The Finale is upon us! Please post all commentary regarding the episode that airs tonight in this thread until the show has aired in its entirety on the West Coast. And, do not forget to have PHUN!!! Let's GO!!

• The Finale! Here we go!,Flowerpower1, 09:10 PM, 12-14-22
  • RE: The Finale! Here we go!,michel2, 09:11 PM, 12-14-22
• Karla finds the "slight" advantage for the F5 IC,Flowerpower1, 09:25 PM, 12-14-22
  • Owen Wins IC,michel2, 09:40 PM, 12-14-22
• Owen wins reward/immunity....,Flowerpower1, 09:39 PM, 12-14-22
  • Jesse's Idol..,michel2, 09:42 PM, 12-14-22
• F5 TC,Flowerpower1, 09:51 PM, 12-14-22
  • Predictable,michel2, 09:52 PM, 12-14-22
• Karla is out at F5,Flowerpower1, 10:06 PM, 12-14-22
  • 3 IC Wins,michel2, 10:10 PM, 12-14-22
    • Cass,Flowerpower1, 10:18 PM, 12-14-22
• Cassidy wins F4 immunity,Flowerpower1, 10:16 PM, 12-14-22
• Final Tribal,Flowerpower1, 10:26 PM, 12-14-22
• Fire making challenge....Jesse vs Gabler,Flowerpower1, 10:36 PM, 12-14-22
  • RE: Fire making challenge....Jesse vs Gabler,coldbrewer, 10:44 PM, 12-14-22
    • Yeah....,Flowerpower1, 10:50 PM, 12-14-22
• F3,Flowerpower1, 10:47 PM, 12-14-22
• Social, physical, strategic,Flowerpower1, 11:08 PM, 12-14-22
• Votes,Flowerpower1, 11:17 PM, 12-14-22
  • Votes: WTF! ,michel2, 11:19 PM, 12-14-22
    • RE: Votes: WTF! ,coldbrewer, 11:22 PM, 12-14-22
  • OMFG,coldbrewer, 11:21 PM, 12-14-22
  • RE: Votes,Sheldor, 11:01 AM, 12-18-22
    • RE: Votes,sj007, 00:57 AM, 12-22-22
      • RE: Votes,Flowerpower1, 11:59 AM, 12-28-22
        • RE: Votes,sj007, 00:52 AM, 12-30-22

Night 23, they replay the TC the night before...Jessie plays the idol for Owen

Right before TC Cody hands me back the idol....then Karla plays her\s, so the plan went perfectly, but I still have an idol...made it to the F5, go to a new beach, start over, the beginning of the final push to get to the end!

Sunrise...

seee Owen and the five going up the hill to the vantage point.
Gabler: final stage, day 24, not much in the tank, Im the assassin, I'm hiding in plain site, no one is looking at me yet

Gabler: for me, hard to believe, buy game started so poorly now I need to be perfect to reach the top
Jesse: all season I have played a subtle game, now my threat level is off the charts, but still have an idol

Cass: I wasn't able to make huge flashy moves, push to the end and fight to make my case
Karla: I don't have an idol, busted up, I have the heart of a warrior
Cass that fight that is in me is unmatched
Jesse this is a free for all
Karla people don't see me as a threat, hell yeah I want to be a threat

Camp am... they are looking for fire supplies and coconut...exploring
we worked all season to build civilization, part of me is surprised, don't have much in tank, all about living to the next day

get tree mail, everyone has an envelope. clue to secret advantage...solve the phrase to uncover the secret advantage, solve a word scramble...then you can go look for it with the clue

Jesse final advantage of the game, no idea what it is...Jesse is nervous because he doesn't think anyone wants to take him

Owen is in the zone....before the biggest threats of the game

Karla gets it...she is first...right as Owen figures out what it his, Karla takes off she is the last person she wants to find it
part of the clue that says lifeless....a tree

Owen has it next...he takes off like a bat out of hell
and then he sprints past....if he finds it first...she is looking for a dead tree

Owen remembers that the clue said knots...he needs to look for a dead tree
Karla is going to find it....they are looking at dead trees... Karla is catching up to him and snags it right before he does...he's furious...two inches from my fingertips....not only was I this close, the only person that I didn't want to get it , got it. Another Charlie Brown moment....it sucksx

Karla I fee like I am the only one that needs the advantage, only one on the outs
slight advantage...good luck

Hopefully it does the trick!

