Survivor featured the Lewatu tribe unanimously voting out Steven Ramm although he had played his "Block a Vote" advantage during Season 49's penultimate episode that aired Wednesday night on CBS.

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Steven, a 35-year-old rocket scientist from Littleton, CO, who currently resides in Denver, CO, was voted out of Survivor 49 on Night 23 at Tribal Council through a unanimous vote instead of Sophi "Soph" Balerdi, a 27-year-old entrepreneur from Miami, FL, who had also played a "Knowledge is Power" advantage.

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"It feels pretty amazing not to be an imposter. I came in here thinking I didn't deserve to be here, and now, I realize that I do," Steven said in his final words.

"I'm capable of so much more than I've ever given myself credit for. Even though I was a little bit of a failure to launch, to get to the Final Tribal, it was a complete mission success in terms of self-discovery, and that feeling of self-confidence is worth more than anything."

Steven used his advantage on Savannah Louie, a 31-year-old former reporter from Walnut Creek, CA, blocking her vote, and then Sophi tried to steal Steven's advantage -- but it was too late.

The Survivor broadcast began on Night 21 at Lewatu's camp following Tribal Council.

Steven gushed about how Sophie Segreti's ouster was "the perfect blindside" because everyone wanted to get out "the biggest target" in the game. He said the move was both "strategic and revenge" since she had sent his pal Jawan Pitts to the jury.

Steven also proudly still had his "Block a Vote" advantage in his pocket.

Rizo had told everyone that his hidden Immunity Idol expired at Final 6, although it didn't expire until Final 5. Rizo was hoping no one would vote for him because they were all assuming he'd finally play his idol.

"Have fun eating each other alive!" Rizo boasted.

On Day 22, Sophi said she had been working with Rizo and Savannah for weeks and they were her main allies. However, she didn't want to sit next to either of them in the Final 3.

"I didn't come here for third place," Sophi noted, before planting seeds about how dangerous Rizo and Savannah were.

Sophi told Kristina that she'd be willing to take out Savannah, and Kristina said she was totally onboard. Sophi acknowledged that she needed to do some type of flashy move to boost her Survivor resume.

The tribe then met Survivor host Jeff Probst for a Reward Challenge, and Savannah was in tears because she said she was so hungry and cold from the rain.

The castaways were required to race through bamboo steps and then work a bag through a ladder bridge. After crawling under another obstacle, they'd retrieve two more bags. Once they had all three bags, they'd attempt to land one sandbag at the top of a tall pole.

The first person to finish would win Reward in the form of a Mexican feast complete with tacos and margaritas as well as a comfortable night at the Survivor sanctuary. On top of that, the winner would receive a letter from home, and so it was the biggest Reward of the season.

Savannah ended up pulling out a win, and she chose her closest ally, Rizo Velovic, a 25-year-old in tech sales from Yonkers, NY, to join her.

Savannah then got to choose one more person to join her, and she picked Sophi.

Savannah was excited to "fuel" her body so that she could potentially beat Steven in the next Individual Immunity Challenge.

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Back at camp, Sage Ahrens-Nichols, a 30-year-old clinical social worker from Roxboro, NC, who currently resides in Olympia, WA, acknowledged this was "karma" for her for not taking the opportunity to take Savannah out when she had the chance.

Kristina Mills, a 36-year-old MBA career coach from Houston, TX, who currently resides in Edmond, OK, told Sage and Steven that Sophi was ready to take a shot at Savannah and hopefully the Reward wouldn't change her mind.

Steven also showed Kristina and Sage his "Block a Vote" advantage. Steven told the women that "in theory," this would give them the majority.

"The best bet is obviously playing the advantage, blocking Savannah, Rizo or Soph's vote -- which vote remains to be seen, but that brings them down from three to two votes. Either way, Kristina, Sage and I have the majority," Steven explained to the Survivor cameras.

Steven mentioned how his ideal target was Savannah, and Sage said she was on the same page.

Meanwhile, Rizo told Savannah and Sophi that he wanted to sit next to both of them in the Final 3.

Sophi had considered targeting one of her allies, but this Reward really solidified their bond. Sophi therefore changed her mind about voting out Savannah.

Sophi even shared with Rizo and Savannah how she had a "Knowledge is Power" advantage.

"We need to get Steven out of this game," Sophi announced. "If he has a 'Steal a Vote,' I can steal that from him and we just have the majority and go to five."

This solidified trust for Rizo, because he was well aware that Sophi could steal his idol.

While Steven was boasting about "the last supper" for Rizo, Savannah and Sophi, Rizo was bragging about how his trio definitely had the upper hand and the other castaways had no idea.

After Rizo, Savannah and Sophi read emotional letters from home and had a good night sleep, the tribe reunited on Day 23.

Later that day, it became time for the next Individual Immunity Challenge.

Each castaway was instructed to put one foot at the end of a hinged beam. At the other end of that beam was a ball. Using only one foot, they had to balance that ball on the beam. If the ball dropped at any point, he or she would be out.

