Survivor Season 42 Finale Recap: Winner Revealed, Results Live Blog

The Final 5

The Final 5 arrive at a new beach after tribal council. Their new camp has nothing, not even a tarp or shelter. However, Maryanne is in high spirits. She feels like she has a chance to win now after leading the big move to vote out Omar. Lindsay, however, was blindsided by Omar’s ouster. She wants some answers. She asks Jonathan why he lied to her about the plan, but Jonathan points out that she voted for him. Lindsay wants to know the details of how the plan switched to Omar, but Jonathan continuously repeats that Lindsay voted for him. Lindsay calls him righteous in her confessional. Lindsay accuses Jonathan of being a disloyal alliance member since he told her a different plan. In addition, Romeo lies that he has a hidden immunity idol. He even created a fake idol. The question is if anyone believes he really has an idol.

The next morning, Jonathan, Mike, and Romeo discuss voting Lindsay out next. Meanwhile, Maryanne tells Lindsay she wants her in the Final 3. Maryanne also shares with Lindsay that Mike promised her his idol if they make it to the Final 5 together. Lindsay says that she’s in the worst position. She believes she’s definitely going home if she doesn’t win immunity. Later, Mike tells Lindsay he’ll be willing to play his idol on her. She knows he promised the same to Maryanne, so she’s unsure if she believes him.

Final Advantage

Before the immunity challenge, the final five castaways get tree mail. They each gets a word scramble to solve a riddle telling them where a hidden advantage is. They all work alone trying to solve the word scramble. After Lindsay is the first to unscramble the riddle, Mike and Jonathan tell the others they have to work together to prevent Lindsay from getting the advantage. While Lindsay is searching for the advantage, the other four are trying to solve the word scramble together. Maryanne admits in a confessional that she had to sandbag since she doesn’t want the other guys to find the advantage. She would rather Lindsay find it. Before they solved the riddle themselves, Lindsay finds the advantage. She opens it and learns she gets an advantage at the upcoming immunity challenge.

Immunity Challenge

The final five greet Jeff for the immunity challenge. For this challenge, they must collect puzzle pieces as they navigate different series of obstacles. The first castaway to finish the puzzle will win immunity. In addition, the winner will win a pasta and cake reward. Jeff also reveals the details of Lindsay’s advantage. While everyone will have to untie six knots to collect their bags of puzzle pieces, Lindsay will only have to untie one knot. The challenge begins, and Jonathan and Lindsay take the early lead. They are the first two to start working on their puzzle. The other three eventually start working on the puzzle too, and Mike ends up taking the lead. Jonathan falls behind as Lindsay is still in it. It’s a showdown between Mike and Lindsay. They each keep placing more pieces on their puzzle, but who will finish the puzzle first? Mike places his final piece when Lindsay only has one piece left on her puzzle. Mike wins immunity! He’s allowed to bring one person with him on reward. Mike chooses to bring Jonathan.

The Target Before the Vote

While Mike and Jonathan enjoy their reward, Lindsay laments losing by one puzzle piece. She is also annoyed how Jonathan didn’t even try to complete the puzzle. He just stood there and watched Mike finish the puzzle. She doesn’t want Jonathan to gloat about outlasting her in the game. Jonathan and Mike agree that Lindsay must be voted out tonight, and it doesn’t matter if Romeo has an idol or not. Jonathan is worried about Lindsay playing an idol, and he asks Mike to promise him he’ll play his idol on Jonathan if Lindsay plays one on herself. Mike assures Jonathan he absolutely will give his idol to Jonathan if he needs it. Meanwhile, Lindsay and Maryanne discuss Mike’s earlier promise. Maryanne believes Mike will play his idol on Maryanne tonight like he told her. Lindsay is unsure, but she hopes to guilt Mike into keeping her in the game.

