'Survivor': The 10 Greatest Blindsides Ever

Amanda, Erik, Ami, Cirie, and Ozzy of ‘Survivor: Micronesia - Fans vs. Favorites’

Outwit, outplay, outlast — and beware of blindsides.

Survivor is a game of endurance and physical strength, but it’s also a game of manipulation and psychological warfare. Players have to recruit partners, then stab them in the back. They have to form alliances, then turn on them when they have the chance. Over 31 seasons of Survivor, many great players failed to reach the final tribal council for the shot at $1 million because they fell victim to a brilliant blindside.

Survivor: Cambodia - Second Chance, which crowns a winner Wednesday night, might be the best season yet, because nearly every week has featured a remarkable blindside. “This group of Second Chance players evolved the game,” host and executive producer Jeff Probst tells Yahoo TV. “It was stunning. I have never seen a group of contestants play at this level from day one to day 39. The blindsides were more devastating than ever because every player knew that every other player was capable of pulling off a blindside.”

Related: Get Caught Up With Our ‘Survivor’ Recaps

When we asked him to name the blindside that shocked him the most, Probst pointed to Andrew Savage’s elimination this season. “I think the Kelley Wentworth blindside of Savage from this season was one of the most surprising and simultaneously powerful blindsides in Survivor history,” he says, referring to Wentworth’s use of a hidden immunity idol. “Kelley listened to her gut and probably information she had gathered and dropped the bomb… When Savage saw the first vote he dropped his face in his hands and mumbled, ‘Unbelievable.’”

Probst called it a “game-changer” — just like the blindside that’s No. 1 on our list. But as entertaining and thrilling as blindsides are, Probst can be a bit of a softie about them. “Blindsides are such a fun part of the game because everybody knows they are inevitable and yet it doesn’t diminish the pain when it happens to you,” he notes. “For the person being blindsided, it is crushing. The dream is over. I always have mixed emotions. Because I know how much sacrifice goes into deciding to do Survivor, it’s tough to see someone’s adventure come to an end. But from a producing standpoint, it’s absolutely delicious.”

Feast on our picks of the 10 greatest blindside moments in Survivor history:

10. Tyson feels totally safe, but totally isn’t. (Survivor: Tocantins)

Coach, Erinn, Tyson, Sierra, Jerry, Debbie, and Brendan

How It Went Down: Everyone thought the next elimination was a done deal — Sierra. No ifs, ands, or buts about it, right? Wrong. Tyson belittled and was downright mean to Sierra for most of the episode; what he didn’t realize was that his own alliance members were plotting to take him out since he didn’t have immunity.

Why It Was Great: This is the quintessential blindside. Someone is riding high, feeling on top of the game — and the next minute, their torch is being extinguished. Going into tribal council, Tyson said, “I’m hoping that Sierra’s gonna cry a lot.” Just as Probst told us, the best blindsides come out of hubris.

9. Randy tries to use a fake idol. (Survivor: Gabon)

Matty, Ken, Randy, Corinne, Bob, Sugar, Crystal, and Susie

How It Went Down: Randy, hoping to save ally Bob, decided to anger the old Fang bloc by insulting Matty. It worked, and Matty’s group decided to vote off Randy, instead. But Randy had a plan: use Bob’s hidden idol. Except Bob’s hidden idol was a fake he’d fabricated! Thus, Randy was voted out.

Why It Was Great: We’d seen players with fake idols before — Jaime tried to use on in the China season. But Randy’s ouster was just plain funny, as he plotted and schemed about how to get back at his former Fang tribe with Bob’s fake idol (which was very well-made). And Bob let him do it! We were laughing right along with the other players as a red-faced Randy exited the game.

8. Phillip is eliminated after Malcolm uses two idols. (Survivor: Caramoan)

How It Went Down: The “Stealth R Us” alliance, led by Phillip, had the numbers on the “Three Amigos” of Malcolm, Reynold, and Eddie. Reynold won immunity, and Malcolm found a hidden idol in view of everyone else. What they didn’t know was that he already had one in possession, which he gave to Eddie. The three of them cut off the head of the Stealth snake and voted out Phillip.

Why It Was Great: This wasn’t a typical blindside, since Phillip knew the Three Amigos were planning to write his name down. But it was so satisfying to see the total shock on his and his allies’ faces when Malcolm pulled out that second idol. And then, tribal council was thrown into turmoil as they scrambled over what to do. Just goes to show, numbers don’t mean everything on Survivor.

7. Brandon gives up immunity. (Survivor: South Pacific)

Rick, Brandon, Coach, Sophie, and Albert

How It Went Down: After Brandon won immunity, there was a lot of scrambling and arguing about who had made promises about going to the final. Brandon first distrusted his ally, Albert, then forgave him because God said so. He bestowed his immunity necklace onto Albert, to demonstrate his loyalty or something. Coach also prayed about what to do, and it seemed the answer was to side with the others against Brandon.

