It happens every few seasons without fail... Someone is playing a great game on their original tribe and then BAM, along comes the tribe swap and their game falls apart and they are promptly voted out. Occasionally this player will even be a lead contender to win the whole game. Today I bring to you the Top 15 Survivor Swap Victims. I consider a swap victim to be someone that was directly negatively effected by the swap, but also someone that was seen as having a lot of potential, up until the swap.
#15 Misty Giles (Survivor: Panama)
Although not a lead strategic player by any means Misty was very likable and playing a decent social game in the very early portions of Panama but along came the very early tribe swap and although her tribe won the first immunity challenge, once they went to tribal council Misty was promptly voted out. She is not higher because who knows how long she would have lasted on her original tribe and she was not the best player, but I do see her as a swap victim, nonetheless.
#14 Michaela Bradshaw (Survivor: Millennials vs Gen X)
For most of the pre-merge of our latest season, MvGX Michaela was not only the most entertaining player, she was also playing the best game strategically and physically. The surprise 2 tribe to 3 tribe swap left Michaela on the "Angkor" of MvGX. However, they defied all odds and built a great new camp and won the first two post-swap immunity challenges, thanks in large part to Michaela. Once they did go to tribal Jay saw an opportunity to oust the biggest threat in the game and Michaela was #blindsided. She would be higher because we cannot prove that this would not have happened on the Millennial tribe however I'm not too sure it would have so I do see her as a swap victim.
#13 Max Dawson (Survivor: Worlds Apart)
Max would be higher on this list if it wasn't his original tribemates that blindsided him immediately after the swap. Max & Shirin were already isolating themselves on the White Collar tribe and could have easily been ousted there had there not been a swap but as soon as the swap came around Carolyn saw an opportunity to use new blood and blindside annoying Max.
#12 Cliff Robinson (Survivor: Cagayan)
Similarly to Max, Cliff was blindsided by his own former tribemates right after the swap when Tony & Trish saw an opportunity to take out a huge threat. However, Cliff is slightly higher as he was playing a slightly better game than Max, especially socially.
#11 Richard Hatch (Survivor: All Stars)
When the very first winner returned in All Stars he had a massive target on his back and the argument can be made that he would have been ousted sooner or later anyway, however he is ahead of some other people on this list because Jerri, someone that started on an opposing tribe, led the charge to take Hatch out immediately after the swap. Yes, a swap victim.
#10 Jeff Varner (Survivor: Cambodia)
Varner is a fairly classic swap victim in that he was playing a fantastic game as a lead strategizer on the Ta Keo tribe and then once he was put on the doomed-from-the-start Angkor tribe he lost his power and was voted out. He was immediately on the outs on Angkor however is not higher on this list because Peih-Gee was voted out before him. Nonetheless, most definitely a swap victim.
#9 Alexis Maxwell (Survivor: Cagayan)
Alexis was in the majority on the Beauty tribe with LJ and Jefra and then the tribe swap happened and the first time that the new Solana tribe went to tribal council Alexis was promptly voted out. This is the most classic swap victim yet on this list but Alexis is not higher as she was never much of a player.
#8 Gina Crews (Survivor: Marquesas)
Similar to Varner, Gina was in a great position on her original tribe and playing a powerful game but got ousted the second time her tribe went to tribal post-swap. Gina is higher than Varner (and Alexis) because she would have been gone the first time they went to tribal if they didn't have to get rid of huge liability Sarah.
#7 Kelley Wentworth (Survivor: San Juan del Sur)
Now we are really getting into big time swap victims that could have been major players...if they hadn't been swap victims. Kelley Wentworth was playing a decent game pre-swap SJDS but then became a swap victim immediately after the swap when Jon & Jaclyn decided to go with Missy & Baylor. Would be even higher if she had been playing an even harder game pre-swap.
#6 Joel Anderson (Survivor: Micronesia)
Joel was completely leading the original Airai Tribe on Micronesia and looked set to at least make the merge. Alllllllllong comes the tribe swap and power-hungry Tracy & Ami and Joel was the first post-swap boot. Although he was playing way way harder than Wentworth pre-swap Joel is not higher than he is because he was seen as an alpha male, that was going to have to go at some point.
#5 Travis "Bubba" Sampson (Survivor: Vanuatu)
Bubba's story is very similar to Joel's. He was a tribe-leading alpha male in the pre-swap days of Vanuatu but then was immediately ousted at the swap, by eventual winner Chris. Totally a swap victim, and a little higher than Joel because he was playing a better social game and would have had a slightly better chance of winning.
#4 Jerri Manthey (Survivor: All Stars)
In a season full of tarnished legacies Jerri is one player that actually redeemed her legacy in All Stars playing a more strategic and much better social game than her first go round. This led to her being in a good position for most of the pre-merge game until right after the second tribe swap when Lex kept his deal with Rob to save Amber and therefore eliminated Jerri. Given that Jerri was the last pre-merge boot and she was not a huge physical threat, who knows how far she could have gone if she wasn't a swap victim.
#3 Silas Gaither (Survivor: Africa)
Silas was in the best position possible on the original Samburu Tribe and was getting a huge edit that people were pegging him as a leading threat to win. He was tearing up the challenges, playing a brilliant social game and also thinking strategically. Truly a nearly perfect old school game. Enter a tribe swap and power-hungry Frank and BAM, Silas is gone.
#2 Aaron Reisberger (Survivor: China)
Aaron, like Silas, was playing a great game and in a great position pre-swap and many people were pegging him as a potential winner. Then along comes the swap and Peih-Gee "Make a Move" Law and Aaron is history. Many people were hoping he would be considered for Second Chance but it was not to be. Aaron is slightly higher than Silas because he was playing more strategically.
#1 Anna Khait (Survivor: Kaoh Rong)
People may holler recency bias here but I firmly believe that Anna is the biggest swap victim in Survivor history. Anna was completely leading the unstoppable Beauty tribe and had Michele and Julia in her back pocket as well as alliances with Tai and Caleb. Once Caleb was evacuated the girls controlled the vote and had their been no swap Anna would have sailed smoothly all the way to the merge and likely way beyond. Her edit and gameplay were both so very strong that a majority of Survivor fans were tapping Anna as the winner. Along comes the swap and new blood and she was the first post-swap boot. If that is not the definition of a swap victim, I don't know what is so yes, recent or not, I consider Anna the biggest swap victim in history.
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