Survivor Nicaragua - FINALE Dec 19, 2010

What About Me?

It's the final episode and we're down to five survivors:
Dan - he has no enemies out there and everyone on the jury loves him - but he's also done nothing... literally.
Holly - she seemed to be sitting pretty with her 3 way alliance but now, not so sure.  On day 5 she seemed to go crazy when she stole Dan's shoes but by day 27 she was the godmother out there.
Chase - he revealed the final 3 alliance at tribal council (was it really a secret though?) and being in an alliance with Chase had proven to be the kiss of death for at least 3 people there - Shannon, Brenda & Jane.
Sash - Day 28 he was dead man walking - his allies NaOnka & Kelly Purple quit, he was aligned with no one and he made secret deals with everyone - now he's back in contention.
Fabio - No one's in a deeper hole - he was discounted from the first as a dumb blond - but last week he won immunity and showed he could still be a contender.

Day 37 - Fabio wants to break up the alliance of three.  He and Dan talk to Holly - they ask if she wants to go to the end with them.  She says she wants to go to the end with whoever has the best plan.  What's your plan?  Uh, he doesn't have a plan - "To win immunity."  (Well that could do it.)
-Fabio talks to Sash too - Sash is such a sneaky liar - says he will make a deal with everyone if it will help him - he tells Fabio that of course he wants to go to the end with him.
-Sash & Chase talking and they realize Fabio is the biggest threat - they are focused on getting him gone.

IMMUNITY CHALLENGE
-They have to race out to a station read the trivia questions about Nicaragua then take the bag of puzzle pieces attached to the little platform with the correct answer and return to their starting station - if they got the question right they'd have their coloured puzzle pieces - if they chose the wrong answer the bag would be full of black pieces. Once they have all 3 correct bags of pieces they have to put the puzzle together (it was the logo of this season) to win immunity.
-Everyone gets the first question right, Fabio gets the 2nd question wrong and has to go back out and get the right bag which puts him behind with Dan (who, of course, can't run and is limping up the rear.) 
-Holly, Chase & Sash are working on the puzzle - Chase dropped one of his puzzle pieces and doesn't notice - Fabio starts in on the puzzle like a demon and he catches up... it's between Sash and Fabio and... FABIO wins Immunity!  (OMG, he could really do this...)

Back at Camp:
Fabio is loving having the necklace around his neck.  He's targeting Holly.  Fabio talking to Chase and Chase thinks Dan is more of a threat than Holly but it would be a tough task for him to vote Holly (Come on Chase, we know how hard it's been for you to vote out your allies... if he says he won't do it... he'll do it, just watch.)
-Dan is painting Holly as a threat to Sash - of course Sash says he wants to go to the end with Dan & Fabio (but we know Sash will say anything to anyone to stay in the game.)
-Sash thinks Holly is a threat because she's the last woman standing and she could get the Espada vote.  Sash says at this point he's transitioning to playing an individual game (when have you not been playing your individual game - come on.)
-Holly asks Sash & Fabio if her name's come up and Fabio cannot lie... he says 'no' but his face says 'yes.' (He should have said he's brought up everyone... but he's got no plan - we've already established that.)

Tribal Council
(Jane's got some awful blue eye shadow on - no, why do they always look like painted hussies on the jury?)
We've basically got Dan & Holly on the block tonight.
Dan has gone with the strategy that he has a ton of money and he doesn't need the million so why not take me to the end - no one will vote for me to win.
Dan turns around and says Holly is a total threat - she's from a small town and she's well liked.
Holly tries to discount what Dan was saying about he being a threat but she doesn't do a very good job.
Jeff points out to Fabio that he could make, potentially, a million dollar mistake tonight by voting either Dan or Holly out - She points out that she played well and deserves it more - which Jeff points out could also be reasons to vote her out, not keep her.  (Oh, Dimples, you're the devil.)

