Easily one of the most iconic and beloved parts ofSurvivorhas been the exciting and unpredictable blindsides. When several contestants conspire against their allies to betray them and vote them out in an unexpected fashion, completely taking them by surprise, it makes for some of the most memorable moments in the show’s history. Some of the best players of all time have notorious blindsides in their resumes, with each season having its own standout signature blindsides and standout moments.
Because ofSurvivor’s reputation as a game show all about trust, deception, and connections,the blindside completely encapsulates everything that makes the game so enthralling. Especially for a show that has gone on for as long as Survivor, there are countless iconic blindsides throughout the show’s history, making the best of the best that much more exciting and memorable. Whether the blindside was aided by an immunity idol or was drawn out of pure gameplay, it always makes for electric and mystifying television.
A reality show where a group of contestants are stranded in a remote location with little more than the clothes on their back. The lone survivor of this contest takes home a million dollars.
10Sophie Clarke
Season 40: Winners at War
Especially in such a high-stakes season asSurvivor: Winners at War, consisting entirely of some of the game’s most legendary former winners, the level of gameplay was always going to be at a top level. This is most prominently seen through the blindside of the winner ofSurvivor: South Pacific,Sophie Clark, who by the midpoint in the game, was in a pretty great position, having core alliances and an immunity idol. However, especially in the game of Survivor, being in a good spot doesn’t always last for long, as Sophie’s target soon grew too big for some of her allies.
Most notably,Tony Vlachosnoticed that Sophie, on top of her strength in the game and idol, was doing a good job at cementing herself as a replacement ride-or-die for his #1 partner in the game,Sarah Lacina. By plotting with those on the bottom and blindsiding Sophie from the game,Tony was able to not only flush out an idol but remove any possibility of Sarah flipping on him in the future.This blindside had further excitement in the form of Tony just barely scraping by to pull it off, as he was on the receiving end of an extortion advantage earlier in the episode that jeopardized the entire plan.
9Andrew Savage
Season 31: Cambodia
While maybe not as cutthroat and deceptive as a standard blindside, a timely immunity idol play can easily make for one of the most exciting and completely unexpected ways for one’s game to fall apart at a moment’s notice. One ofthe most legendary idol plays in all ofSurvivorcomes fromSurvivor: Cambodia, a season filled with returning players looking to redeem themselves on their second time out. In one of the early episodes following the merge, legendary playerKelly Wentworthpulled off one of the most successful idol plays in history, in the process taking downAndrew Savage.
While playing an idol to save oneself and take out an enemy is far from original, this specific play stands out greatly because of just how effective and unexpected it was from Wentworth.The play still holds the record for the single most voted negated at a single time, with Wentworth negating 12 separate votes, then able to use her vote alongside allyAbi-Maria Gomesto take out Savage, one of the biggest threats of the season. The sequence still stands out as one of the most electric and exciting moments of Survivor, showing how one should never underestimate those on the bottom.
8Matt Elrod (Second Time)
Season 22: Redemption Island
One of few contestants who were voted off twice in the same season,Matt Elrodbecame victim to this nefarious blindside thanks to the theme ofSurvivor: Redemption Island. The season allowed for contestants who were voted off to fight their way back into the game, with Matt excelling in challenges and making it back during the merge. However, the season was also infamous for the return oflegendarySurvivorvillainRob Mariano, who tightened his grip and control over the game by blindsiding Matt a second time in the same game.
After being told by Matt that he considered flipping, but is devoted to staying true to his original tribe with Rob, Rob takes the opportunity to make an example of Matt, showing exactly what happens to people that even consider flipping. It’s easily one of the most cutthroat and precise blindsides that Rob has ever done, even more ruthless by the fact thatMatt is being eliminated in the literal first vote that he returned to the game.
The 10 Best Immunity Idol Plays in ‘Survivor’
The best gameplay in Survivor isn’t always the winning kind.
7Michaela Bradshaw
Season 33: Millennials vs. Gen X
One of the best ways that a Survivor blindside can become memorable in the eyes of the audience is the reaction of shock and confusion that comes from the contestant being blindsided in real-time. One of the most animated and iconic reactions to being blindsided easily comes fromMichaela Bradshaw, as she is voted off in the final vote before the merge after a twist swapping into new tribes. While the vote itself from contestantsJay StarrettandWill Wahlwas a questionable play in the first place, the reaction all but makes up for Michaela’s tragic early exit.
As soon as Michaela’s third vote is read aloud, and she realizes she’s been blindsided, Michaela makes an immediate vocal reaction and death stare towards Jay,realizing that he blindsided her. As if this reaction wasn’t shocking enough, Jay only responds with the coldest look of pride and strength possible, further amplifying this scene in the eyes ofSurvivorfans. While it made for a shock at the time, Michaela would eventually make a much-deserved deeper run when she returned forSurvivor: Game Changers.