Why It Was Great: Gotta love when things take a turn toward the crazy on Survivor. Brandon’s reasoning this episode was head-scratching, to say the least. So, first God wanted Brandon to win immunity. Then, God wanted Brandon to give it up to Albert. And also, God wanted Coach to vote out Brandon, too. God works in mysterious ways.

6. Kelly is eliminated when Russell reveals his hidden idol. (Survivor: Samoa)

Kelly has her torch snuffed out by Jeff Probst

How It Went Down: Unbeknownst to anyone, Russell had gone looking for hidden immunity idols and found two. He used one when it wasn’t necessary (Erik was voted out), but he was still Public Enemy No. 1 to the other players, who plotted to get rid of him at the first opportunity. Little did they know he had a second idol up his sleeve, which he used to Kelly’s complete shock and dismay.

Why It Was Great: Hidden idols had been around on Survivor for many seasons before Russell perfected the art of it. Nobody before had ever thought to look for them on their own, without clues. He did, and found two. Love him or hate him, Russell definitely changed the way the game was played — and how to deploy blindsides to ruthless effect.

5. Ozzy is taken out with an idol on hand. (Survivor: Micronesia - Fans vs. Favorites)

How It Went Down: When Cirie was forced to go to Exile Island, she spent the night plotting Ozzy’s downfall. At the immunity challenge, Jason agreed to give up and share food with the others if they didn’t vote him out. Everyone agreed, though Ozzy and Amanda decided to renege on the promise. Cirie seized that opportunity to take out Ozzy, who didn’t even bother bringing his hidden idol with him to tribal council.

Why It Was Great: Ozzy’s blindside is “a great reminder of why idols are not a guarantee,” Probst says. “You have to be willing to play it, but in order to play it, you have to have a sense you need to play it, and that’s where blindsides always win out. You don’t see them coming!”

4. James leaves with two idols in his pocket. (Survivor: China)

How It Went Down: With seven players remaining, Amanda felt like it was time to make a big move, especially since James was such a big physical threat. She orchestrated the ouster of James along with her key allies, Todd and Courtney. James didn’t see it coming and did not play either of the two idols he had.

Why It Was Great: Several times in Survivor history, a player has gone home despite possessing a hidden immunity idol. But James takes the cake because he had two.

3. Tyson inadvertently votes himself out. (Survivor: Heroes vs. Villains)

Tyson, Danielle, Parvati, Sandra, Boston Rob, Courtney, Russell, Jerri, and Coach

How It Went Down: Tyson proved to be his own worst enemy again (though he did redeem himself in Blood vs. Water). Both tribes had to vote someone out, and on the Villains side, Boston Rob was worried Russell had a hidden idol, which he did. So, Rob organized his allies to split the vote between Russell and Parvati. However, Russell somehow convinced Tyson to switch his vote to Parvati. Then, at Tribal Council, Russell gave Parvati his idol, and Tyson ended up going home.

Why It Was Great: You’ll see a theme at the top of the list — and it isn’t the use of idols, though they did come into play. Rather, these blindsides happened thanks to brilliant psychological maneuvering. If Tyson had stuck with Rob’s very sensible plan, they would’ve broken up the power couple of Russell and Parvati. Instead, he let himself get talked into ensuring his own elimination.

2. JT is eliminated thanks to his own hidden idol. (Survivor: Heroes vs. Villains)

How It Went Down: Before the Heroes and Villains merged, JT thought he had a potential post-merge ally in Russell. So, he gave Russell the hidden idol he’d found to save him from a supposed all-women alliance (which did not exist). After the tribes merged, though, that meant both the actual alliance of Russell and Parvati had two idols. She used them on Jerri and Sandra, and as the Heroes had all voted for the former, the Villains’ choice was voted out — which ended up being JT.

Why It Was Great: Though Probst doesn’t revel in blindsides, he says, “I certainly enjoy the drama of a blindside! And often it’s related to hubris. You have someone who thinks they have the entire game wired and they get upended. For instance, in Heroes vs. Villains, when JT was voted out with his own idol, it was really amazing and incredibly entertaining. And because these were all-stars, the best of the best, I think it carried even more weight.”

1. Erik gives up immunity. (Survivor: Micronesia - Fans vs. Favorites)

How It Went Down: With five players remaining, Erik easily won individual immunity. Then, Cirie and Natalie managed to convince him to give the latter his immunity. Only then would they go to the finale with him, and they argued that the move would redeem him in the eyes of the jury. Erik went along with it, and was voted out by the women (Cirie, Natalie, Amanda, and Parvati)

Why It Was Great: Take it away, Probst. “Erik giving up his idol to the girls absolutely changed the game. I truly believe Erik could have won the entire season. He was so likable and so good and… sadly for him, at that point in his life, so naive. What a life lesson and holy cow, what amazing insight from the girls to know how to work him to turn over the single most valuable thing in the game at the single worst moment. As a group, those women were fantastic.”

The Survivor: Cambodia - Second Chance finale airs Wednesday, Dec. 16 at 8 p.m. on CBS.