The winner would earn him or herself a spot in the Final 5, and the next person eliminated would become the thirteenth person voted out of the game and the sixth member of the Survivor jury.

The challenge came down to a showdown between Savannah and Sage.

Sage was looking for her first Individual Immunity win, and so after 24 minutes -- which was a new Survivor record -- she tried to make a deal with Savannah.

"I can save us. If you can trust me, I can get us through this," Sage said.

"Honestly, you already wrote my name down... I'm just scared," Savannah replied.

"I know, and I would be if I were you, too, right now. But I'm serious. I have a plan, Savannah, and I can get us both out," Sage said.

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Savannah promised Sage that she wasn't going home that night, but Sage didn't want to give up.

"I can't [drop] Sage, I'm sorry," Savannah concluded.

In the end, Savannah won and it marked her third Individual Immunity win of the season. Sage, who wanted that victory so badly, broke down into tears after finishing in second place.

Savannah tried to comfort Sage, saying that she had done so well and should be proud of herself.

And it was back to the drawing board for Sage.

After the challenge, Steven changed his target to Sophi, since she was a number for Savannah, who had immunity, and Rizo, who had an idol.

Rizo then attempted to throw "an olive branch" at Sage by saying Savannah and Sophi wanted Steven out and he wouldn't be opposed to following suit.

"There is one person that could certainly beat me [in the end], and that's Steven," Sage told the Survivor cameras. "So he should be the logical target, however, Kristina has a relationship with Steven and so I don't know where her head is at."

When Sage talked to Kristina about the possible Steven vote, Kristina said she was "shocked." Kristina was very close to Sage and Steven, and she had been working with Steven since Day 1.

"I don't think I can do it," Kristina told the Survivor cameras, before telling Sage that she didn't want Savannah to win another Immunity Challenge and Steven could potentially beat her.

Kristina said the risk of sending Steven home now would be Sophi choosing to team up with Savannah and Rizo again, leaving Sage and herself in the minority.

"Because of that, Soph has to be the vote tonight," Kristina reasoned.

Kristina kind of spilled the beans to Steven that she and Sage had discussed possibly turning on him, and Steven called her a "sloppy" ally who was like a big plate of messy spaghetti.

Savannah, meanwhile, was banking on Sophi played her advantage on their alliance's behalf.

Before Tribal Council, Steven decided to play his "Block a Vote" advantage against Savannah, getting rid of his advantage.

Sophi, for her part, contemplated taking Steven's advantage or stealing Rizo's idol to play on herself.

"My grandmother would probably tell me, 'Girl, you didn't know him 22 days ago, just take the idol and suck it up. Just do it,'" Sophi explained to the Survivor cameras.

"That's the part of Survivor you can't prepare for... [but] you build these relationships and you have a place in your heart for these people... It's driving me crazy and I don't know what I'm going to do."

On Night 23 at Tribal Council, Sophi declared how she was definitely on the chopping block that night because multiple people had immunity or advantages of some kind.

And Steven quipped, "Maybe I'm the one getting played. I have no clue!"

It then became time to vote, but first, Sophi -- who called herself "a silent assassin" -- played her "Knowledge of Power" advantage.

"I want to apologize in advance, because I do respect what you did to earn it. But I've been holding onto this for a while -- for the right time and the right moment. And so, I'm sorry, Steven, but do you have an advantage?" Sophi asked.

"Nope!" Steven proudly replied.

Sophi appeared shocked and said, "Oh my god, he gave it to somebody else!"

Steven, once again, muttered, "Nope!"

Each castaway proceeded to cast their vote, and Savannah soon learned her vote had been blocked.

"I pray to God that Steven goes home tonight," Savannah told the Survivor cameras in the voting booth.

Sophi was shown writing Steven's name down, and she said she hoped his "ass" was going home that night because her failed advantage play was "embarrassing."

After Steven wrote Sophi's name down, Rizo noted in the voting booth, "They have three votes and we have two. I have to play my idol."

Jeff asked if anyone wanted to play an idol or advantage, and then Rizo found out that Savannah's vote had been blocked.

"I would play [your idol] on me," Sophi told Rizo.

Rizo stood up and announced how he had to make a decision between Sophi and himself.

"I hope that I make the right choice. Soph, I'm so sorry, but I'm going to keep this one for myself -- and I'm not going to play it tonight, Jeff," Rizo said.

"Risk it for the biscuit! If I go home, I go home!"

Jeff proceeded to read the votes in the following order: Steven and Sophi.

"Sorry, girl," Rizo told Sophi.

Jeff then read two more votes for Steven, resulting in his elimination.

"Sorry, man, I couldn't beat you, dude," Sage told Steven.

Rizo appeared stunned and excited, and Sophi celebrated her safety.

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"Damn, that was a good move! I'm not going to lie, I'm a little hurt," Steven admitted.

"I know," Sage said. "I know."

The remaining castaways then learned that Rizo's idol was still good for another Tribal Council.


About The Author: Elizabeth Kwiatkowski

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