Survivor: The Dragon Slayer talks about Season 40 on RHAP

Benjamin “Coach” Wade talked Survivor with Rob Cesternino, theorizing about a Legends type of season and his desire to return.

One of the most infamous personalities ever to play Survivor got his opportunity to excite eager superfans with his guest appearance on RHAP. It’s been out for over a week now, so if you haven’t listened to it yet, I highly recommend it!

The biggest takeaway is that Coach would be in for an all-returnee type of season! Throughout the podcast and even on social media, Coach has been talking a lot about Season 40 being the big one. Even though that might not end up panning out, we’re definitely due for a returning players season soon.

He mentioned that after his trip to Final Tribal in Season 23: South Pacific, he thought he was done. He played a great game and got to Day 39, and that’s that. However, his itch to play again has returned over the past few seasons, especially after going watching every Survivor season, raising a family, and even watching his old seasons with his kids.

Coach was asked back for Edge of Extinction but he declined. He told Jeff and company that he would want to play one last time, but feels like it’s a waste to return on a season with newbies, which is completely understandable. With the dragon styled tribe Immunity and even the torch snuffer resembling a dragon’s arm, Coach believes that his character was an inspiration for this season.

We also learned about Coach’s attitude towards the game. He’s not too concerned about where he finishes, he just wants to go out there and have a fun time. As cliche as that might sound, that strategy usually translates to more controlled and effective gameplay, just ask Mike White!

It’s also awesome to hear Coach analyze his previous seasons. He acknowledged that he came into Tocantins with overconfidence, thinking he could change the game of Survivor by playing with loyalty. The sting of South Pacific still haunts him as well, wishing that he came across more direct during Final Tribal.

If when Coach returns to Survivor, he might be going by a new nickname. He’s moved on from coaching and now is a music teacher. You may refer to him as “Maestro”.

Do we want the Maestro to return? Definitely! He might not be the most strategic player or someone who has greatly evolved Survivor gameplay, but his dynamic character alone is enough to warrant a return. With a dominant season back in South Pacific, who knows what the Dragon Slayer can do in another attempt over seven years later.