Survivor Tocantins
Finale Recap May 17

On tonight's final episode of Survivor Tocantins it is day 37. Stephen feels a bit betrayed by JT's lone vote to keep Coach, and says that now he will look like the bad guy while JT looks loyal to the jury. To the cameras JT admits that it does look like betrayal, but he has to look out for himself in the finish.  Erinn says that she isn't there so her friends and family will like her choices. She is there to win a million dollars.

Tree mail comes with the morning light, and the final four Survivors are greeted with a fake tarantula and they figure they are doing something with a spider's web. Sure enough they are faced with a netted tunnel in the shape of a tarantula. Survivors must travel through a roped web and exit to pick up three puzzle bags, one in each trip. The bags contain puzzle pieces of a very complicated puzzle that they will have to assemble after gaining the bags of puzzle pieces. This challenge is for immunity, and Erinn wants it badly. JT and Stephen head out on the same leg of the tarantula and gain their first bag quickly. The girls are slower and behind. JT quickly pulls into the lead and has his second bag before either of the girls have their first bag.  The girls get their second bag in but both JT and Stephen have gotten their third and final bags in and are beginning to work on the puzzle. The men have a good lead by the time the girls are through with their third bags. JT is working fast, and Erinn, last in is doing well with her puzzle, making up ground quickly. JT is down to his last piece but can't find the spot, stephen is moving along nicely, and as Erinn quickly gets down to her last piece, JT beats her to the punch and wins immunity. He is safe at tribal council. Erinn is frustrated by the split second win as she was just about to drop the final piece in its slot.

Erinn goes to JT and Stephen and tells them that Taj is very loved by everyone. She suggests that if it comes to Taj with the Jury she might very well win this. When she leaves, JT and Stephen talk it out and decide that she has a point. They stop in with Taj and speak to her. She asks them to stay loyal.

Tribal council comes and the jury files in. Jeff comments that five of the six jury members are Timbira. He comments that Erinn is the lone Timbira member to be there and she says that it speaks well for her that she has made it through that, but if it follows form, she will join them tonight. Jeff comments that it might put the jury in the frame to vote their remaining member, and what about taking all Jalapao to the final three?  The members think this over. Erinn doesn't give herself but a 33% chance of sticking around. 

The votes:
Taj, Erinn, Taj, Taj. Taj is voted out at tribal council. The remaining Survivors look anxiously at the jury and Debbie gives an amazed look to the other jury members.

Taj says that she has been blindsided by her own tribe mates who have looked out for her through this whole adventure. She says that it will be hard to decide who to vote for at the finals, but if somehow Erinn makes her way to the finals, she will have her vote.

On night 37 the final three return to a coyote eating at their fire. JT says that it was a hard vote, and Erinn says that Taj didn't seem upset or surprised to go. JT says that the consequences of the vote are to listen to Erinn going on. Both guys feel that for her to be chattering on with the two of them in emotional turmoil from the vote is a little less than kind.

In the morning Erinn and Stephen talk and she says that should she win, she will take Stephen. Stephen talks with Erinn and says that they both need to work hard to win. Stephen says that taking JT would be tough to beat, and then JT tells Stephen at the fire that he swears on his life that he will take Stephen and Stephen says, "Me too."

The three of them head out for the final trail. Tree mail tells them that they must follow the map across the river and they will find the torches of their fellow Survivors. Stephen says that this is paying respect to those who have fallen along the way and they owe them that respect. Carolina is the first and she says that it hurts so bad to be the first, going in a blindside. She feels that she learned not to try to control things. Candace says that she wants to figure out why she couldn't put up with Coach when that was her downfall. Jerry says that the worst day for him was the day he was voted off. Sandy says that she couldn't play this game any harder than she did. Spencer felt honored to be the youngest ever to play the game and thinks that he trusted his tribemates more than he should have. Sydney felt that she shouldn't have ridden some coattails and she needed to be more self assured. Joe was the most decent guy out there, and he says that his body failed him and he thinks that he was tough enough to win the game, but his injured knee took him down. Brendan says that being successful in business doesn't mean that you can win Survivor. He says it was a humbling experience. Tyson thinks that the blindside came when he was overconfident and perhaps being pathetic is what it takes to win the game. Sierra feels that her Survivor experience was both trials and tribulations. She says that it was the hardest and most amazing thing she has ever done in her life. Debbie was a super strong player, kind, and Debbie says that she deals with different types of people every day and she learned that she is not as good at figuring people out as she thought. Coach changed the game, and he says that being blindsided was the best way to go, not defeated, not broken. Taj was incredibly strong and loving and fun. She says that she can start and keep a fire going, she can fish and feed a tribe, and she lost focus on the million dollars. Losing focus on that cost her the game. The trio burn the mementos of the fallen.

