Survivor crowned Kyle Fraser its Season 48 winner over runner-up Eva Erickson during the three-hour finale broadcast that aired Wednesday night on CBS.

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Kyle, a 31-year-old attorney from Roanoke, VA, who currently resides in Brooklyn, NY, became the "Sole Survivor" and won the $1 million prize in a 5-2-1 jury vote on Night 26 of the game instead of Eva, a 24-year-old PhD candidate from Eagan, MN, who currently resides in Providence, RI, and Joe Hunter, a 45-year-old fire captain from Vacaville, CA, who currently resides in West Sacramento, CA.

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"I can't even describe [this feeling], Jeff. It means the world to me," Kyle said in tears during the aftershow, which was filmed on location in Fiji.

Kyle added, "It's incredible. This game pushed me to my limits every single day, but it's exactly what I wanted... This game makes you uncomfortable, and I can't tell you how great uncomfortable feels. I am so happy to represent this season. I just can't thank you all enough. This game is the best!"

Eva received two votes from jury members Star Toomey and Mary Zheng, while Joe only received a single jury vote from Cedrek McFadden.

Kamilla Karthigesu, a 31-year-old software engineer from Toronto, Canada, who currently resides in Foster City, CA, placed fourth after she lost the firestarting challenge to Eva.

"If Kamilla was in the Final 3, Kamilla wins the whole game because she represents everything that is Survivor -- period," Star announced during the aftershow.

And Mitch Guerra, a 34-year-old P.E. coach from Waco, TX, finished Survivor 48 in fifth place.

The Survivor broadcast began with the Final 5 dealing with the loss of Shauhin Davari on Night 23. Joe acknowledged it was a "tough" vote, but Kyle was thrilled because the move put him closer to Joe and Eva.

Joe worried about the possibility Kyle had duped them, but Eva assured him that Kyle was with them and they could take out Kamilla next.

But Kamilla was Kyle's No. 1, and Kamilla boasted about how she's a great liar. Kamilla noted that she was prepared to own every single one of her lies if she made it to the end.

On Day 24, the castaways learned that the first person to open his or her lock box would receive an advantage in the next Individual Immunity Challenge. The players had to use symbols around camp, which were pictures of animals, to come up with a word -- and that word was "secure."

Kyle used his social charm to steal letters from the other players by bringing up his struggle in casual conversation, but he guessed "rescue," which was wrong. Eva therefore solved the puzzle and received the advantage.

Eva boasted that she's had the most advantages of anyone in this game. In addition to having an idol and an advantage in the Final 5 Immunity Challenge, Eva also let her "Safety Without Power" advantage expire.

At the Immunity Challenge, Jeff instructed each castaway to race up and over a steep ramp and through a muddy net. After throwing a ball at a target, they'd maneuver it through a long cage. Once the ball was free, they'd toss it into a basket, revealing numbers.

Those numbers would solve a combination lock, which would then release a key. The end of the challenge required the players to race to the top of a steep ramp, use that key to unlock puzzle pieces, and then solve a giant Survivor fire puzzle.

The winner would be guaranteed a spot in the Final 4, meaning that person would at least have a shot to make fire -- at the final fire starting challenge -- and get to the end.

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In addition, they were playing for Reward in the form of bolognese pasta, pesto pasta, and chocolate cake at the Survivor sanctuary.

Eva's advantage allowed her to see her numbers at the basket without having to throw her ball into the net. She just had to place her ball into a bucket, saving her a lot of time.

Among the losers, one person would become the fourteenth person voted out of the game and the seventh member of the jury.

Kamilla and Eva were behind, but Eva's advantage propelled her forward and then Kamilla managed to out the fire puzzle together very quickly. When Kamilla was about halfway done, Joe didn't even have two pieces put together.

In a huge comeback, Kamilla won her second Individual Immunity Challenge of the season.

Kamilla chose Eva to join her on the Reward because Eva was hungry.

After the challenge, Mitch told Kyle that they had to write down Joe's name next. Joe, however, wanted to send out Mitch. Kyle knew that Joe was a huge threat to win the game but Mitch could also grab a lot of jury votes.

Meanwhile, Eva was sold on voting Mitch out that night, and she told Kamilla that.

Kamilla told the cameras that Mitch and Joe were obviously threats but so was Kyle, because if Civa banned together, the former tribe would split their votes between Kamilla and Kyle.

"I know Kyle is the biggest threat to my game... I thought I could separate the logic from the heart and the emotion in this game, and I can't," Kamilla admitted in a Survivor confessional.

Kamilla and Kyle discussed voting out Mitch because he'd help them get jury votes, and the pair decided to stick together. Kamilla thought sticking with Kyle would bring them closer to the Final 3.