After Mike and Jonathan return from their reward, Lindsay talks to Mike. She asks him for his help to keep her in the game. She says she’s always been loyal to Mike, and she wants him to return the same loyalty and trust they have built throughout the game. Mike agrees with what she’s saying, but he feels like his hands are tied with his promise to Maryanne. Lindsay says it feels like his late promise to Maryanne means more than Mike and Lindsay’s bond throughout the game. Later, Mike and Maryanne discuss the vote. Who would be the better choice to vote out at this point in game: Lindsay or Mike? Mike is unsure if they could beat Lindsay in the end, but Maryanne thinks they can. Maryanne also talks to Romeo, and he thinks beating Jonathan would be easier. Maryanne says voting out Lindsay would not be the bigger move since she already assumes she’s going home. Maryanne says it all comes down to what Mike decides.

Tribal Council

It’s time for tribal council. The first topic of discussion is the word scramble. Lindsay was the only one who solved the riddle. She knew she needed immunity, and she’s disappointed she’s the target. Jonathan says everyone recognizes Lindsay as a big threat. Maryanne says it was difficult to decide between voting emotionally or strategically. Lindsay pleads her case. She thinks she’s only a competitive threat, so she’s not as well-rounded of a player to be seen as a big threat. Jonathan disagrees. He says she was social with everyone and everyone loves her. Lindsay says she can only throw anything out there until Jeff snuffs her torch. Jonathan says it’s a fine line to be a strong player while not being too threatening to be a target. Maryanne thinks that’s why Omar was voted out. Mike says it’s about trust and relationships. As long as two people have each other’s backs, then they can protect each other. Jeff points out how people do align with people they think they can beat. Jeff asks what would this vote be called, and Romeo says, “The Fighter.” Lindsay says she likes that title. Lindsay says if she’s leaving because no one thinks they can beat her, then that’s the best way for her to leave. Afterwards, it’s time for the vote.

Before Jeff reads the votes, Mike plays his hidden immunity idol on Maryanne. Romeo also reveals his fake idol. He admits it’s a fake before he throws it into the fire.

The first vote is for…

Lindsay

Jonathan

Lindsay

Lindsay

Lindsay is the fourteenth person voted out and the seventh member of the jury.

Final Immunity Challenge

We don’t see the castaways return to camp after tribal council. Instead, we immediately go into the final immunity challenge the next morning. For this challenge, they must have one hand tied behind their back. They will drop a ball down a chute of a spinning mechanism. They must catch the ball and replace it. As the challenge progresses, they will have to add more balls. If they drop a ball, then they are eliminated from the challenge. The last person remaining will win immunity. The challenge begins, and Mike is the first one eliminated. Jeff points out how Mike was eliminated in the warmup phase of the challenge. The remaining three competitors drop their second balls down the chute. Maryanne drops her ball next, leaving Romeo and Jonathan left to compete. They enter the next phase of the competition with three balls, and they later stay in the challenge long enough to add a fourth ball. However, Jonathan drops a ball. Romeo wins immunity!

Romeo has been on the bottom of the tribe throughout the game. He’s proud of himself to have earned his spot in the Final 3. Mike pulls Romeo aside, and he tells him he knows he’ll have to make fire tonight. He says Romeo needs to consider who he would rather sit next to in the Final 3 between Jonathan and Maryanne. Maryanne says Jonathan and Mike are both very good at making fire, and she hopes Romeo will force them both to compete against each other. Maryanne hopes Jonathan beats Mike in the fire-making challenge as her ideal Final 3 is with Jonathan and Romeo. Romeo tells Maryanne that he doesn’t want Mike and Jonathan to know who they will be going up against. Maryanne is taking nothing for granted, so she’s practicing making fire too.

Fire-Making Challenge

It’s time for tribal council. Jeff asks about Romeo’s feelings about winning immunity. He says he encourages people to be the best they can be. He had to use that advice on himself, no matter how low he was feeling. If you just hang on long enough, then it can happen. He’s very proud of himself. Jeff asks how the others are feeling. Maryanne says anything can happen, so she feels like vomiting. Jonathan says he’s good at making fire. Mike says he’s definitely making fire tonight. He predicts it’s going to be Jonathan and himself making fire. Romeo says it wasn’t an easy decision. He has to go with his gut tonight. Jeff asks for Romeo’s decision. Romeo is bringing Maryanne to the Final 3 with him. Mike and Jonathan will compete in the fire-making challenge.