They vote:
Dan 1, 2
Chase 1
Dan 3... and DAN is voted out (well, all I can say is, it's about time- I can't believe this guy made it so far by doing absolutely nothing and being a non-threat throughout... I don't respect the non-game play, game play.)
So - that took Robert L, Andrew W and Karen D out of the pool.
Dan's exit interview - Dan says he voted for Chase to show he can't stand him.  He called Holly a thief and thinks she should have her hands cut off and he called Sash a liar - he can't wait to cast his vote.  (What did Chase do to him?  Dan's little rant could put him in the running for the Susan Hawk award this season.)

Libertad - Night 37
Fabio knows he has to have immunity to make it to the end - he asks the boys if they will go with him, it makes the most sense.  Sash doesn't care - he knows that everyone that's left there will take him to the end at this point so sure, he'll go with Fabio... or Chase... or Holly.

Day 38
-Holly & Chase say they're still 100% - (I don't think Chase is necessarily lying to anyone - he believes it when he says it but he's proven his word really ain't worth spit.)
-They know if anyone goes to the end with Fabio, it'll be a challenge.  Chase & Holly think Sash will get more votes from the jury than they would so they just have to stick together... (Uh oh, bye Holly.)
-Fabio & Chase go for tree mail and Chase unconvincingly says he will go with the guys.  He tells us he doesn't like the lying part of the game - it bugs him (but you're getting good at it... okay, not really.)

They get a sword with the tree mail - and it's time for the symbolic tour of cheesiness - they will pick up little shields representing everyone that's fallen before them - then BURN THEM ALL!  (Ha hahaha... it's so cheesy.)  Holly feels a huge responsibility as the final member of Espada - blah, blah... Shut it! This is painful enough.
So, quick recap - Wendy Jo - crazy goat lady, should have kept her mouth shut - first to go.
Shannon- he was put with the children and didn't want to babysit (They voted YOU out - remember.)
Jimmy J - this drained him like nothing before.
Jimmy T - poster boy for low self-esteem - he was humbled by the game (whatever.)
Tyrone - fireman who lost on the social game - didn't suffer fools (I wonder what he thought about them burning down the camp.)
Kelly B - one legged wonder - she should have gone farther but NaOnka took a hate on to her.
Yve - says she's going to embrace life from now on and not sit on the sidelines.
Jill - her social game wasn't up to snuff (you aligned with Marty - nuf said.)
Alina - she was proud to be eliminated as a threat rather than just expendable.
Marty - always had a master plan (and was such a doofus - with a ridiculous ego - you're not that smart - deal.)
Brenda - great strategist but too egotistical to make it to the end - her pride kept her from scrambling and she went home.
NaOnka - she thought she was nice to everyone and the smartest one out there (Delusional.)
Purple Kelly - she says she's not a quitter - (But you did, so you are.)
Benry - no doubt in his mind he could have won immunity unless it was puzzles (so, you couldn't have won immunity because they were puzzles.)
Jane - she's had lots of ups and downs in life but she proved she could hold her own out there.
Dan - he didn't think the city boy could survive in the wilderness but he did - he's going to be way less spoiled now (sure you are.)
Then the shields, the shields, the shields are on fire - we don't need no water, let the ...... burn!

FINAL IMMUNITY
They will each have a sword - they must balance it on a shield on the ground with one hand (so hold it up on it's point) then balance coins on the hilt (which had a flat disk on the end) with the other hand.  Last person with their stack of coins still standing wins immunity.
-They get started and they have 3 different sizes of coins - Jeff tells them which type to add each time and they are all unusual coins, not uniform thickness or shape... this is hard. 
-Chase keeps looking daggers over a Fabio (concentrate on your own!  Chase you've gotta win me some money man!) 
-And Holly is the first out - she dropped a coin when she was going to add it to her stack - bummer.
-Next placement and Chase is out - jeez - this is a knuckle biter... oooohhhh, who's going to make it...
- FABIO! Wins final immunity -(that's so awesome - I can't help it, I love that the underdog, dumb blond kid has made it this far.)

