Season 50, Episode 11: The Ozzyzy

Translated by Survivor scholar, Alison Coffey. Professor of nothing at nowhere university.

"Sing in me, Muse, and through me tell the story of that man skilled in all ways of contending." (first line from Homer's The Odyssey, as translated by Robert Fitzgerald)

"Tell me about a complicated man" (first line as translated by Emily Wilson)

"It's the essence of Survivor. The game is the lure. And the experience and the adventure you have while you're out here is the prize." --Jeff Probst

Among the many fun things about season 50 of Survivor is how each player is viewing and attempting to live the character arc they envision for themselves. What is the thing that brought them here– their why (beyond the million--scratch that--two million dollars)? What does playing again mean? What does winning mean? How are they shaped by the game and their experiences in it as well as outside of it? Who are they to us (the audience) and to themselves? How will this time be different than last?

For Ozzy, is it redemption? Is it proving to himself that he can go all the way? Or is it just that the game of Survivor is where he belongs? On the beach, building fires, catching fish, swimming among the coral reef. After all, who is more the game of Survivor than Ozzy?

The Odyssey--that ancient, epic poem by Homer--has many themes. It is, at its core, an adventure story (wandering, officially). In fact, many claim it to be the original blueprint for the Hero's Journey, that famous structure for stories that we see again and again (The Lord of the Rings, Star Wars, The Wizard of Oz, The Hunger Games, and A Wrinkle in Time are just a few examples). Heroes' journeys consist of calls to adventure, tests and trials, and internal and external character arcs. Homer's epic poem is also famously about homecoming (I just want to get back to my wife and kid, man), hospitality, loyalty and tests of loyalty, and omens. Lesser themes include growth/maturation, temptation, courage, pride, free will vs. the will of the gods or fate, vengeance, love, and suffering (and how we react to it and are changed by it). Of course, an important part of how the story is told, is the back and forth of past and present and Odysseus' own recounting of his wanderings while still trying to make it back to Ithaca.

Certainly if we tried, we could find these themes on each season of Survivor. Outwit. Outplay. Outlast.

Because Season 50 is being played by so many big Survivor icons, we often revisit the individual journey of each castaway. The producers want to highlight how their games have evolved but also how moments of difficulty or even victory might echo or counterbalance previous experiences. Cirie embracing the game on her first season and finding her inner strength. Charlie being haunted by Maria's betrayal. Colby being so emotionally and psychically challenged on Heroes vs. Villians. Think back to the moment on the beach when Coach took the key that Ozzy had done the work to retrieve and how that brought to mind their own difficult history going head to head on South Pacific. Did Ozzy cost Coach the game back then? To any huge fan, Survivor isn't just a game to win a million dollars. It's stories. Human stories. Stories within stories, even. It's a narrative of hope, redemption, growth, loss, suffering, will, striving! Each player is tested. Each player learns what they are capable of. It's fun to watch the action, of course. We love to see the strategizing, backstabbing, maneuvering, and fight. We love to see the relationships grow and be tested by the machinations required of the game. But we also love to watch a player surprise themselves with an immunity win, crying tears of joy. We love to see how emotional they become when the loved ones visit or they read letters from home. And we love to see the true community and connection and bonds they form with each other. Who can forget Yam Yam hugging Carson and helping him improve his fire making? The human part of the show is what many of us love most. The story of each player--their individual journey through the game.

And so we have the journey of Ozzy Lusth. The Ozzyzy. Not just one season, but five. 20 years long, just like Odysseus. Ozzy's journey IS a hero's journey. It is a call to adventure and it is full of trials--some resulting in victories, some in failures. All resulting in growth.

