AND THEN THERE WERE FIVE…
Episode 24 – Day 50-51
Kristie tells us that she is in control of the game because she is the deciding vote. Nothing false about that. But being the swing vote, you gotta choose the right path. Choose the right path, Kristie!
IMMUNITY CHALLENGE
Stand on a perch and balance balls on a board. Additional balls are added at intervals.
El is out first. Two balls – Flick and Kristie out. Three balls – Matt v Lee. “Matt’s balls separate” (thanks for that image, Jono!) and he comes so close to winning, but it’s a hat track immunity win for Lee.
Watch your balls! [Image credit: Channel Ten]
Matt: “Lee pinched me at the post”. It’s pipped, but after 51 days I’d forget what sayings are correct anymore. Matt needs to make sure El and Lee don’t catch on to him trying to get them out. But that’s all going to blow up very soon…
Flick and Kristie go for a water walk and talk about Lee and El winning future challenges. Flick tells Kristie that they NEED to tell El that they are voting for her – NO YOU DON’T! And then it happens… Flick tells El, out of courtesy, that she loves her so much but they might need to write her name down tonight because her and Lee are too much of a threat. The EL BOMB goes off! El turns all defensive and starts throwing Flick under the bus, telling Kristie not to trust her because she’s promised everyone top two. El mentions Flick’s been filling all their heads with bullshit. Wow, this has blown up in Flick’s face in a bad way.
RUH-ROH. Flick’s in trouble. [Image credit: Channel Ten]
Kristie asks Matt if Flick made any promises to him; he says no. Matt is annoyed and figures out that someone has told Lee and El their plans. Frustrating! Flick tells Matt that they don’t even need to worry about the vote because it’s her going home tonight.
Kristie is torn between the two groups. El and Lee sell it to Kristie they want to take her because she’s an Aganoan. El keeps pushing that Flick is a liar. Lee keeps pushing who Kristie should trust more, and guarantees that Matt and Flick will only use her for one vote. From what I’m seeing it looks like Lee is over-controlling and it looks disgusting on screen. This guy is full of hypocrisy – he is doing exactly what he is saying Matt and Flick are doing trying to manipulate Kristie. Kristie asks El why she trusted Flick… El hesitates, but brings up some friendship reason as her answer. It seems like Kristie isn’t letting Lee get into her head… we can only hope.
A storm’s hit and it’s not just the rain. Lee tells Matt and Flick to leave Kristie alone and that she needs to stop being manipulated. Matt is trying to breakdown to Lee the situation that is happening, and that he and El are definitely taking each other, despite them denying it all.
Matty is not impressed with Lee. [Image credit: Channel Ten]
TRIBAL COUNCIL
Jono asks Flick how it is moving forward playing against friends. He asks El how she switches off emotions, and she mentions Lee is her go to – DING DING DING. If this doesn’t wake Kristie up, I don’t know what else is a sign to get rid of El. Matt and Flick think it’s between them. Jono spells out the three versus two right now. El says she’s turned the vote around so that she’s not going home tonight and it’s because of Flicks lies. Matt disagrees with El’s alliance promises, and mentions the Saanapu alliance which El dismisses. Apparently they were NEVER in an alliance together. Suddenly it looks as if Matt is the only one left in the game with his head screwed on.
Votes are read and Magic Matt redeems himself over the last couple of weeks, going home as the 7th jury member. Matt-3, El-1, Flick-1.
Proud of ya Magic Matt… LEGEND. [Image credit: Channel Ten]
Watch Matt’s “Jury Villa” here
Episode 25 – Day 52-53
Post tribal. Lee is still adamant Flick is trying to vote out El and he’s not a happy chap. El tells Flick she wishes she didn’t make the move to get her out as she wanted to take her to final 3.
Flick knows she’s on the outs but isn’t giving up yet, shes still got fight in her! Kristie mentions being up against the biggest competition. She’s AGAIN deliberating staying with El and Lee… she says she doesn’t necessarily need to trust someone to move forward with them and it’s all repetitive statements.
