Fiction Becomes Reality

Fiction Becomes Reality is the season finale of Survivor: Thailand.

Day 36 (Night)
The final four return to camp having just ousted the final ex-Sook Jai member from the game, being the first tribe in Survivor history to consecutively take out the other tribe after the merge.

"chuayjai"

- With Phillip's elimination tonight, only Chuay Gahn members are left in the game. It's bizarre to know that we are the last four here, considering how we've all had quite unstable positions at some point in the game... but we made it. There is a slight feeling that this is really where the game will now get tough, because at the next tribal council we'll all have to vote for a member of Chuay Gahn for the first time in about nineteen days.

Julius proposes a toast for the tribe, congratulating all four of them for making it this far, and wishing them luck in the days to come. The group all begin heading to sleep, wanting to get enough rest for the upcoming immunity challenge, knowing that with only four people left and no more expendable Sook Jai members, that there is nowhere left to hide other than behind an immunity necklace. "chuayjai"

- Voting for Phillip wasn't my goal tonight, especially as I think had he stayed that both myself and Vince would be deciding between him and Salma to be voted out next... instead we've got Aaron and Salma both here, and I'm concerned the two of them may pair up at the next vote and force a tie. As much as I am close with Vince, I want to make sure I get to the end against someone I can beat... and if I think he's posing a threat to that, then maybe he'll have to be the next to go.

Day 37
The final four awaken to watch the sunrise, taking in the beauty of the landscape that has been their home for thirty-seven days, knowing that by tonight one more of them will have been sent to the jury. "chuayjai"

- I've been a big fan of this game since I first saw a group of strangers on a beach together... seeing them undergo an adventure that was unlike anything else out there. I thought to myself... that's what I want to do. I never dreamed that it would become a reality for me, or that I'd be sat here near the end of the game with a real chance to win it all. Working in the film and television industry I've always told my clients that they need to dream big and go for it... but I never really stopped and looked at my own life in that way. But now I can see that I went for my dream... and I can't regret that at all. All I want to do is return home and remind my kids to go for whatever they want in this world... nothing is beyond your reach if you want it badly enough.

Vince and Aaron find a flower kit by the tribes cave, with instructions laid out informing them that they must make krathongs in the style of the Loi Krathong celebrations that take place in Southeast Asia. The four look through the instructions, taking different arrays of flowers for themselves to begin building their krathongs. "chuayjai"

- This morning it was nice to be able to make our small flower floats... and we needed to make one for each of the twelve people who have left this game before us. It's a good way to really appreciate and remind yourselves that other people had the same goal you did in this game... to reach the end, and for them it didn't happen. You spend so long looking at other people as players, and sometimes you forget that behind everything they're a real person with a family... bills that need paying... they're not just pieces of this crazy game.

"chuayjai"

- Some of us were making krathongs for people that we maybe didn't know that well or get along with, but it was interesting to see who had really made an effort to get to know people based on how they can personalise their displays.

Eventually the group finish their krathongs, placing them all together by the cave before gathering their things to head off to the next individual immunity challenge, all eager to win their way into the final three. "chuayjai"

- I've not won an individual challenge yet in the game, and I am concerned that if I don't get immunity today my name will come up at tribal council. Both Vince and Julius seem to be working together still, and I think between myself and Salma they'll be targeting me tonight. Uh, so I've got to win... if I don't then I'm going to have to hope Salma and one other person is willing to vote alongside me.

Upon reaching the immunity challenge, Jeff informs the final four that they will undertake a 'second chance' themed challenge, taking on elements from previous challenges. The challenge would begin with a balance beam, followed by pushing a wicker ball through a fishnet. The next stage consisted of the slide puzzle from the first immunity challenge, releasing a knife that they'd use to retrieve a bag of materials in order to obtain a key to release the contestant from a jail cell door. The final stage would involve eating a boiled tarantula, previously seen in the loved ones reward challenge, with the first individual to do so winning themselves a spot in the final three, and the right to compete in the last immunity challenge of the season.