I'm not sure how far I can carry this metaphor. Ozzy hasn't gone off to fight in any long wars. He's no king. There's no wife and son he's trying to return home to. But he has played many seasons and therefore spent many days on various islands battling the gods of Survivor, trying to make it farther, trying to be victorious, having his loyalty tested while struggling with the loyalties of others. There's been a lot of water involved. And a good many trials of strength, will, and smarts. Ozzy has been a leader. He's definitely been a lover. And he's protective of his soldiers. He's a good, decent guy, who knows how to spear fish, climb a tree for coconuts, and win an individual immunity challenge. He's brave. He can build a fire. He can bring home the dinner. But he's not without some fatal flaws. Arrogance has certainly shown up. Temper has made an appearance. Naivety, check. As Ozzy later tells us, he has been too trusting sometimes and sometimes not trusting enough.

Like Odysseus, Ozzy is a hero but he's also only human. He's played a human game, meaning he's often been lead by his emotions and engaged in faulty thinking. He brought his good looks and his skills and they served him tremendously well until they didn't. He couldn't imagine that those he trusted so intensely would be willing to betray him. So often he has not been able to look at a bigger picture, only his own narrative where he's the hero, the winner. This time was supposed to be different, right? This time, he was bringing his head to the game and being smart about alliances and information. And he did awesome. He really did.

Until now.

All five seasons that Ozzy has played has been a trial of head and heart for our guy. I can't say he's had to escape any Cyclops or Sirens (although one might argue Parvati and Amanda might be good fits for that comparison), but he's weathered his share of difficulties including a few betrayals. And let's not forget his three time journey to and from redemption island! But what is probably hardest for Ozzy (harder even than being ousted with idols in his pocket) is having gotten so close only to lose.

Odysseus, in his wanderings, has to rely more on brain than braun. Braun might have helped him survive ten years of fighting, but it's his brain that helps him win the war. And it's more often his brain that helps him survive the many trials he and his soldiers face on their wanderings. We might consider that Ozzy recognizes his physical efforts have only gotten him so far. If he wants to make it to the end and be the official winner (return to Ithaca, if you will), he needs to take a different path and use his head more (or, as is often the case, Cirie's head). We can say that his use of Cirie's strength in strategizing and her social smarts is his own version of using his brains. It has worked so far!

One of the major themes of Homer's The Odyssey is the idea of homecoming. Odysseus is trying to return to his kingdom, Ithaca, and reclaim is rightful place as king. Ozzy Lusth is a Survivor icon. When we think about Survivor, we probably imagine a handful of the big players: Boston Rob, Sandra, Parvati, Cirie, two-time winner Tony, and Ozzy. Those who defined and sometimes even changed the game. There are other personalities that stand out and whose presence on a season or two or three made for better television via amazing moments and entertaining game play. We think of Coach, Rupert, Russell, Tina, Jerri, Colby, Hatch, Sue, Penner, Aubry, Tai, Maryanne, Cochran, Carolyn. Courtney if you're a certain type of person. Stephen Fishbach if you're me. Rob Cesternino because of RHAP. But Ozzy for sure. He's absolutely one of the Survivor legends. And one could argue that Survivor itself is a sort of home to our jungle boy. When he returns to play, it feels like he's where he belongs. While I've never had to the opportunity to question him about it, I would be surprised if Ozzy didn't heavily link his identity to the game. In much the same way we do. He was only 24-years-old when he played his first season on Cook Islands, barely out of adolescence, really (and maybe still in it depending on the stage of his brain development). His story is so absolutely intertwined with the game through the years it has been on: growing up, love and loss of love, friendship trials, battles of ego and will, and the internal struggles regarding his family, especially his father. In this episode we watch as he shares with Devens about his father and the regrets he's experienced regarding their relationship. It includes a flashback to his first season when he talked about his father at the final tribal council and how he hasn't really been in his life. And I remember the reunion that season when Ozzy shared about how he did have a dad. The man who raised him--his stepfather. Now he's talking about his biological dad and how he's learned to think differently about the man, his absence, and their relationship before his death. Ozzy has experienced growth in his life just has he has in the game, which doesn't mean he's not without his issues. The things that have always bothered Ozzy (perceived betrayal being a big one) still bother him, but he's more forgiving and more thoughtful about events. And if he does feel like his impulses led him astray, he'll make amends. I always tell my clients, our issues usually stay with us forever. Our particular buttons: the things that so easily lead us to sadness, anger, shame, frustration, etc. They often get solidified in early childhood or adolescence and there's no perfect way to erase them. The best you can do is recognize, reason, and release (the 3 Rs!). Call it out and name the story (Oh, this is that immediate prick of anger I experience when I feel cornered. Thanks Dad!), give yourself understanding (It makes sense that I feel this way, as so often in my youth I felt powerless and at the mercy of someone else's anger.), then show yourself compassion and try to send it on down the river (It's hard, man. But I'm not a child anymore. I will not hold tightly to this feeling that doesn't serve me. I will let it go. Float away, anger!). Mindfulness! It's magical!