Kamilla then confessed to Mitch that if she sat next to him in the Final 3, he would win. Kamilla insisted that everyone loved him.

Mitch appeared shocked and disturbed, and he told the Survivor cameras it was "devastating" news. Eva and Joe also confirmed this news and told Mitch that it was out of respect for him.

Mitch cried about getting voted out next, and he told Kyle that he should've made a big move earlier in the game.

At Tribal Council that night, Eva played her hidden Immunity Idol for herself because it was the last time she could play it. The tribe then unanimously voted out Mitch. Mitch had voted for Kyle.

Mitch called his elimination "heartbreaking," but he confirmed he had "no regrets."

Mitch said in his final words, "Every expectation and hope and dream I had about this experience was blown out of the water. I am so proud of myself. I played a heck of a game, and you can't be too upset about making it to Day 24."

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On Day 25, there were two groups of two left -- who had played very different games. Eva and Joe were a public duo who prided themselves on loyalty and trust, while Kamilla and Kyle had been scheming, lying and keeping their alliance a secret.

Eva told the cameras that if it were up to her, she'd take Joe to the Final 3 with her. Eva knew she'd be criticized for that move, but she believed she had a unique story to tell.

Kamilla then told Kyle that her best shot at winning the game would be to ditch him because they had made most of their moves together.

"If I win, you are making fire," Kamilla confessed.

"I understand... I've been thinking the same thing. I'm glad you said it," Kyle responded.

Joe then confirmed that if he got to pick, he'd take Eva to the Final 3 without hesitation.

Joe just hoped Kyle would pick him if Kyle were to win the Final Immunity Challenge.

The Final Immunity Challenge was a Survivor classic. Each castaway had one hand tied behind his or her back. On Jeff's "go," they had to drop a ball down a shoot that would spiral to the bottom.

"You'll catch it and put it back in," Jeff explained.

"At regular intervals, you will add more balls, making it more difficult. If at any point your ball drops, you are out."

The last person left standing would be guaranteed a spot in the Final 3 and be able to choose which two castaways would make fire.

Eva was the first person out of the challenge, and then she was followed by Kamilla and Joe.

Kyle therefore won Individual Immunity, and he was thrilled. It was his second necklace of the season.

"Wow! What a battle!" Jeff shouted.

Kyle had apparently promised Joe before the challenge that he was going to take him to the end, and so Kyle decided to stay true to that promise.

Kyle also explained to the cameras how he didn't want to allow Joe to make fire because it would give Joe even more momentum going into the Final 3.

"You are my brother, you are my friend for the rest of my life. I am thankful to have you in my life," Kyle told Joe.

Joe cried because he was so happy and felt so honored. And Joe told Kyle that he was super proud of him.

Kyle broke the news to Eva as a result that she was going to compete in the firestarting challenge against Kamilla -- and he hoped Eva was going to win. Eva cried but saw this coming, and Kamilla knew she'd be making fire as well.

Kamilla and Eva proceeded to practice at camp, but the more Eva tried to spark flames, the more frustrated and emotional she became.

Joe and Kyle heard Eva's sobs from afar, and so Joe went to check on her. Kyle asked Joe to make sure that Eva was okay because he was considering letting Eva off the hook and going up against Kamilla in fire himself.

"I'm not afraid to put myself in the fire if that's what needs to happen," Kyle told the Survivor cameras.

Once Joe saw Eva in tears, he also offered to make fire in her place.

"No," Eva said after coming out of her episode. "No, Joe, this is my thing. I have to do it; I am going to get it."

"Please," Joe pleaded.

"I am going to do it," Eva insisted.

Joe therefore helped Eva prepare because he said he understood that Eva needed to prove to herself and others -- who are similar to her -- that she could do it.

Both Eva and Kamilla planned to put everything they had into the fire challenge.

At Tribal Council on Night 25, Kyle formally announced that he was going to take Joe to the Final 3. Shauhin, in particular, appeared totally shocked by the decision. And the jury seemed confused when Kamilla explained how she and Kyle didn't want to sit next to each other in the end.

Kamilla and Eva were instructed to use their tools and materials to spark a flame that would burn high enough to burn through a rope. The first woman to burn her rope would win the challenge.

Eva got a flame first, and she managed to build a nice fire. Kamilla, in the meantime, complained that her hands were cramping and she couldn't get anything to work.

Kamilla's pile was dark and cold while Eva's flame was burning through the rope. However, Eva's fire suddenly started burning sideways and it decreased in size by about half.

Eva started panicking, but Kamilla comforted and encouraged her, even though they were competitors under a lot of pressure.

Jeff praised Kamilla for being such a positive person, and she shared with Jeff how she had gained so much confidence by playing Survivor.

Kamilla became the eighth -- and final -- member of the jury.

