The journey for the $1 million prize and the title of Sole Survivor reached its dramatic conclusion on December 17. In a tense three-hour finale on CBS, the final five players were narrowed down to a historic final three. After a final tribal council, the jury selected Savannah Louie as the winner of Survivor Season 49.
Savannah’s victory was decided by a 5-2-1 jury vote, securing her place as Sole Survivor over fellow finalists Sophi Balerdi and Sage Ahrens-Nichols. The finale night included intense immunity challenges, a pivotal fire-making duel, and marked the first all-female final three the show has seen in 20 seasons.
The Final Five and the First Tribal Council
The night began with five players still in the game: Kristina Mills, Rizo Velovic, Sage Ahrens-Nichols, Savannah Louie, and Sophi Balerdi. The first major challenge was a grueling multi-stage immunity contest involving a mud crawl, a grappling hook, and a complex puzzle.
Savannah dominated, winning her fourth individual immunity challenge of the season. This tied the record for the most individual immunity wins by a woman in Survivor history. Her victory guaranteed her a spot in the final four and also earned her a steak dinner reward. In a strategic move, she chose to take Sage with her to the reward.
Back at camp, the remaining players debated who to target. Savannah pushed to vote out Kristina, citing her skill at making fire as a major threat. Rizo, however, preferred targeting Sage. At Tribal Council, after a tense discussion, Rizo played a Hidden Immunity Idol he had held for a record nine tribals. The remaining votes sent Kristina Mills to the jury as its seventh member.
Sophi’s Comeback and a Decisive Fire-Making Challenge
The final four players then faced the last immunity challenge. Savannah and Rizo took an early lead, but both struggled with the delicate final stage of guiding balls through a table maze. This opened the door for Sophi Balerdi, who staged a stunning comeback to win her first individual immunity, guaranteeing herself a place in the final three.
“Oh my God, this is a dream!” Sophi said as host Jeff Probst placed the immunity necklace around her neck.
Her win gave her the sole power to choose one person to join her in the final three and to decide which two would compete in the fire-making challenge for the last spot. In a move that shocked her closest allies, Sophi chose to take Sage Ahrens-Nichols with her. This forced her two main alliance partners, Savannah and Rizo, to face each other in fire.
Despite Rizo having more practiced fire-making skills, Savannah quickly built a strong flame. She won the challenge, earning the third and final seat at the final tribal council. Rizo became the eighth and final member of the jury.
Final Tribal Council and the Jury’s Questioning
The stage was set for the final tribal council with Savannah, Sophi, and Sage—the first all-female final three since Season 29 in 2014. The jury questioned the finalists on their strategies, moves, and personal motivations for playing the game.
Sage revealed for the first time that she had served ten years in the U.S. Army, including deployments to Afghanistan. Sophi emphasized her social game and her journey from being on the bottom after a tribe swap. Savannah explained her physical dominance and how she adapted her strategy to survive being a constant target after the merge.
The most pointed moment came from juror Kristina Mills, who directed a question solely at Savannah. Kristina asked Savannah to name one family member or partner of every person on the jury, challenging the depth of her social connections.
“I would like for you to try, please,” Kristina said after Savannah admitted she likely could not complete the task.
Savannah was unable to name them all, a moment that highlighted a potential weakness in her game.
Savannah Louie Crowned Sole Survivor
After the final speeches, the jury cast their votes. Host Jeff Probst read them live, revealing Savannah as the winner with five votes. Sophi received two votes, and Sage received one.
Upon being announced as the winner, Savannah described the feeling as “incredible” and “larger than life”.
“I usually have the right words, I usually have some crap to say, but in this moment, I don’t even know what to say,” she told Probst. “I’ve never experienced anything like this before. It’s just a crazy feeling”.
The jury’s votes broke down as follows:
- Voting for Savannah: Nate Moore, Alex Moore, Sophie Segreti, Steven Ramm, Rizo Velovic.
- Voting for Sophi: Michelle “MC” Chukwujekwu, Kristina Mills.
- Voting for Sage: Jawan Pitts.
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Looking Ahead to Survivor Season 50
The finale did not just close the book on Season 49. It also provided the first look at the next historic chapter. A trailer for Survivor 50: In the Hands of the Fans confirmed that both the new champion, Savannah Louie, and the final juror, Rizo Velovic, will return to play again.
Savannah will have a chance to become only the third person in the show’s history to win twice, and the first ever to win back-to-back seasons. They will join an all-star cast of returning fan favorites, including previous winners Dee Valladares and Kyle Fraser, and legendary players like Cirie Fields and Mike White.
The new season is scheduled to premiere on CBS on February 25, 2026.
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