One season of Survivor that is definitely a fan-favorite is Survivor: All-Stars. This was the first season that past players were brought back to compete in the game again, and many beloved faces surfaced, much to viewers’ delight.
Ultimately, Amber Brkich took home the top prize, but there are a lot of people who think that the season really should have gone to Boston Rob (Mariano). While the couple actually got engaged before the results were announced, it’s almost a moot point, but still, an interesting one to consider.
10 Amber: She Won
The first reason Amber deserved the win is pretty simple, and that is that she…actually won. Whether or not this is a popular decision, the players who participated in the game considered all their options, and Amber is the one who came out on top.
It’s no easy feat to win the game of Survivor so actually doing so pretty much qualifies anyone to deserve it.
9 Rob: Strategic Mind
It’s no doubt that Rob dominated the strategy on this season of the show. He had a hand in almost every decision that was made around him, and he was an absolute pro at organizing circumstances to go in his favor.
On one notable occasion, he got himself out of hot water by orchestrating an argument between fellow players, Big Tom and Rupert–it was so transparent Rupert actually called out what was happening in his confessional, but he still couldn’t stop it.
8 Amber: Better Social Game
While Rob might have been a strategic mastermind, Amber was 100% better at dealing with other people. Rob just never knew when to keep his mouth shut sometimes, and almost got himself into a lot of hot water on many occasions when his hot-head nature threatened to surface.
Amber kept it much cooler and was overall friendlier and probably better liked. Survivor is a game of strategy, but it is equally a game of personal interactions.
7 Rob: Challenge Threat
In both tribe and personal immunity challenges, Rob was a key player. Even more than that, he dominated both mental, physical, and endurance challenges. Sometimes it seemed like there wasn’t one challenge Rob wasn’t gifted at.
Ultimately, it doesn’t matter how many challenges you win, if you don’t win the game, but such an intense streak of winning is notable.
6 Amber: Survived on Her Own
Amber was shuffled into a different tribe–losing her alliances and her romance, and still managed to live another day. Arguably, Rob had a big hand in this, but credit needs to be given to Amber too. After all, she was the one who had to start from scratch.
Other players might have crumbled, but Amber kept fighting.
5 Rob: Took On More Responsibility
While Rob and Amber made a lot of their decisions together and often both participated in executing them, Rob took a lot more heat for it. Most of the ire of voted off players, as well as disgruntled alliance members, focused in on him because he seemed to be at the center of the choices being made.
This qualifies him as deserving of the win because Survivor is a game about the moves you make.
4 Amber: Smarter Game
While Rob might have headed up strategy, at the end of the day, it can be said that Amber played a smarter game, since she sided with Rob, got him to take the fall for the choices, and then ended up winning the whole game.
Some people might call it riding coattails, but there’s something to be said about puppeteering the puppet master.
3 Rob: The Alliance Was His Idea
Romber was a power couple and it was Rob’s idea to align. This alliance really brought both of them to the end and put them in the position that they hoped for, that one or the other of them would have to be crowned the winner. The alliance gave them both someone they could trust, discuss strategy with, and with whom they could step outside the game for a moment. All things which are crucially important in Survivor.
Rob was the one who suggested they form the alliance, so he gets the kudos for it.
2 Amber: Rob Got To Play Way More Times
Rob cannot stay away from the game of Survivor, he’s been on time and time again, and even won a season of his own down the line. While deserving is not really about fairness, it can be said Amber deserved this one, because she’s been back out onto the island a lot less.
This was her glory season and she owned it.
1 Rob: Managed Decisions On Tribes He Wasn’t Even On
What can be said about The Robfather? He’s a force. In an unprecedented move, he made a deal with the people who were on the opposite tribe, and he got what he wanted.
He quickly broke his word and a lot of trust afterward, but that moment was pretty incredible. When you’re not only maneuvering your own tribe but everyone on the island, that is some serious skill and really makes you deserving of the top prize.