Kristie’s got a plan! [Image credit: Channel Ten]
Fia Fia’s tree mail telling them there’s supplies to make a celebratory feast… for what?! Final 4? Another time waster. Flick asks Lee to help with fire… We see right through you, Flick. Lee is probably oblivious to Flick’s tricks… He helps her out and Kristie catches on. According to her, Flick has never helped out with the fire before!
Kristie knows what’s up. [Image credit: Channel Ten]
Flick is sucking up badly to El and she wants back in with her and Lee. El mentions Flick is like a little sister to her, and Kristie… not so much. She calls Kristie “a nice girl, a strange one, but a nice one.” Aww… Lee is annoyed with how manipulative Flick has been with Kristie (pot kettle black) and says Flick would sell her grandmother to win this game… which means nothing! Dude, someone faked his grandmas death to make it further in the game. El knows that Kristie would take Lee to the final 2 over her.
Then in a hilarious scene, we see Kristie running out in the middle of the night and she’s out there practicing how to make fire. Hubby thought she was having the runs after the celebratory feast! Oops!
Kristie practices her own fire-making skills. [Image credit: Channel Ten]
IMMUNITY CHALLENGE
The course is made up of challenges they’ve previously done before. 1. Rope course. 2 Barrel walk. 3. Build pole to retrieve key. 4. Solve puzzle. Final 3 guaranteed.
Smartest pole building idea by Flick to make a hook. Lee and El are on the puzzle and I think pretty much everyone is hoping Flick can catch up to win! El wins immunity by a landslide… Was anyone’s puzzle even close?!
El shows off her barrel-walk skills again! [Image credit: Channel Ten]
Flick tries to get in Kristie’s head that she won’t win final immunity. *GASP* Kristie is all talk again. Flick thinks El will throw her a life line. She tells El to maybe split the vote between her and Kristie so they go to a fire making challenge. This is all Flick’s got left in her game. Lee does not like this idea at all and thinks Flick is just being a snake again. Flick states her case, but Lee doesn’t want a bar of it. “It’s a bit Nick-ish” – Lee. Flick is fighting for her life and I’m so proud of her for not just laying down her torch.
Anyone else notice this 1 second ‘day after’ shot? #oops [Image credit: Channel Ten]
TRIBAL COUNCIL
The jury walk in and if I was Nick I’d eye roll looking at who’s left in the game too. Jono asks Lee how he will vote tonight, seeing he’s only able to vote Flick or Kristie. Flick tells Jono that herself and Matt knew Lee and El would make it to the end, but it came down to Kristie’s vote. She’s played as hard as she can. Lee trusts Kristie more than Flick, and he trusts El more than Kristie. El says she wants to win this game sitting next to someone who she wants to sit next to; and that person is Lee. Flick calls them out. Kristie admits she will be going with Lee and El and is banking on winning immunity to get to the Final 2. The jury fall off their seat. I laugh pretty loudly as well. Flick pushes Kristie to vote with her and go to a fire making challenge.
Flick-3, Lee-1. Flick hugs Kristie with some parting words, “You’re an idiot.” But Kristie has her own words for Flick… “Don’t worry, I’ll win immunity tomorrow.”
Fantastic game, Flickity! #BEPROUD [Image credit: Channel Ten]
Watch Flick’s “Jury Villa” here
Episode 26 – Day 54-55
Day 54. We begin with the “Rites of Passage” walk where the Final 3 pass by all the fallen torches of the seasons castaways in order of their boot placings. We start with Dez (why the Z?!), and quickly race through the early boots including Bianca, Evan and Tegan; longer montages for fan favourites Craig, Phoebe, Conner and Kate; and then the jury members. Incredible how three Aganoans made the final 3, so they hadn’t even met half the contestants this season.
Let’s just skip that final 3 breakfast shall we..
FINAL IMMUNITY CHALLENGE
It’s an endurance challenge bringing us all the way back to Season 1 of the US Survivor where Hatch, Wiglesworth and Boesch faced off. All three must have one hand on the idol, whilst standing on small uncomfortable posts. Drop your hand, or fall of your posts and you’re out. Last person standing has a spot in the Final 2.