That advantage could easily turn to nothing considering Karla's condition.

Owen was furious! Lol

Challenge

See the set up, starting in the ocean going through stages on the beach and then end in puzzle...

Karla tells Jiffy about the slight advantage...

maneuver buoy thru obstacles, use two handles to transport blocks over challenge end in puzzle.

Playing for reward. P{protein burst. Sanctuary, steak baked potato, wine and cheesecake...

Karla will start with 10 Here we go

starting with the line and buoy...go...manuever the buoy over obstacles...up a ladder...Owen first, then Cass gabler, karla...Jesse is terrible in last

Owen is tearing up the course...Owen is on his way

untying knots to get bag, Owen has puzzle blocks...Karla has hers, then Cassidy...trasport the blocks up a beam, seesaw beam...and Owen drops all of his...Karla is over first...she already has 10 at the table

gabler is across and so is Owen...
Karla in the lead. Owen with a lot more lblocks
Karla with last blocks
Owen is almost done...
word scramble. Owen with his last blocks...working on puzzle

word phrase

gabler is threre
Everyone there working on the puzzle phrase

Cassidy is going fast
Karla things she has it
Owen is making a move now
Karla says no...Owen is moving fast now...
Owen has it! Winner!

Cassidy tells him this is your redemption from earlier...

Reward...choose one person to go with...Cassidy is going

TC one of the four will go home...

Owen: after watching Karla snatch the advantage from my fingertips, I'm back on top, feels amazing

Despite missing the advantage, Owen snatched the prize. So, Jesse and Owen are in F4 and it seems Cassidey and Gabler are with them so Karla has very little chances of making it to Day 25.

How often have I said that the fire challenge would have been perfect for a Final 2? I don't know why they've stuck with the F3 all these years. No one has to worry if they are in F4 so going all the way back to F7 the game could be done.

and takes Cassidy with him for a steak and baked potato

Others back to plot at camp

the sanctuary....

Jeff has outdone himself this time...
Owen: sitting at the table with my dear friend Cassidy, I feel like a king. amazing to win my third in
now about putting myself in a position to win this game
they talk
Karla and Jesse they are threats. Karla a wiz with puzzles, she's smart and can talk
Jesse is dangerous the mastermind behind the biggest threat of the season
Cassidy thinks he's leaning toward Jessie, but I want Karla gone tonight...Cass is telling him her thoughts...Cass says her preference is Karla

they don't think anyone would take Gabler seriously

Owen and Cass say Karla tonight
Cassidy says it will be a good move for me to get her before she gets me

at the camp. see Karla and now Jesse, and then Gabler...chopping coconut....here is my steak and potato right here. I was hoping Owen would pick me....says Gabler. Mentally I am breaking down
need nourishment at the eleventh hour, hoping I can hold it together for another couple of days

Karla says we have to flip it on Cass...Karla tells him we need to get Gabler....
the winner gets to choose who they sit with, if Karla gets taken out, I don't want to go out in fire...
Karla is pitching Can,s, but I want him he made the biggest move of the season

Gabler now joins them...we want to take out Cass
Gabler says: they want to take out Cass but I want to sit next to Cass and Owen , my goal is to take out Karla and Jesse
Karla talking to Gabler....tries to say take out Jesse. He has a perfect game

she wants to tell them all how big a hthreat Jesse is.
Owen has considered voting for Jesse. but Karla she can talk and she is putting forth a very valid argument...this vote sets the table...didn't come all this way just to be a zero vote finalist, what is best for my game.