Another major theme of The Odyssey is the concept of Xenia, which means guest-friendship. Hospitality. The golden rule, if you will. Treat others as you would like to be treated. Feed the lost soul who shows up at your door. Gosh, I don' know, I feel like we could say that when Ozzy is a pretty great caretaker. From the beginning, he was a provider. He made his tribe's lives easier through his skills and abilities. He kept Amanda warm. He did make Cochran assist in killing that chicken and that was kinda mean, but I guess Cochran got to eat the chicken.

Omens? I got you. Ozzy's premonition, which he tells us about early this episode. He had a "nightmare" that he shared with Cirie and Tiffany about where he went home with his idol in his pocket (as he has before). When Ozzy shared about his dream and wondered aloud if he should play it so the dream wouldn't come true and he wouldn't repeat his own past mistakes, Cirie was encouraging. "That might be a good idea." (She has her own reasons for wanting him to play it. She's had to go home due to idols before. But listen to her, Ozzy!)

See, we can kind of make it work, this metaphor. Bear with me. But let's talk about the episode.

The three big players of this episode are Jonathan, Aubry, and Ozzy. With Ozzy's announcement of his dream and the featured talk with Devens about his father and his time in this game, we know something's up. Plus, Jonathan tells us he has his sights on Ozzy as the next to go. Aubry, we learn halfway through, might be easy pickings, but thanks to Ozzy's fatal blunder and Jonathan's power, she survives.

This episode is another major one. Heck, perhaps they are all major. Last week we had Mr. Beast at the coin flip. The week before that we had the double elimination via pairs. This week we have the twist of King Jonathan. He wins the immunity challenge (which saw what I think was the first time a challenge winner was mistakenly attributed at first, but then fixed by judges. We thought Tiff had won, but she had both feet still on the floating pyramid when that part of the challenge was called. So it went to Jonathan). Jonathan not only won immunity, he also won the honor of voting twice at two different tribals after the group was randomly split into two groups.

And so a good portion of this episode is Jonathan walking a stretch of beach between two camps. In one we have Aubry, Rizo, Joe, and Ozzy. In the other are Cirie, Emily, Devens, and Tiffany. Cirie and Ozzy are split and she can't protect him the way she normally would. And Rizo and Ozzy can't protect Cirie. Devens has his idol so Emily rightly feels in trouble. And Aubry knows she's got an uphill battle with Ozzy having an idol and Rizo and Joe probably being in his camp.

Luckily, Jonathan really wants to go after Ozzy and sees this as his best opportunity. But even with his plan, Aubry likely wouldn't have had much of a chance if it weren't for Ozzy taking her on a walk and thinking he was doing "jury management" by spilling the beans on his whole game and plan to get to the end. Oh, the hubris! The Survivor gods will be awakened and they will have their fun.

Ugh. While Ozzy thinks he's being kind and gentle and chill, what he's doing to Aubry is so condescending. He's basically telling her that 1.) the assumption is that she's going home, of course (without any discussion from anyone!) and 2. ) that because he really wants this win so terribly badly, he deserves it. (If Aubry were Circe...)

