‘Survivor 49’: Jeff Probst Reacts to ‘Advantage-Geddon’ in Twist-Filled Tribal Council

[Warning: The following contains MAJOR spoilers for Survivor Season 49 Episode 12.]

It was “advantage-geddon” on Survivor 49 Episode 12. Three advantages were in play, two were used, and both were wasted. Rizo walked away with his immunity idol still intact, and one player’s closest alliance was destroyed by a flipped vote. Jeff Probst reacted to the major Tribal Council on the On Fire podcast with co-hosts Jeremy Collins and Jay Wolff.

After Savannah won her third individual immunity challenge, it was Steven or Sophi on the chopping block. Both of them had advantages. Sophi’s was a Knowledge is Power that she’s kept secret from everyone. Steven’s was a Block a Vote that he won in last week’s episode. In Tribal, Sophi used Knowledge is Power advantage against Steven, but in the first plot twist of the night, he had played it already, so her advantage did nothing. Probst noted on On Fire that Steven’s advantage had to be played before leaving for Tribal, so that’s how he blocked Savannah’s vote.

“That’s very unusual, and it’s a big twist because it forces the player to make a huge move based only on the information they have at camp at that moment before they get to Tribal,” Probst explained. “So if you get to Tribal and you realize, oh man, the vote is shifting, or Tribal becomes alive, or you realize you’ve been lied to this entire time, it’s too late, you’ve already committed. The second why was because we knew it could impact the Knowledge is Power, which was also in the game.”

“In almost any other situation, she would’ve been right,” Probst said of Sophi’s plan to use her tool.

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Sophi, Rizo, and Savannah were all stressed in the voting booth. Steven’s Block a Vote was used against Savannah. After voting, Rizo asked Sophi, “Was your vote stolen or blocked?” The answer was neither. Savannah’s vote was blocked, and Sophi asked Rizo to play his idol on her. Rizo walked up to the podium as if preparing to play his idol, but it was just another announcement that he wasn’t going to use it. He accepted whatever fate had in store.

Sage flipped and joined the vote against Steven, seemingly to the surprise of Savannah, Rizo, and Sophi. The end credits revealed that Kristina, one of Steven’s closest allies in the game (up until this episode), voted for him, too. Steven’s vote was the only one cast for Sophi. It was a twist-filled Tribal Council for the penultimate episode of the season.

Collins, the winner of Survivor: Cambodia, and Wolff agreed that Rizo’s lie about when his idol expires was a “master stroke” of a move. He’s now heading into the finale with an idol that can guarantee his place in the Final Four. Stay tuned to TV Insider tomorrow for our exit interview with Steven.

Survivor, Season 49 Finale, Wednesday, December 17, 8/7c, CBS