Survivor 'Not Going Down Without a Fight' Recap

We made it! Three hours!

Even recapping this season was insane, and reminded me of just how crazy this entire season was.
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The game really fell to Michele and Tai to try to persuade Aubry and Cydney to stay. 

The reward challenge tonight was for one of the most substantial things at this point in the game: a meal that was specifically designed to refuel them exactly as they should be (protein, protein, protein). Aubry won, with everyone close on her tail. She strategically chose Cydney to have a meal as well.

Then we had the most important immunity challenge of the season. This one is always the MOST exhausting. They are tiring just to watch. Michele ended up coming from way behind (Aubry had a killer lead and Michele was in last), in a super impressive win. So she is one of the final three.
Tribal went to a tie between Cydney and Aubry (boo, I wanted a three woman finale). So of course we went to fire making at this point in the game. THIS IS WHAT WE WATCH FOR.

Aubry fairly quickly got her fire up and to the rope, but not enough to burn through it, before her fire structure came crashing down. The next time she had it lined up perfectly, which allowed her to win, making Cydney the eighth member of the jury. It was really sweet and sad to see the two of them say goodbye, there were lots of tears. 

Jeff tried to trick them into thinking there was another immunity challenge, and one of them would be leaving, but it turns out the challenge reward was to vote a JURY MEMBER out. THIS IS WHAT WE WATCH FOR. That is absolutely massive. In a very close match up, Michele took it once again, just dominating these challenges. 

Michele ended up voting out Neil, who had some WORDS for Michele as he left. She definitely made the right choice.

They had their usual mirror and scale visit, so they could see the toll the game has taken on their poor, poor bodies. Followed by their last feast.

We then had the final tribal, where they each pled their typical cases and we said goodbye to Mark the chicken, who also lasted 39 days. Then the vote happened.

Finally we got to find out who would be this season’s Survivor. And the winner was, shockingly, Michele. (Both million and dollars have two L’s, why can’t her name?) 

If you need me, I’ll be over here waiting for my anger to set in.

PS. Sia showed up at the reunion, and donated $50,000 to Tai, and another $50,000 to an animal charity of his choice, because sure.