Strategic alliances, last-minute twists, and emotional revelations shaped the final phase of the reality show as one contestant claimed the top prize.
“Survivor” Season 48 concluded with a high-stakes finale as Brooklyn attorney Kyle Fraser claimed the title of Sole Survivor and the $1 million prize. The outcome sparked mixed reactions from viewers.
A netizen’s comment about the result of the “Survivor” Season 48 finale, posted on May 21, 2025 | Source: Facebook/Survivor
The final episode, titled “Only One of Yous Can Win,” opened with five contestants still in the game: Eva Erickson, Mitch Guerra, Joe Hunter, Kamilla Karthigesu, and Fraser.
Kyle Fraser of “Survivor” Season 48 | Source: Getty Images
Erickson gained an early advantage in a challenging obstacle course, while Karthigesu secured individual immunity and chose to share her reward with her.
Kyle Fraser, Shauhin Davari, Joe Hunter, and Kamilla Karthigesu celebrate during an intense team challenge on the beach, on “Survivor” aired March 26, 2025 | Source: Getty Images
Working closely with Fraser, her secret ally, Karthigesu led a plan to vote out Guerra, a strong contender with significant jury appeal. Erickson and Hunter supported the vote, sending Guerra to the jury and reducing the competition to four.
Fraser won the final immunity challenge and chose Hunter to join him in the final three. That decision forced Erickson and Karthigesu into the fire-making challenge. Erickson built a steady flame and raised the flag first, securing her spot in the final three alongside Fraser and Hunter.
At the Final Tribal Council, the jury questioned the finalists about loyalty, strategy, and their influence on the game. Erickson revealed that she was a PhD student and had found a “safety without power” advantage, which she never used.
Fraser disclosed his profession as an attorney and described his secret alliance with Karthigesu, which allowed them to orchestrate key eliminations.
The jury voted in Fraser’s favor, awarding him five votes. Erickson received two votes, and Hunter received one. Fraser walked away with the title and the million-dollar prize.
Viewers reacted strongly to the outcome. One expressed frustration, “I can’t believe Kyle won! I’m beginning to wonder if it’s rigged…” Another added, “Deserved, but I feel like Joe easily could have won.” A third posted, “Joe should have won. 😢” Someone else commented, “This is the most awful thing I’ve ever watched.”
Another questioned Fraser’s decision to use his final speech to reveal that he was a lawyer, believing he should have instead highlighted the strategic move he had kept secret all season. They felt this was a missed opportunity to strengthen his case to the jury.
Others said Fraser had initially seemed unremarkable and emotionally reserved during pre-season, but they found themselves warming up to him as the game progressed. They appreciated his calm nature, thoughtful gameplay, and personal charm — even if they hadn’t supported his closest ally, Karthigesu.
Meanwhile, a few viewers downplayed the strategic impact of Hunter and Erickson, believing their gameplay lacked the same depth or influence as Fraser’s and Karthigesu’s more active approach.
Several viewers called Fraser the most well-rounded player of the season. They credited him with playing a smart, balanced game that involved outwitting and outlasting the competition effectively.
More fans expressed satisfaction with his win, saying he deserved it for managing the game alongside Karthigesu. Some added lighthearted commentary, pointing out that juror Cedrek McFadden continued a trend of voting against the majority.
Fraser’s victory stood out not just for strategy, but for the personal story he later shared. On April 27, he posted on Instagram about his past, revealing that he had once been incarcerated.
He said, “I have been arrested and charged with the same exact crimes as friends of mine who didn’t look like me but I got significantly harsher consequences in those instances.”
He added that it felt strange to share publicly, as his life is now in a very different place. Besides being a lawyer, he is recently married and lives with two dogs.
In a February 5 Parade interview, Fraser said he didn’t disclose his legal profession on the show and instead told others he was a teacher, a role he had before law school. He explained that he avoided saying he was a lawyer because it “doesn’t work” strategically, citing stereotypes and player bias.