Well, doesn't she also deserve it? Has she not played the game almost has many times? Has she not also come in second place? Has she not also fought just has hard? Also, who is to say that there's not a fight to be had? There are three other people in their group. Arguments could be made about why each one of them should be the vote. He's basically saying, well, Aubry, since you are obviously going to be going home tonight and joining the jury, let me tell you why I deserve the win. I think anyone would be annoyed about the assumptions. Better jury management (if you really thought she was going home) would be to talk game with her. At least tell her how great she's doing. Worse, if she's potentially feeling defeated and you tell her how much this win means to you, that just rubs it in, mate. It's not smart. And then he proceeds to tell her about how he's going to the end with Cirie. How tight they are. How he gave her the extra vote. Just handing her the map and key to the treasure chest. Cirie would have something to say about it. Ozzy, the game is still happening and things can change so quickly! You should know this better than anyone. DO NOT REST ON YOUR LAURELS. The gods are not always on your side, Ozzy. In fact, sometimes they really do fuck with you.

But he feels safe. He truly believes that Joe and Rizo have his back no matter what. He's made it pretty far now and he's feeling emboldened. But once he turns his back to look for coconuts, Aubry rolls her eyes for the camera. She's fired up. He fired her up! And so she works her Aubry magic and she hustles. She tells Joe and Rizo what just went down and she tells them the most important bit: he's not taking you to the end. He's going with Cirie.

Aubry: "After having these conversations I realized that there might be one little ember there that I can light into a fire and burn this whole game down." Ozzy handed her that ember.

Going into tribal council, Ozzy has an idol he can use (the Billie Eilish boomerang idol as gifted by Genevieve). Rizo has an idol he can use (the other Billie Eilish boomerang idol as gifted by Genevieve), but he doesn't seem to be in any danger. Cirie has an extra vote. And Devens has an idol (from Mr. Beast). Emily tried to formulate a plan to make everyone think she can get Devens to play his idol on her, but it's not clear anyone buys it. Jonathan wants Ozzy and Devens to be the votes. Cirie did her best to try and save Ozzy by encouraging Jonathan to have a typically uncertain Joe talk with Rizo about a possible Ozzy vote (as Jonathan had been telling her that it was his plan to pitch Ozzy but Joe wasn't sure he was on board and really wanted to check with Rizo about it. Cirie felt Rizo would warn Ozzy and Ozzy would use his idol. If only Ozzy hadn't given up his game to Aubry! That was a mouthful. Sigh).

Emily goes home after Cirie uses her extra vote. She exits gracefully, taking an immediate seat with the jury. And thank goodness for that because she gives the best facial expressions during what's to come.

I'm sure there's a whole lot we don't get to see about what happens at tribal council, but this one certainly feels immediately like an Ozzy goodbye party, although he doesn't seem to pick up on it. And it's probably edited more that way, anyway. The frequent cuts to Ozzy's reactions, etc. But Jeff is (as he tends to do) asking pointed questions that might, to the careful player, cue him in to the danger. Reader: it does not cue him to the danger.

"Times in the past that I played Survivor, I was not really good at it. Not as trusting as I should have been. Too trusting when I shouldn't have been. And I've played a much more solo game. You know, I was more interested in trying to win challenges. And I knew this time around I just couldn't do that."

Ozzy's life is in Rizo's hands. Ozzy had essentially yelled out his name to the Cyclops, Polyphemus, leading to Poseidon's wrath. Rizo is frustrated by his hubris.

My first viewing of this episode--back when it originally aired--I felt anger toward Rizo for his betrayal. But this time I see that while risky (he's ultimately losing a close ally and therefore protection and he's potentially angering Cirie), he's operating from the stance of protecting his game as well as Cirie's. Ozzy had given up their core alliance to Aubry. He told her, too, about the extra vote. This puts Cirie in danger. And, by default, Rizo too. It's not a certain move. It's tricky. But it's probably correct. How can Ozzy even be trusted going forward?