The final Survivors get to the location of the challenge. The challenge is to catch balls that come out of a circular ramp. They must place the balls into the top and watch to see where it will come out. They must catch it. The balls will alternate left and right. This is done with one hand tied behind their backs. They play with one ball to get used to it, then two. They all do well and then must add a third ball. Erinn drops a ball quickly. Stephen has a lucky save and then they must place a fourth ball into play. Stephen loses his ball and JT wins the immunity challenge. JT wins immunity for the third time in a row. He has gone as far as he can go in the game and tonigt at tribal council, he will get to choose who to take to the finals. JT tells us that he made a promise, but a promise is cheap in this game, so he has a lot to think over.

Stephen feels an enormous weight taken off him with JT's win. Stephen says that it would be such a scumbag decision to take Erinn and having that taken away from him is a good feeling. Erinn tells JT that she won't get any votes from Timbira but she might get one from Taj. He asks her if Stephen would have taken her and she says he did say yes to her. She mentions that he is very eloquent. Erinn says that it would be honorable of him to take Stephen, but if he wants to win, he will take her. JT speaks with Stephen and he says that it isn't true that he would take Erinn, and sentiment can't get in the way. Stephen doesn't think that JT will take Erinn, and he says that he will win this. JT says that his mom told him when he left not to do anything stupid, and to blow something on the trust of someone he has only known for 39 days is stupid.

The three go to the final tribal council and the jury enters. Brendan, Tyson, Sierra, Debbie, Coach, and Taj.  Jeff tells JT he has earned his way to this spot. Erinn says that she told him that the votes would go for him with her, but she won't go down without kicking and screaming. Stephen says that their long term committment to each other and promises, and their loyalty. JT admits that he thinks that he has a better chance against Erinn than Stephen. JT places his vote.  Jeff reads the vote. Erinn is voted out and leaves. Stephen is in shock. Coach places his fist in the air in triumph and Debbie smiles.

Erinn says that she is glad to have lasted as long as she could and she felt that JT was going to choose Stephen.

JT and Stephen awake on day 39 speaking about their friendship. Since the beginning of the game they spoke from day 2 of final two. They have breakfast of eggs, avocados, fresh fruit, bread, sausages, and they cook it all right and eat it under the big umbrella. They open a bottle of champaigne and toast to the final two. They say it tastes like victory. They discuss first impressions of each other. Stephen thought that they wouldn't get along because their backgrounds were so different but their minds were so in synch.  They pack up camp and dress for their trip out. They look back at camp and clasp hands.  Stephen says that he is not going to give up without a fight.

Jeff tells them that their fate lies in the jury's hands. They get to address the jury and then the jury addresses them.  Stephen gets up first and says that he won't speak against JT, but everything was the two of them working together and his focus is on what he took with him. He says that he had never been camping before and he came out of this more self reliant and he owes that to them.  JT says that he is the first person in his family to graduate from college, but he isn't after a pity vote. He says that he never got a vote from any of them, he made friends with many of them, did his best to provide for them, and ays it was hard to vote people out, and he feels that if he hadn't gotten rid of them they would have gotten rid of him. JT says that he doesn't feel Stephen outwitted, outplayed or outlasted him, but that is in their hands now.

Brendan: Stephen spoke about growth in the game and not one game is who played the hardest and Stephen says that he came in with none of these skills and did leave with them. JT says that it isn't relevant and Stephen hid in the shadows for some of the challenges until he told him to shine. Stephen says hiding in the shadows is a legit strategy. 

Erinn: If both of you are equally responsibile, why you?  He says that zigging and zagging is a strategy.  JT says that Stephen was a part of the power alliance and deserved to be there.

Debbie: JT, honesty is important. She wonders if that is what he is. JT says that his mom told him that he can't not lie to get to the end. Stephen is asked who would sit next to him. He says that he doesn't know and she stops him. He says that he would hope that he would take JT, but his fear is that it may have been Erinn.

Coach:  He sees the warrior and the wizard there. JT, honesty and integrity towards the end. JT says that when he made a promise to him, he wouldn't vote him out even though he knew that he was going home that night. He says that he is risking a million dollars to take Stephen to the end, and he might be the person to take morals over millions, but he had to do the right thing.  Stephen says that if he was going to try to take a person out, he is going to take responsibility for his actions and vote them out. He says he has said nothing negative about JT about him tonight.

Sierra: Choosing Stephen was choosing the weakest and he says that he feels that Stephen was strong.

Tyson: JT was Stephen an asset to take to the finals?  He says that he might have  won without him, but it was easier with him. Stephen feels that others might have taken him.

