Survivor Game Changers Cast Assessment: Sierra Dawn Thomas

Sierra Dawn Thomas returns to play a second time in Survivor: Game Changers. Will she prove she belongs amongst the show’s elite?

One of the most prevalent comments said about many of the players for Survivor: Game Changers has been something to the effect of “I don’t know how they’re a game changer.” Comments such as this have been tossed around for at least half of the cast and from varying sources. Sierra Dawn Thomas has been one of those on the receiving end of that sentiment.

First appearing on season 30, Survivor: Worlds Apart, Thomas finished fifth as Mike Holloway went on to win. Despite the quality finish, though, there are plenty of critics who downplay what she accomplished in her first appearance on the show. However, if you look a bit further and at what she’s said to this point leading up to season 34, she’s a player who belongs among some of the returning greats of Game Changers at the very least.

Perhaps the biggest criticism seen of Thomas is that she failed to make a big move in Worlds Apart. This is fact. What’s more, it’s something that if it were to happen on the Mamanuca Islands with the players involved, then she won’t have much success. However, it’s also worth dissecting further.

Worlds Apart is probably best remembered for how dominant Mike was at the end of the season in regards to challenges. He took home the final three Immunity wins, also nabbing five of the last six that were available to him. If there was someone to make a big move against in season 30, it would’ve been against Mike. However, Sierra never fully had that opportunity because of his dominance physically.

The one time that she could’ve cast a vote for Mike—when Immunity was captured by Carolyn—the eventual winner still had an idol and played it to dispel the four votes cast against him. As such, Tyler Fredrickson was instead sent packing and Mike was never vulnerable again until Final Tribal Council.

Yes, that ultimately results in what Sierra did being ineffective. However, there’s at least a chance that she could have instituted a big move to take Mike out had he not been teflon for the entire run up to Final Tribal Council. We’ll never know if that was how things could’ve played out, but to call out Thomas for not making a big move in her first time playing might also be a tad unfair.

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With that being said, Thomas has noted in the build-up to Survivor: Game Changers that she didn’t make a big move and that she needs to make her game less social. Here time playing on Worlds Apart was largely spent aligned with Carolyn and she was loyal until the very end—though Carolyn can’t say the same as she voted for Sierra to send her to the jury. In her official bio on CBS, Thomas noted that she needs to take a different approach when it comes to her social game:

"Last time, I focused too much on my social game. I know it’s important, but I need to use the friendships I make to an advantage. I want to make big moves, blindsides, and do things that make me worthy to win. I am a physically strong competitor. I am bound and determined to win the Immunity necklace numerous times!"

Funny how watching Mike reel off a near unprecedented streak of Immunity wins would make a player from that season want to be more of a physical threat.

What’s interesting about that approach when it comes to Game Changers, however, is that Thomas is surrounded by physical threats. Ozzy Lusth, Malcolm Freberg, J.T. Thomas, Michaela Bradshaw and at least half of the cast—if not more—are all threats to win in any individual challenge. Thus, the implication would seem to be that the social game might be more important than ever before. With so many cooks in the Immunity Challenge kitchen, not everyone is going to be able to eat—or something like that.

So perhaps the biggest things that needs to be taken from what Sierra Dawn Thomas is planning as she looks to change her game are the “big moves, blindsides” and “things that maker he worthy to win.” That’s what her game was lacking by most people’s estimation the first time she played. Moreover, it’s most likely those types of moves that will be necessary to make it far amidst the slew of Survivor stars (and royalty) that she’ll be competing against.

Next: We'll Probably See Carolyn Rivera on Survivor Again

Viable game changer or not, Sierra Dawn Thomas presents somewhat of a relative unknown because of how the final run of Worlds Apart handcuffed her to a degree. She’s going to compete well in challenges, but it’ll be her social game that defines her success on Survivor: Game Changers. If she again fails to pull the trigger on a big move, she might not even make it long enough to see the jury on her second go-round.