Survivor winners: Ranking all 45 Sole Survivors by season

Photo: Monty Brinton/CBS ©2019 CBS Broadcasting, Inc. All Rights Reserved
Photo: Monty Brinton/CBS ©2019 CBS Broadcasting, Inc. All Rights Reserved /
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Survivor, Natalie Anderson, Survivor: Winners at War
Survivor star Natalie Anderson – (Photo: Screen Grab/CBS Entertainment ©2020 CBS Broadcasting, Inc. All Rights Reserved) /

Best Survivor Winners No. 17: Natalie Anderson (Survivor San Juan del Sur)

Despite being one of the strongest women out there in Survivor, Natalie Anderson showed an immense gameplay prowess considering the hurdles of her season.

She needed to manufacture a jury willing to award her the title of Sole Survivor where A) blindsiding people would likely affect a loved one on the jury, B) loved-ones partnerships at the merge could take out those without partners, and C) the emotional/hidden immunity idol impact of the newly-returned Exile Island.

Despite her inseparable twin sister, Nadiya, voted out first, barring one public call-out of famous racist John Rocker she played under the radar and worked future alliances up until the merge.

Who else could fake confusion over a vote so late in the game in a slow-burning act of revenge? Who else would lead multiple blindsides so late into the game?

Natalie Anderson took to heart the modern gameplay style of making friends early, keeping low and turning it up with subtle moves so she could emerge the overall favorite with a final tribal council performance that let her own her transformative game.