Episode 9: The 8th World Wonder
The Hanging Gardens of Babylon? The Collosus at Rhodes? The Lighthouse at Alexandria? What links all of these marvels together is their uniqueness that has piqued the curiosities of one civilization after the next; undoubtedly building up the legend and emphasizing just how special these places were once upon a time. In Survivor terms, Ms. RC Saint-Amour represents this philosophy by standing out as a very rare breed of player that will, most assuredly, survive the test of time in the great lore of the Survivor annuls.
Just a big town girl/Living in a lonely world
“I think I fell in love with the 8th world wonder” Kimberley Locke sings in her famous early-2000’s hit, and they are truly irrefutable lyrics. Looking back, ravishing RC played the game as an extreme, heady player who participated 110 percent in everything she took on. Whether it be forming the pieces of an alliance, solving the pieces of an intricate puzzle, or picking up the pieces of her shattered alliance and holding her ground at the Ponderosa, RC never backed down from any form of opposition. And even when she had been shunned from her tribe, she still played just as hard, and it takes a special type of player to shine under such inclement circumstances.
One of Tandang's rare team moments
So, how many votes did Pete get for the 100k Player of the Year?
Realizing the threat...instantly
Sadly, "RC’s Adventures in Tandangville" have come to a close with the season finale/reunion; but at least we were able to witness the fruition of her journey from Tandang’s heart into the true pulse of the jury. Every week, she took her seat on the bench and sparkled like a mint penny. She began as the Queen of Ponderosa, and she never abdicated her throne; even when the Ponderosa became infested with certain varmint that were designed to suck the wind out of RC’s sails. Instead though, she went on the offensive, and Pete and Abi were certainly rendered inferior after RC had a moment to have her day. She went from a player who desperately sought control of her own destiny, and became a player who was very much in charge of her surroundings.
Before the Final Tribal Council
1st Jury: Rambunctious
2nd Jury: Joshing
3rd Jury: Concerned
4th Jury: Oh dear...
5th Jury: Persnickety
6th Jury: Ready to rumble
And if RC represented that mint penny, than the final three for Survivor: Philippines certainly was taxed with heavy luster. While every final three will most certainly have a collection of warts, these three had enough to dot the noses of a whole neighborhood of cartoon witches. The season was consumed by many days consisting of persistent rain, but Lisa‘s tears might of even challenged those downpours. Along the way, she created a host of confidences, but it came at the expense of her own moral tribulations that became rather contrived and hackneyed as several stronger players departed before her. Mike had a good run as a returning player, but the way he simultaneously worked with/against RC sort of rubbed me the wrong way as the season progressed. He was less dynamic than he was in Australia, but became a more effective player subsequently. Unfortunately, such a gain also rendered him less of an entertaining player. And Denise? Her story was quite vanilla from the get-go, and while she was certainly the more intelligent half of Matsing’s surviving two-headed monster, Malcolm was the hungrier player, and I think he would of made the final three a little feistier. Overall, the show didn’t have the firepower of finales that pitted together players like Yul/Ozzy, Russell/Natalie, or the Heroes & Villains showdown. As a whole, it was a strong season, but the lack of robust players cropped up far too often. By that same token, uber-players like RC and Penner easily shone because they were the antithesis of the weaker players mindsets, and their ability to play in a higher gear separated them from many of the other players. And while the finale fell a little short in the gumption department, the reunion show that followed the finale was surely loaded with entertainment.
Mr. Snake's turn for the fence...guess the spider must be on break
Dangrayne sign = epic eBay auction
Well, that could of been better...
Why did Mike take the idol off? The source of all his power...
Hmmm...even the OJ Simpson jury seemed to be in a better mood...
Artis forgot his happy pills
"I was this close to winning this game..."
"Oh........Abi. Silly, silly Abi."
No deliberation required
From Dawson’s runaway smooch with Jeff Probst; Jeff Kent’s financial meanderings; Artis’s well-tailored approach; Zane’s adorable look of optimism when Probst announced the $100 grand prize (like he really stood a shot, hehe); to RC’s ability to once again counter Pete’s nonsense strategy, the whole event played out exquisitely. Like a huckster that’ll sell you a belt without a buckle, Pete’s ignorance was once again shining brightly. His pithy remarks about the humor of the situation was once again met with harsh criticism by RC, who could see no such humor in how the situation played out. Pete’s ability to just try and laugh off his weak attempt at strategy just proves he’s even more thick-headed and further full of buffoonery than I originally imagined. I would of liked to see Pete dig his grave a little deeper though, during that discourse (I’m sure that James Clement would happily lend his shovel to help him dig), and things sort of cut away when it was starting to get good. Bummer.
