Survivor will be celebrating its 20th year of being on the air with an all-winners season, a cast that's left everyone shocked with anticipation. Although eighteen winners have been left off the list, Winners at War features twenty of the best the game has ever seen, with their records to prove it. A two million dollar prize, doubling any other season, gives contestants that much more reason to give it all they've got!
While some castaways have played several times and have a huge target on their back, others have only played once, or have stayed out of the limelight, and lowered their threat level. Here's a list of five winners who actually stand a chance at winning the game, and five winners who have close to zero chances!
GREAT CHANCE: Michele Fitzgerald
Michele Fitzgerald is one of the more understated of the Winners at War cast. Coming off her win in Survivor: Koah Rong, Michele definitely feels like she has to prove herself, not only to fans but to Probst himself! The fanbase still debates whether or not Michele or Aubry should have won Koah Rong, so it's understandable why Michele doesn't see herself as a threat.
It's her non-threatening status that can push her far into the game. Without a huge target on the back, and any enemies or strong connections to the cast (unlike co-minglers Boston Rob and Amber!) Michele has the chance to both go far, and prove herself to be a great second-winner candidate.
NO CHANCE: Sandra Diaz-Twine
It would be pitiful to watch a group of winners, who have all endured (at the very minimum) 39 grueling days of the game, to let Sandra win for the THIRD time! This group is too hungry and self-involved to let Sandra sneak her way past the merge. It's blasphemous that Sandra's tribe in Survivor: Game Changers didn't vote her out first! Her ability to win twice and return without being eliminated first really proves how strong of a player she is, and how much of a threat she'll be seen as.
Though her starting tribe in Winners at War, 'Akal', seems stacked with physical threats like Tyson Apostol and Wendell Holland, the 'Sele' tribe has Boston Rob and Ben Driebergen, so the chances Sandra's tribe will lose the first immunity challenge are pretty decent. If they do go to tribal council first, it's hard to imagine a scenario where Sandra isn't the first one out.
GREAT CHANCE: Danni Boatwright
Danni Boatwright has a lot of similarities to Michele, with both being underestimated female winners who have only played once. Danni played all the way back in season 11, Survivor: Guatemala. Though a lot of the Survivor alum stay active in the community (Adam Klein, anyone?), Danni has remained behind the scenes and doesn't share much about her life.
That being said, she's a huge threat! Danni has a great deal of business acumen as an entrepreneur, plus being a sports talk show host (and wife of former NFL player Casey Wiegmann!) can only play to her advantage. Danni is also a mother, which Nicole Cesternino, podcasting king Rob Cesternino's wife, recently went on air to say she definitively believes the jury for Winners at War will not give the win to anyone that doesn't have children, considering most of the cast are parents.
NO CHANCE: Boston Rob Mariano
Much like Queen Sandra, Boston Rob Mariano has no chance to win. Boston Rob will break at least one record this season, returning for his fifth time, the most of any contestant. Though Ozzy Lusth holds the record for the most days in the game at 128, Boston Rob's stint on Winners at War will place him higher than Ozzy, taking the 'Edge of Extinction' twist into .
Boston Rob is probably the most notable and popular contestant the game has ever seen, so it would be crazy for a group of winners to let him by. It would be entirely shocking if he could make it past the merge, and though the 'Edge' could potentially send him back in the game, it's doubtful this bunch of winners will let an 'Edge' member win!
GREAT CHANCE: Denise Stapley
Denise Stapley may be the oldest cast member at 49 years old, but she is also a badass! She's incredibly athletic, in shape, and she's a sex therapist, so her ability to handle sticky (no pun intended) situations is very high. Denise won her season after attending every single tribal council in the game, which makes Denise seem like a huge threat, but she's absolutely undervalued.
In an epic response to Twitter who asked: "do you think Denise will be a threat this season?", Malcolm Freberg, Denise's ally in Survivor: Philippines, wrote: "in the time it took you to write this foolish question doubting her, denise stapely ran 3 miles, did a hundred of those burpee things, reshaved her hair, and was paid to describe where the clitoris is. of course, she’s a threat."
NO CHANCE: Sarah Lacina
Sarah Lacina will find herself in some hot water coming into Winners at War. Her tribemates underestimated just how cunning and ruthless Sarah could be in Survivor: Game Changers and lived up to her goal of playing like a "criminal instead of a cop," but she stabbed many of her allies in the back, and didn't do it quietly.
After she convinced Game Changers alliance member Sierra Dawn Thomas to will her the 'Legacy Advantage' if she got voted out, Sarah blindsided Sierra under her nose, a truly "game-changing" move. Sarah's rap sheet is just too long for her to have any chance at Winners at War.
GREAT CHANCE: Sophie Clarke
When she won Survivor: South Pacific, Sophie Clarke didn't exactly blow the community away. Regardless, Sophie's had years of growth and maturity, and recently became a doctor! Though she's a superfan who frequents Rob Has a Podcast), Sophie isn't a threat this season.
There are much bigger fish to fry, and Sophie will most likely stay off the radar for the majority of the game. She can easily skate past the merge, and Sophie would make for a great second two-time female winner!
NO CHANCE: Tony Vlachos
Tony Vlachos has quite the uphill battle if he plans to stand a chance fighting Winners at War. He played an incredibly loud game his first time out, and during his second chance Sandra and other Game Changers legends quickly caught on to Tony's mad antics, voting him out second!
Though he's probably been humbled (or has he?) and stands a chance of making it past the first vote, a tiger can't change its stripes, just as Tony can't play Survivor without his haphazard shenanigans. A world where Tony wins Winners at War would be legendary, but it's highly unlikely.
GREAT CHANCE: Ben Driebergen
When he won Survivor: Heroes vs. Healers vs. Hustlers, Ben Driebergen wasn't respected or regarded in the community as a deserving winner. After playing three idols in a row and losing the final immunity challenge with an ill-fated upside-down 'U', fans thought Ben's time was over, but suddenly the final four fire-making challenge was introduced.
Fans more than exasperated he was able to be saved once again, and though they may be sour on Ben, it's ultimately not his fault production changed the game. He comes into Winners At War with low threat level, and could easily through the merge without notice, which is dangerous considering his abilities!
NO CHANCE: Parvati Shallow
The other self-proclaimed 'Queen' Parvati Shallow, winner of Survivor: Micronesia, stands no chance of winning again. She has the best record for any three-time player, and was the person her tribe wanted out first both times she returned! Parvati has one of the biggest targets on her back this season, alongside Boston Rob and Sandra at the very top.
Though she's a new mother and wife to Survivor: Samoa contestant John Fincher, Parvati's chances of diffusing her major threat level seems low, and this cast is too shrewd to allow her to slip through the cracks!