Mike and Jonathan must build a flame high enough to burn through a rope that will raise a flag. The challenge begins, and Mike is the first to create flame. Jonathan creates a flame too. Mike’s fire grows and grows, and it burns through the rope. Mike wins the fire-making challenge. Jonathan is the final member of the jury. Jonathan says it just wasn’t meant to be. He says Mike beat him fair and square. Mike says Jonathan is the best at making fire at camp, so it feels like a well-earned victory. Jonathan gets his torch snuffed by Jeff and walks away.

Maryanne, Mike, and Romeo spend their final day on the island. Before tribal council, we hear from some of the jury members. They want Mike to own up to playing a manipulative and backstabbing game. They wonder if Romeo deserves credit for allowing himself to be forgotten and brought to the end. They say Maryanne needs to articulate how she drove the season and prove there was more to her game than they were aware of. Likability won’t be enough.

Final Tribal Council

It’s time for Final Tribal Council. Omar begins the discussion. He congratulates all three of them for surviving an unpredictable game. He wants them to present their best argument and fight for their lives. Tori says she views Mike as a man of integrity, Maryanne as goofy and silly and didn’t take the game too seriously, and Romeo as quiet and reserved yet paranoid. She asks if that’s accurate to their game. Mike says he only went against his word once, and it was to Rocksroy. Maryanne disagrees that she didn’t take the game seriously. She noticed how young people were voted out, and she didn’t want to make herself a target. Romeo says he was at the bottom of the tribe. He threw hinky votes for strategic reasons. He admits to voting for Hai after Hai accuses Romeo of gaslighting him. Omar disagrees Mike never lied throughout the game. Mike explains he was just protecting himself. Chanelle says Mike is not owning up to his game. Mike says he kept his word to people until they deceived him first. Lindsay says Mike was allowed to talk to other people, but Mike’s allies weren’t allowed to talk to other people. Jonathan points out how Mike claimed his game was about honesty and dignity. He says Mike needs to own up to his actual game.

Drea says they are being hard on Mike, but she thinks Mike’s social game was on point. Omar says Maryanne’s social game put her on the bottom of the Taku tribe. Lindsay asks if she was able to draw anyone in. Maryanne says she was able to draw in Romeo for the Omar vote. Jonathan said he and Mike were already thinking about voting out Omar, but Maryanne asserts she was thinking about it too.  Jonathan asks about Romeo’s social game. Romeo says he’s better at one-on-one conversations. He made an alliance with every single person.

Rocksroy discusses the physical aspect of the game. He asks what skills did they bring. Maryanne was good at weaving pawn fronds and preparing fish. Mike says he had a good work ethic and never stopped moving. Romeo never went camping and only learned how to swim before the season. He says he was proud of himself for winning the final immunity challenge.

Drea asks about their game strategy. What was the biggest move they made on their own? Romeo says his game turned into a self-preservation game. He says he created a fake hidden immunity idol and won the final challenge to earn himself a spot. They ask why did he bring Maryanne. He says he didn’t think she had a strategy, and he says he wanted to bring someone who was viewed the same as him. Mike says his big move was the Hai blindside. Hai asks if he played an emotional game or a strategic game. Mike says he played both. He also admits that maybe he didn’t play with as much integrity as he initially thought he did. He played the game that would help him get to the end. Maryanne says when he voted out Omar, she set herself up to make it to the Final 3. She also reveals finding the immunity idol and telling no one. The jury asks what did they learn about themselves throughout the game. Romeo didn’t want to play from the bottom, but that was the hand he was dealt. He could only play with people who was willing to play with him until he won his spot in the Final 3. Romeo says he will leave this game as a free man. He’s gay, but he won’t let the negative thoughts of family members and others get him down. Mike says he wants his kids to see that they can do whatever they set their minds to. Maryanne didn’t want to lose friendships. She wanted Lindsay in the Final 3 with her, but she had to do what was best for her game. She is emotional as she discusses pushing people away in her life so they don’t hurt her first. She learned she had to be willing to risk losing in order to have a chance to win.

