Part 4: And The Winner Is...

John's next. "Why should I write your name down?" he asks Mick. "You're not gonna find a more solid guy here right now," he answers. "You don't treat people like pawns. I don't."

And then he asks Natalie about her reactions to whoever says she's got to play the game now. "The most aggressive female was voted off first," she answers--basically, the same like she game Shambo. John's disappointed. "I was hoping to see your strategic thinking tonight," he went. Another dumb one down, then?

The highlight of the jury, for me, was Erik, who didn't ask a question, and gave a pretty emotional speech instead. What do you expect from the guy who's been blindsided right after the merge, and gave fist-pumps and hoo-rahs whenever Galu lost one more? He began be hinting that Mick doesn't deserve the win, mentioning Foa Foa's dismal performance under his watch. "I struggled for 39 days to see why you'd be named leader of the tribe," he says.

Then, to Russell: "We got nothing in common. You played a non-ethical game, and yet you're sitting there, and I'm standing here."

And then, finally, to Natalie: "People will call you weak, but why is that any more admirable than lying, cheating and stealing? Perception is not reality. Reality is reality, and you're sitting there, and that makes you just as dangerous. In any environment with arrogance"--Russell shot!--"and delusional entitlement"--irked Mick shot!--"the person who's weakest will win. You got my vote."

And so, for the final time, the vote. We all know how it goes: you want to see your name on that piece of paper. Erik obviously goes for Natalie ("enjoy this," he goes) and Shambo goes for Russell ("you're the only one out there who's deserving"). But, of course, Jeff will fly away with the votes, to be revealed at the live reunion show. Nope, no helicopters, and no flames: just him walking off to the dark Samoan jungle, and transitioning to CBS Television City in Los Angeles.

At last, we'll have a winner. Hooray!

Mick hasn't changed a bit. Natalie looks fatter, and I'm not used to it. Russell hasn't shaved the beard, but already looks very, very droopy. Jeff reads the votes. One for Ratalie--err, Natalie. One for Russell. One for Natalie. One for Russell. One for Natalie. One more for Natalie. And yet one more for Natalie. That's enough. She wins.

Natalie White is the winner of Survivor: Samoa.

Seven votes to two, in fact. Russell looks absolutely sad; he's just congratulating Natalie because he has to, but you can see he's not into it. Although I understand where he's coming from: he did play one hell of a game, so why didn't that give him the win? Simple answer: spite. Well, that's done for the season, but not yet--there's still the reunion show! By then, we'll have answers about that spite bit.





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