[Warning: The following contains MAJOR spoilers for the Survivor Season 48 finale.]
Survivor 48 grew to become a battle between the general public and secret alliances that managed the sport’s trajectory from begin to end. Joe Hunter and Eva Erickson had a robust majority alliance with Shauhin Davari and Kyle Fraser and others all through the season, however nobody knew that Kyle and Kamilla Karthigesu have been assembly in secret to affect group choices. Kyle concocted a plan to weaken this majority alliance and enhance each his and Kamilla’s probabilities of successful the title of Sole Survivor, and the plan labored.
Kyle, Kamilla, Joe, and Eva made up Survivor 48’s remaining 4. When Kamilla misplaced at hearth to Eva, Kyle needed to show to disclose his and Kamilla’s secret strikes to the jury to be able to win. Despite the fact that Kamilla was now within the jury, he nonetheless needed to clarify how his particular person sport differentiated from hers. This was the duty Joe and Eva failed to finish efficiently. The duo struggled to clarify how their video games have been completely different, and Eva even insisted that they didn’t want to try this when pressed about this very subject by the jury. As Chrissy rightly mentioned, just one particular person can win. The participant with the very best proof of a robust particular person, not twin sport gained ultimately.
Right here, Survivor 48 winner Kyle Fraser breaks down his win with TV Insider. He additionally explains why he severely thought-about throwing away his immunity so Eva wouldn’t should make hearth, and why he and Joe have been allowed to encourage Eva in that make-or-break problem.
In latest seasons of Survivor, there have been a number of gamers defending their alliances and desirous to play “respectful” video games. In fact, I would like folks to be typically respectful to each participant, however inside the confines of the sport, I wish to see folks be cutthroat. What’s your tackle “respectful” Survivor enjoying?
Kyle Fraser: I feel possibly I’m a take a look at case on this. You see me towing a fantastic line between these very actual relationships that I’ve, but additionally desirous to win the sport and convey again this cash for my household. And it’s very onerous. Now, it’s attention-grabbing when folks speak about loyalty and honor and stuff. With respect to the sport, I feel it’s a bit of bit extra nuanced than that since you’re loyal and you’ve got honor in the direction of the folks that you just’re within the alliance with. So I feel that form of will get misplaced within the sauce a bit of bit, and that’s the place the onerous choices have to come back into play. However in actuality, with my sport, I feel that in the event you’re the jury taking a look at me, they undoubtedly see me as a cutthroat. In the event you’re me in my thoughts, I’m like, hear, I’m a pleasant man. I’m making an attempt to do the very best I can. And that’s what enjoying the center is about. You wish to genuinely go to the tip with so many various folks, however you need to make choices. And that’s what makes the sport so onerous and made it very tough for me.
I feel what you and Kamilla completely understood was that you just have been enjoying particular person video games collectively. Your dialog within the finale about sending one another to fireplace confirmed that. You have been being actual along with your ally and prioritizing your particular person video games. Joe and Eva didn’t do that sufficient, I feel, and that’s why they misplaced.
I barely disagree. I agree with you on the Kamilla level as a result of Kamilla and I, we have been enjoying the sport onerous in a number of methods. I really feel so grateful to have this partnership within the sport with any individual who had all of the instruments to make any transfer that we wished to make. I knew that Kamilla may do it, and I feel that she hopefully would say the identical factor about me, however Joe and Eva have been prioritizing their very own video games as properly. That’s what was scary about it, however that’s what made sense. I used to be with the threats when Shauhin, Joe, Eva, and myself would get collectively and work out what we’re going to do, Eva was crunching numbers. Joe was managing relationships. Shauhin was managing relationships in a means that I feel was actually nuanced to what made the alliance work and allowed us to get to the tip. However it’s what the jury’s receptive to in a number of methods too. That’s why I knew I wanted concrete issues to indicate the jury in order that they understood what my sport was. However the motive that I needed to do these issues is due to how terrified I used to be of Kamilla as a participant and Joe and Eva too. It was scary. That’s the factor about an alliance like that, unexpectedly you go to the tip with the individuals who have additionally performed phenomenal video games, after which it will get a bit of dicey.
