There may only be six seasons thus far, but the New Era ofSurvivorhas had a handful of standout players that have showcased their extraordinary skills out on the beaches of Fiji. From winners likeDee VallaredesandYam Yam Arochoto robbed players likeJesse LopezandShan Smith, the New Era has been dominated by brilliant game play and excellent social strategy. Over 100 players have hit the beach in the New Era.Determining who is the strongest in the new lot is near impossible, but we’re going to try!
The New Era ofSurvivorhas come in hot.With a brilliant new casting initiative and players with a fondness of the game,Jeff Probsthas made the game different, and allegedly harder. With an exuberant amount of twists and turns that have bogged down the game and affected the results,Survivoris still the best reality television competition show ever.WhileSurvivorstill maintains the same basic game play, the New Era has implemented some unique elements that make these seasons unique. Firstly, the game has been cut to 26 days. The castaways do not start with their basic camp necessities, they have to earn it. There are Beware Advantages that force the players to decide if they want to risk something in order to earn an advantage or Hidden Immunity Idol. The editing has implemented flashback sequences to the player’s in the outside world. Oh, then the Shot in the Dark. We don’t want to talk about that one. Anyway, the biggest change for the fans is that some of the seasons were gifted 90-minute episodes, which has been absolutely amazing! It allows more time to learn about the people playing the game. Thanks for that! We appreciate it!The characters from the New Era have already cemented themselves into the history books.WithSurvivor 46officially in the books, these are the best of the best fromSurvivor 41throughSurvivor 46.
A reality show where a group of contestants are stranded in a remote location with little more than the clothes on their back. The lone survivor of this contest takes home a million dollars.
30Kaleb Gebrewold
Survivor 45- 11th Place
The Shot in the Dark is one of the most controversial twists that has ever been introduced intoSurvivor. The discourse surrounding it has kept the fandom debating whether it deserves a place in the game. While the advantage had been utilized multiple times, it never truly came to fruition about just how powerful it was whenKaleb Gebrewoldwas successful with it onSurvivor 45. As a member of the disastrous Lulu Tribe, Kaleb entered the merge, establishing some new bonds and friendships. But as the low man on the totem pole, his time in the game was just about over.Until he sacrificed his vote and ended up wiping out every single vote that was cast against him.Unfortunately, unlike the Hidden Immunity Idol that gets replaced into the game, Kaleb utilized his only safety net and was promptly voted out in the next episode. Kaleb showcased an alarmingly strong social game that made him a major threat had he made it any further.
29Lauren Harpe
Survivor 44- 5th Place
Survivor 44was filled with some of the most lovable characters in the New Era ofSurvivor, many of whom we will discuss later.Lauren Harpe’s game was shown almost in two parts, first in the beginning and then in the end. After earning the Bank Your Vote advantage at the summit, Lauren found herself in the majority of the Ratu Alliance. She formed strong relationships with many of her merge tribemates and even showed her challenging prowess in the end. Despite working with the Tika Three previously, when it came down to whether to eliminate her orHeidi Lagares-Greenblatt, her resume seemed to spook the players, and she was promptly voted out at Final Five. Lauren’s game may have seemingly been subtle, but her social skills and ability to perform in challenges made her a contender.
28Mike Turner
Survivor 42- 2nd Place
Much ofMike Turner’s game onSurvivor 42revolved around loyalty and establishing strong relationships with his allies. It was also part of his downfall when it came to his performance at the Final Tribal Council. But before then, Mike played a game that relied on shifting alliances, often having to betray his early allies in order to keep himself safe. Mike formed an almost unbreakable bond withJonathan Youngthat was ultimately cracked when they were both put in the Final Four Fire Making Challenge. Mike claimed his game was all about loyalty, but the jury could not see past his inability to own the game. He ultimately only received one vote from Jonathan, ending up as the runner-up toMaryanne Oketch. Credit should be given to Mike for having to go along with the silly phrase game in order to activate his Hidden Immunity Idol.
27Tiffany Seely
Survivor 41- 11th Place
Tiffany Seelywas ahead of her time. Part of the guinea pig season of the New Era onSurvivor 41, Tiffany was able to play a brilliant social game,earning a lot of knowledge of where advantages were in the game.Her impeccable game sense allowed her to assist in the dismantling of fellow Yase Tribe memberLiana Wallace’s Knowledge is Power move. Unfortunately, she became a casualty to a double idol flush and became the Mayor of Ponderosa. Tiffany showed immense promise that would easily have made her a strong contender in any other season of the New Era.