"I'm just glad that I had the chance to make fire and I didn't get voted out. No one wrote my name down. Me having to sit in that position meant that someone thought I was a threat to their game," Kamilla said in her final words.

"I never expected that, so even if I sucked at fire, I am proud of the game I played -- and I had a blast playing. I really had fun with the game I played, and that's the best feeling in the world."

On Day 26, the Final 3 castaways enjoyed a feast and thought about what they were going to tell the jury. Kyle was convinced he was always in control. He boasted about how he developed strong relationships with people from start to finish that allowed him to always have his finger on the pulse.

Eva told the cameras how she played Survivor with all of her heart, and Joe, a physical beast, explained how he had played a loyal and honest game.

At the Final Tribal Council on Night 26, Eva, Kyle and Joe pitched their case to the jury comprised of Mitch, Kamilla, Shauhin, Cedrek, Star, Mary, Chrissy Sarnowsky, and David Kinne.

Cedrek asked the Final 3 to reveal their weaknesses and how they overcame them to advance in the game.

Eva spoke about how she didn't let her autism hold her back by aligning herself with someone she could trust wouldn't lie to her. Joe said he wore his emotions on his sleeve but he used that vulnerability to build strong relationships with people.

Kyle admitted he had entered the game over-confident which ultimately humbled him and made him pivot multiple times and work harder to connect with people.

Chrissy voiced how she would have a difficult time choosing between Joe and Eva because they played this whole game together and never turned on one another. She apparently wanted to see the pair duke it out to become the "Sole Survivor," but Joe and Eva believed their individual games spoke for themselves.

Star asked the Final 3 to reveal secrets and backstabs that the jury didn't know about.

Eva shared how she never played a "Safety Without Power" advantage that she had secured in the middle of the night because she thought it was more important to propel her alliance forward rather than just keeping herself safe.

Kyle announced how he had spent months of his life incarcerated due to nonviolent misdemeanors but he ultimately became a lawyer and has been practicing in New York for the past four years.

Eva then revealed how she graduated from college in three years and is now a PhD student in Engineering and Political Science at Brown University.

"I'm just a dumb fireman still," Joe quipped.

Eva subsequently argued that she was a collaboration with Joe but was never his "plus one." Eva cited an example of how she had come to the decision to vote out Shauhin.

As Eva spoke, Kyle seemed nervous because he had made up a lie that swayed Eva and Joe into voting Shauhin -- and Eva and Joe were totally unaware of the betrayal.

"I got you. I got you," Kamilla whispered to Kyle from the jury.

Shauhin clarified that he had voted for Mitch that night and never made the move to get rid of Eva.

Since Eva was taking credit for the Shauhin vote, Kamilla interrupted and asked Kyle to share his take on that.

Kyle shared how Shauhin had spoken to him at the loved ones' visit about potentially taking out Eva or Joe. But Kyle, at the time, was fearful Shauhin was trying to get him caught up in a plan so that he could blame Kyle for it and then turn the alliance against him. Shauhin gave Kyle a look that confirmed that was the case.

"I leveraged the only thing I had in this game that no one knew about -- my relationship with Kamilla," Kyle announced.

"I worked with Kamilla hand in hand throughout the entirety of this game. And I have to disagree with Joe and Eva that they are the best people to win this game. I think they were the most public duo and I think they were a very strong duo, but I think that Kamilla and I were the best duo in this game."

He added, "I was doing a lot of stuff in the shadows with Kamilla."

Kyle then revealed that he had told Joe and Eva about Shauhin's plans but also planted a lie in the story about how Shauhin had allegedly flashed his idol at Kamilla.

"Because no one knew that I was working with Kamilla, she told them that [Shauhin] did show them the idol," Kyle confessed. "I had to make that lie because I needed to have Kamilla sitting in the Final 4."

Kyle said he wanted to disprove the jury's perception that Joe was the muscle, Eva was the heart, and Shauhin was the brains -- and so he took the brains out of the operation because he had to.

Eva appeared confused and disappointed, and Joe seemed a little upset.

In his final speech, Kyle discussed how he played a well-rounded game, and Eva asked the jury to crown an "unprecedented player" the winner of their season because she embodied what this season was all about.

For Joe's part, he reminded the jury of his age and how he won the most Individual Immunity Challenges of the season. Joe also shared how he spent his entire career taking care of others and so he'd love to win the $1 million in order to set his children up financially.

It then became time for the jury to vote.

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Survivor showed Cedrek voting for Joe, Mary voting for Eva, and Kamilla voting for Kyle.

Jeff proceeded to read the votes aloud in the following order: Joe, Eva, Kyle, Eva, Kyle, Kyle, and Kyle.

As previously mentioned, everyone voted for Kyle to win except for Cedrek, Mary and Star.


About The Author: Elizabeth Kwiatkowski

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