CBS
How did you are feeling in the course of the aftershow when the jury mentioned Kamilla would’ve gained if she made it to the ultimate three? And why do you suppose that she wouldn’t have?
It’s actually tough as a result of right here’s the deal. Kamilla and I have been enjoying the identical sport, however one factor that she had over me that I didn’t have over her is that each time we have been writing down any individual’s title, for probably the most half, I used to be the one who had the connection with that particular person to the big extent. And Kamilla did an amazing job at each single tribal council of promoting this underdog story, which in a number of methods was true, however in a number of methods was unfaithful. She did an amazing job of it, successful these challenges. She used her necklace to the complete extent. She talked about self-confidence. She talked about how she’s competing towards these behemoths of individuals in a number of methods from her perspective. And I used to be the one burning the folks on the jury in a number of methods. Folks have been taking a look at me pissed, and so do I feel I had an opportunity of [beating] Kamilla on the finish, and would I’ve talked my butt off to guarantee that I received that $1 million? Completely. However Kamilla had issues on me that nobody else had within the sport, and it might’ve been a very, actually powerful struggle for me. It will’ve been an uphill battle if I’m being utterly life like with myself.
Joe and Eva struggled to pinpoint any actual massive strategic strikes they made of their pitches from what we noticed. Did they spotlight any strategic factors that didn’t make it to air? And did any of them make you involved about your probabilities of successful towards them?
Joe and Eva are very, superb audio system, in order that remaining tribal was actually intense. It was actually cool, but it surely was actually, actually onerous and it was scary. That is the difficulty with being in a majority alliance just like the one we have been in, the place now we have a stranglehold on all the benefits and we belief one another sufficient to go to the tip with each other. Everyone’s strikes begin to look the identical. And in a means they’re. Everyone’s contributing to the alliance, like I discussed earlier, however on the finish of the day, we’re all writing down the appropriate title of the one that’s going house. And I feel that if there’s something that was tough for them to speak to the jury, possibly it’s that. Now, don’t get me unsuitable, was there a nuance to their video games that I noticed that possibly different folks didn’t? For positive. However I feel that’s the identical conundrum Kamilla and I’d’ve been in if we have been on the finish collectively as a result of we performed the identical sport. And so it’s onerous to spotlight strikes that you just each make. That’s the great thing about it. That’s the Shauhin vote. You actually should do issues and have concrete proof to distinguish yourselves. However have been they making strikes? Completely. Your complete alliance was a transfer. It could piss folks off on the jury, however that’s a transfer in itself, defending sturdy threats and going to the tip collectively.
Kamilla gave you an help along with her query concerning the Shauhin vote that set the stage to your win. How did you are feeling if you heard Kamilla ask you the right query and provide the area to disclose your massive transfer?
That was indicative of our complete relationship. I mentioned it earlier than, I’ll say it once more, Kamilla was an extremely harmful participant, however we trusted one another and I knew that she would go on the market and advocate for me on the jury. And I hope she is aware of that I’d’ve achieved the identical for her. It will’ve been tough as a result of I had shut relationships with Eva and Joe, however I’d’ve achieved it. And [Kamilla] simply will get me. She’s like a sister to me in a number of methods. We’ve got this sibling power the place she simply picks up on what I’m pondering, and I’d do the identical for her. You noticed it on the vote out at 4. You noticed it within the Shauhin vote, and also you noticed all of the conversations that we had on the market. It was environment friendly, it was fast, and we have been all the time on the identical web page. I want we may begin an organization collectively or one thing as a result of it simply labored. However to reply your query, Kelli, I used to be actually pleased. It felt like I had a stage mother on the market in a number of methods. However it form of felt anticipated too.
Outline anticipated. Anticipated in a great way, as in, “My good friend simply confirmed up for me like I knew she would”?
Sure. Every little thing you do within the sport issues, however the issues that we have been pleased with, we wished these accomplishments to be proven off. And so we wished certainly one of us to symbolize our sport, and it doesn’t make sense to go to the tip with each other in the event you each lose. And we have been counting votes in a really intentional means. We have been speaking about our sport in a really intentional means, and we had a number of questions. We had a number of conversations about what it might appear to be from an advocacy perspective on the jury, or at the least ensuring that we knew that we have been going to symbolize for each other fairly properly.