But, you know what, despite his actions here, it's hard not to root for Ozzy and feel sad about this ending. He's given this game so much of his life. He's been incredible at challenges and at living in the elements. Maybe not as much with the social game, but this time he's trying so hard. He's been making such efforts to play more thoughtfully and strategically. And he's tightly alligned with the queen, Cirie, which was incredibly smart of him. But Cirie wasn't there to save him and he got too cocky. His error is so human. And in his mind he really was just pitching his game to the person who he thought was headed home.

But Aubry (like Penelope?) has her story, too. She's also never won and has been just as close as Ozzy has to that million. She deserves this win as much as anyone does. Perhaps she hasn't speared a bunch of fish for her tribes, but she's hustled. She's maneuvered. She's even won a couple of challenges. Why not, Aubry?

But it hurts all the same when we see the tides turning. When Cirie does her best to warn him and it stops with Rizo because he's not about to let Ozzy sink their game. And when we watch Ozzy fail to bring out his idol (even after his nightmare and history!) and goes home, ugh, we feel it so much. To have something we wanted so badly be taken away. Defeat. Failure. And, worse, had we just made a couple of different choices. Not said what we said (although he probably won't know how much of a mistake it was to talk to Aubry until the season airs) and to not use the thing the could have save our butts. The precious idol right there in his pocket. And if there was ever a moment when he should not have taken the risk, it was this one. Even if he felt safe with Joe and Rizo, he should have been smart enough to see his situation. He doesn't have Cirie and there's only four of them. This was the most vulnerable he could ever be.

During the tribal council, Ozzy talks about instincts and using them to get further in the game. He says he hopes those instincts will shoot him straight once again. Eek. He reflects on his past times playing. Jonathan tells him how Ozzy was one of the reasons he wanted to be on Survivor. Aubry talks about her evolution, too.

And so it is that Ozzy's name is written four times on the parchment. All the votes are on him (except his own vote for "Aubrey").

Ozzy: "Damn, guys."

"You said too much, bro," says Rizo. "I'll explain later."

"There's no explaining."

Ozzy is really beat, deflated. We can see how defeated he feels, but he's trying to hold it together. "I can't explain how painful this is to anyone."

Aubry says, "I'm sorry."

There's something so pure of heart about Ozzy in his regard of Survivor gameplay. Like, he really can't believe people would want him gone. He was doing so much work. He was earnest. He really wanted this! Shouldn't something be ours if we want it enough? He believed he would succeed because he earned it. It goes right back to that moment with Coach on the beach. He was the one who got the key!

He seemed so genuinely disappointed in all of them. Even Aubry, who I guess he thought wouldn't vote for him because he told her how much he wanted to win.

Ozzy sighs and slowly shuffles towards Jeff. "Good luck, guys," he says. His torch is snuffed and he walks off into the dark night.

Dee says to the fellow jurors, "They're playing."

An Ozzy win would have been a great Survivor ending, but we could probably make that case for many of the players. Cirie? Who wouldn't want Cirie to finally claim the throne after doing so much of the labor on all her previous seasons to help others get there. But there's something so painful about watching Ozzy get this far only to be defeated by, ultimately, himself. There was a way out of this and he didn't take it.

The story of Odysseus is the story of man, mortality and all. A man who has to suffer again and again the consequences of his actions. Not a bad or evil man, but a flawed one. Sometimes he is great, heroic, loved by those loyal to him. And while he ultimately gets home and triumphs, he's not without his losses and scars. Still, in the ways he is changed, he becomes a better man. Like Probst tells us, the journey is the reward.

I know Ozzy will regret not playing the idol, but I hope he can look at his journey as still successful. He may not have gotten to the final tribal council and he may not have won the big prize and, yes, he let his confidence override all else when it most mattered, but he had growth. He obviously conquered some real demons. And he gave us fans a gift by his mere presence, terrible hair and all.

And so I hope Ozzy can see the ways Survivor has shaped him and rewarded him. I hope he can hold all the sunsets, ocean waves, and community built as the prizes they are and focus less on regrets or bitterness at perceived betrayal. Glory is fleeting but our life is precious and full of gifts if we accept them as they are (Do you have a dog, Ozzy?). Although two million dollars sure would have been nice.