Cassidy and Karla talk...she trying to talk her into voting for Jesse...Cass says I am not an idiot

Karla is trying to stir up chaos...trying all of these tactics
Karla tells her you can't use any pre merge stuff because that was all me and James...Cassidy is pissed
I'm worried about what she might do tonight

Cassidy tells Jesse that Karla is throwing his name out all day
Jesse: In my heart...but at the same time my heart is telling me to vote out Cassidy, the best strategic move for me is to vote out Cassidy...so I'm weighing out my options, figure out what I can ado at TC with my idol....just have to figure out how to use it.

I think Jesse has to play the idol for himselfso maybe his talk about not knowing how to use it could have been about Cody's idol, the one he used on Owen.

I cannot for the life of me figure out why Jeese may see Cassidy as a bigger threat than Karla? We'll see!

night 24

See Cody

Final 5, last time you can vote someone out...Jesse says he starts throwing everyone else under the bus
he looks at Karla
then Karla says last tc someone stole someones idol...jury sees it the one person playing the idol...you are saying Jesse made a big move so Jesse should be the one ...he pulls out Jeanine's idol....he is punching his ticket to the final four....Jeanine is that was mine! they are all comment ing on it...Jeanine has her mouth open so wide for so long
Now, does this make you nervous. Karla says it was a flex...there are two other options says Karla...
Cassidy or Gabler
Karla is a fast talker
Jesse says he is thinking about this all day. Karla says would you like to dance, and they go off to vote...Jesse wants to get Gabler on board to take out Cass....
Owen is freaking out....
Cassidy is more nervous than when we started the night
Cassidy says me and Jesse have a good relationship
Gabler says the turmoil and the chaos is going on all day...it's anybody...Jiffy says time to vote

Karla is voting Cass
Cass is voting Karla
see Jesse

Jesse is saying he doesn't think he needs to play it, but his good friend cody taught me to always play it safe or something like that

Jesse
Karla
Karla
Karla!

That's how you play the game, she hugs everyone
Karla said I had to write your name down Jesse, can't let you have a perfect game!

I love you all

See Jeanine

Owen: that was fun
Made it to the F4

Karla says she thinks she played a kick ##### game, no other way I would have wanted to go

Another easy prediction: If he doesn't win the IC Gabler gets taken to the F3.

Challenge arena
...come on in....day 25 final IC

use long fork to maneuver bowl over channel, and stack them on a wobbly structure, first to stack 15 bowls wins immunity

biggest challenge of Survivor 43

go

they have to navigate the bowl through a maze structure, and stack it at the top...Cassidy got hers through first then gabler. Jesse and Owen dropped theirs

Jesse is so bad at these...a decent breeze will make the stack wobble

gabler Cassidy in Owen Jesse in the behind spot

gabler at 11, Cass and Owen at 10 Jesse at eight
can you stand the wind, a big gust
Gabler still in the lead

a gust of wind gablers stack is moving and falls

he's down to three
Cassidy in lead

Cass and Owen at 12, Jesse at nine
Owen in lead now
two left and Owen drops his one bowl has to go back, but Cass in lead
Cass has 14

Owen drops his whole stack and Cassidy has only one more

here comes the wind

Cassidy is going to win....and she wins

she's crying

Jesse hugs her...

Owen slaps himself

her third win

Jesse looks defeated...
Cassidy might inspire other little girls this could be a million dollar necklace to me.

Cass: this was the biggest on e of the season for me, who do you want to make fire...I don't feel comfortable sitting next to Jesse so who has a better chance of beating Jesse right now.

That's pretty good for Cass. It could earn her a couple of votes.

Cass, one of the most strategic players of the season....NOT! Ugh. Her idea of playing the game was to be a small presence and go after anyone you didn't like or that wrote your name down. Ugh.

And, she will choose someone that has the best chance of winning in the fire challenge vs Jesse.