CBS
Why did you contemplate taking Eva’s place in hearth? Was {that a} severe consideration or simply an intense emotional second for you?
Oh, it was a really severe consideration. Actually, I used to be totally able to put myself into hearth. It’s completely different as a result of my relationship with Eva, it’s onerous to indicate simply how vital that was and nonetheless is to me. And so when you’ve gotten a good friend going by ache like that, and nobody will know simply how massive of an accomplishment that was from Eva and what she did. However it was onerous. It was onerous. However the coolest factor about Eva and why I like her a lot is the second I advised her, you’re making hearth, and once I wavered and wished to take it again from her, there was no means she was going to let me do it. Identical to with Joe. Joe was begging her. I used to be begging her. And he or she did what she needed to do, and I’m so pleased with her for it, and I’m so grateful for that relationship in so some ways.
When was the second you determined that you just wouldn’t sacrifice your immunity?
I imply, up till actually they went over to that bench. There have been occasions the place I wished to lift my hand up till that time. And credit score to Joe, they didn’t present this, however even when she sat down, he pointed at her and he was like, do you wish to do that? Now, that’s difficult as a result of it’s my choice, but it surely was very, very intense. It was one of many hardest choices I’ve ever needed to make in my complete life. However I feel in the end I made the appropriate one, and I’m so glad that I received to witness that, I assume.
What are the principles for the fire-making problem? Is there a rule towards giving recommendation or encouragement to rivals within the second? Such as you simply mentioned, Joe couldn’t volunteer for hearth. That was your choice. So what guidelines are laid out for you guys as that problem begins, if any?
In the event you’re wanting on the rule guide and the rubric, I feel whoever wins that immunity will get to decide on who does hearth, who goes with you to the tip. So it truly is a really pivotal level within the sport. It’s tough as a result of I additionally had a really shut relationship with Joe, and so that you’re balancing all of these items from an emotional perspective. After which you concentrate on it strategically. If Joe or Eva is on the jury, now unexpectedly now we have one thing that appears like Kamilla and me in that remaining sitting. So you need to weigh all of these items on this extremely vital second, and it’s powerful. However yeah, I get to make the choice. Finally I most likely would’ve needed to do it myself, and I feel Joe would’ve been utterly fantastic with that. I feel Eva would’ve been fantastic with it, however on the finish of the day, it was Eva’s choice to make. From a logistical standpoint, it’s my choice. However the second that I gave it to her, there was no means she was backing down. And that’s simply Eva for anyone who is aware of her.
When it got here to you and Joe talking phrases of encouragement to Eva in the course of the fire-making problem, is that allowed too?
It’s humorous as a result of we didn’t see Season 47 on the market, however you have a look at Rachel [LaMont, Season 47’s winner], who was cheering Teeny on in a number of methods as a result of she wished to knock Sam out of the sport. Otherwise you return to 46 and also you see the precedent there with Liz working again and getting the puzzle items to assist out Kenzie to knock out Maria as a result of she’s a risk. That’s the great thing about the sport. That’s why I like the way in which that Jeff [Probst] talks about it a lot since you actually are on the market making your personal guidelines. And in that second, it was extremely tough and bizarre for me as a result of Kamilla has been with me the whole sport. However I additionally know if Kamilla makes hearth, knocks out Eva, sits subsequent to me and Joe, it’s scarier, it’s a a lot scarier state of affairs for me, simply from a logistical standpoint with the votes. So yeah, it’s so bizarre what gamers do on the market and the way it finally ends up, however in the end all people form of treads that line.
Survivor does have its define of some guidelines, however gamers are allowed to get artistic inside the margins.
Yeah, there are issues within the margins, like I talked about, that assist you to win and see the sport in a special gentle. And I feel that in the end all of us toe a fantastic line in a great way.
Survivor, Seasons 1-48 Obtainable Now, Paramount+, Season 49 Premiere, Fall 2025, CBS