Savannah Louie took home the million-dollar prize with an 8-5 vote in the Wednesday, December 17 finale of Survivor 49. Her fellow jurors cited her determination and ability to “outlast” her competitors as the reason for their vote. The controversial castaway walked away a winner, but getting herself to the final three was no easy task.
Once the tribes merged, Savannah’s athletic prowess made her a desirable target for the opposing side. She found herself in the minority up against a group determined to send her on a one-way trip to Ponderosa. Unlike finalists Sophi Balerdi and Sage Ahrens-Nichols, Savannah did not excel at the social aspects of the game. She struggled to conceal her ambition, making her fellow castaways uncomfortable and wary of working with her. She stalked opponents searching for Idols, hoping to steal a clue out from under them, and boldly asked players who they were voting for at Tribal. Some players found her gameplay style off-putting, labeling her a “mean girl.”
Savannah’s win speaks to a larger conversation within the Survivor fandom. In recent years, fans have complained about the lack of villains in the game. It’s become a rarity to see a player who is unafraid to ruffle some feathers in their pursuit of a million dollars. Savannah’s win feels like proof that villains can still succeed in Survivor. Let me explain.
Savannah Louie shows villain is still a viable role in Survivor
Survivor crowns a winner through a jury process. The jury, comprised of eliminated castaways, questions the final three and decides who is the most deserving of the million-dollar prize. In a perfect world, every season would elect the “right” winner, but because Survivor is a highly subjective game, fans are often disappointed by the jury’s decision.
The main complaint from fans when it comes to the voting process is that the jury is bitter, and their bitterness clouds their ability to appreciate certain gameplay styles. There are often castaways with hurt feelings, which usually makes it difficult for players like Savannah to win.
Savannah Louie didn’t need to play nice to win
You can say a lot of nice things about Savannah’s game. She was a beast in competitions, she assisted in some epic blindsides, and she was truly loyal to her allies. She never wavered in her support of Soph and Rizo Velovic. But you cannot say she treated every castaway on the island with the same affinity. She disregarded certain players and made little to no effort to improve her relationship with them. She did not excel at jury management. In fact, it was probably the weakest part of her game.
Savannah’s blindspot was evident when eliminated castaway Kristina Mills asked her to name a partner or family member of every person on the jury. The question was Kristina’s way of pointing out Savannah’s weak spot. When Savannah could not answer the question, I thought her chances of winning were slim. But when the votes were read, she came out on top.
How Savanah Louie won the jury
To win Survivor, it helps to have friends on the jury, but Savannah’s win proves that a strong game can trump friendship. Her allies, Rizo and Nate Moore, were locked in votes for her, given their history in the game. But jurors Alex Moore, Steven Ramm, and Sophie Segreti’s votes seemed to be votes of admiration. All three of them had stronger ties to another player in the final three, and yet, they chose to vote for Savannah.
One of the core tenets of Survivor is to outlast the other players. Although Savannah had a few allies, she constantly had to secure her safety through competitions. She saved herself from elimination week after week, making her a force to be reckoned with on the island. Her victory is proof that there is more than one way to win Survivor. It isn’t always a popularity contest. Sometimes, a villain can be crowned the Sole Survivor.
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TELL US – DO YOU THINK SAVANNAH LOUIE IS THE DESERVING WINNER OF SURVIVOR 49? WHO DID YOU WANT TO WIN THE SEASON? AND WHO DID YOU WANT ON SURVIVOR 50?