Taj:  The way I went to the jury was so unnecessary, but it was hard to write Coach's name, but easy to put my name down. Explain. JT tells her it was his hardest vote, and it came to strength because it would have been so strong to have Jalapao in the finals. Taj says that she saw things in Stephen that she never expected to see. Stephen says that he was hesitant about taking her down, but JT told him that it would be too strong a battle, and Erinn would be easier to beat. JT says that it was not him alone and Stephen is playing it like it was JT as the leader. Stephen points out that JT said earlier to take her out when they held her idol and JT points out that it was Stephen holding the idol and he made that suggestion. The two argue briefly and JT says he feels stupid and betrayed. Stephen says that he never made that decision in his heart (to take Erinn to the finals) and this friendship was not worth a million dollars (losing this friendship).

The votes are cast and taken by Jeff Probst to New York City for the finale of Survivor Tocantins.

Jeff comments on the live audience. The two men sit groomed and in sports coats.

The votes:
JT, JT, JT, JT. JT wins Survivor Tocantins. He races off stage to hug his family who sit along the camera rails. Stephen cheers him from the stage. The jury joins them. The vote was unanimous.

Survivor Reunion

JT won the game as sole Survivor Tocantins with a unanimous vote. He says that on day 11 or 12 he wondered why he was there, hungry and out of his element, but you don't quit, but persevere. He says that Stephen was the one guy he didn't think he would like, but he saw him carrying 3 sacks to his one and he grew to respect him by day 3. Stephen says that it was about their minds and when they returned from a challenge they would get right to work on the next move. Stephen says that it was hard to tell Debbie who he would have taken and JT says that it was a little pity voting thing for him to play it off like he did because he knew that it was different for him to take Stephen than for Stephen to take him.

Erinn says that switching it up was a chance to go one more day. Taj says that no one ever thought of voting JT because he was so sweet. Jeff comes up with JT's tooth and JT says that it is useless to him but his mom probably would want it. Jeff comments that the girls in the front row all want it, and then he takes it and gives it to his mom. His mom says that she told him long before he tried out that it was something he should do because he had a chance to win the game. Jeff reminds her that her son quoted her more than once.

Jeff says that he was surprised that she was so loved, and he shows a picture of her as a singer. She says that adjusting to the outdoors was hardest for her. She says that it was a huge shock and once she caught on, she was making fires and building shelters. She was shocked to find out that he was there. She says that she had never been away from her family so long and she was in a drought and needed that day so much. Her husband, Eddie, professional football player, says that he saw a glow in her eyes and when he saw her holding the camp down, that is like what she does at home. He says that he can start a fire from his Ranger days and he started one easily.

Tyson says that the reaction from the Mormon community and he says that thre are people who in their hearts don't hold a lot of love for him, but there are great men who aren't loved and mentions Joseph Smith and Jesus. Sierra was surprised to find out that she was a dependent person and the moment they all turned on her and betrayed her, she fought to the death to stay, and learned to depend on herself. She shouts that she slayed the dragon. She says that she wore her heart on her sleeve.

Benjamin is asked about his stories and he defends his integrity to the end. Jeff asks Coach about telling the biggest story ever about being captured on the Amazon and he says that the truth is its own story. Jeff says that he offered him a lie detector test on it and he declined. Coach says that he did take a lie detector test and he is blindsiding Jeff with it, and it is sealed by John Grogan a renowned specialist. Coach says that he has a video tape to back it up. The first question was about playing the game with integrity and honesty and it was yes and deemed truthful. The question was posed about the trip to the Amazon and captured by natives, and that response was yes and was also deemed truthful. Coach looks somewhat sad that his integrity was in question. The audience seems doubtful and Jeff says that he does believe him, and did believe him.

Debbie says that it has been an amazing experience and the kids at her school are good with her, even though she had to lie in the game.

One of Coach's friends says that they saw Coach on the show,and not the Ben Weed that she knows and loves, and she says that she slayed the dragon.

Jeff announces the votes for the three $100,000. The three finalists are Sierra, Taj, and JT. JT wins the Sprint Player of the Year award.

Sydney is asked about her modeling and she says that it is coming back. Joe says that his leg is doing fine. Jerry is asked about his time and he says that the guys rag him about it. Candace is a model and actor and was just in a commercial. Carolina says that it was a gift and it changed her life. Sandy says that she got a second chance to make a first impression and she did.

JT says that he is going to use the money to make more money and there will be a partnership with Stephen because he never could have won it without him.

Jeff tells us that it has been nine years and 18 seasons and they are not done yet. The Nineteenth Survivor will be held in the island of Samoa. Survivor Samoa will be coming this fall. He announces that you can buy the artifacts from Survivor from the CBS survivor website. He also announces that they are looking for three minute video tapes of people who would like to try out for the show. He warns, "Don't be Coach if you are not Coach. We want you to be you."

It would be a great honor if you were to join our Forum, please click here.

Comments (0)

Subscribe to this comment's feed

Name

Email

Title

Comment

smaller | bigger

Subscribe via email (registered users only)

I have read and agree to the Terms of Usage.

Add Comment