Australian Survivor Heroes vs Villains winner scores $500k after brutal finale

Survivor ended in an explosive finale, with one of the game’s biggest players finally getting revenge on an ally. WARNING: Spoilers.

WARNING: Survivor spoilers below.

A new Survivor winner was crowned during a tense Heroes vs Villains season finale on Monday night, with one person taking home the title of Sole Survivor – and the $500,000 prize.

And it was 28-year-old Olympic pole vaulter Liz Parnov who won the season, after voting out dominating player George earlier in the episode.

Her win came after a particularly tense pitch to the jury for Liz and the rest of the final three, who all squirmed as they were challenged to name exactly what moves they’d pulled off in the game that hadn’t been orchestrated by George.

Here’s how it all unfolded:

Four hours of pure torture

Matt and Liz suffer through the final challenge.

Liz won the challenge.

First up, all four submitted to a typically gruelling final immunity challenge that saw them stand in crucifix-like positions on poles set up on a clifftop by the sea. Spikes pressing into their backs upped the torture factor. As the challenge wore on, the spikes were pushed further out of the poles, leaving them contorted to try and find relief.

Gerry was the first to fall after just over an hour, followed by George at three hours and 50 minutes. Matt slipped at four hours and 10 minutes, leaving a sobbing and exhausted Liz the winner.

“The fact that Liz has won is not good for me,” said a concerned George. He wasn’t wrong …

Survivor ‘King’ loses his throne

In another bizarre move from Gerry, back at camp he announced to his fellow competitors that he wasn’t worthy of winning the game, and volunteered himself to be voted out and sent to the jury.

“I can’t believe it … every single move he’s made in this game has benefited me,” said George, who couldn’t quite believe his luck that his most dedicated ally had just put his hand up to go to the jury where he’d petition for him to win the game.

Gerry (left) makes his pitch … to be voted out.

But Gerry didn’t get his wish: Matt and Liz were both gunning for George, knowing he’d be near-impossible to argue against during the final pitch. In the end, all three turned on George, voting him out at tribal council.

As she pulled him in for a goodbye hug, Liz whispered in the ear of the man who had been her close ally for almost the entire game: “I finally got you”.

Stone cold savage.

George getting his torch snuffed out.

“This is revenge for Shonee,” she explained, still smarting that he’d voted out another member of their alliance earlier in the game.

“I’ve been waiting for my moment to take him out.”

George’s ousting made for an interesting stat: This season’s jury is comprised entirely of returning players, while the final three are all newbies.

Final three put on trial

The final three – Matt, Gerry and Liz – make their pitch to the jury.

Facing the jury of eliminated players, Liz put in a strong showing, outlining her many alliances and strategic moves in the game. She also addressed George directly, saying that voting him out was her best moment in the game as she’d been wanting revenge ever since he turned on Shonee.

Matt initially performed strongly too, highlighting his well-rounded game as someone who was strong in challenges and – after cultivating a ‘nice guy’ persona – was also very sneakily strategic.

Gerry pitched himself as a Survivor survivor, saying that his age and early injury meant many thought he wouldn’t last anywhere near as long as he had.

But as they fielded questions from the jury, George’s shadow loomed large, as all were asked what moves they actually made themselves, rather than aligning with or reacting to George’s moves.

“I don’t want to hear how you participated in MY moves. I’m happy to vote for you – just tell me what your move was,” George told Matt, which left him speechless.

George gave the final three hell from the jury.

Liz filled the silence, listing the moves she’d made behind George’s back throughout the game.

Gerry copped heat from several members of the jury after he declared he’d managed to survive in the game despite having little in common with all of his younger tribemates.

Several hit back, complaining that he in fact hadn’t taken the time to get to know much about them.

“Do you know my hobbies? I know yours, and some of ours match up – I love hiking and mountain climbing. I don’t think you took the time to get to know that,” Shaun told him.

In the end, with Matt withering and Gerry chastened, Liz closed the deal.

“I have played a far more exciting game than the two people sitting next to me,” said Liz, which was hard to argue with.

“That’s why I am in pole position to be sole Survivor.”

And that she was – Liz won the majority of votes from the jury, taking home the $500,000 prize.