He also reflected on his time teaching at a juvenile detention center, describing it as one of the most difficult and formative experiences of his life. “Some days were really, really hard and painful to see what they’re going through, painful to sort of try and connect with them. But you’ve got to keep on pushing,” he said.
Similar to Fraser, Hunter brought a steady, purpose-driven mindset to the game. He competed in football and track at UCLA, an experience he described as “great,” but one that ultimately led him to seek something more meaningful. “I just wanted to have a really big impact on life,” he said. That desire led him to a career in firefighting, where he has now served for about 18 years.
While Season 48 sparked conversation around strategy and storytelling, the previous season left fans just as divided over who truly deserved the win.
The finale of “Survivor” Season 47, which aired on December 18, 2024, received mixed reactions as Rachel LaMont was declared the winner, beating the other three contestants in the final four: Sue Smey, Sam Phalen, and Teeny Chirichillo.
On one hand, there were those who were happy with the results. “Rachel is the only one who’s deserving! I like Sam, but he hasn’t done a whole lot. [I] don’t like Sue or Teeny,” wrote one user, while another expressed, “Finally a well deserved survivor win for Rachel!! Glad Sam didn’t win..he didn’t have any immunity win. [sic]”
Celebrating LaMont’s victory, one shared, “Rachel for the win, Sam second, Sue third just because she found an idol, Teeny fourth just because she ‘out lasted.'”
Meanwhile, a wave of disappointment came from fans who had another winner in mind. “Sam should have won,” one person remarked, and another commented, “[I am] disappointed in the winner, especially the votes, only 1 for Sam– I would vote for him.” “Sam did way better in the final tribal pleading his case than Rachel did!” said another.
On Reddit, a user lamented, “They did a great job of making me think Sam had a chance,” while another stated, “Hot take: boring wins are good because it means there’s a deserving winner.”
A lengthy response from one netizen read, “I really think that Rachel sold in her FTC [Final Tribal Council]. She had no charisma at all tonight. Sam really sold us on his game. If the FTC was the only thing that i watched, I’d be [expletive] that Rachel won. Still deserving though, but shouldn’t have been the blowout it was.”
LaMont, who took home the $1 million prize, was a fan favorite for many viewers, having won three individual immunity challenges and an immunity idol before the finale.
Ahead of the finale, when the final four contestants were asked about their experiences on “Survivor,” LaMont spoke about her proudest move in the first 24 days, citing her idol play, which led to Andy Rueda’s elimination from the top six.
She recounted spying on her competitors and learning that they were plotting against her. The reality star explained how she leveraged Rueda to determine when to play her idol during Tribal Council.
After losing to Caroline Vidmar, LaMont made Rueda feel guilty for lying about her being his top choice to keep. She recalled, “He apologized and promised he was done lying to me and I told him that I was blocking Sam’s vote that night, and if he told me he was voting for Sam and then voted me out instead I would ensure he never got Sue or my jury votes.”
Eventually, Rueda confessed his plan to vote her out, prompting LaMont to change her vote. She was described as a social and strategic player with excellent fire-making skills.
The finale began with LaMont winning her fourth immunity challenge, solidifying her position as a strong contender. She chose Smey to join her in the final showdown, leaving the other two to compete in a fire-making challenge.
Teeny Chirichillo after becoming jury number eight of the Tribal Council on December 18, 2024 | Source: Instagram/survivorcbs
LaMont coached Chirichillo during the challenge, while Phalen, who admitted to holding a flint “maybe once” during his 25 days on the island, struggled to make sparks. Chirichillo managed to start a fire and build it steadily with LaMont’s guidance, while Phalen initially failed.
Things looked bleak for Phalen until he finally got his flint to work. However, a gust of wind extinguished Chirichillo’s fire before it could burn the rope, with the show’s host, Jeff Probst, sending her off, allowing Phalen to win and advance as one of the final three.
In the final Tribal Council, the trio faced questions from the jury. Phalen claimed, “It was immunity and an idol in fries that got her (LaMont) to the end of this game.” However, the jury was unconvinced, ultimately voting 7-1-0 in LaMont’s favor. Phalen received his sole vote from contestant, Kyle Ostwald.
