AsSurvivorfans, we all have different criteria that we desire when we look for the ultimate winner of the game. Some people focus on challenge wins, others like to see an exceptional social or strategic game. At the end of the day, though, we can all have chatter about the results, butit’s the jury that has the ultimate say. They get to dictate who deserves to be the Sole Survivor based on their criteria.
WithSurvivor 48officially over, it’s now our chance to decide if the jury selected the right winner of the season. Needless to say, they did.Kyle Frasernot only won, but he wholeheartedly deserved his victory. While there were some emotional pulls toward his final three competitors,Kyle Fraser completely embodied everything thatSurvivorstands for.He personified outwit, outplay, and outlast.
Kyle Was A Well-Rounded Castaway
There has been a complete delineation of howSurvivoris viewed before and after the New Era began.Once we entered the shorter game length and “harder” circumstances, the types of gameplay have evolved. There was a time when physical dominance reigned supreme, but not anymore. And this was the sticking point for certain players this season.David Kinneled the charge of his strong desire for a physically strong castaway outlasting the geniuses. He made it his mission to take them down, but he forgot that being vocal about his agenda allowed his mission to be completely exposed, allowing the geniuses he feared to play him out of the game. And leading that charge was Kyle.
After a season where the Meat Shield alliance was pushed to the top, it was the brilliant and strategic mind of Kyle Fraser who won over the jury and became victorious, proving why players like himself are so dangerous. Kyle was never going to deny history and precedent. SinceSurvivor 41, he was aware of what types of games and players were successful. He embraced the New Era ofSurvivorand reminded the jury why exceptional social and strategic individuals will be rewarded. Buthis ability to win when he needed to was also what helped bolster his resume.
He won the first individual Immunity Challenge and then won the most important one, the final Immunity Challenge. Winning with only four left has often proven to be a make-or-break situation for a castaway’s game. He could have brought his number one ally,Kamilla Karthigesu, to sit next to him and duke it out for the jury, but he didn’t. Instead, he allowed her to be his champion, asEva EricksonandJoe Hunterduke it out and essentially explain why they didn’t play the same exact game. From there,his jury work was a masterclass.No wonder why he kept his identity as a lawyer a secret!
‘Survivor’ Dropped the Family Visit and Lost a Big Part of What Made It Great
Bring in the in-person love, Jeff!
Kyle Killed It With Kindness
Kyle Fraser won the challenges when he needed to, earning the respect of those looking for a strong player to win. David Kinne saw his game, and rather than reward his closest ally, he let the best player win. Then, it was time to prove to the others why his social and strategic games were essentially flawless. Aside fromMary ZhengandStar Toomey, who voted based on emotion, andCedrek McFadden, who pulled a Cedric, Kyle won the jury votes he needed to win.When he and Kamilla were placed on the same original starting tribe, little did they know that they would go on to become one of the best duos inSurvivorhistory. Initially bonded as Guyanese individuals,they were strategically sympatico.Other castaways couldn’t see them being connected, and it worked to their advantage.His ability to have a secret alliance with Kamilla helped him get to the top.He needed her on the jury. When the discussion of secret game plans came up, it was Kamilla who allowed Kyle to reveal all. And when he revealed all, every jury member realized how exceptional his game was.
We have watched players likeCharlie DavisandMaria Shrime Gomezbecome a formidable pair, but theSurvivor 46duo let the game get between them, ultimately causing both castaways to lose the game. Here, they both knew that if they were sitting at Final Tribal Council together, it would risk a victory, so Kamilla sacrificed herself in the end to allow her to champion him with the jury. Though they played a game in tandem, they both had their moments to shine. While they legally can’t share the prize,a win for Kyle is a win for Kamilla.
Kyle will go down as one of the greatest players inSurvivorhistory as he executed everything one must do to winSurvivor. He spoke his game perfectly and made Eva and Joe’s jaws drop to the floor when he revealed how his work behind the scenes negated anything they considered pluses of their game. He may have said he was “average,” butit’s that humble persona that makes him the exceptional human he portrayed on the island.He excelled at everything he did. He didn’t flaunt his talents, and he played a silent but deadly game.He understood the dynamics and how to navigate the situationsbased on who was in his tribe and who was causing a ruckus. And he did it with kindness. He was cutthroat but not malicious. He will leave the game as one of the greatest heroes ever. In the New Era,Survivorloves to celebrate triumph. Kyle’s backstory from being incarcerated to turning his life around to winningSurvivor, there’s no better representative of the season. A much-deserved victory to a great person.
Survivoris available to stream on Paramount+.
