Survivor 43, the latest season for the venerable reality TV series, has featured some good strategy and sly social play this fall. Now that it's deep into the individual immunity stage of the competition, longtime viewers will have memories stirred of when past players who desperately needed to win immunity were able to secure clutch victories.
Clutch wins come at all different points after tribe mergers. Some of these victories helped contestants go on to win their season, while others merely let them last a few more days. Either way, these unforgettable Survivor competition moments should come to any fan's head when they think of clutch immunity challenge wins.
Vecepia Towery Won The "Fallen Comrades" Challenge
Survivor: Marquesas - "The Sole Survivor"
Vecepia competed in the fourth season, Survivor: Marquesas. She bounced around alliances early in the game because her tribe kept losing, but she found herself in the final four needing immunity as Kathy, Paschal and Neleh all wanted her gone.
In the early days of Survivor, contestants were allowed one luxury item. Vecepia brought a journal to write down information about her fellow castaways, which proved crucial when the final four immunity challenge took the form of a quiz about the voted-off contestants. Vecepia won this challenge easily due to having taken notes all along. When she made a deal with Neleh to go to the finale, she had the season sewn up. Vecepia beat on Neleh a 4-3 final vote.
Danni Boatwright Won The "Watch Your Step" Challenge
Survivor: Guatemala - "Price For Immunity"
Danni is the Sole Survivor of Survivor: Guatemala. Her game almost ended when she was on the chopping block at the final six, but a challenge advantage she purchased at the Survivor auction helped her win immunity when she needed it most.
Danni was a smart player and had a feeling the majority alliance was getting ready to turn on each other. All she needed was to give them a reason to target one another, so winning immunity was vital. With her immunity win, she was able to convince Rafe and Stephenie to go after Judd. This propelled Danni to forces with them, and she made it to the final tribal council, where she won the final vote.
Jenna Morasca Won The "Braille Maze" Challenge
Survivor: The Amazon - "And Then They Were Four"
Jenna was the eventual winner of Survivor: The Amazon. Before she got to the end, however, she was up against three strong players who were in a very tight alliance at the final four.
It was a no-brainer that if Jenna does not win the final four immunity, she would go home. Viewers know this because of her opponents many confessionals in which they talked about getting rid of Jenna. Luckily for her, she successfully navigated a very tough maze blindfolded in the rain to win safety. She also won the final three immunity, which stamped her season victory. Jenna eventually won by a convincing 6-1 vote.
Fabio Birza Won The "Balancing Point" Challenge
Survivor: Nicaragua - "What About Me"
Fabio was the winner of Survivor: Nicaragua. He's another player in the long history of Survivor castaways who went on immunity runs to fight their way to final tribal council by playing around social politics with challenge dominance.
Fabio was overlooked for most of the season until Chase and Sash realized that he was a big jury threat since he made no enemies. Fabio proceeded to rattle off three straight individual immunities. His wins built up an impressive resume. Fabio's wins made him display his intelligence, physicality, and endurance as it was a historic run. The final challenge when he had to balance coins on a sword was probably his most clutch. His physical dominance in the endgame, along with his social play, earned him the win by a 5-4-0 vote.
Troyzan Robertson Won The "Return From The Dead" Challenge
Survivor: One World - "I'm No Dummy"
Troyzan's first time playing was on One World where he was quite a character for most of the season. He was the No. 1 target of Kim's alliance of women at the final nine, but a clutch immunity win saved his torch from getting snuffed.
In the challenge, Troyzan was able to slingshot coconuts into a tic-tac-toe formation, winning immunity. This victory might not seem too clutch since Troyzan was voted out at the next council, but it bought him one more week to compete. Producers might have seen just enough of Troyzan in last days on the island to bring him back for Game Changers, where Toryzan went on to become a finalist.
Jonathan Penner Won The "Snake In The Grass" Challenge
Survivor: Phillippines - "Dead Man Walking"
Penner was on the show a few times and had been medically evacuated in his last time playing, but his final time on Survivor: Philippines saw a very clutch immunity win. He would have gone home at the previous tribal council, but Penner played an idol to negate five votes.
The odds were against Penner here as he had nine people he had to beat in a three-stage challenge. Miraculously, Penner was able to beat everyone and win immunity. This was the first time in Penner's three seasons that he won individual immunity. He made it a few more days before being voted off on day 30. Had he accepted the offer to work with Michael and Lisa after this win, Penner would have had a real shot to win this season.
Abi-Maria Gomes Won the "Brains And Brawn" Challenge
Survivor: Philippines - "Hell Hath Frozen Over"
A few days after Penner's clutch immunity win, Abi-Maria had one of her own. At the final seven, everyone was in agreement that Abi-Maria would be the next to go. The circumstances at this challenge were wild, to say the least.
Abi-Maria had bought an advantage at the auction which automatically pushed her into the final round. Abi-Maria had a lead halfway through the challenge, which is when everyone started cheering for Carter since he was right behind her. Even Penner who was also still in the competition was cheering for Carter. It was very intense to watch both of them frantically rip open knots. Ultimately Abi-Maria won and was asked back for Cambodia, and Penner was sent packing that night.
Sophie Clarke Won The "Lei Of The Land" Challenge
Survivor: South Pacific - "Loyalties Will Be Broken"
As things turned out, this challenge win came in clutch because Sophie went on to win South Pacific. It's not 100% certain she would have gone home if she lost the challenge, but it set dominoes falling in a way that led her to the ultimate victory.
At the final four of South Pacific, it was Ozzy against Albert, Coach, and Sophie. Ozzy dominated the physical portion of the challenge but struggled with the puzzle. Sophie caught up to him and solved the puzzle with ease. If Ozzy wins this challenge, he most likely wins this season since the jury is filled with his old tribemates. Therefore, when Sophie won this challenge, it was the equivalent of her winning the season.
Michele Fitzgerald Won The "Gimme Three Steps" And "Slide On" Challenges
Survivor: Kaôh Rōng - "Not Going Down Without A Fight" and Survivor: Winners At War - "It All Boils Down To This"
Michele won Kaôh Rōng and competed in Winners at War. It is interesting as her clutch immunity wins were the same challenge in both of her seasons.
After being saved by Joe's medical evacuation, Michele was still in a tough position at the final four of Kaôh Rōng and needed immunity to survive. She had one of the biggest comebacks ever on Survivor as she won the final immunity and went on to win the season. She was in a similar position in Winners at War, and it was the exact same challenge. Michele is still the only person in Survivor history to complete the tower puzzle that is at the end of this challenge. Both of these wins propelled Michele into finale night for both seasons.
Mike Holloway Won The "Final Four-Titude" Challenge
Survivor: Worlds Apart - "It's A Fickle, Fickle Game"
Without a doubt, the most clutch player in Survivor history is Mike from Worlds Apart. Mike was safe for the final six tribal councils and at every single one, he needed that safety.
Mike won individual immunity in five of the last six challenges. In the only time he was vulnerable going into tribal council, he had a hidden immunity idol. Mike needed every single win he had, and it was evident by the disgusted looks his tribe mates had when he won. Fans could pick any of his five wins as his most clutch, but it is most likely his last one. It was one of the most amazing stretches anyone will ever have on Survivor as his run made it a blowout on finale night as Mike won the season by a 6-1-1 final vote.