So, will it be Owen or Gabler that has to make fire vs Jesse?

They return to camp
Cassidy: I won the final IC I knew how crucial this win was. they all hug her. this win couldn't have come at a better time.
Owen: IU pent the whole time walking back...to the jury Jesse is the top dog, so If I were to go to TC and win fire that would be my bast chance. Owen says it was a big hit today, was almost ready to give up, crying....what do you do when you fall down....I fell and kind of laid there for a while and that's not me, that's not me as a person, I will see if I can get myself in to go up against Jesse and win.

Cassidy wants to get someone who can beat him

Jesse: It sucks, lost the most important one today...if I was in that position and there was someone that played my game, I know I am going to fire, I am locked in, this is my one shot....I want to make it against Cassidy because that is my best shot to win. See Jesse try and tap Cassidy into making fire against him...only way she will win the game.

see Jesse really struggle....

I'm one challenge away, crying, between me and a million dollars, giving my kids that security that Never had so I'm not going to stop

see Cassidy and Gabler....GAbler thinks he could beat Jesse

Gabler I can play this game and I need a big move I want to go make fire, but I'm running on pure heart...Gabler says he is winded and light headed....but I got to pull it together tonight, Need her to put me in for fire...I will do something that's never been done, I will donate the entire prize to charity, I will win million dollars and give to veterans in need

Cass is deciding, who will beat him that won't come back and beat me....but if I put him in fire and he comes back in a blaze of glory, he could steal the win from me. ...she thinks Gabler could win fire and and then come back and I could still beat him.

Owen needs Cass to put me in fire,

Jesse says If I pull this off I can win....crying

Cassidy, if I make this decision right, it could change my whole life

Here we go!

Night 25

Cassidy, this was the paramount win of the season, I'm super proud...you get to plead your case and equally imps is the decision to put in that spot....GAbler looks over to the fire area....everyone lined up to talk to me...this could make or break my game

Jiffy asks Jesse what was your pitch...

Jesse says that if you think I am such a big threat you should sit and make fire against me....

Jesse is making fire....

Gabler was please let me make fire....want to go in a blaze of glory
Owen says he would love to make fire, rather go out swinging
Cass says there are three people saying that they want to make fire.
Cass says it's ablout me, what is the best for me
She will take Owen to go to the F3

So it will be Gabler and Jesse in fire.

Gabler is feeling good, I can do this, want to end my 25 days with an exclamation point

Jesse says he was making fire all day long, do what I can give it my all

They go to make fire

Jesse looks scared to death....I worry about Gabler's beard going up in smoke, tbh!

Build the fire high enough to burn the small rope.

begin

Jesse says he wrrked on his all day, Jesse will get a spark going

Gabler has flame

Jesse has flame

gabler has bigger flame

adding sticks

Jesse flame is out

Jesse has played the whole game slow and steady

Jesse has flame

Gabler is way bigger

Jesse trying to build the flame

gabler is winning it. they are playing sad music for Jesse

Gabler wins
I don't think I can watch the rest of this....Jesse is crying.

He really blew it.

Jesse says he is playing as hard as he could for his kids....I feel like I did that, it was right there and it's hard...had to fight my entire life to get where I am, I don't have a safety net, everyday feels like do or die. slips through your fingers.

I was in denial but my gut was Jesse gone at F4. Phhhhhuuuu….

Yes, I agree but I just cannot see anyone else that had any game really. It's down to the supporting cast, and I just cannot understand what has happened to this game that the lesser players are now the winners....last 3 seasons have all been the same, imho.

I think they have tweaked the game too much. What does it say to people that want to go on anymore. If you are strong, strategically or physically you will never win the game? Ugh.

Cassidy, Owen, Gabler. The three biggest strategic threats of the game. Ugh.

Day 26

we made it through our last night. Owen is happy he can't be voted out any more.

But there is still a monkey on my back, I have to go in front of the jury...I've been the underdog.