On Jeff's go, the four race their way to the balance beam, all struggling on their first few goes, trying to get the hang of balancing across the bamboo. Aaron and Salma eventually get across first, shortly followed by Vince, leaving Julius behind struggling on the beam. Aaron quickly negotiates his ball through the fishnet, just as Julius manages to reach the second stage of the challenge. Julius makes quick work of the fishnet, with Vince finishing around the same time, as Salma continues to struggle with it. As the two men reach the puzzle, Aaron manages to release his knife, moving on to the penultimate stage of the challenge. As another few minutes pass, Salma finds herself starting on the slide puzzle, whilst both Vince and Julius finish and move onto the jail cell segment, seeing Aaron struggling to find his way out. As time passes, Aaron and Julius both manage to unlock their jail cells only seconds apart, racing towards the final section of the challenge. As they unveil their baked tarantulas, Aaron somewhat hesitates, whilst Julius quickly tips the spider into his mouth, chewing frantically to try and get it down. Despite Aaron's efforts to do the same, Julius quickly shows Jeff an empty mouth, granting him immunity and a spot in the final three.

Challenge: Try Again

The Survivors would compete in an obstacle course that used elements of past Challenges. First, they would have to dig deep into the sand to retrieve a wicker ball and race over a bamboo balance beam. Next, they would have to push the wicker ball through a fishnet and place the ball on a pedestal. The next stage consisted of solving a puzzle, which would release a knife. They were then to take the knife and cut a rope that released a bag of material that would help them negotiate their next task of retrieving a key from inside a jail cell. The final stage was a surprise Thai delicacy, and the first person to consume it would win Immunity, thus ensuring themselves a spot in the Final Three.

Winner: Julius The final four return to camp with Julius wearing the immunity necklace, meaning either Aaron, Vince or Salma will become the sixth member of the jury, and the first Chuay Gahn member to be eliminated from the game in almost twenty days. "chuayjai"

- Winning immunity tonight is exactly the outcome that I needed. It's going to come down to both Aaron and Vince, with Salma acting as the swing vote. I've spoken with Vince about this outcome, and he's sure that between the two of them she would rather keep Vince in the game... so if all this is correct then Aaron should be leaving tonight in a unanimous decision.

Once the standard congratulations have been given to Julius, the group begin to walk around the beach, all trying to have their one on one conversations to sway votes in their desired direction. Vince approaches Salma who is washing one of her shirts in the water, wanting to confirm that the vote is still on Aaron as previously planned.

"chuayjai"

- I wanted to just confirm that tonight there wasn't any reason to be concerned, and that keeping Aaron an extra round wouldn't hurt any of us. Salma said she's good with voting Aaron still, and as far as I know Julius is still open to going to the end of the game with me. So right now I'm just going to relax... keep an eye on things... and hope that nothing comes up.

Aaron sits alone by the fire, watching Salma and Vince talking down by the water, then looking over at Julius who is hanging his immunity necklace from the rock wall of the cave. He begins to feel concerned that things may not be going his way, and that Salma may take the easier route and join up with Vince and Julius to vote him out of the game. "chuayjai"

- There is a chance that tonight I'll be gone with three votes against me, and that Salma will just play it safe. She's been known for avoiding risks throughout the merge, and a lot of her thought process is based on what protects her own game. I understand her mindset, and I'm half expecting her to just take me out tonight... but she and I have spent a lot of time together the past week, and we have spoken through plans and deals that get us to this stage, and we both agreed to keep our votes together to take out either Julius or Vince... if one of them doesn't go tonight then they'll probably be the final two... and I need Salma to realise this before it's too late.

With thirty minutes left before tribal council, Aaron is forced to ask for time alone with Salma, as both Julius and Vince have made an effort to keep the pair apart, wanting to prevent them from having any chance to force a tie and instead to get Salma to join their final three. However, they eventually concede and accept Aaron's request, leaving the caves so that Aaron has a chance to plea his case to Salma.

"chuayjai"

- The good news is that tonight I won't be getting any votes, and Vince and Aaron are the two vying for my support. My worry is that I need to pick between a safe easy route to the final three, that could result in my game being tarnished and criticised as being nothing more than a coattail rider... or I can attempt to force a tie, and either lose Aaron anyway... and guarantee myself third place... or maybe face a tiebreaker that sees my torch snuffed tonight... even without a single vote in my name. I'm trying to draw some courage from all the strong women I've created over the years in my books... what would they do... how would they get through this situation. Fiction becomes reality tonight for me... and I've always been a proponent of controlling your own stories, writing your own fate... and one of the paths I can take seems to me the one that shows greater control for my own game.