Back at Camp
-Fabio is loving this - he can't wait to watch them squirm.
-Sash is the first to talk to him and Fabio actually starts playing with his head a little - Sash wants reassurance that Fabio's still taking him to the end and he's kinda non-committal, making Sash sweat.  Fabio asks him if he (Sash) had won immunity if he would have taken Holly & Chase and Sash says no.  Right there Fabio doesn't believe him or now trust a thing he says.  Sash start making ridiculous claims that they're best friends out there, blah, blah.  Fabio sees right through him and is trying not to laugh.
-Fabio goes and tells Chase that Sash was trying to build a case against Chase - now Chase is pissed off that Sash went behind his back to get him out. (Really? Can you really be mad - it's Survivor.) He suspected Sash was like that but now he knows he's a snake (whatever man - where've you been?)  Chase says the three of them were going to stick together no matter what - so Sash saying he would have kept Fabio around wasn't true (No!) Chase says straight up, Fabio wants to keep him and Holly.
-Fabio is now a little disgusted with everyone scrambling like cockroaches when the light comes on - they're all throwing each other under the bus.
-Chase tells him if he hadn't won immunity again - they would have voted him out.
-Holly pleads her case too - she said she's not going to lie, he knows the other three were in an alliance - Sash has played a very strategic game and that could win him votes. 
-Fabio says Holly's the only one who hasn't lied or done anything to him (that's probably why he shouldn't keep her)  but he also thinks she deserves to go to the final 3... (No, don't be a Colby.)

TRIBAL COUNCIL
-Fabio had a fun afternoon watching the 3 turn on each other - he saw through Sash's assertion that he would have taken him to the end.
-Chase told him the truth - probably wouldn't have taken him.
-Sash says honestly that he made a lot of promises to a lot of people. (So, honestly, I'm a liar.)
-Holly told Fabio she would have voted him out too.
-Fabio feels he's free to take whomever since he knows the boys, (who he kinda had an agreement with), were both lying to him.  Chase says he was honest with him - Yeah, at the very last second he was honest. 

And they vote:
Sash 1
Holly 1, 2, 3 - The boys have stuck together and crazy HOLLY is voted out. (I think that was the right move for him... he's more likable than the other 2.)
-SO that vote took Maddy D, Andria S and Kim A out of the pool
-Holly says she's proud of herself for making it that far and she's learned to never give up.

Night 38
Hi ho, hi ho... the three boys come skipping back from tribal council (well, not really) but Fabio does seem to be walking on air.  It's taken him 38 days to make it to a power position but he did it.
-They all think they deserve to win and can't wait to plead their cases to the jury.
-Sash says he's proud to have them as his wing men.
-Fabio is laughing - says to the camera - "Wing man - whatever, you can take the backseat."

Day 39
They get food for breakfast and they pig out!  Mimosas, pancakes, eggs, sausages!  At this point they are the best of friends and the worst of enemies.
-Chase still thinking how he can win - telling Fabio that he has it in the bag to make him over-confident and hopefully shore up his chances of winning.
-Sash is nervous - he's done a lot of backstabbing - but he's going to be 100% truthful at tribal council - its his only chance to win. (I don't know, didn't work out for Russell in the last two seasons.)
-Chase thinks he has an advantage because he did actually have relationships with everyone (he eventually voted out... how do you figure that's an advantage?)

FINAL TRIBAL COUNCIL
Opening statements:
Chase - I want to thank y'all for getting me where I am - truly an honour to play the game with everyone of you.  Bring on the questions, I know some of you are pissed at me, think I played a crazy game - bring it on - I will be completely honest with you on why I did some of the things I done, bring it on. (So, let me get this straight - you want them to bring it on?)
Fabio - I also want to say I enjoyed each one of you, (NaOnka frowns at that) - part of my strategy was to be an open book - I knew I was in the clear a lot of the time but I asserted myself at the end - winning three immunity challenges at the end was survival mode  - I deserve to be in the final 3 - played a stand up game - I deserve a million dollars, I could have a lot of fun.
Sash - He really enjoyed playing the game with everyone and he played a very different game than Chase & Fabio - there are 3 components to win the title of sole survivor - Out Wit, Out Play and Out Last - all three of us were able to out last to day 39 so it comes down to strategy - who was able to out wit and out play.  The friendships he formed he takes much more seriously than the alliances - alliances are part of the game - sorry some of them were broken but it's part of the game - hope you respect me for that. (He was kinda simpering - not a strong finish to his opening statement - at all.)

