Survivor Edge of Extinction: Should Rick Devens return?

We already know the answer for most people responding, but at least read our write-up on Survivor: Edge of Extinction’s most visible player, Rick Devens.

Despite what the popular opinion among those in Survivor communities that think highly of their opinions over others, it is possible to both like a player and hate the circumstances that led to their success and overbearing visibility. Rick Devens is the latest example of someone who made it to Day 38 thanks to a bunch of advantages, idols and twists handed to him, but he made the journey entertaining regardless.

Starting off the game running through walls like the Kool-Aid Man, he was always off plotting with others and getting into everyone’s social graces at Manu. He even managed to avoid getting caught blindsiding Kelley, although his perceived ability to flip on Lesu after the swap saw him voted out fourth.

He never quit his drive on the Edge of Extinction, securing an extra vote advantage handed to Aubry and fought hard to get back from the Edge at the merge challenge, staying true to Kelley and Lauren’s perception and flipping to the Kama majority that didn’t vote him out in the first place. He was hurt at Lauren, Kelley and Wardog’s betrayal, and wasn’t willing to work with them at Vata.

However, when he managed to pull an audible at the Tribal Council after he was blindsided in suggesting Ron, Julie, and the Manu players team up to vote out someone from Kama (successfully), it lit a fire under his butt. Once David was voted out, he was not only on his own, but other players on the tribe continually told him and the jury he was an awesome Survivor player they needed to vote out (but couldn’t).

From Day 27 to Day 37, Rick either won individual Immunity Challenges (four) or found idols needed to keep him safe. He was even gifted a split idol at the merge for returning to the game, making him the record-holder for most idols held in a single season at four.

The only thing that could end an Edge of Extinction returning player is another, as he worked with Chris starting Day 35 to both further each others’ goals of making it to the end. However, Chris pulled off the move Domenick Abbate dreamed of making by giving up his Immunity Necklace at the Final Four to make fire against Rick, sending him to Ponderosa on Day 38.

Rick Devens was a funny, sarcastic, lovable character that played up the showmanship angle in droves. Sure, he may have stolen the spotlight from other players, but you can fault the editors for giving him the most attention, not the player. Vote here in our straw poll to let us know if he should return in a future Survivor season.