Welcome to Inside Survivor’s 50 For 50, a semi-regular feature highlighting 50 former castaways who we think should be considered for a spot on Survivor 50. In a snake draft, the Inside Survivor team selected ten players each, with the only rule being they couldn’t have played more than twice.
PROFILE
Name: Shan Smith
Age: 37
Season: Survivor 41, 2021
Finish: 8th Place
HIGHLIGHTS
The first star of the new era, Shan Smith entered Survivor 41 ready to play a sneaky, schemey game and even came armed with her own theme tune. As part of the ramshackle Ua tribe, Shan made quick bonds with her tribemates, particularly fellow schemer Ricard Foyé. It almost became a running joke in the pre-merge that anyone who trusted Shan would end up voted out by her own hand. She even managed to get JD Robinson’s extra vote before sending him packing.
Despite activating the hidden immunity idol and bonding with Liana Wallace at the summit visit, Shan found herself in a tough spot as Ua continued to lose challenges. In what was perhaps her biggest decision of the game, she had to choose whether to stick with Ricard or side with Genie Chen and vote out her closest ally. Shan recognised Ricard as a strategic threat, someone who could take a shot at her down the line. Yet, she ultimately sided with Ricard and voted out Genie.
That decision would eventually be Shan’s undoing. While she landed in the majority alliance at the merge, her relationship with Ricard continued to fall apart. As an example of how tense things became between them, Shan took particular offense to Ricard eating her papaya after he’d been on the winning reward challenge team.
There were also tensions between Shan and Deshawn Radden, who had both previously expressed a desire to work together as part of an All-Black Alliance alongside Liana and Danny McCray. However, Shan and Deshawn had different strategic approaches and often clashed over voting plans. This led to an uncomfortable final tribal council, during which Shan questioned whether Deshawn used the All-Black Alliance as a front.
While Shan began to put the pieces together to eliminate Ricard, his immunity win stopped her plans. She turned her attention to the eventual winner, Erika Casupanan, not knowing her own allies, Deshawn and Danny, were conspiring against her with Ricard. At tribal, Shan was blindsided and left the game with an idol in her pocket.
WHY SHE SHOULD BE CONSIDERED
There is no doubt that Shan is one of the stand-out characters of Survivor’s new era. Not many players get their own soundtrack, which fans dubbed the Shanthem. Shan came into the game ready to play hard and wasn’t afraid to think outside the box and turn up the sneakiness.
Not only was Shan a hard player, but she was also a great confessionalist. She could be playful and witty at times while also being emotionally vulnerable. Her personality was on full display from the moment Survivor 41 started and didn’t let up until the season ended.
If Shan returns for Survivor 50, it will be interesting to see what lessons she has learned since her first season. There were times when her desire to be in control cost her or rubbed her allies the wrong way. If she could rein those aspects in somewhat, Shan could be a big threat in a returning player season.
She also has the benefit of time on her side. I imagine there will be many new era castaways on Survivor 50, and the more recent names will enter as the prime targets. Because Shan is from the first new era season, she might be able to hide behind some of the newer names early on, casually humming her theme song before she strikes.
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Yes! Please let Shan be considered for Survivor 50… She saved 41 from being the most awful season ever. Would love to see her play again.
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Yes to Shan! She should be a lock! The most memorable contestant of S41 and the new era. She has a great second chance story after not wanting to compromise or hear others out which eventually lead to her demise. She did give us amazing tribals though