and strategies, Adam was capable of playing both sides and manipulating several without painting a target on his back. After being a fan of the series Adam came on the show with the knowledge of how one wins Survivor. Adam knew the alliances he had to make and when it was time to cut them off for his good.
  11.  Yul Kwon winner of Survivor Season 13 Cook Islands. Yul Kwon will return to the game after 14 years of winning in Survivor Cook Islands. Yul Kwon is coming back with high expectations. As the most favorited Old School player returning Yul Kwon must once again play harder than he ever had to perform in The Cook Islands. 
  12. Sarah Lacina Winner of Survivor Season 34 Game Changers. Sarah originally played in Survivor Season 28 Cagayan. Her game was cut short after a blindside of epic proportions cut the player off guard. Returning to Game Changers she decided instead of playing as the officer it was time to play as a criminal. Sarah would manipulate and rob her competitor’s chances of winning through her methodical strategies and strong social game. She surpassed the competition with flying colors, but after winning an all-stars season she becomes a noticeable threat.
  13. Amber Mariano Winner of Survivor Season 8 All-Stars. Amber originally competed on Survivors Season 2 Outback. Amber in all-stars would meet and align with her future husband Rob Mariano (Boston Rob) in season 8. They together formed a tight alliance capable of beating all odds across the season. Although they were targets for elimination the two castaways were expert strategists and manipulators. Playing aggressively till the end, Amber although being an old school player will return as a massive threat due to her husband competing alongside her in the game.
  14. “Boston Rob” Mariano Winner of Survivor Season 25 Redemption Island. He originally competed on Survivor: Marquesas, Survivor: All-Stars, and Survivor: Heroes vs. Villains. Rob later competed on Survivor: Winners at War. Rob also returned as a mentor for Survivor: Island of the Idols. The series’ first four-time contestant, Rob is regarded as one of the smartest and most devious contestants in Survivor history and is renowned for his charismatic leadership, challenge prowess, and cutthroat strategy. Among the biggest strategists ever to play Rob will need to outwit farther than ever before if he wishes to succeed.
  15. Parvati Shallow Winner of Survivor Season 16 Micronesia (Fans vs. Favorites). Her character as a manipulative flirt was first established in the Cook Islands. She was part of the Raro Alliance, but after Jonathan Penner flipped alliances, she was relegated to the minority. She was voted out at the final six due to her flirtatious nature. Returning in Micronesia, she formed a bond with James Clement and joined the Malakal Couples Alliance early on, but after the merge, she showed her dominance by forming the deadly Black Widow Brigade an alliance of women which annihilated the men who posed a serious threat. After her close ally Amanda Kimmel won the Final Immunity Challenge she took Parvati to the Final Tribal Council, where Parvati would win in a close 5-3 vote. Parvati due to being one of the most iconic and strategic players ever to compete will need to escape the massive targets on her back if she wishes to become the sole survivor.
  16. Kim Spradlin Winner of Survivor Season 24 One World. Kim deliberately kept a low profile in the early stages of the game, under-performing in challenges and fostering strong relationships with her tribemates. However, by the merge, she was thoroughly established in a leadership position in two overlapping alliances that held potential majorities. She committed to an all-female alliance and masterminded blindsides. Ending her victory as one of the most dominant winners ever to play.
  17. Denise Stapley Winner of Survivor Season 25 Philippines. Placed on the ill-fated Matsing tribe, Denise suffered the worst losing streak imaginable: losing every Immunity Challenge before the merge and visiting every single Tribal Council of her season. However, her brilliant social game allowed her to survive every one and reach the Final Tribal Council. Her ability to smoothly integrate herself into a series of disparate and often fraught social circles, as well as her role in sound strategic moves, guaranteed her to win.
  18. Tony Vlachos Winner of Survivor Season 28 Cagayan. In Cagayan, Tony played the game with ferocity, occupying a high-profile leadership role for much of the game, constructing “spy shacks” to eavesdrop on his tribemates, double-crossing his allies, swearing on relatives both alive and dead, and finding several Hidden Immunity Idols.
  19. Nick Wilson Winner of Survivor Season 37 David vs Goliath. Nick and the David Alliance used numerous advantages to overcome the majority of the Goliath Alliance. While Nick was seen as a big threat to win the endgame, he avoided elimination and reached the Final Tribal Council due to his alliance and ability to win the last three challenges. After a strong performance at the Final Tribal Council, Nick’s social and strategic game, combined with his underdog status, won him the title of Sole Survivor.
  20. Ethan Zohn Winner of Survivor Season 3 Africa. Aligning with close friend Tom Buchanan and strategist Lex van den Berghe, Ethan was able to stick with his allegiance to the end and defeat Kim Johnson in a 5-2 jury vote to become one of the most popular and well-liked winners to play the game. As the oldest player to return he will need to change his game if he wants a shot at becoming sole survivor.

Survivor Winners At War Will Surely Guarantee Outwitting, Outlasting, and Outplaying at its maximum. Don’t miss the season premiere of Survivor: Winners at War on Wednesday, Feb. 12 at 8/7c on CBS