Survivor 46 Finale: And the Winner...

Two-against-one for individual immunity? Really?

In Survivor, perception is everything. Whether or not that perception from the viewers or castaways is what the jury believes, it’s sometimes tough to gauge; it could be completely different. The Survivor 46 finale dives into the perceptions of who could win and what others are willing to do to knock those players out of the game.

Coming into the Survivor 46 finale, Maria was the number one target and it wasn’t even close (in my eyes). She would’ve been voted off last week if she didn’t win immunity, and it was obvious what would happen if she didn’t win at the final five.

Final Four & Who Goes to Fire

It was clear that Maria needed to win the final five immunity challenge. It was completely clear when Liz started to remove herself from solving the final puzzle to help Kenzie. That’s right; Liz helped Kenzie in the final five challenge to defeat Maria, which clearly led to Maria being voted out of Survivor 46. Was that weird, and dare I say unsatisfying, to watch? Absolutely.

The final four challenge was a different story; there weren’t any obstacles to climb through or over. Players had to throw a ball up a slanted wall and it would then bounce back down a “Plinko” style wall (something similar to The Price Is Right). Ultimately, the players had to build the logo of Survivor 46, but they had to make sure the ball didn’t drop down the maze. If it did drop, they would have to wait out a long process of the ball rolling down a series of pipes before continuing to build the puzzle.

This challenge led to Ben finding enough focus to avoid making any mistakes, despite the lack of sleep from continued anxiety attacks. Ben won the final immunity challenge and then he had to determine who to send to the final four fire-making challenge. He told Liz she was the biggest threat to win. Did that make sense to me as I armchair critique? No. But that was Ben’s perception in the game despite not seeing that threat level as a viewer.

Liz and Kenzie were sent to the final four fire-making challenge, and despite a slow start, Kenzie was able start a fire, letting it build and build until she was able to crush the challenge against Liz.

Does An Alliance Matter in the End?

The new era of Survivor seems to heighten the direction of chaos rather than controlled alliance gameplay. If a player has taken a specific path in the game, it doesn’t mean the jury will believe in that path as game-winning.

For example, Maria and Charlie were close the entire game. They seemed to be the tightest alliance throughout the entire season of Survivor 46. However, when it came down to the final tribal council vote, it seemed like the votes from the jury were much more wide-open than what viewers might’ve expected.

In the case of the Survivor 46 finale, it was not a clear-cut vote. As the votes were read, they led to a 5-to-3 vote where Kenzie won over Charlie. And despite not receiving any votes, Ben was a champ about his position in the game. As for Charlie, he was clearly shocked and disappointed (rightfully so), but it was clear he was flustered by his tightest ally Maria not voting for him. Despite her telling him she would vote for him, her vote led to a 5-to-3 vote rather than a 4-4 tie.

If the vote were a tie, Ben would’ve given the tiebreaker vote. He’d already brought Charlie to the finals while sending Kenzie to fire, so it would make sense that he would’ve voted for Charlie to win the game. In such a close vote, it’s devastating to see his reaction and know who voted for who. Despite all of that, Kenzie did play a great game. She navigated a tough early Yanu season, but was able to make tight bonds with people to minimize her threat level.

It should be noted that Maria and Charlie both handled their defeats with the upmost graciousness. If we knew anything at all, their paths in life are lined with the best possible gold. It’s still shocking to know Maria didn’t vote for Charlie, but his ability to compose himself in a way that even defended Kenzie’s win speaks volumes to who he is as a person.

Kenzie Petty, Survivor 46 winner, is on top of the world right now. But, the big question now, will she return for Survivor 50, the returning season? Despite Survivor 47 being right around the corner, even though we have to wait until the fall to watch, it’s incredibly fun to speculate on who might show up in a season full of returnees.

So sound off in the comments, who are you hoping to see return for Survivor 50?