At tribal council, the final four discuss the emotions they felt making the krathongs earlier that day, particularly in remembering the bonds they've made over the past thirty-seven days. Vince admits that despite the hardship in voting others out of the game, nothing will compare to the vote that awaits them tonight, highlighting how close the four of them have become during their time in Thailand. Aaron talks about his nervousness in coming to the vote, feeling that lots of doors were closed for him after Phillip targeted him at the previous tribal council. Salma mentions both Julius/Vince and Aaron coming to her to gain her vote, and goes on to joke about Vince and Julius' attempts to prevent her from speaking with Aaron during the day. Julius and Vince both deny doing this, apologising to Salma for feeling that this was the case. Once the vote is complete, the four sit together and seem in good spirits, knowing that they've only turned on one another when no other options were left, preparing to see who will be the sixth member of the jury.

Vince and Julius both seem in shock, looking over at Salma for an explanation at causing a tie. Aaron immediately thanks Salma, looking over at the jury, who seem somewhat excited at the result.

Ricardo and Kanda are both seen smiling on the jury, with Ricardo restraining himself from clapping Salma after her short speech. Aaron tells Salma she's making the right decision, to which the group ask Jeff what will happen if a decision can't be reached. Jeff explains that if a tie remains, that everyone but Julius (who has immunity) will be forced to draw a rock. Julius smiles at this, telling Salma that she needs to protect her own game rather than to draw a rock for no reason, telling her that rather than second or third she could end up in fourth place.

One by one, Salma, Aaron and Vince take a rock, all hiding their fear at going out of the game due to a lottery draw. The jury sit in awe watching the events unfold, eager to see who will be the first person ever eliminated from the game of Survivor due to a rock draw. On Jeff's command, the three drawers open their fists, revealing what colour rock they hold in their possession. Salma lets out a sigh of relief upon seeing the yellow rock in her hand, but is saddened to see it is Aaron who is holding the purple rock, eliminating him from the game. Aaron drops his head for a few seconds, letting out a laugh before hugging the final three, wishing them luck.

Vince looks over at Salma, giving her a half smile before mouthing "you're tough", causing her to laugh and give him a slight hug. Jeff informs the final three that they will now return to camp, preparing for their final immunity challenge, which will grant one of them a spot at the final tribal council, and the right to decide who it is that comes with them.

"chuayjai"

- I've enjoyed every moment out here in Thailand. The game is so much bigger than all of us, and it's hard to try and stick in there when you're being battered by the elements and those you're trying to live with. It does suck to go home from the rock draw considering I tried to avoid it for so long, but Salma really showed me her courage by giving me the shot... Any one of the three left would make a good winner, and I can't wait to see which of them manage to get to the end.

Day 38
The group arrive back at camp in the early hours of the morning, putting their things away in order to get to sleep so that they're rested for the final immunity challenge. Due to the intense nature of the tribal council, the group can't help but speak over the events that just took place.

"chuayjai"

- My God... Salma... the sixty year old soon to be grandmother turns out to be the real cutthroat player once again. She had me fooled that she would be on both mine and Julius' side should we get rid of Phillip last tribal council... but instead she made a huge move and forced rocks on us. Her stock just went up in the eyes of the jury for sure. Thank the Lord that Julius won immunity because without that the draw wouldn't have been in our favour. We're so close to the end now, so either he or I need to win tomorrow and send Salma on her way to the jury.

Both Vince and Julius quickly go to sleep, leaving Salma sitting awake looking up at the moon, thinking over her decision to draw rocks at the previous tribal council. "chuayjai"

- The draw didn't go how I wanted it to, and I know I've got to somehow beat these younger fit guys in the final challenge tomorrow if I want to get to the end. I didn't want to leave this game with any regrets, and had I just voted out Aaron I think the result today would be the same... so I'm not going to regret what happened tonight, and just accept that luck wasn't on my side.

As the sun rises over Chuay Jai's camp, the final three wake up and make their way over to the side of the cave, where they find a new krathong to be put together to represent Aaron, with all thirteen of the krathongs to be taken out into the water during a rites of passage.

"chuayjai"

- After putting together Aaron's small display, we saw Jeff approaching and we knew that it was because our next challenge awaited us... My heart was pounding out of my chest because I knew that this was the biggest challenge of the whole game, and to lose it could be a million dollar loss.

Jeff arrives on the tribes camp, informing them to gather up the krathongs they have made, and to take a gold canoe down a small river where they'll release the krathongs, eventually leading them to the location of the final immunity challenge. After Jeff departs, the group follow suit in their golden canoe, laying the krathongs out onto the water one by one as they do so, occasionally saying a few words for each of their fallen competitors.

