Did you watch Survivor final night time? It was an authorized banger. Regardless of many followers complaining forward of time about how apparent the end result appeared, the long-running actuality competitors sequence gave us an absolute heater that included a extremely contentious Closing Tribal Council and the most effective fire-making challenges within the historical past of the present. As such, you’d assume the fanbase would all be celebrating on social, however in fact, quite a lot of the dialog has devolved into the identical debates all of us have yearly concerning the fire-making problem and whether or not it ought to even exist.
So, let’s again up and speak about what the fire-making problem is. Let’s speak about what the arguments for and in opposition to are, what Jeff Probst thinks and eventually, I’ll supply some ideas of my very own.
What Is The Fireplace-Making Problem?
Beginning with Season 35, Survivor modified the way in which the Closing 4 works. After the Immunity Problem, as an alternative of holding a regular vote, the winner picks one participant to additionally make the finals and two gamers who should compete in a fire-making problem as a way to safe the ultimate spot. Every castaway within the fire-making problem is given all of the instruments they should make a fireplace, and the primary one who is ready to burn by means of a rope hanging above the floor they’re engaged on is said the winner.
Generally it’s completely riveting, as was the battle we noticed final night time between Sam and Teeny. Generally it’s lots much less thrilling with one particular person clearly being far more competent at making fireplace than the opposite. There’s big variance, relying on the season, however as final night time proved, it’s not essentially the standard of the showdown that individuals have opinions on, it’s the way it impacts the construction and technique of the sport.
The Argument In opposition to It
Many followers imagine the entire level of Survivor is to vote individuals out. There are 4 gamers left, and three get to plead their case with the jury. Why wouldn’t you simply let the gamers determine for themselves? Whoever loses at fireplace is the one participant throughout the whole recreation that will get their torch snuffed with out receiving votes from different gamers. Individuals who don’t like fire-making would say that’s not honest. Nobody ought to go residence earlier than Closing Tribal that isn’t voted out.
As well as, followers in opposition to fire-making like to level out that, whereas it positively requires some talent, there’s an enormous factor of variance and luck concerned. The primary particular person to truly make fireplace isn’t at all times the one that wins, as typically individuals get a flame going, and it will get snuffed out by the wind. We noticed a model of that that with Teeny final night time, as she had an inferno going for a short time, however close to the top, it didn’t even appear to be making contact together with her rope in any respect.
The Argument For It
There are quite a lot of Survivor followers who like fire-making for just a few causes. They level out that fire-making is commonly very thrilling. You can make a fairly apparent case that essentially the most riveting moments of final night time’s episode have been through the fire-making competitors, a minimum of other than determining who gained and the way a lot every participant would make. It units up mainly a second Immunity Problem that’s do or die, and it’s at all times gratifying to see how the jury reacts and who they appear to be rooting for.
As well as, advocates would argue that making fireplace is essentially the most primary talent required to truly survive. The present may dedicate extra airtime to watching the contestants strategize, however essentially the most primary conceit of the sport entails individuals attempting to outlive within the wilderness for a time frame. Realizing easy methods to make fireplace is core to doing that, and whereas there isn’t a component of voting individuals out, it’s nonetheless very in step with the fundamental premise of the present.
After which there’s, in fact, the technique factor, which I’ll let Jeff Probst clarify.
What Jeff Probst Has To Say
Survivor isn’t at all times a recreation that listens to the followers and even former gamers. Finally, the opinion that issues essentially the most is the one coming from producers, as we’ve seen over and over with the 26 days versus 39 days debate. In relation to fireplace, it’s very clear the place Jeff and the producers stand.
They really feel it’s needed to forestall the most probably particular person to win from being voted out each season. Right here’s a quote from Jeff he gave to Leisure Weekly explaining that…
This concept happened to resolve an issue that has bothered me for years. If somebody performs an incredible recreation and will get to the ultimate 4, it has at all times bothered me that the opposite three can merely say, ‘We won’t beat him, so let’s all simply vote him out.’ So this yr we determined to make a change. If you happen to get to remaining 4, you might be assured a shot to earn your approach to the top. And if you’re the one to win the ultimate 4 problem, you might be in control of who you’re taking and who you drive to combat for it in a fire-making showdown.
That change has clearly remained in place for greater than ten extra seasons, and at this level, there is no motive to assume it is going anyplace. Like Hidden Immunity Idols and the Sanctuary, it now appears to be a core factor of the sport.
How I Really feel
I hear all of the arguments from the anti-fire individuals. It does suck to have an individual go residence with out getting voted out, and there’s positively quite a lot of probability concerned within the rope burning by means of. Generally I’m very aggravated about the entire course of, however I’m additionally an individual who likes to see the most effective participant on every season win.
I’m not somebody who roots for the underdog to get extra votes than anticipated at Tribal Council. Most of the time, I need the one that I perceived to have performed the most effective recreation to win all of it and take residence the cash. Jeff isn’t mistaken that previous to Season 35, the Closing 4 usually devolved into the gamers speaking about who has the most effective probability of successful and deliberately eliminating that particular person. That, in fact, nonetheless occurs on the Closing 5, however there’s much more variance and fascinating tribe and alliance dynamics in play with 5 individuals left.
As such, I see fire-making as needed evil. It produces a extra true and real final result than letting the gamers vote, and I like that it leaves some factor of management within the palms of everybody left within the recreation. Finally, they’re answerable for their destiny, and whereas there’s luck concerned, there’s sufficient talent there that I’m okay with it. In addition to, it’s Survivor. After all the weather are going to get in the way in which. That’s a part of the sport, as is the fanbase arguing with one another, which you’ll anticipate to overhear once more about fireplace and different issues when the present returns to the community TV schedule for Season 48 subsequent yr.