‘Survivor’ Season 49 Ends with a New Crowned Winner

Season 49 of Survivor ended with a new champion crowned after a dramatic run filled with challenges and surprises.

During the Dec. 17 finale, Savannah Louie emerged as the winner, taking home the $1 million prize and the title of “sole survivor.” The season was intense, including a shocking moment when contestant Jake Latimer was medically evacuated following a bite from a highly venomous snake.

The final tribal council featured Savannah Louie, Sophi Belerdi, and Sage Ahrens-Nichols facing a jury made up of players they had voted out. Kristina Mills and Rizo Velovic were sent to the jury earlier, narrowing the competition to the three women.

Savannah ultimately earned the votes of her peers and celebrated her victory with host Jeff Probst. “It feels incredible. It’s this larger than life feeling. 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 said. She added, “I’ve never experienced anything like this before. It’s just a crazy feeling.”

This season was historic as the first all-female final three since season 29 in 2014. The final jury questioned each contestant about how they outwitted, outplayed, and outlasted the others.

A tense moment came when Kristina asked Savannah to name a family member or partner of each jury member, a challenge she was unable to complete. Earlier in the season, strategic moves led to Steven Ramm joining the jury in a blindside despite using a “Block A Vote” advantage. Sage’s alliances with Savannah, Rizo, and Sophi played a key role in this outcome.

As season 49 wraps up, fans are already looking ahead to Survivor 50, titled In the Hands of the Fans. Host Jeff Probst announced returning players, including Mike White from The White Lotus, season 45 winner Dee Valladares, season 48 champion Kyle Fraser, and Traitors winner Cirie Fields, often regarded as one of the best players never to win.

Cirie shared her excitement with E! News, stating, “I can tell you one thing about season 50, and I haven’t said this about any other season. I’ve watched since Richard Hatch [won season one]. I’m a fan as well as a contestant.” She called the upcoming season “Best season ever. Best. Not just because I was there. Best. Season. Ever.”

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