Once all thirteen krathongs have been set adrift, the group continue following the direction of the river, eventually reaching the mouth of a cave. The three walk inside, finding Jeff stood by three small wooden structures, informing the group that they will now take part in their final immunity challenge. The challenge requires each member to stand in a specific Thai pose, holding three coins between their fingers in each hand. Over time, as the pose becomes more painful, the contestants will let the coins slip through their fingers, with the last person with a coin remaining between their fingers winning immunity and a spot at the final tribal council. The group each stand in their structures and take their stances, holding the six coins between their fingers. After five minutes, Jeff notes the sweat already pouring off each member.

After ten minutes, Salma tries to stretch her back, clearly finding herself in a lot of pain. Suddenly, Salma winces in pain due to the movement, causing all six coins to drop from between her fingers, signalling that she is out of the challenge.

A few minutes later, Vince continues to struggle, looking over at a static Julius. Feeling he has no shot to win, Vince seems to willingly drop his coins, congratulating Julius on his win.

Julius walks over to Jeff, wearing the immunity necklace for the second time in a row, this time granting himself a spot at the final tribal council, as well as earning the power in deciding who will sit next to him to face the jury.

Challenge: Slip Through Your Fingers

Castaways must hold a Thai pose while holding coins between their fingers. If they run out of coins, they are out of the challenge. Last person standing wins immunity.

Winner: Julius The final three return to camp, once again with Julius wearing the immunity necklace, but this time knowing he alone will decide who will become the final member of the jury. Vince and Salma both congratulate Julius, looking at the already setting sun, knowing that there is little time before tribal council. "chuayjai"

- Julius won today, and I'm just glad it wasn't Salma. Had Salma won either myself or Julius would have been cut short, and I think anyone resentful towards us as a pair would've voted for Salma should she have made it to the final tribal council. Julius now has to chance to make sure he and I both stick to our original alliance and go to the top two, and to have two people who played similar games fight for the votes of the jury... between myself and Julius I think I do have a good chance, because from what I've heard people do like me more on a personal level... but if they're going off game play, there is a misconception that he was the one totally in charge... so I've got to find a way to put that view to rest.

"chuayjai"

- When I dropped the coins my mind immediately went to... I'm out next. Julius and Vince have been working together since early on in this game, and after last night I separated myself from them... as much as I think Vince will be a tough competitor at the end, I believe Julius will honour his word to him and take me out tonight. That doesn't mean I'm going to lay down and die... but I know it'll be an uphill battle, much of which will have to be fought at tribal council. But tribal council has become my battleground, and all throughout this game it has been the place where I have made my boldest moves... So tonight should be no different.

Salma laughs and hugs Vince, who is clearly getting emotional at the prospect of seeing Salma voted out. Julius watches on, saying very little, thinking hard about the vote he is about to make. "chuayjai"

- I've won my way to the final tribal council, and the excitement inside me is bursting, ready to come out so I can celebrate... but first I need to make a key decision between my two friends here, sending one of them to the jury and bringing the other to the end. I want to win this game, and I do believe I've played a stronger game than anyone else out here. My concerns with Vince is that he is very personable, and watching him speak to Salma tonight I know he's trying to get her warming up to him even more so that tomorrow night she votes for him to win this game... Vince could beat me if I take him to the end. Looking at Salma, she hasn't in my mind played as big of a game as the rest of us... but she's got a lot going for her in that she is an older woman who overcame so much, and anyone bitter towards myself and Vince would be dying to vote for her to win. She's almost guaranteed to win Aaron's vote... and maybe the votes of the girls... that's three votes there Salma could sweep up without even giving a speech. I've told Vince that tonight I'll be voting Salma out an honouring our alliance, but until I hear final pleas from both of them at tribal council I don't think I'll be certain who is leaving tonight.

The final three reach tribal council, with the jury of six giving mixed emotions to seeing Julius with immunity, suggesting that Salma is the easy final boot before the final two. Julius speaks about his admiration for his competitors, particularly in how tough it has been to reach the final tribal council, feeling as though he now needs to make a decision that will increase his odds of winning.

Julius sighs and stands, heading over to the parchment where he writes down the last vote he'll cast in the game, looking at it for a few seconds before agreeing with his own decision. "chuayjai"

- Sorry, you played an amazing game, but I need to think about who I'm sat next to, and what arguments I can make both against their game, and for my own... I need to give myself the best chance to win.