Karla says Owen embodies never giving up
Noelle says she is rooting for Owen
they hug as breakfast arrives.

Gabler is excited, it brings your body and mind back into the game. at 51 I made the fire, I never got one vote.
Cassidy thinks she's the dark horse....winning the IC, she thinks she has it all...she aligned herself with big threats
Ryan notes she got me out

Owen needs to fight harder than everyone

Jesse is first...
Noelle with first question....diffferentiate your game from the others. Gabler says his strength was relationships, social game. I talked behind the scenes....so being in all the different groups, 26 days, no one has written my name down.

Cassidy: my fingers have always been on the pulse...I had close bonds with Karla and James, I knew if I went to the end with them, they would beat mess I had to form bonds with those on the bottom....even she recognizes it

Owen: I am super fan and thought I would come out here and play a super game, and that came crashing down, thought I would be the first boot....I was on the wrong side of the Ellie boot, had to claw and get myself out, with these two...I learned that I don't need to be perfect just need to be me....underdog

James: Owen when did you stick your neck on the line for someone else...Noelle answered the question. Owen thought James and Karla were the biggest threats in the game. ... I had to trust in Noelle
Gabler: Ellie vote...Jeanine tells him that it was me that went through your bag...GAbler...I stirred that pot, we had argument...I am way to high profile here and I need to be like an alligator and go under water here

Cassidy: what move to get you here. playing game with you and James, blindsiding Geo...our alliance into the moerge

Jesse: give me ex of when you used your social relationship to gain info....GAgbler said when I was alligabler..because of my social game and info, got deeper
Cassidy says she was in trenches with everyone, and I had mental track list of those that were coming for me....all of these people would get me I had to get them out before they could get me
Gabler and Owen, who were your closest allies...Owen says Noelle. then he want with gabler and Cass

Gabler core alliance, in ride or die, with samy, Owen in with Ryan Noelle. when you flipped and went with Jesse cody...were you going to go back and forth? I got all the way here without getting a vote...peopel didn't perceive him as a threat because he didn't want them to

immunities...did you need to manage your threat level? Cass didn't see herself as a physical threat. Most imp win was the final one.
Noelle tells them she was a paraolympian....wonderful that you won 3 challenges. why did you choose gabler instead of taking on that challenge yourself
She says she worked her ##### off and won that immunity fair and square...if Owen made that fire that would five him enough of a boost to beat me in final...

Karla says I fought out there physically and mentally...Owen says F5 IC...Owen tells the how he lost out to her getting the advantage....I need to win, and I won. so representative of how my entire game has gone.

how did you handle the low points of the game, not well. I went after you....that blow up with you I am ashamed of and wish it hasn't happened.

what was your biggest mistake...gabler easy I blew the challenge, he would have played his shot in the dark...

Cassidy says the biggest mistake she had was the last conversation I had with you, I was so sure that you would beat me. I am not just pandering to you...I love you.

Owen says in regard to getting bamboozled, the sides that I went to they led me here, the adventure of a life time, I regret a few conversations that I had.

Jesse: talks about voting habits, he wants to know about persuasion....gabler talks about persuading the others about Ellie...Cassidy said the Ryan vote....I convinced them that Ryan needed to go before they took me
Owen says he doesn't have one specific vote that he was driving that vote. I showed that I had strategic chope=s and could be part of a vote.

James votes Cass
Karla votes Gabler

Jiffy goes and gets the votes

they read the votes now in the jungles of Fiji

Votes:

Cass
Gabler
Gabler
Babler
Gabler
Gabler

Jesus....CAssidy and Owen are SHOCKED

I am SHOOK

That ruined a good season.

DUH! Haha...I'm still shocked.

I mean Owen deserved nothing, but Cass? I mean...WOW.

LAST EDITED ON 12-20-22 AT 08:11 PM (EST)

Darn! I was worried that Gabler was featured SO much in NTOS, Promos, and Sneak Peek videos that he might be the Winner but I still convinced myself that Cassidy would eek out the win over Gabler.

