Survivor Winners at War finale power rankings: Ultimate Surviving Championship

3. Michele Fitzgerald

The problem with Michele’s winning edit was that it was so much better when she serves as an underdog that it’s hard to pin her down as someone in control of the game in front of her. She started out with players like Boston Rob confirming that anybody who wins their season deserves it, which was a scene cut out of time that had a lot of foreshadowing to it.

However, this is the same show that hinted at a woman winning Island of the Idols right before the merge only for women’s voices to be silenced in the face of inappropriate touching and the player responsible only removed once it happened to a crew member off-camera. On the flip side, we did just see Michele earn individual immunity and kick back her underdog motif.

When it comes to positioning, I think Michele is among the best to actually make it to Final Tribal Council. Once the Edge of Extinction returnee makes it back, the players’ most recent memory of Survivor on television is Chris Underwood beasting to the finish line and winning days before flying out to Fiji. They will be a target, as will Ben by Tony and Sarah, and those two by everyone else.

Michele might be the closest thing to a lock for the endgame. Can she pitch a case to the jury that she outwitted and outplayed her competition? With her being on the outs for most of the season, I don’t think that option is in the cards. However, it would make for another underedited win by a female player, a tradition as strong as any.