Now that Survivor 43 is almost over, the current jury discussed why they believe Cody Assenmacher had the best game among them. Cody began the season with a remarkable performance in the first challenge, which impressed Survivor producers. From there, Cody and his ally Jesse Lopez played pivotal roles in flipping the vote occasionally this season. By playing multiple sides, they controlled the game how they wanted and built up their Survivor resumes for the finale.
Cody's collaboration with Jesse this season put him in one of the best positions to convince the jury to vote for him to win. Between competition wins and his charismatic personality, he easily could have won over jury if given a chance. However, in episode 12, Jesse made a game-winning move betraying Cody, which allowed him to take credit for their game moves in the final tribal council. In an interview with EW, the current jury revealed why they believe Cody had the best game out of them all.
Survivor Jury Believe Cody Had A Well-Rounded Game
When asked who on the jury had the best game, many Survivor 43 jurors answered with Cody as their choice. James Jones said, "He wasn't really targeted. I don't know that feeling. He was playing hard and was a challenge competitor." For most of the game, Cody remained one of the least targeted players in Survivor despite winning challenges or at least coming close to winning. He was one of the larger threats in the game due to his well-rounded game style. Furthermore, Cody was eliminated only when Jesse, who Survivor fans believe could win, realized the threat he posed.
Cody's social game allowed him to flip between allies strategically depending on the situation. Noelle Lambert said, "Not only was he extremely great in challenges, but his social game was also a huge strength of his." Sami Layadi added, "He had a preposterously remarkable social game and was strategically active during the entirety of the game!" Even after flipping sides on votes, Cody maintained a good relationship with most players in the game, thus allowing him to fly under the radar as a target. Furthermore, Cody took charge of the game and refused to play a role in someone else's, such as James, who players referred to as the godfather.
Cody's elimination on Survivor was one of the most shocking blindsides of the season. If not for Jesse's betrayal, Cody may have had the best chance to win the entire season. Understandably, the move was necessary for Jesse to improve his chances of winning over the jury votes. Still, Cody was one of the best Survivor 43 game players and deserves a second chance on the show.
Survivor airs Wednesdays at 8 p.m. EST on CBS.
Source: EW