Survivor 47 has featured several entertaining people like Rome Cooney, Kyle Ostwald, Gabe Ortis, and Andy Rueda. It featured many strategists like Rachel LaMont, Genevieve Mushaluk, Gabe, Caroline, Sam Phalen, and others. Kyle and Rachel were the biggest immunity challenge threats. It's made for a fun, unpredictable, outstanding season of Survivor.
Sue Smey has played a totally different game, one you seldom see on Survivor. I've been tough on Sue because she hasn't played a strong individual game. As the season winds down toward the end, little has changed my mind about her game, but... She also deserves some recognition for what he accomplished this season.
What did Sue Smey do that was so unusual in Survivor 47
In a game of paranoia, backstabbing, lies, and general distrust, Sue has played a reasonably loyal game with about as much integrity as possible. We'll discount the fact she played the whole game under a significant lie, no matter how correct she was in doing so.
Sue is 59 years old, and armed with that information, she should probably be given more kudos for what she accomplished. She does not have the most winning personality, and she apparently never went down to the ocean and washed her face, either. She had a strange dislike for her ally Kyle for most of the game because he was too nice and annoyed her with talk of his family.
Sue also held her own in many of the challenges, winning one. That is an accomplishment that only a small percentage of players get to experience, and at 59, that is incredible.
Sue deserves credit for another big strategy she held to throughout the game. As far as her alliance went (outside of Kyle), she was steadfastly loyal. She defended Caroline and Gabe whenever necessary. She protected them by deflecting attention from them when she could. Considering how the came played out, it didn't even cost her. She's in the final four and can point out that she didn't have anything to do with Gabe and Caroline being on the jury.
As the numbers dwindled, Sue's three-person alliance became detrimental to the rest of the players. This partly was because they knew Sue would not flip on Gabe or Caroline. Sue was considered the least threatening of the three, and that's why she's still in the game.
Sue had an idol early on and kept it a secret from everyone but her allies, which was smart. Everyone was surprised when she played her idol in the last tribal council. She didn't need to; she wasn't going anywhere. It was better to be safe than sorry, and she wanted that moment to impress jurors, though she doesn't have much chance to win.
Late in the game, Sue attached herself to Rachel, which was a smart move. She transferred her diehard loyalty to Rachel. She appreciated the fact that Rachel trusted Sue enough to tell her about Rachel's idol (though Sue did not reciprocate about her own idol).
Sue went on a reward with Teeny and Genevieve and very easily could have told them about Rachel's idol and ruined all of Rachel's well-laid plans for the upcoming tribal council. But she didn't! She kept her silence and helped pull off a big move, sending Genevieve to the jury.
Whether it is a strategy most would choose to use on Survivor or not, it doesn't matter. It is refreshing to see someone play in a rather honorable way. The truth is, Sue wasn't going to win this game, no matter what. Her personality wasn't great; she would never be "Mama Sue" on the show. But her strategy, which she stuck to through thick and thin, worked. Her tight alliance got her close, and now she is in the final four.
Sue was my least favorite player on Survivor 47, but she still deserves recognition for playing a game that didn't include lying to or backstabbing her allies. It was refreshing to watch it play out.