If you were watching TV back in late 2014, you probably remember the chaos of Survivor: San Juan del Sur. It was the second time the show tried the "Blood vs. Water" theme, putting pairs of loved ones against each other. It was messy. It was emotional. And honestly, the winner’s path was one of the most cold-blooded revenge arcs we’ve ever seen on reality television.
So, who won Survivor season 29? Natalie Anderson.
She didn’t just win; she absolutely dismantled the competition after losing her "person" on day one. Most people remember her as one of the "twinnies" from The Amazing Race, but by the time the finale rolled around in Nicaragua, she was a solo powerhouse.
How Natalie Anderson Actually Pulled It Off
Natalie’s win is legendary because she played a game of "stealth-mode" for the first half and then went full "assassin" for the second. It started with a massive disadvantage. Her twin sister, Nadiya, was the very first person voted out of the game.
Imagine that. You go on a show called Blood vs. Water with your sister, and within 72 hours, she’s gone. You’re alone. Everyone else has a partner to whisper with, to trust, and to strategize with. Natalie was the "singles" player in a game dominated by pairs.
The Turning Point: The Jeremy Blindside
For a while, Natalie aligned with Jeremy Collins. They were a tight duo. But then, the unthinkable happened—the majority alliance, led by Jon Misch and Missy Payne, blindsided Jeremy. Natalie was left out of the loop.
She was pissed.
But instead of throwing a tantrum or blowing up her game, she did something brilliant. She played it cool. She stayed within the alliance that just betrayed her best friend, smiled, and waited for the perfect moment to strike. She basically became a double agent.
The Moves That Define Season 29
You can't talk about Natalie’s win without mentioning the "accidental" vote. This is the stuff of Survivor legend. At the final seven, the plan was to vote out Keith Nale. Natalie, however, wanted to keep Keith around as a shield and a potential ally.
When the votes were read, Alec Christy was sent packing. Natalie acted shocked. She told her alliance she "misheard" the instructions and accidentally voted for Alec.
They actually believed her.
It was a total lie, of course. By getting rid of Alec and keeping Keith, she kept a challenge threat in the game who wasn't part of the main power couple (Jon and Jaclyn). It gave her the flexibility she needed to eventually flip the script.
"Jaclyn, Did You Vote For Who I Told You To?"
The climax of Natalie's game happened at the final five. She had a hidden immunity idol. She could have played it safely, but she chose to use it as a weapon. She played the idol for Jaclyn Schultz, which shocked everyone—especially Missy and Baylor, who thought they were safe.
As she stood up to hand the idol to Jeff Probst, she turned to Jaclyn and asked, "Did you vote for who I told you to vote for?"
It was a total power move. It sent Baylor home, broke up the mother-daughter duo of Missy and Baylor, and cemented Natalie as the person running the show.
The Final Tribal Council Results
When it came down to the final three, Natalie sat next to Jaclyn Schultz and Missy Payne. Honestly, it wasn't even close, though the vote tally might look tighter than it felt.
- Natalie Anderson: 5 votes
- Jaclyn Schultz: 2 votes
- Missy Payne: 1 vote
Reed Kelly, one of the jury members, gave a now-famous "Wicked Stepmother" speech aimed at Missy, which was pretty brutal. But the jury overall respected Natalie’s "lone wolf" strategy. She had survived 39 days without a loved one, orchestrated the exits of almost everyone on the jury, and still managed to make them like her enough to give her a million dollars.
Why This Season Still Matters
A lot of fans initially didn't like season 29 because it felt "low level" in terms of strategy early on. You had players like Drew Christy basically throwing challenges for no reason and Keith Nale—bless him—telling everyone to "stick to the plan" during a live Tribal Council, which immediately ruined the plan.
But Natalie Anderson saved the season. She proved that you don't need a partner to win Blood vs. Water. In fact, being alone was her greatest strength because no one saw her as half of a "power couple" until it was way too late to stop her.
Key Takeaways from Natalie’s Victory
If you're looking for lessons from her game, here’s the breakdown:
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- Emotional Intelligence: She knew when to be "loud Natalie" (like when she yelled at John Rocker) and when to be "quiet Natalie" (after the Jeremy blindside).
- The Meat Shield Strategy: She let bigger targets like Jon Misch take the heat while she did the dirty work behind the scenes.
- Acting is Everything: Being able to lie to people’s faces and have them believe you made a "mistake" is a top-tier Survivor skill.
If you want to see how a masterclass in revenge is played, go back and rewatch the post-merge of San Juan del Sur. It’s one of the few times in reality TV history where the "good guys" (or at least the most entertaining ones) actually come out on top through pure grit and better math.
To really understand the impact of this win, compare it to her return in Survivor: Winners at War (Season 40). She was the first person voted out again, just like her sister, but she fought her way back from the Edge of Extinction to take second place. That’s the kind of competitor she is.
Next Steps for Survivor Fans
Check out the full voting history of the San Juan del Sur jury to see exactly who supported Natalie's big moves. You might also want to look up the "Stick to the Plan" incident involving Keith Nale, which remains one of the most unintentionally hilarious blunders in the show's history and set the stage for Natalie's endgame dominance.