One giant, happy family
Jeff summons an inferno, is all...
"How'd you do that, Jeff?"
We all need the clowns to make us smile
"When Pete gabs, just smile and nod..."
With any great adventure, there will always be a proverb of sorts, that attempts to encapsulate the journey into a bite-sized morsel that one can ultimately learn and benefit from for future use. I think RC summed up her journey pretty nicely when the final four surveyed the fallen castaways on their trail to the final challenge. She said quite simply: “You win some, you lose some”. And such a statement opens up the door to chance, and perhaps, RC would of ended up on a tribe with a group of players willing to fight and stick it out together. Maybe she would have been able to convince other players to vote her way post merge in an effort to retain their own survival. The key is though, that even though she lost, she didn’t fail. She played her game the only way she knew how to play: hard and feverishly. Even when the entire deck was stacked against her, she kept fighting, and the target on her back was a testimony to her dominance. And watching the so-called “players” who successfully displaced the golden goose get voted out week after week; there lied the silverest of linings. And by whip-lashing the other’s failures right back into their faces, a great deal of vindication was bestowed upon her, and such catharsis opened the door to undeniable clout for Ms. Saint-Amour…
This totally made me cry a little...
Island therapy
Stunning!!!
Any art gallery would proudly display this masterpiece...
Her enchanting laugh? Her leopard regalia? Her radiant smile? Her fearless persona? This cornucopia of qualities sum up RC Saint-Amour quite nicely, and help establish herself as Survivor’s own 8th world wonder. Whether she ever plays the game again, is slightly ambiguous, but for the time being, she certainly left her mark on the game, and will be remembered as an iconic player for seasons to come. Beautiful, smart, and determined, she is a leopard who will never compromise her spots for anybody, and that makes her all the more powerful.
History lesson time...
More like, the hanging Gardens of Babe-y-lon
Chilling at the Artemis Temple
Musing at the Mausoleum
Showing fine form in front of Zeus's statue
Survivor's solution to the Collosus of Rhodes
Liking the Lighthouse of Alexandria
Nightcap visiting the great Pyramid of Giza
In the third season of the television show Lost, there is a fabulous show named “Greatest Hits“, where one of the characters, Charlie, creates a list of the five things that he is most proud of accomplishing in his life. Well, I decided to take a look back and create my own collection of “Greatest Hits” for RC and her Survivor adventure.
First smiles
The candle that never flickers
The heart of Tandang
Somebody brought the jokes
Such a beautiful smile!!
Where do I sign to become a client, Ms. Saint-Amour?
Replaying the movie Diner in her head to pass the time
"I totally need to find a new travel agent..."
Totally confident
Bug bugging the crap out of poor RC
She would make one pretty ninja...
Kicking butt at the puzzles ;)
The uncanny ability to surf underwater...
Netting a victory for Tandang
Ready to blow this challenge to kingdom come
The keeper of the Wooden Turkey Idol
Acceptance
Again...where she finds her heaven...
Jury had no place to go but south after this start...
Those blue lights would make an amusing pearl necklace...
The Queen of Ponderosa
Soaking up the sun
Hamming it up on a...hammock
Showing the boys how it's done
Fresh towel smell > Tandang camp smell
On the breakfast menu: "Abi ownage"...yummy yummy yum
Going into town
Obviously...coming out of her shell a little
"I need an ETA on those gummy worms..."
"Tomorrow? Really???"
RC's suped up man-cave
"You're totally blocking the TV, Mr. Cameraman!"
Against the moon, her body rocks/her eyes were cunning, like a fox
Good morning, Sunshine
Alluring, for sure...
The aftermath
The blizzard precedes the avalanche
"On the bright side, guess what I'll be doing soon, guys??"
There's no rhyme or reason/Only this sense of completion...
In your eyes/I see the missing pieces
Will RC ever play Survivor again? Here's hoping!!!
Goodbyes are not forever.
Goodbyes are not the end.
They simply mean I'll miss you
Until we meet again!
~Unknown author
It has been my great, great pleasure to pen these adventures that RC experienced, and I truly hope that other’s could read them and see RC as beautifully as I do!!!
Lionel the Llama's Weekly Spit Award
To the uneducated: Llamas cannot be substituted for reindeers on Santa's sleigh under any circumstances. Though we are beasts of burden by nature, we have our standards.
Llamas for RC!!! Just a shame that our votes were turned away for the 100k vote. Way to go, CBS!!! Spit!