6Erik Reichenbach
Season 16: Micronesia
One of the most infamous moments inSurvivorhistory,Erik Reichenbachwas one of the last remaining favorites fromSurvivor: Micronesia’s Fans vs Favorites theme, on top of being the final target of the legendary Black Widow Brigade Alliance. However, after winning individual immunity at the perfect time, it seemed as if the alliance would have to get rid of one of its members, or at least that would happen in every other conceivable scenario.
In reality, the alliance hatches a scheme to convince Erik to give up his immunity at the tribal council, preying upon his trusting nature and stabbing him in the back immediately for this.Surprisingly, Erik ends up actually giving up his individual immunity to Natalie Bolton, assuming that she would vote alongside him and vote for another returning player. This only sealed his fate, as the alliance just as easily blindsided Erik as soon as he gave away his protection.
5Cody Assenmacher
A blindside is always more heartbreaking and impactful when it comes from an ally so close, with one of the most powerful examples in recent memory being the blindside ofCody AssenmacherinSurvivor 43. In the penultimate episode of the season, powerful modern villainJesse Lopezdecides that it’s in the best interest of his own game to take out his closest ally, Cody, who he’s been allied with since the very beginning of the game.
However, as opposed to many blindsides in the past, where the result is one that causes disappointment and anger towards the one committing the blindside,Survivor 43has a more cognizantly aware cast. While still clearly sad about leaving the game, Cody only has nothing but respect for his ally and friend in Jesse, happy for him that he was able to pull off such a big move in voting him off.This acts as the perfect encapsulation of the modern blindside, elevated by the high-level gameplay and respected even by the person being blindsided.
10 ‘Survivor’ Players of the 2020s Who Beat the Odds
“Outwit. Outplay. Outlast.”
4Sarah Lacina
Survivor: Cagayan
Before she would eventually become aSurvivorlegend of her own for her amazing games inGame ChangersandWinners at War, Sarah found herself as the pivotal merge blindside during her first time out inSurvivor: Cagayan. Because of the higher stakes, power struggle, and increased possibilities that come from every team coming together during the merge, it makes for the perfect moment for a powerful blindside.
This blindside was further amplified in memorability because of just how much the tables turned from the beginning of the episode to the end, with Sarah going from the pivotal swing vote to the main target.Combined with one of the most hectic and exhilarating tribal councils up until that point, everything surrounding Sarah’s elimination helped this easily become one of the most beloved andexciting episodes inSurvivorhistory.
3J.T. Thomas
Season 20: Heroes vs. Villains
Going intoSurvivor: Heroes vs. Villains,J.T. Thomaswas easily one of the most promising returning players, considering he had played the first-ever perfect game in his debut season,Survivor: Tocantins. However, having already proven just how well he can play the game of Survivor, J.T. took his second outing as an opportunity to play a riskier and more dynamic game, resulting in this massive misread that resulted in his elimination at the merge.
In a plan that would have been ingenious if it had worked, J.T. and the rest of the heroes, assuming that there was a powerful all-woman alliance on the villains' tribe, gave their immunity idol toRussell Hantzduring the challenge, so he could save himself.However, this plan clearly backfired, as they didn’t have the knowledge of Russell’s previous season, or else they would have known that he was not only a massive villain, but the leader of the villain’s alliance.Parvati Shallowwould soon after use both J.T.’s idol and her own to secure the villains were safe as well as J.T.’s demise.
2Lex van den Berghe
Season 8: All-Stars
The early seasons ofSurvivorwere not nearly as cutthroat and gameplay-heavy as later seasons, as the game simply hadn’t evolved into the way that it’s known today. While these seasons certainly had their memorable blindsides, none are more memorable than Boston Rob’s betrayal ofLex van den BergheinSurvivor: All-Stars. This was a blindside that went well beyond the confines of the game, as Lex and Rob were real-life friends outside the game who had bonded over their shared experience ofSurvivor.
Rob used this real-life friendship to get what he wanted out of Lex, having him protect his ally Amber during an unlucky tribe swap before the merge in exchange for teaming up at the merge. However, as soon as the merge happened, and Lex had done what Rob had asked of him,Rob immediately went back on his word, betraying their real-life friendship, and made Lex the first elimination of the merge.This vote solidified Rob as a true masterful villain of the game, willing to do anything and burn every bridge possible to win the game.
1Ozzy Lusth
By the midpoint ofSurvivor: Micronesia,Ozzy Lusthseemed genuinely unstoppable, being a well-liked challenge beast in the majority alliance, he was poised to take home the entire game. However, during an off point where he miraculously didn’t win individual immunity, members of his alliance,Cirie Fieldsand Parvati Shallow, created an airtight plan to take him out before it was too late. They brought together those on the bottom to create a close yet effective 5-4 vote, just enough to take home the biggest threat of the entire season right under his nose.
What made this plan that much more dangerous was that Ozzy had a hidden immunity idol, and if he were at all worried and saw his demise coming, he could have easily made himself immune to all votes.This required each member of this betrayal to act as if nothing was out of the ordinary and lure Ozzy into a false sense of security at this most important vote of the entire season. This would soon be the beginning of the reign of one of the most powerful alliances inSurvivorhistory, the Black Widow Brigade, as well as the most legendary blindsides inSurvivorhistory.