Julius returns to his chair, placing his hand on both Vince and Salma's shoulders. After the urn is eventually brought over for reading, Vince and Salma look on, waiting to see which of them is about to be ousted from the game.

Jeff snuffs Vince torch, accepting a hug off the final jury member who seems to be in mixed emotions after being betrayed by his closest ally at the final hurdle. Vince opts not to look at either of the final two as he leaves, instead heading straight out of the tribal council area with tears flowing down his face. Salma turns around and hugs Julius, thanking him for taking her to the end. Jeff congratulates both Julius and Salma, telling them to get some rest on their final night, as all that awaits them now is to face the jury of seven, who will decide which of them will be the fifth recipient of the million dollar prize.

"chuayjai"

- Thirty-eight days of trust down the drain... I uh, I feel pretty hurt right now. I knew that as much as I wanted to win this game, I wouldn't have taken Julius out because I gave him my word, and in this game I wanted my word to mean something. He uh... he thought differently I guess. He thinks he took me out because I'd have won, and maybe he was right. But if he thinks he's going to have an easy time against Salma, he's in for a rude awakening.

Day 39
Before the sun rises on Day 39, Salma and Julius begin dismantling their camp, throwing left over clothes and old containers into a pile to burn.

"chuayjai"

- To start this game as the oldest person, select my tribe and now be sat here thirty-nine days later as one of the last two in this game. A sixty year old woman has the chance to be the Sole Survivor... that's just remarkable. It's unbelievable to me, and is something that if I was to ever write down for a story I'd scrap it immediately, and tell myself it's beyond belief. Sometimes real life is stranger than any fiction, and I'm not complaining about it. I do know that tonight aspects of my game will be questioned, but I'm prepared to fight my corner and tell the jury why I deserve to win this game. I've got a shot at this, and Julius needs to be on his guard because I'm not going to be the mother figure he's come to know out here.

The pair begin burning the contents of the camp, before heading down to the canoe, burning the boat that has been of use to them since they arrived in Thailand.

Julius places the lit torch down on the boat, leaving it to burn as the pair go off to grab the remainder of their things, preparing to leave the camp in several hours so that they may take part in the final tribal council. "chuayjai"

- This morning I thought back to that time on Chuay Gahn when we kept losing the challenges, and I was sure that we were out of this thing. I questioned why I came out here, and why I bothered putting myself through this. I would love to send myself a message back then, and say that any doubt I was having will be completely wiped out. You get to the final tribal council, and you play one hell of a tough game. My life has always been about pushing others to the front, and highlighting where others are strong and giving them all the limelight and credit, but tonight is my time. I'm now going to work for myself and make sure I get the glory here... because I can say I deserve it. I've worked hard for so long and this is the first thing I've done for myself... and I'm going to make sure it's all worth it.

As sunset begins, the final two grab their things and head off to tribal council, taking one last glimpse of the Chuay Gahn caves that housed them for thirty-nine days, both seeming emotional to leave their beach behind. They continue their journey towards tribal council, knowing that ahead of them lays perhaps the toughest night of their games, in which they must convince the jury that they are the one worthy of the title of Sole Survivor.

Final Tribal Council
Julius and Salma take their spots at tribal council, looking over as the seven members of the jury enter and take their spots opposite them. The final two note some of the friendlier faces, also seeing others with cold glares. Jeff gives the nine members present a rundown of the evenings events, which will begin with an opening statement given by the final two, followed by questions or statements by the seven jury members. Once every jury member has spoken, they will cast their votes for who they want to win the game, deciding who out of Salma and Julius will become the fifth Sole Survivor.

Vince's question
Jeff thanks the jury and the final two for an interesting final tribal council, understanding that it is always a tough thing to be confronted by those who you have crossed paths with in a game full of deceit. After giving the jury a moment to gather their thoughts and reflect on all that was said, Ricardo is selected to commence the final vote. "chuayjai"

- Salma, you and I started this game by picking both tribes, and after thirty-nine long hard days I am so honoured to be able to write down your name. You have inspired us all.

"chuayjai"

- You played the stronger game, and I think tonight that's the one thing that was made clear from all the back and forth comments. Good job.

"chuayjai"

- (shown writing Julius) I will keep my word, I hope in the future you learn to keep yours.

"chuayjai"

- (confessional not shown, instead shown standing over parchment writing a name)

"chuayjai"

- Felicitaciones! You outplayed us all, and you deserve this money.

