Parvati Shallow celebrating her second win.
Picture: Community Ten
Parvati Shallow has as soon as once more devoured her prey. The participant, who was already on the Mount Rushmore of Survivor historical past earlier than this yr, gained Survivor: Australia v the World on September 7, making her the franchise’s third two-time winner and cementing her standing as the best Survivor participant of all time. Sadly, the season is unavailable to legally stream in america (David Ellison, new proprietor of Paramount, has work to do), however those that have seen it, whether or not as a result of they dwell Down Below or watched it illicitly, know that this recreation was Parvati’s greatest but. Even she, within the finale, referred to as it her “greatest recreation ever,” beating out dominant earlier performances on 2008’s Survivor: Micronesia and 2010’s Heroes vs. Villains.
“That is my ultimate time taking part in Survivor, so to have been awarded the win from the jury is the sweetest second,” the enduring headband-wearer mentioned in her final confessional, revealing her retirement. “I’m so grateful to have been part of this unbelievable expertise of Australia v the World. There’s one thing about this recreation that simply will get in my blood, I really feel like I used to be born to play Survivor.” She entered the sport as one of many greatest targets resulting from her earlier legacy, performed the whole season with out getting a single vote solid in opposition to her, then ended her profession on high, receiving all however one of many jury’s votes. Now that’s world domination.
The season started with two tribes: One facet was all legends from Australian Survivor, together with David Genat, whom Parvati performed with on Deal or No Deal Island earlier this yr and Parvati’s eventual co-finalists, Luke Toki and Jeanine Allis. The opposing tribe was made up of notable Survivor gamers from across the globe: the opposite Individuals becoming a member of Parvati, her former Micronesia ally Cirie Fields and Survivor two-time winner Tony Vlachos; Survivor: New Zealand’s Lisa Holmes; Quebec’s Kass Bastarache; Finland’s Tommi Manninen; and South Africa’s Rob Bentele. Notably, Parvati was the one one of many huge threats (as the one former winner aside from the little-known Lisa) who made it by means of the early days of the sport. David went out first on the Australian tribe, whereas Rob and Tony tried to focus on Parvati and have been promptly despatched residence as properly, with Tony in his ultimate phrases promising that Parvati was subsequent on the chopping block given her risk degree.
Sadly for Tony, Parvati was not going to be so simply chopped. She and Cirie labored collectively all through the sport, making allies with their fellow World tribemates, after which, as soon as the merge hit, with Aussies as properly. Within the center recreation, Parvati additionally discovered a hidden immunity idol and a steal-an-idol benefit, making her troublesome to beat. She solely voted in opposition to the bulk as soon as all season — on the ultimate 4, when she wished her “Survivor soulmate,” Cirie to affix her on the ultimate tribal council, as an alternative of seeing her exit simply earlier than the finals for a 3rd time.
Parvati’s best-remembered transfer this season will doubtless be from episode seven, when Kass, who was Parvati’s greatest immunity-challenge risk, tried to play her personal idol on herself, and Parvati lied concerning the energy of her steal-an-idol benefit, pretending she had the power to steal Kass’s idol after the votes have been solid. She didn’t, however it was sufficient to sway Kass in opposition to utilizing her immunity, and finally Kass was despatched again to Quebec. “Kass whips out her idol, and I used to be like, ‘Gulp, wasn’t anticipating that,’” Parvati says in her ultimate tribal-council speech. “However then I remembered I had the benefit — you’ve gotta be in your toes out right here — so I pulled it out my benefit, learn the primary two traces, which say, ‘That is data is energy, you possibly can steal somebody’s immunity,’ however I don’t learn the third line, which says, ‘It’s a must to current this to Jonathan [LaPaglia, the host] earlier than he says it’s time to vote.’” That type of in-the-moment bluff is what makes Parvati Shallow a scary, all-time nice participant.
The following all-star season, Survivor 50, arrives this spring after Survivor 49 premieres September 24. That winner has some large sneakers immunity necklaces to fill.