Survivor Borneo 16 years ago | AusSurvivor 2016 [Image credit: Channel Ten]
Now remember last episode Kristie told Flick in her voting confessional that she would win immunity the next day… No one believed her.
Before the challenge begins, Jono brings out one family member each – El’s sister, Lee’s sister and Kristie’s dad. Kristie is in tears from the moment her dad comes over the rocks and she runs to him. They are both huge Survivor fans and what a dream to experience this show together.
The Final 3 are focused on winning immunity, so focused that 6 hours pass. The tide is rising and water is spraying over the contestants – doesn’t look fun at all. The determination on each of their faces shows, but how long can your body hold out? El shows some struggles first, and eventually falls to the ground. You can see her all cramped up and Jono helps her back to the bench. El’s now counting on Lee to win this thing so she’s guaranteed a spot in the Final 2. Kristie and Lee battle it out a while longer, then the mind games begin. Kristie starts to beg Lee to drop and let her have the win, as she will take him to Final 2. Lee doesn’t budge, but she persists, trying to get into Lee’s head about how this is her dream to make the final tribal. At the same time she isn’t going to give up for anyone either. All of a sudden, Lee slips and falls to the ground. Kristie falls and bursts into tears. It’s an overwhelming moment and incredible to watch. What I’d give to be out there witnessing it live! Emotions were raw for those 6&1/2 hours! I think El knows she’s going home tonight.
INSPIRING. [Image credit: Channel Ten]
TRIBAL COUNCIL
#WOW. [Image credit: Channel Ten]
The jury seem very shocked and annoyed when Kristie walks in with the immunity idol around her neck. This solidifies to them that Lee and Kristie will be Final 2. I don’t think El sold herself to Kristie very well, but it also could have been because she already knew she was going home. Why fight a losing battle right? I think it’s sad El didn’t receive a better edit than she did. She seems to be highly regarded among all the contestants, and we just didn’t see that resonate on screen. A damn shame. We only saw hints of El’s game and most were only through other people’s confessionals. If El made Final 2 I feel that she would have been given a more Kim Spradlin-esque edit. Kristie votes out El, making her the 9th and final jury member.
Day 55. Kristie and Lee reflect on their game the last 55 days. Kristie explains her underdog game and how she has been strategising the whole time. Lee would’ve preferred to have El by his side, but he’s not complaining.
FINAL TRIBAL COUNCIL
You can tell how THRILLED the jury are walking in to see Lee and Kristie all excited as the Final 2; well at least El is excited for Lee. Jono initiates the final tribal council, giving everyone the rules on how it will work – F2 speak, jury have their say, then the jury vote for the winner.
Jono opens the floor to the Final 2 to give the jury their opening statements on WHY they deserve the $500,000 and title of Sole Survivor.
OPENING STATEMENTS. Lee is first, and unfortunately all he has to say is how he has tried his hardest to play an honest and truthful game with integrity, and how that warrants a win. *sigh* Lee mentions nothing about what he did to further his game or winning three challenges to stay in the game knowing his head was on the chopping block; there were no examples of game play. I’ll get to why he didn’t in a second…
Kristie is up next, and WOW! Wow, wow, wow! This girl can speak. Articulately, even! She explains how she’s arrived at the Final 2, from her humble beginnings in Aganoa, through to the torturous Vavua tribe having to deal with Phoebe and making the merge as an outcast. She brings up that she’s been to 20 tribal councils, which sounds exhausting, and yet ended up being on the right side of the vote most of the time. I looked back and out of the 20 tribal councils, Kristie was only wrong 3 times with her vote. Amazing! Lee only attended 2 tribal councils before the the merge, Kristie attended 8.
Lee hasn’t had to play the game as much as Kristie pre-merge…
Now, going back to Lee – this I think is where his downfall was at this final tribal; his lack of knowledge of the game. He looked flabbergasted at all the things coming out of Kristie’s mouth. He could have called her out on some things, but didn’t (though I don’t think that’s in his nature), but it’s a game and he needs to fight for the win. I don’t feel like he knew what he had to do in the final tribal, or the types of things he needed to tell the jury to win their vote. Kristie on the other hand crafted this speech from day 1 it seems! She explained her journey, why she chose certain paths and how she got there. She knows this game very well and knows what the jury want to hear, truths or not (hello Gold Logie!).
