Steven Ramm’s journey on Survivor 49 ended just before the finale in a unanimous 4-1 vote during Episode 12. The episode, titled “The Die Is Cast,” saw his closest allies, Sage Ahrens-Nichols and Kristina Mills, join forces with the opposing group to blindside him, sending him to the jury as the sixth member. This pivotal vote set the final five castaways who will compete in the season’s grand finale.
The intense Tribal Council featured a clash of advantages, with Steven’s block-a-vote power being played to block Savannah’s vote and Sophi’s attempted use of her “Knowledge is Power” advantage failing. Meanwhile, Rizo Velovic made a crucial game move by not playing his hidden immunity idol, despite telling others it would expire, preserving it for the final stages of the game.
The Final Six Stand Divided Before Tribal
Heading into the episode, the six remaining players were firmly split into two groups of three. On one side was the tight alliance of Rizo Velovic, Savannah Louie, and Sophi Balerdi. On the other side were Steven Ramm, Sage Ahrens-Nichols, and Kristina Mills. Steven had recently won a “block-a-vote” advantage during a solo journey, but had not revealed its exact nature to the group, leading to speculation and paranoia, especially from Rizo.
In the episode’s preview, Rizo set the tone, stating, “The lines are drawn, it’s an all-out war,” with the editing highlighting a looming confrontation between him and Steven. Steven also teased a major shift, saying, “This could be a last supper for them,” hinting at his plan to use his advantage to disrupt the game.
Reward Challenge Strengthens a Key Alliance
The episode’s first challenge was for reward. The castaways raced through obstacles to gather bags and then attempted to land a sandbag on top of a tall pole. The winner, Savannah Louie, earned a Mexican feast with margaritas and desserts, a night at the comfortable “Sanctuary,” and the cherished prize of letters from home.
Savannah chose to bring Rizo and Sophi with her, solidifying their trio, which they proudly named the “Tres Leches” alliance. The reward proved emotionally powerful, as the three bonded deeply while reading their letters from family, with Rizo becoming particularly emotional. This experience seemed to fortify their bond, with them discussing plans to go to the end together as a final three. Back at camp, the excluded players—Steven, Sage, and Kristina—were left to strategize in the rain, aware that the reward might have strengthened their opponents’ resolve.
Savannah Wins Immunity and Guarantees Her Safety
The Immunity Challenge was a brutal test of balance and endurance. Each player had to stand on one foot on the end of a hinged beam, using that foot to keep a ball balanced on the beam. The last person standing would win immunity and a guaranteed spot in the season finale.
The challenge lasted over 35 minutes in the hot sun. Rizo, Sophi, Kristina, and Steven all dropped out in succession. The final showdown came down to Savannah and Sage. Despite Sage’s pleas for Savannah to drop and promises of safety, Savannah outlasted her, securing the Individual Immunity necklace. This win guaranteed Savannah’s safety and put immense pressure on the other five players at the upcoming Tribal Council.
A Flurry of Strategy and a Failed Advantage Play
Back at camp, the scramble for votes began. The “Tres Leches” alliance of Savannah, Rizo, and Sophi targeted Steven. Steven, now vulnerable without immunity, decided to use his block-a-vote advantage to block Savannah’s vote, believing Rizo would be forced to play his idol. Meanwhile, Sophi, who held the “Knowledge is Power” advantage, debated a game-changing move. She could use it to try to steal Rizo’s idol, a play that would have been historic as the first successful use of that advantage in the game’s history. However, she ultimately decided against it, sticking with her alliance.
Steven later reflected on the paranoia he sowed, saying, “A lot of paranoia is floating around and that’s all you need in this game, is a little chaos. Today I went from having little to no options moving forward, to having a lot of options. That’s how quickly the game can change”.
A critical moment came when Kristina, while talking with Steven, accidentally revealed that he was the target. This prompted Steven to confront Sage, but the plan was already in motion. Sage and Kristina, who were Steven’s closest allies, began to see him as a significant threat who could beat them in the end. They started discussing the benefit of voting him out with the opposing alliance.
Tribal Council: Advantages Collide in a Unanimous Vote
Tribal Council was tense and unpredictable. The drama escalated when Sophi announced she was playing her “Knowledge is Power” advantage and attempted to steal an advantage from Steven. However, Steven revealed he no longer had an advantage to steal, having already played his block-a-vote power earlier in the evening to negate Savannah’s vote. Sophi’s advantage fizzled, leaving her empty-handed.
Rizo then faced a decision on whether to play his hidden immunity idol. He had led others to believe it expired at the Final Six, but in a major revelation, it was actually still valid for the Final Five. He chose not to play it, keeping a powerful weapon in his pocket.
Jeff Probst then tallied the votes. With Savannah’s vote blocked, the result was clear: Steven, Sophi, Steven, Steven. In a unanimous 4-1 decision, Steven Ramm was voted out and became the sixth member of the jury. The vote showcased a stunning flip by Sage and Kristina, who joined Rizo, Savannah, and Sophi to eliminate their own ally.
After the vote, Sage apologized to Steven, explaining she didn’t think she could beat him in the final stages. Rizo commented on the chaotic play of advantages, calling it “the misplay of their advantages such a cluster”.
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Steven Ramm Reflects on His Survivor Journey
In his exit interview, Steven shared a positive outlook on his experience. He spoke about gaining self-confidence, stating, “Even though it was a little failure to launch, it was a complete mission success in terms of self-discovery. That feeling of self-confidence is worth more than anything”.
He also admitted to initial doubts, saying, “it felt amazing not to be an imposter, as he had come in thinking he didn’t deserve to be there, but now he knew that he did”.
The finale of Survivor 49, a three-hour event, is scheduled for Wednesday, December 17, 2025, on CBS. The five castaways competing for the $1 million title of Sole Survivor are Rizo Velovic, Savannah Louie, Sophi Balerdi, Sage Ahrens-Nichols, and Kristina Mills.
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