And once at the end, she sealed the deal with an impressive final Tribal Council performance.
Fret not, however!
No, not Zach!
Maryanne Oketch from ‘Survivor 42’.Robert Voets/CBS
(Also ensure to check out ourfull episode recapas well finale interviews withMike,Romeo,JonathanandLindsay.)
MARYANNE OKETCH:I actually have all of my toenails.
In fact, I’m very shocked.
Maryanne Oketch on ‘Survivor 42’.Robert Voets/CBS
How were you feeling about your chances when you walked into that final Tribal Council?
Going into the final Tribal Council, I felt as if I probably was gonna win.
And the jury seemed that they were vibing with it.
Maryanne Oketch on ‘Survivor 42’.Robert Voets/CBS
I really felt as if then I kind of won.
So you could sense the momentum swinging your way during that final Tribal?
Yes, I really could feel the momentum swinging.
All the pieces are coming together.
She’s been thinking this whole time."
And I had tangible evidence that I was.
Did any of the votes surprise you?
I was actually surprised I got Rocksroy’s vote.
I am not a physical person.
He’s a liar.
I would’ve done like a huge big thing.
When I was thinking about playing the idol for Lindsay, actually I had this huge big speech.
Just to really solidify because I’m a big fan of dramatic moments.
So why didn’t you go for the dramatic moment, just because you were worried about beating her?
And luck’s not a bad thing.
At Tori’s tribal, like she was lucky enough that the Shot in the Dark failed.
So that kept her safe.
Another thing as well was the Do or Die?
She was lucky again.
So she was safe.
So that was my fear about why I actually didn’t play the idol on her.
Well let’s playSurvivorWhat if?
Ooh,I feel if it’d be rougher for me to win, because Lindsay….
I feel out of everyone that played the game, she had the most all-around game.
She was good strategically, good socially, and like also good physically.
So I really think it would be a toss-up.
It could have been her.
It could have been me.
I try not to think about the what ifs.
I’ve spiraled before because of the what ifs.
I’m trying not to spiral again.
So I was really just waiting for a moment when it would come.
It didn’t come in the first stages.
I felt this would come whenJeffwas giving us the time to talk about our strategic avenue.
Then five minutes later, it came back to me what I said to someone.
I was really cerebral, especially in the end of the game.
I was always thinking, and this is what I was thinking and the moment was there.
You were just so emotionally big all season.
That’s why I loved watching you play.
And I was surprised because you actually seemed very subdued at that After Show.
I rememberErika last season sayingher head was spinning and couldn’t even process everything.
What it was like for you?
I wasn’t existing on the plane.
So this was just a surreal thing.
I wasn’t in the moment.
It was just screaming in my head, Jeff was talking, people were talking.
Like, I couldn’t tell you.
You talked about yourSurvivorexperience hopefully being able to act as a healing agent for a rift in your family.
Has it been able to do that yet?
But it can start getting the ball moving.
What’s it been like knowing you wonSurvivorand then having to sit on it for 11 months?
This is amazing."
I really had time to go and reflect.
Like, I finished this dream.
This dream’s now done.
What do I figure out in my life?
And figuring out that there’s more in life than justSurvivorwas very helpful.
There’s so much that doesn’t air.
But honestly, I think the thing that I wish was showed more was mine and Tori’s relationship.
No one would speak with us.
And being mentally and socially ostracized from the group was so bad.
But having Tori, we would laugh all day.
We would always be together.
I had so much fun with Tori.
She’s like my island bestie, my soul sister.
Are you going to use your prize money to pay for your marriage to Zach?
[Laughs]So Zach is a very sweet person.
So I guess I have to thank Zach about that.
So someone reached out to you after that episode aired and you’re now dating that person?
After the episode aired, there was someone who reached out to me.
He reached out before kind of, but nothing happened.
And after I confessed my love for skinny white guys, he reached out again.
So he got to experience that with me.
Now that you’ve won, would you come back and play and do this whole thing over again?
I think thatSurvivoris something that’s so addicting.
You always wanna play it.
I’ll be like, “Jeff, yes.
I’ll go to Fiji!
kindly, like put me in.”
Well, you know, you weren’t just my winner pick for this season.
You were mywinner pick for every seasonthat’s ever gonna happen.
So now you oughta come back!
I’ll have you know, my mom, she would read me your articles every single week.
My mom is your biggest fan.
She’s like, “There’s this person who loves you.
He just raves about you and is like, ‘Leave Maryanne alone!'”
So you have big fans in the Oketch household, and I loved all the shout-outs.
I was just like, “Yeah, Dalton knows me.
I’m the best!”
Finally, have you finishedSurvivor: Tocantinsyet?
I have finished watching the last six episodes with my mom.
We started watching with my mom.
I wasn’t gonna just go ditch her and watch the last six without her.
And so, yes.
So sorry, Steven Fishbach, for not watching it.