BITTER JURY (?) Now for the jury to address them… El gets the ball rolling and you know she’s already giving Lee her vote. Flick, Brooke, JL and Nick all throw Lee and Kristie some great questions! JL comments on Lee’s ignorance and arrogance, and Nick backs that up questioning his moral high ground. Brooke questions Kristie on whether she was in control of her game or just rode Lee’s coat-tails. I won’t go into detail here, but it’s definitely worth a re-watch later.
King and Queen of jury questions, JL & Nick. [Image credit: Channel Ten]
JURY VOTE. The jury now vote for who they want to win Australian Survivor! We see two votes on screen, El for Lee, and Kylie for Kristie; the two obvious votes from the audience perspective. You can tell going by certain jury reactions that they did not expect to be writing down Kristie’s name, notably Nick, Brooke and Flick.
CHEESE FACTOR. Before the votes are read, Jono surprises the Final 2 with their loved ones. WHAT?! This is NOT MasterChef!! But it is Australian Reality TV, so they have make it look sappier and cheesier than things should be. Lee’s two sons run out (who are adorable and made me go “AWW”, dammit!), along with Lee’s mother and sister. Kristie’s dad comes out with her step-mum, brother and mum (lots of talk about her being a MILF, ha!). Just what I’d want, my family there to see me lose Survivor, how embarrassing.
AND THE WINNER IS… Jono starts reading the votes and it’s a Kristie first; thanks Kylie! Then a Lee; thanks future lover! Then this is it… Kristie… Kristie… Kristie…Kristie. After the third Kristie, you knew she had this won. Jono announces that Kristie is the winner of Australian Survivor and $500,000 cash! She breaks down in tears with her family beside her and it is a beautiful moment to witness. Her dream as an 8 year old watching Survivor with her dad has come true. She even said as a young girl that she would be on Survivor one day, AND win! TEARS man, TEARS!! Kristie is so overwhelmed with joy she can barely keep it together. As a super fan though, what a moment. Lee and the jury are equally as happy for her! Kristie-8, Lee-1.
Lee, we may not see eye to eye when it comes to playing the game of Survivor, but I can’t discredit you either. You played an incredible game with how YOU wanted to play and you made it all the way to the end! Congratulations. You won a bunch of challenges and the hearts of many, but El’s is the biggest by far 😉
Kristie, there may be skeptics out there because you played a subtle, under-the-radar game, similar to Sandra DT, but you owned it. You owned it all and continuously backed yourself and always believed in yourself when no one thought you could do it. That was one of the best final tribal councils I’ve ever seen and all kudos goes to you, Kristie!
Thank you Channel 10 for bringing back Australian Survivor. All the contestants deserve a round of applause AND A REUNION!! Des, Bianca, Evan, Peter, Barry, Tegan, Rohan, Kat, Andrew, Craig, Phoebe, Conner, Kate, Nick, Kylie, Sue, JL, Brooke, Sam, Matt, Flick, El, Lee & Kristie, you all rock and thank you for making this show successful. I’m done. Over and out.
ALL IMAGES USED IN THIS ARTICLE ARE COPYRIGHT CHANNEL TEN. THIS IS A PERSONAL BLOG AND ALL VIEWS ARE MY OWN.
SURVIVOR DAN’S THOUGHTS
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“What a great final week of Survivor! We did lose both Matt and Flick before the finale which was disappointing, but both played hard ’til the very end! We also lost El at the final hurdle because Krisite defied all the odds and won that Final Immunity Challenge! WHAT A CHALLENGE! That will go down in the history books as one of the greatest challenges of all time.
Kristie then wiped the floor with Lee at the Final Tribal Council, she was so well spoken and answered every question perfectly. She won easily with an 8-1 vote (El was never not going to vote for Lee). It was a well deserved win and Kristie should be so proud.
All up, this was a very impressive season and I’m so happy Channel 10 got it right. Bring on season 2, maybe you will see Lynda and I out there 
“