Now we go on to the questions - in the words of Chase Rice - Bring it on!

Brenda - She's really proud of all of them - Sash you're a great strategist but breaking all your alliances then having to ask and expect votes from the jury...
 - He cuts her off - "It was very difficult.  I am remorseful, I did have to back stab but I hope you can see what happened in the game was part of strategy and my friendship is something different and I apologize."
She moves on to Chase - her snuggle buddy - said she felt they had more of an emotional connection so it really surprised her how easy it was for him to vote her out.
 - He says it wasn't easy at all - he went to her as soon as her name came up but Nay and Fabio had turned and there was nothing he could do to save her.
- Sash butts in that he could have done more and Brenda shuts Sash up by telling him He could have done more by giving her the idol (yeah, you would have done better to stay out of that one, bud.)

Marty - he starts by saying hats off to them for getting there - then he goes off the rails and asks Chase if he had to give out a "Dumber than a bag of hammers" award who would he give it to (and it couldn't be Marty.) (What the hell kind of question is that?  Don't answer it Chase.)  Chase has the same reaction - says it's a BS question because he can't pick Marty - looks at Jeff, do I have to answer this question? He tells Marty he can't answer him because it would have to go to Marty. 
Marty moves on to Sash - says he's a cerebral player  - Chase, that means smart - (wow, why the hate on for Chase?  Kinda makes me like Chase more because I dislike Marty soo much.) Says he likes him.
Congratulates Fabio, dude,  for winning three immunities in a row.  And that's it. (weird.)

Holly - Chase, what was your best move in the game? - Voting out Shannon so he could play the game with people he could trust.
 Fabio - was his winning streak too little, too late?  No - I think it was the best timing possible (uh, yeah, look where he is and where you are.) His plan was to be friends with everybody so his only option was to win immunity - it was right on time.
Sash - did you ever lie to me? Honestly.  Yes, we said we'd never put our names down and unfortunately in the last vote we both had to vote for each other (oh, come on, that's not what she meant.) And he apologizes again (there are no apologies in the final jury Q&A - Those people never win.)

Jane - She's had such a sour puss... bring it
She starts with Sash - says someone sure did raise him good to be a New York City river rat - as far as she's concerned he can crawl back into the black hole where he came from. (Ouch.)
Chase - she's still totally pissed at him but he did make her time out there the funnest event in her life - asks what he would do with the money if he won.
 - He says he'd give $100K to cancer research (his brother started a foundation after Dad died) and he wants to take care of his mom.
-Fabio jumps on the mom bandwagon - "Me too, I want to take care of my mom." 

Benry - Heard enough from Chase tonight.
Fabs - congrats on the back to back to back immunity wins - is it good enough?  Have to wait and see.
Sash - throughout the game I was able to see through you - tell me what I did wrong. 
 - If you could see through me, should have mounted a strike to take me out.  Thought you were solid player but wouldn't take me to the end so you had to go.

Dan - Sash - I think you're a liar, a phony.  I think you're spineless and I hate that smile and if I were you I'd go to the doctor tomorrow and get that eye fixed so you stop with the wink (Okay, I had to pause the show here and Dan's eyes were all bloodshot and he really looked like he wanted to do Sash harm - creepy.)
He moved on to Chase - tells him he was the most paranoid player in the game.  There's a lot of people bleeding here because of you.  You back stabbed me, you back stabbed Jane - Jane - your number one person - you let a lot of people down.  Let me tell ya something - Beauty fades, dumb is forever. (Wow, he could be our Nicaragua's Susan Hawk.)  Chase says, "This is Survivor Dan."

Purple Kelly - Do we really care? 
You did what I couldn't do, you stuck through all of this.  Sash, tell us how you out witted all of us. 
-He says he should have been voted out at the merge but he wasn't and he moved forward by making many alliances.  It was unfortunate that he hurt so many people but he said he'd own up to it tonight and that's what he's trying to do. 
That was not the answer she was expecting and she feels like that was perfect. (What a waste of our time - go sit down Purple.)  You guys are awesome. (ugh.)

