With 25 years of Survivor in the history books, it's no wonder that it's become so difficult to nail down who the best players truly are. Did you know that over 700 people have played Survivor and over 100 of them have returned to play again?!
But with titles such as legends, heroes, and game changers, there's no question that some Survivor players were integral in making the show what it is today. Even as late as this last season, we're still seeing new players come into the game and make it their own.
But who made each era of Survivor the memorable period we now know it to be? Let's talk about it.
The Classic Era (Seasons 1 - 10)
Focused on the show's experimental roots and the birth of both social and strategic gameplay, the Classic Era of Survivor emphasized the survival elements of the game through the eyes of our players.
- Richard Hatch (Survivor: Borneo; Survivor: All-Stars) - The original strategist, Richard laid the foundation for alliance-based gameplay as we know it, leading the narrative of the entire first season.
- Rob Cesternino (Survivor: The Amazon; Survivor: All-Stars) - Rob revolutionized strategic gameplay by becoming socially flexible and leaning into vote-flipping, making it a legitimate strategy.
- Boston Rob Mariano (Survivor: Marquesas; Survivor: All-Stars; Survivor: Heroes vs. Villains; Survivor: Redemption Island; Survivor: Winners at War) - An iconic early presence who set the groundwork for dominant gameplay as the Survivor "Godfather" with the most days played out of anyone to ever be on the show.
- Sandra Diaz-Twine (Survivor: Pearl Islands; Survivor: Heroes vs. Villains; Survivor: Game Changes; Survivor: Winners at War) - Perfected the "anyone but me" strategy, which led to her being crowned the first two-time winner in Survivor history.
The Rise of the Power Player (seasons 11 - 20)
With strategy becoming more complex, long-term planning became key for our rising power players as the show also introduced game-changing twists like the hidden immunity idol and exile island.
- Parvati Shallow (Survivor: Cook Islands; Survivor: Micronesia; Survivor Heroes vs. Villains; Survivor: Winners at War) - Parvati's perfection of social manipulation on top of her strategic instincts proved that charm can be dangerous and drew a line in the sand of allies vs. friends.
- Ozzy Lusth (Survivor: Cook Islands; Survivor: Micronesia; Survivor: South Pacific; Survivor: Game Changers; Survivor 50: In the Hands of the Fans) - The original "challenge beast," Ozzy is not only one of the most athletic players in Survivor history, but also one of the best survivalists, setting the standard for what camp life can be.
- Cirie Fields (Survivor: Panama; Survivor: Micronesia; Survivor: Heroes vs. Villains; Survivor: Game Changers; Survivor 50: In the Hands of the Fans) - The every woman, Cirie mastered the subtle art of social control by pulling off some of the biggest moves with minimal advantages and zero individual challenge wins.
- Russell Hantz (Survivor: Samoa; Survivor: Heroes vs. Villains; Survivor: Redemption Island) - Though his approach to the game is controversial, he's the first player to ever find a hidden immunity idol without any clues and essentially reshaped how production had to set up the game for future players.
The Twist Era (seasons 21 - 30)
As players were beginning to outsmart production, this era saw intense new full-season themes and twists like Redemption Island and Blood vs. Water, causing gameplay to become more unpredictable.
- Tony Vlachos (Survivor: Cagayan; Survivor: Game Changes; Survivor: Winners at War) - Tony capitalized on the "all or nothing" style of gameplay through a new chaotic strategy like eavesdropping to gain information via spy shacks he built in the jungle.
- Sarah Lacina (Survivor: Cagayan; Survivor: Game Changers; Survivor: Winners at War) - Composed and highly strategic, Sarah's level of emotional intelligence with tactical gameplay gave her and her allies complete control in all of her seasons.
- Jeremy Collins (Survivor: San Juan del Sur; Survivor: Cambodia; Survivor: Winners at War) - Jeremy introduced the "meat shield" strategy and navigated chaotic gameplay without losing jury favor by playing to his strength of being deeply likable and loyal.
- Kelley Wentworth (Survivor: San Juan del Sur; Survivor: Cambodia; Survivor: Edge of Extinction) - A pure legend for her fearless gameplay, Kelley took the title "underdog" to new heights through extreme idol plays that dictated major tribal shifts, getting her further in the game than anyone thought possible.
The Modern Golden Age (seasons 31 - 40)
With a solidly uneven foundation, the modern golden age of the game meant incoming players had to be experts in Survivor, leading to the emergence of top-tier players and higher levels of social manipulation.
- Aubry Bracco (Survivor: Kaoh Rong; Survivor: Game Changers; Survivor: Edge of Extinction) - Aubry's strategy narrated the gameplay for all three of her seasons as she orchestrated major blindsides and turned alliance tables through relationship building.
- Zeke Smith (Survivor: Millennials vs. Gen X; Survivor: Game Changers) - A capable and bold strategist, Zeke developed a reputation as a sharp tactician in the game while also changing the show's cultural fabric through his authenticity.
- Christian Hubicki (Survivor: David vs. Goliath; Survivor 50: In the Hands of the Fans) - Charismatically calculating, Christian brought old-school vibes into a modern Survivor age with his intelligence and humble social skills.
- Rick Devens (Survivor: Edge of Extinction; Survivor 50: In the Hands of the Fans) - Rick mastered the theatrical game of flash by winning immunities, finding idols, and being outwardly visible and comedic in his threat level, redefining how a comeback player can take control of the game.
The New Era (seasons 41 - 48)
A complete refresh of the Survivor that players expected, new advantages (and disadvantages) were introduced alongside a shorter period of gameplay, leading players to rely on relationships more than ever before.
- Jesse Lopez (Survivor 43) - Combining trust-building and manipulation, Jesse was able to pull off one of the top new era blindsides in addition to leading a generally dominant strategic game.
- Dee Valladares (Survivor 45; Survivor 50: In the Hands of the Fans) - The queen of quiet control, Dee centered her game around a core group of allies to help her eliminate threats until the end, when she turned on her own to take the win for herself.
- Rachel LaMont (Survivor 47) - Playing from the bottom for most of the game, Rachel leveraged relationships to perfectly play advantages and win challenges when she needed them most.
- Kamilla Karthigesu (Survivor 48; Survivor 50: In the Hands of the Fans) - A stealth agent, Kamilla's trust in her secret alliance and strategic outlook allowed her and her number 1 to flawlessly move into the Final Four without any suspicion, controlling the game the entire time.
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