"chuayjai"

- Not a difficult vote for me at all. Salma was full of denial, you knew where things were at... and held onto your power the whole way through.

"chuayjai"

- Not who I thought I'd be voting for tonight, but you convinced me otherwise. I can't believe it ends with this, but good job. I hope you enjoy the money and use it to support your family.

Once Phillip sits down, Jeff goes off to collect the votes, telling the group they will be read once the group has returned to the United States. Jeff leaves the tribal council area with the urn in hand, leaving the nine contestants sat together in silence, knowing it will be a long wait until the results are revealed.

Reunion
Jeff enters the studio to an excited audience, heading up to the final two, both of whom are dressed up for the big night. The jury sit across from them, equally dressed up for the evening despite having no shot at claiming the grand prize. After a small introduction to the final two, the lid of the urn is lifted, leaving both Julius and Salma to wish one another luck, ready to see the game wrapped up by the seven jury votes.

Salma's mouth drops, she stands shaking in shock at seeing she has overcome the odds and won the game. A disappointed Julius hugs her, congratulating her on the win. Salma rushes down to the audience, hugging her husband, daughter, son and grandchild, who was born two days after the final tribal council. Jeff formally announces her as the fifth Sole Survivor, and oldest winner yet in the five seasons of the show.

Reunion Notes

 * Salma mentions her gratitude towards those that voted her to win the game, as well as the show itself for giving her the chance to compete and prove to people that women over a certain age can still "pack a punch". The jury members that voted for Salma compliment her gameplay, feeling she was underrated compared to Julius, who didn't have the same personal connections that Salma did (although it is noted that these personal connections ultimately lost Salma certain votes).
 * Julius mentions his sadness in losing the game, feeling as though he didn't come across how he intended to, feeling as though he is being regarded as a disloyal individual due to "one case of breaking my word". Vince agrees that Julius is getting an unnecessarily hard time, claiming that his final move was a game move, and that over time he learned to forgive him. He facetiously admits to being pleased that his vote ended up costing Julius the game, but insists that he would've voted for Salma in most cases due to her "impressive" final tribal council performance.
 * Aaron talks about being the first person ever eliminated due to a rock drawer, admitting that it didn't upset him too much due to having already received votes at that tribal council, meaning that the rocks were his "last shot" at staying in the game. Rick and Gypsy are then heard joking that they too wish rocks came out at their final tribal councils, as they would've saved their games.
 * When discussing the main "villains" of the season, Phillip and Estan claim to be nice individuals at heart, with Estan feeling that a lot of what was shown was "clever editing", but accepts that he entered the game to be ruthless. When asked about the feuds on Sook Jai, several members admit to having buried the hatchet, including Ricardo and Phillip, who have since met up and exchanged emails. Melissa mentions that she has yet to speak with Estan, Phillip or Rick since the game finished, feeling that they're just not meant to be friends, but supports Ricardo's claims that no one in the game is a "truly bad person".
 * West and Gypsy are also shown to have moved on from their in game feud, claiming to have gotten on well during the pre-merge vacation, with West stating that he and Gypsy educated one another on their backgrounds in order to better understand one another.
 * Jeff then checks in on Karen and Kanda, two of the more under the radar players after the merge. The pair admit that they wish they had pushed harder in the game, feeling that they allowed others to break away and cost them the game. However, Karen claims that she wasn't cut out for the game, admitting that lying and living in the outdoors didn't work as a good combination for her.
 * The final few members of the cast are then spoken to. Rick talks about returning to his normal life, feeling as though he would've been more successful had his alliance not turned on him. Estan admits that they should've drawn rocks that tribal council, but Jeff points out that is an easy thing to say in hindsight. Joan talks about staying friendly with Ricardo, claiming she cant regret signing up for the game where she made "a friend for life". Harper talks about getting engaged to her boyfriend, as well as planning to do more travelling, feeling that she loves the landscape of Survivor, but despised having to "play the social and strategic game". Finally, Rachel is named one of the more popular players who got cut early, receiving a large cheer from the audience. She states that even though she didn't make the jury, she feels satisfied with her time in the game, and that she was extremely happy to see her tribe members go on to become the final four.
 * To end the reunion, Jeff gathers the results of the "Player of the Season" poll, in which the winner will receive $100,000. The top three are revealed to be Ricardo, Salma and Vince. Ricardo is announced to have finished in third place, with Vince coming in second. Salma seems shocked once again, earning a total of $1.1 million in a single evening, being the first winner in five seasons to do so.