He had one of the most narrow wins in Survivor history, requiring an 11th juror to hand him a win. Should he get a chance to return and win another?
Though the show started out as a social experiment where 16 random United States citizens are stranded on an island with minimal food, water and shelter materials, the evolution of Survivor has seen players get their second, third and fourth shots at winning a million dollars. Furthermore, we’ve seen winners return and win again. Wendell Holland needed just one attempt, but it was a close one.
From beginning to end, Wendell was well liked by his tribe. Working to create furniture around the shelter and keep people comfortable, he didn’t outwardly look like he was plotting and scheming. He played an old-school social game, playing physical and strategic without being too forward, preventing himself from being a voting target.
As the game progressed, however, Wendell and Domenick found themselves on the outs. Having picked a fight with Chris Noble and failed to take out Angela (resulting in Morgan‘s elimination), Wendell needed to hunker down and lay low for a bit. He managed to overcome negative connotations and become friends with Chris, Sebastian and others, even allying with Donathan and Laurel to reach the Final Four.
Once the merge hit and Chris started targeting him, he used his social skills to convince the majority of 10 Chris tried to sway not to vote against him. His approachability and willingness to breach the divide made people trust him, using Domenick as the face of an aggressive operation.
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As Chelsea was eliminated and the Final Four alliance taking form, it became evident that eventually, he would need to take out Dom. Near the end, however, the two had too many idols in the game that he needed to win Immunity Challenges. He almost won three straight (he didn’t yell for one, giving Laurel the win), and had to make a fire just to secure his spot in the Final Tribal Council.
Wendell was a lover, not a fighter, yet he showed his inner strength in the final stretch. Winning all those competitions when he needed to, he sold himself on his social game, especially when he took jurors Sebastian and Angela on reward in the finale. That helped sweeten the deal with the jury, securing five votes from the last five jurors. His relationship with Laurel helped sway her to vote him to receive the million-dollar check.
Next: Vote here for whether Wendell Holland should return
Even though he won Survivor Ghost Island, there are plenty of reasons why he could be asked back. Whether it’s an all-winners season, all-stars or a “winners and first boots” format, he can return. Vote here in our straw poll if you think that he should return in any of those styles of seasons.