Survivor Finale

Man, I don't think I could ever win Survivor. Among the obvious reasons, like not wanting to do without food. and such, I do not think I could handle the utter self-righteousness of people who do not deserve it at the final tribal council. I'd blow up at them.

If you haven't watched the final episode of Survivor: Palau and care who won, read no further... there will be spoilers.

It actually started well before the final Tribal Council. Katie, who had tried by this point at least twice to kick Ian off of the Island, and who had eliminated him from an reward challenge in which you got to choose your target, was really upset that Ian hadn't taken her on a reward challenge trip with him, because he said he would. She was in tears, and reduced Ian to tears as well, since he had betrayed her. Hello? Weren't you the one who was into the all-women's alliance to remove Tom and Ian, until it went south thanks to Caryn? Didn't you, right after eliminating the rock-solid ally of yours from the reward challenge agree with Greg and Jenn to vote Tom then Ian out as soon as you were at five people left? Where the hell do you get off being upset at someone else for playing the game, and for "betraying" you?

Similarly, Greg was planning on voting Tom out when they were at six people, rather than at 5 where they agreed all bets were off. Tom and Ian saw it coming, and with the help of Caryn and a little last-minute strong arm of Katie, voted Greg out instead. Yet Greg's moment at tribal council was to call Tom on the carpet at that final Tribal Council demanding to know why Tom didn't honour their deal. It must have been hard for Tom not to say, "Gee, Greg. I guess for the same reason you lied to me, Mr.'at least I left with my integrity intact.'" I know I would have had a really hard time.

Season after season, there is a parade of people who tried to lie and manipulate their way to the top and failed, who when they get up there, and aren't being judged by those around them like the final two are, make a big deal out of the deceptions of the two who made it while taking a moral high ground, based on deception or at the very least, a very different view of history than what has been recorded on national television. Katie might have been one of the worst, and least deserving final two in history. But at least she admitted every flip-flop, every questionable move was a part of a strategy to win a game, and didn't try to hide behind some non-existent veneer of honesty.

Or of omniscience. Coby claimed that he "was looking for honesty tonight, and didn't get it from Tom." This is another recurring theme. That somehow those who have been eliminated know everything that went on, and that the view they have decided on is the only possible version of the truth. Tom did answer Coby honestly, it just wasn't what Coby wanted to hear. And if you go back through the history of Survivor, there seems to be at least one question of this sort per game, and usually with the same "I know what the truth is, regardless of if I have any way to tell" filter in place.

My only regret is that Steph, who may have been the most deserving person of the title of Survivor in the history of the game didn't get a chance to meet Tom at tribal council. Ian showed a great deal of character, I thought, in the way that he came in third, particularly because I think he could have won that challenge and been sitting at the final tribal council with Katie, who I think he could have beaten.

But still, as it was, the person who won was probably the most deserving of everyone in this game. I'm just sorry Wanda didn't compose an ode to Tom as her tribute to his victory.