Australia Survivor's latest season, Australia V The World, is nearing its conclusion, and I must say, it's been one of the best seasons of Survivor we've seen worldwide. From the start, this season has had it all: a fantastic cast, an unpredictable boot order, impressive gameplay, hilarious moments, and epic blindsides. Although we still don't know the outcome, this endgame could be one of the best in Survivor history.
Australia V The World began with eight Australian players competing against eight worldwide Survivor players from different countries, making up the World tribe. The Aussie tribe had legendary players, such as winner David Genat, the king of Bankstown, George Mladenov, the queen of confessionals and floral dresses, Shonee Bowtell, master strategist Kirby Bentley, savvy entrepreneur Janine Allis, social threat Sarah Tilleke, and physical threat Luke Toki.
On the other hand, the World tribe had renowned players such as the dominant winner from South Africa, Rob Bentele; two-time American winner, Tony Vlachos; Kiwi winner, Lisa Holmes; international runner-ups, Tommi Manninen and Kass Bastarache, from Finland and Quebec, respectively; and legendary American players, Cirie Fields and Survivor Micronesia winner, Parvati Shallow.
Any Survivor fan, especially those familiar with US Survivor, knows the history between Parvati and Cirie. Starting their Survivor journeys in Survivor: Cook Islands and Survivor: Panama - Exile Island, respectively, both women demonstrated their savviness and adaptability in different ways when it came to playing the game. While neither was able to reach the end on their first try, both left such an impression on the Survivor production and on fans that they were brought back in Survivor Micronesia: Fans vs Favorites for a second chance.
If anyone had their doubts about either of them, they were proven deadly wrong, as in Micronesia, Parvati and Cirie completely dominated the season from beginning to end. They began the game on the Favorites tribe, where they joined forces with Amanda Kimmel. The trio, alongside Natalie Bolton and Alexis Jones, formed the Black Widow Brigade alliance, one of Survivor's most infamous, lethal, and dominating alliances in its history, and blindsided every soul on their path to the endgame.
Due to a twist, Cirie, Parvati, and Amanda weren't able to reach the Final Council together. Amanda, who had the final individual immunity necklace of the season, decided to send Cirie to the jury and Parvati to the final two, as she thought she had a better shot to win against Parvati. Unfortunately for Amanda, Parvati ultimately won the season with a 5-3 vote.
Later, Cirie and Parvati returned for Heroes vs. Villains, but they didn't play together, as they were on different tribes. Parvati returned once more for Survivor: Winners at War, but was voted out pre-merge, and Cirie was eliminated in Survivor: Game Changers at the final six due to the cataclysmic event known as Advantage-geddon. It wasn't until now that the BWB founders met once again in the Survivor arena, but not as rivals, or former allies turned heroes or villains, but as Survivor soulmates.
Cirie and Parvati can still win Survivor Australia vs. The World
Throughout Australia V The World, Cirie and Parvati have played thick as thieves, joining alliances as an unbreakable duo and orchestrating impressive manoeuvres to outwit their foes. Now, at the final four, both women stand a chance of becoming the next Australian Survivor champion, as they must overcome their Aussie rivals, Janine Allis and Luke Toki, to reach the Final Tribal Council and pitch their case to the jury.
From an edgic perspective, both Cirie and Parvati have an extraordinary shot against either Janine or Luke, as they have outlasted all the former World tribe members and have a packed resume as well. However, they still have a tough road ahead of them, as an immunity challenge remains to decide who will advance to the FTC and who will ultimately join the jury's ranks.
Additionally, Janine and Luke have worked closely together all season, so it wouldn't be too surprising if they preferred to take each other and only one of the Americans with them. There's a silver lining, though, as Janine expressed to both Cirie and Parvati that if push came to shove, she would be willing to betray Luke to reach the end with them. So, here's hoping any of the women wins that final immunity challenge.
All in all, there's still game left to be played before a new winner is crowned, but either Parvati could become the next two-time winner in the franchise, or Cirie could finally join the winner's circle, as she's also known to be "the best who has never won." Let's also not forget that we will see Cirie again soon when Survivor 50 premieres, and even then, Cirie could be another two-time winner!
As a long-time fan of Survivor and its various franchises, I've grown up watching Parvati and Cirie on my screen, dominating left and right, whichever season they're on, and even on other shows such as The Traitors and Big Brother. I am desperately rooting for either of them to win, and for the other to at least finish in second place. If it were up to me, I would crown them both right now as co-winners, but here's hoping the title (and the money!) goes to either legend.