The Winner

Afterwards, the jurors cast their votes. We see Chanelle write the letter ‘M’, but we don’t see who anyone voted for. Who will be the Season 42 winner?

Jeff surprises the castaways by reading the votes there on the island.

The first vote is for…

Mike

Maryanne

Maryanne

Maryanne

Maryanne

Maryanne

MARYANNE OKETCH WINS SURVIVOR 42!

After Show

Next is the after show. After the cameraman move around and the castaways are served pizzas and champagne, Jeff begins the discussion. He asks Maryanne’s feelings. She’s proud to be the 40th winner of Survivor. She points out how it’s the 42nd season, but Sandra Diaz-Twine and Tony Vlachos have won twice. She feels like she swayed the jury after telling them about her idol and how she set herself up to make it to the end of the game. The jury reveals they were all undecided before the Final Tribal Council. Hai says Maryanne explained her game so eloquently. Omar says Mike faltered with the Q&A while Maryanne “snatched it.” Jeff asks Mike’s thoughts after multiple jury members reveal they were leaning towards Mike before Final Tribal Council. Mike says he lived the dream and has no regrets. He says Maryanne earned it, and it’s still a great day for him. Jeff asks Romeo his thoughts. Romeo says he didn’t come for a million dollars. He wanted to make it to the end of Survivor. He got life experience, will be living the life he wants to live, and he also has no regrets. He still feels like he’s leaving as a winner.

Jeff brings up memorable moments. He first mentions the secret amulet twist in the opening of the game. Lindsay says Hai and Drea had to sway her to agree to go for the advantage. Jeff wanted to bring a theme of fun into the game. He brings up Drea’s multiple advantages and the secret phrases to activate the hidden immunity idols. Rocksroy is the only one who never realized the silly phrases were part of a twist. Lindsay admits the “Do or Die” twist was cool, even though she regretted putting herself in that position. Jeff also brings up how Lindsay was originally supposed to be on Survivor 41, but she tested positive for COVID-19. Jeff was impressed with her optimistic attitude after the bad news before she was selected to be on Survivor 42.

Jeff asks if this new era of Survivor is more difficult. It’s a shorter season, but there is less food and many more twists and advantages. Chanelle says the lack of food makes the game harder. Jonathan felt like he couldn’t hide with the smaller tribes. Omar and Mike say losing their votes made the game tougher. Lindsay likes the new twists since it makes the game less predictable. She calls it a cool ride. Jeff asks about managing their emotions. Maryanne says they need to validate their feelings. It’s okay if they feel bad since it’s part of the experience. Tori says she cried more than she thought she would. Jeff asks if anyone ever had an emotional cry in the game, and everyone raises their hands. Omar says it’s because they are stripped of everything with no comfort. Drea agrees that it’s very hard.

Jeff asks Omar to describe the Final 3 as animals. He says Maryanne is an Amazon parrot. They are fun and goofy, but also intelligent. He says Romeo is a fledgling bird who needed to be nurtured. He says Mike is a koala bear. He’s warm and cuddly, but he has dangerous claws. Jeff does one final check with the Final 3. Romeo says he’s very proud of himself. He got the whole experience and he has no hard feelings from the game. Mike says he’s good with the end result. He says he doesn’t really need the money, and he knows good things will happen with Maryanne winning the money. Maryanne says it still doesn’t feel like it’s happening. She didn’t think she was going to win before the game started, and it feels like she’s dreaming. Jeff says she is a great winner and representative for the season.

The episode ends with a preview of Survivor 43, which will premiere in the fall.

And that wraps up Survivor 42. Thanks for reading, and feel free to post your thoughts in the comments section below.