Cirie Fields

When someone declares they're "afraid of leaves" on the very first episode, you know they're a goner. And Cirie seemed destined to go early, lacking any obvious physical or survival skills that could be seen as a benefit. Yet on that same first episode, she somehow managed to turn the tide so that one of the most beneficial women, Tina, was voted out instead of her. She still seemed to be on borrowed time, and soon after was flat out told that she would be going very soon. But Cirie was a real player in ways no one could guess, and as her tribe, Casaya, disintegrated into in-fighting, she managed to play the part of the easygoing outsider, who stayed out of the fray and let the other's explosive personalities cause them to turn on each other. It seemed Cirie was forgotten, as others were voted out one after another. But she wasn't just sitting by, she was forming a crucial alliance with Aras --the very person who told her she'd be gone initially-- and eventually, we got to see just how crafty Cirie was, as she managed to dupe perceived power players like Shane and Terry, and manipulated crucial votes to go her way. No one would have ever guessed Cirie would make it to the final four, and though I'm not sure as I write this how much further she'll go, this accomplishment alone is worth celebrating.