NaOnka - Chase, my brother - Fabio, my hippy friend and Sash, the strategic player
Fabio - you won the first idol after the merge and when it counted you won them all - you got to see your mom on one of the rewards, was that gasoline to boost you on to winning? 
-He says he didn't actually go on the reward but he did see his mom at the challenge and he day dreamt every day about what he could do for his family - then he got all choked up - Yeah man it's something that comes out of you when you need it - I never felt like that before - I never put that much focus into anything.  He didn't have a plan like these two but he felt he deserved to go to the end and love of his family propelled him there. (She looks teary and even Benry wipes a tear away ... really?  Did NaOnka just win Fabio the money?)

Alina - Fabio ultimate surfer boy but she doesn't want to give it to a boy, wants to give it to a man.
-Sash - tell me why you should win.  Fabio was clueless and Chase waited for others to make the decisions.
Fabio pipes up that he knew a lot more than what they were giving him credit for.
Sash continues that Chase was wishy-washy, going from one alliance to another, leaking information.
Alina - tells him she was surprised by him tonight (oh, Alina likes Chase)
Chase - I wasn't wishy-washy, I had to keep myself in it...it hurt him to vote people out. Fabio had strategy not to piss people off but still make it through - that's not true, half the time we'd come back from tribal and he wouldn't have a clue what just happened.  That's not a strategy.
Fabio - says you tried to play the game without pissing anyone off but I was actually able to do it.
Chase says you didn't have a strategy - you won 3 immunities in a row and that is impressive but you didn't out wit or out play
Fabio - That's outplaying you bro
They go back and forth a bit about out lasting, out playing, out witting - Sash jumps in Fabio says he didn't out play anyone...
- Alina says she likes to see the three men fighting for what they want. (I bet you do... oh, I'm sorry.)

Time to Vote:
Marty - votes Fabio - says Chase is stupid and Sash is a weasel.
Alina - votes Chase - so impressed by him (Alina wants her some North Carolina sugar I think.)
Dan - votes Fabio - come on, do it for your mom.
Brenda - votes... she keeps us hanging... Chase - (I'm kinda surprised, though they were snuggle buddies.)

Now to the Studio... (little disappointed there was no jet ski - helicopter - riding dolphins to the set...)
And Fabio has a smart new haircut (kinda Brad Pitt circa A River Runs Through It) and Sash looks totally different - he's gained a lot of weight - I almost thought it was Boston Rob up there.

Jeff gets to it and reads the Votes:
Fabio - 1, Chase - 1, Fabio - 2,  Chase -2, 3, 4... (oh, could I win really?) Fabio - 3, 4... 5  FABIO wins Survivor Nicaragua!  (That's hilarious!  Who would have thunk it?  Good for him!)  (Bad for me...)

Fabio was the youngest winner ever at 21.  Wow, 21 really.  Fabio is a little weird, his family is all artists.  He wants to start a communications/artists production company.  He's going to have some fun.

And with Jud "Fabio" Birza winning - Charlotte W, Kevin C and Vikki M have won the Survivor Pool!  Congratulations you guys.

I'll just hit a couple points from the last hour reunion.
-New rule: when a player quits for reasons other than medical emergency - they will be able to do what they want - put them on the jury or take them off (lots of people not happy that the quitters were on the jury this season.)
-Sprint Player of the game as voted by the public - JANE.  She won $100K.
-Boston Rob & Amber just had another baby girl.

And finally - Survivor 22 - Redemption Island.  When people are voted out they will not be automatically out - they will go to redemption island alone - then the next person voted out will be sent to redemption island as well and they will duel.  If anyone makes it through the gauntlet of duels long enough they will get a shot to come back for a chance at the million dollars.
*There may also be a change in the pool - if the first person voted out isn't really gone - no booby prize - winner will take all.

Have a very merry Christmas everyone.  And I will be looking at starting the next pools in the new year.

Coleen