Russell Hantz: Best Survivor Villain of all Time?

Well, last night's Survivor Finale was a huge disappointment. Heroes vs. Villains was truly one of the best seasons out of the past 20 Survivor Seasons, and I so wanted Russell or Parvati to win. It's funny because all I've told my sister about it for the past couple months is that I'll be happy if anyone but Sandra wins. And of course... Sandra won!

Last night on the live broadcast, Jeff asked her whether being the first ever to win two seasons makes her the best Survivor ever and she said yes. I beg to differ here. Sure, she won two times, but I think part of that means she is the luckiest Survivor. She certainly wasn't the best physical player and she really didn't do a very good job on the strategy. She just happened to make sure that she pissed people off less than anyone else.

In my opinion, Parvati is the best Survivor ever to play the game. Not only does she have an All-star win under her belt, she made it to the final 3 in one of the toughest seasons ever, and she's played the most days of anyone in the game... Jeff said something like 114 days? Insane. And I love to watch Parvati. I would watch her on every season if I could. She is just so damn cute and her personality is so incredibly likable. I think she reads people really well and makes good alliances. She's also a huge physical competitor, winning the second most individual immunities in the history of the game.

But the third finalist is also one of my favorites ever to play the game. Russell Hantz. Definitely a villain. But oh so fun to watch. I picked him to win at the beginning of the season, but sadly, he didn't receive a single vote. I had a feeling that might happen going into the finale last night. Too many people on the jury hated him so much for the way he played the game. In Russell's eyes, I think he believed they would respect him for being able to make it all the way through the game the way he did - clawing and fighting his way through. Instead, they resented him for changing the game. They hated him for telling lie after lie and making people trust him only to have him stomp on their hearts. Personally, I think Russell is a mastermind. He has the uncanny ability to know exactly what he needs to do or say in order for people to act the way he wants them to. Unfortunately, he doesn't have enough finesse to pull it off without pissing them off first, haha. I was very happy that he won the Sprint player of the season award. Between him and Parvati, they made it one of the most fun seasons of Survivor to watch ever (second only to Fans vs. Favorites, which Parvati won).

Next fall they will be in Nicaragua with a whole new set of Survivors. Changes I hope to see this time? I think it's time for the immunity idols to be gone from the game for a while. They influence things too much. It's time for them to switch that out for some new game play.

Suvivor Samoa: Russell's Second Immunity Idol

Last night's episode of Survivor completely redeemed this season in my mind. For the first several episodes, I was thinking, This season is seriously weak. Russell's diabolical mind is the only half-interesting thing. But, as often happens on Survivor, things got interesting once the tribes merged. While most of the season has been about Galu kicking ass at challenges and Foa Foa getting kicked off one-by-one, the merge last week shook things up a bit.

Eric, who sadly was my pick to win it all, went home last week in a major and honestly confusing blindside. It's Survivor 101 that when tribes merge, whichever tribe has the most people should automatically stick together and start picking off the tribe with the least people. However, Eric got cocky, barking out orders that started making people feel uncomfortable. Natalie, a Foa Foa member, and well in the minority with 8 on the other team and only 4 on hers, was actually able to talk old Galu into voting off one of their own. Eric was gone, causing me to lose my Survivor pick with my sister. (Her pick (Jaison) is one of the remaining four Foa Foa.)

This week, with Eric gone and Russell's hidden immunity idol played, it looked like Russell was the obvious target. Old Galu members decided to pick off Foa Foa one at a time, going Russell, Natalie, Jaison and Mick. Well, not one to give up easily, Russell did something no one has ever done before on the history of Survivor - he found a SECOND hidden immunity idol at camp without any clues.

The first idol he found was early on in the first or second episode. He knew there probably was an idol (because there is always an idol) and he went looking for it. He found it without trouble. When Galu flushed it out last week, he simply went looking for another one. While several of the old Galu members were off on a beautiful reward of waterfalls and brownies, Russell was making good time searching the camp for an idol. He searched by tree mail, up trees, and anywhere that looked like a landmark around camp. Then, he walked onto the bridge by the little pond, got down on his belly and looked underneath the bridge. "No way," he said. And I almost peed my pants! "Holy Shit!" I shouted to no one but myself. I couldn't believe it. He actually found another idol.

At first, he said he wasn't going to show it to anyone, but then he changed his mind. He shared the info with the only Galu who has been on the outs since day one. Shambo. Brilliant! As ditzy as Shambo can seem, she's a very valuable friend to have, and Russell is so damn smart to have figured that out. They mutually decided to gun for Laura, but damnit, Laura won individual immunity for the second week in a row! I couldn't believe how fast she plowed through that puzzle. Of course, she's only putting more and more of a target on her own back. As soon as Shambo and Russell get the chance, they'll vote Laura out in a heartbeat. (And good riddance if you ask me. Not a fan.)

Back at camp after the immunity challenge, old Galu decides it will be Russell who goes home. Little did they know, Russell was sharing his hidden idol info with the remaining members of Foa Foa and doing exactly what Shambo suggests by telling everyone to vote our Kelly. There was a little bit of a nervousness at the last minute because Russell overheard Galu talking about voting Natalie. Should he play the idol? Give it to Natalie? What? I was on the edge of my seat as the tribe made their way into tribal council.

Eric, obviously still pissed at his former tribe for turning on him (which is turning out to be a very dumb move on their part numbers wise), walked in as the first member of the jury. Galu seemed easy and confident. Their plan to vote out Foa Foa was foolproof right? They have the numbers, seven to four (thinking Shambo is stupid and is with them, ha!). When Jeff said his little speil about "If anyone has a hidden immunity idol...." and Russell stood up, the looks on Galu's faces were PRICELESS! Dave's jaw dropped to the floor. Monica put her head in her hands. They stared at Russell like he must be joking. "I'm not done playing yet," Russell said, pulling the second idol out of his pocket.

Omg, it was a Survivor moment to remember! I was literally cheering at the screen. Even though Russell was one of my least favorite at the beginning, he has gradually grown on me as the underdog with a truly devious and brilliant mind. When Jeff said that none of the votes against Russell would count, I was just praying that the old Galu voted Russell and not Natalie. When the first vote came up, I cheered again. Russell's name was pulled out of the hat five or six times. None of those votes counted. Galu was just waiting to hear whose name Foa Foa put down. Then it came. Kelly. You could see the relief on Monica's face. Thank God it's not me, she was thinking.

Galu wrongly thinks that they still have the numbers. Six to Four, right? They have no clue that Shambo has already joined the old Foa Foa, making it Five to Five. If they had kept Eric in the game, Foa Foa wouldn't have stood a chance, but they were dumb and let the underdogs catch up with the numbers. Shambo played it like a pro, acting shocked and agreeing with Laura that now Russell has stirred up some shit that he'll have to pay for. She's brilliant to play along with it, and when she turns on them, it will be another blindside. Next week, Jeff says the idol will go back into play, so it will be a race to see which side can find it first and just how it will come into play again.

For me, this was a top 3 Survivor episode of all time, right behind the Fans Vs. Favorite episode where Ozzie was blindsided and the one where that poor kid actually gave up his individual immunity idol and got voted off. Good job Russell, Foa Foa members, and Shambo. You five just made this a season to be remembered. As for me, I'm rooting for Russell to go all the way.