I did get Karla 5th, Jesse 4th, and Owen 3rd correct! Just needed to flip Gabler and Cassidy. From Gabler having more Confessionals than Cassidy I should have gone with Gabler to win...

Looking back at edit...

Episode 1 Opening Confessionals

• 7th) 5th-Karla: Grew up in tough environment, I'm adaptable and a very resilient person. That's how I've gotten to where I am today in life. When I've been tired, when I've been beaten down, when I've been told no, that's my time to shine and kick #####.
  
• 
  
• 9th) 2nd-Cassidy: I'm not gonna sit around and wait for other people to determine my game. I make my fate. I make my game.
  
• 
  
• 12th) 3rd-Owen: I want this so bad. I used to daydream about seeing my name up in the opening credits.
  
• 
  
• 14th) 1st-Gabler: Gabler. Mike Gabler. Jeff, I've been watching since the very beginning when our children were still being created. And my wife, basically, when they hatched--we, we started watching as a family like everybody else did, and we made it a Survivor night every week. I'm proud to be here.
  
• 
  
• NONE) 4th-Jesse

Jesse NOT seen in the Opening Confessionals was a pretty BIG clue that Jesse would be out at Final 4.

Karla and Gabler got the longest Opening Confessionals but Gabler got the last one just before the challenge started.

Episode 1 Opening Confessional Flash Cut Scenes

1. 4th-Jesse & Family
   
2. 5th-Karla & Female
   
3. 1st-Gabler in scrubs

Not Seen: Owen and Cassidy

Confessional Counts BEFORE the Finale

50 4.17 4th-Jesse
45 3.75 5th-Karla
38 3.17 3rd-Owen
36 3.00 1st-Gabler
30 2.50 2nd-Cassidy

History of Fire Making Challenge

S## | Won F4IC Winner | Assigned Immunity           | Won F4 Fire Making Challenge
----+-----------------+-----------------------------+--------------------------------------
S35 | 2nd-2-Chrissy   | 3rd-1-Ryan                  | 1st-_5-Ben         (beat Devon)
S36 | 2nd-5-Domenick  | 3rd-0-Laurel                | 1st-_5-Wendell     (beat Angela)
S37 | 1st-7-Nick      | 3rd-0-Angelina              | 2nd-_3-Mike White  (beat Kara)
S38 | 1st-9-Chris     | 3rd-0-Julie     2nd-4-Gavin | 1st-_9-Chris       (beat Rick)
S39 | 3rd-0-Noura     | 1st-8-Tommy                 | 2nd-_2-Dean        (beat Lauren Beck)
S40 | 2nd-4-Natlie    | 3rd-0-Michele               | 1st-12-Tony        (beat Sarah)
S41 | 3rd-0-Xander    | 1st-7-Erika                 | 2nd-_1-Deshawn     (beat Heather)
S42 | 3rd-0-Romeo     | 1st-7-Maryanne              | 2nd-_1-Mike Turner (beat Jonathan)
S43 | 2nd-1-Cassidy   | 3rd-0-Owen                  | 1st-_7-Gabler      (beat Jesse)

5 Winners also WON their Final 4 Fire Making Challenge

3 Winners were TAKEN to the Final 3

2 Winners WON the Final 4 Immunity Challenge

ONLY MALES have won all NINE Final 4 Fire Making Challenges

FIVE Females have LOST the Final 4 Fire Making Challenge

I was surprised the vote wasn't closer. I thought it might be split. Good season other than the stupid, unnecessary, and excessive twists/idols. And it isn't the same when you're only out there 26 days compared to 39. Those extra 2 weeks are a really big deal.

Could not agree more, sj...

Too many crazy twists, change the game and favor the under the radar types. Bring back the OG timeline as well!

Probst is delusional if he thinks most survivor fans like the direction the game is going with the silly stuff and shorter time. Stupid question Flower what do you mean by OG?