26Mike Gabler
Survivor 43-Winner
Mike GablerwonSurvivor 43because the jury of his peers voted for him to win. But his victory and how it came to be has confused fans since he won. He did not have a strong showing while on the Baka Tribe prior to the merge. He andElie Scottwere almost instant enemies and the entire course of the game was going to be determined by who got who first. Luckily, Gabler won that battle, and then submerged himself as other castaways played bolder games. The “AliGabler” mentality proved successful in the end, being rewarded for his social game. While he may not have been the best player,his decision to donate his winnings was quite commendable.
25Tiffany Nicole Ervin
Survivor 46- 8th Place
One of the biggest stories coming out ofSurvivor 46is how it was cursed to be in possession of a Hidden Immunity Idol, as all five individuals who had one was blindsided and voted out with it in their pocket. One of those casualties wasTiffany Nicole Ervin. As a part of the disastrous Yanu Tribe, she was one of the survivors of the tribe to reach the merge. She had a solid bond withKenzie PettyandQ Burdette, but this purple trio was nothing like the purple people onSurvivor 44because her game was completely blown up by her ally. While her number one almost turned on her, ultimately it didn’t happen. But she was still the victim of a blindside, not using her idol when she most needed to.The game might have been different had she played her idol.Tiffany was an exceptional threat. Her social prowess was strong. She displayed grit and fervor that was perfect for the New Era ofSurvivor.
24Owen Knight
Survivor 43- 3rd Place
Owen Knightwas a gamer. He was a student ofSurvivor. And as a student ofSurvivor, Owen knew that fate is not always on your side. This man had some very unlucky breaks during his game. Owen constantly tried to find his footing duringSurvivor 43, often voting incorrectly, and letting people know about it. But once he hit the merge, things started to look up.Despite a strong showing physically, his inability to prove his social game sadly earned him zero votes on Final Tribal Council.Despite not winning $1,000,000, he did earn $50,000 from music superstar Sia!If ever there was someone who could benefit from a Second Chance season, it’s Owen.
The 10 Biggest Injuries on ‘Survivor,’ Ranked
Survivor is tough, so it’s no surprise that many players have been airlifted from the game due to dehydration, heat stroke, and even injuries.
23Emily Flippen
Survivor 45- 7th Place
She started from the bottom, now she’s one of the most beloved characters from the New Era ofSurvivor. If you look up growth in theSurvivordictionary, you’ll see a photo ofSurvivor 45’sEmily Flippen. When Emily started the game on the Lulu tribe, she was almost a surefire bet to be voted out first. When someone quit, she was given a new lease on life, and literally took advantage of the opportunity. She learned how to foster relationships under the tutelage of her unlikely ally,Kaleb Gebrewold. Saved by a tribe swap, Emily gained a new alliance with the boys from the Reba Four. While she was used as a crucial number, Emily did try to make a move, but her allies' mindset did not align with hers, and she ended up being collateral damage in the end.Emily is a true success story.She deserved her wine at the Survivor Auction, just as fans deserved the memes that followed.
22Austin Li Coon
Survivor 45- 2nd Place
In the New Era ofSurvivor, maintaining an alliance from the start of the game to the end is near impossible. But when it works, someone will be victorious in the end. OnSurvivor 45,Austin Li Coonimmediately established a solid alliance withDrew Basile, which allowed them to team up withJulie AlleyandDee Valladaresto form the Reba Four. Between multiple idols and advantages, Austin’s place in the game led him all the way to the end. There was just one catch. A thing called love.Austin developed a romantic entanglement with Dee that ultimately led to his downfall.Had Dee not pulled the wool over him, Austin might have won out in the end, but Dee ultimately played the stronger game thanks to her ability to own a move over him. Autin was a beast duringSurvivor 45, but his blind trust got the better of him.
21Heidi Lagares-Greenblat
Survivor 44- 2nd Place
Heidi Lagares-Greenblattwas a loyal soldier at the beginning stages of the game duringSurvivor 44. When she did explode post-merge, Heidi made a triumphant run to the end. As the Soka and Ratu alliances were quietly picked off by the Tika Three, Heidi was the lone survivor, which made sense. She was socially savvy and physically capable.Survivor 44truly was the game about the Tika Three, and Heidi knew that the only way to ensure her victory in the end was to boost her resume. After winning the final Immunity Challenge, she bravely put herself into the Final Four Fire Making Challenge to eliminateCarson Garrett. Her plan worked, and in record time. When it came to winning over the jury, she was no match against the social brilliance ofYam Yam Arocho. She did have the chance to explain the importance of visibility in her speech. Heidi has all the makings of a top tier player. If she ever returns, she should borrow the social prowess of the season’s winner and she’ll be an absolute powerhouse.
