'Survivor' Season 40 crowns its second ever two-time champion

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"Survivor" crowned its second champion of champions in the Season 40 finale of “Winners at War.”

The finale looked drastically different from normal as the series was forced to forego its usual live reunion finale event for the first time since Season 1 as a result of the coronavirus pandemic forcing everyone to stay at home. Host Jeff Probst joined the contestants virtually from their individual homes.

The latest season of the hit reality competition brought in 20 former winners and put them head-to-head, ultimately crowning Season 28 champion, Tony Vlachos, the winner in a dominating 12-4-0 vote. He joins Sandra Diaz-Twine as the only two-time champion. However, when the episode began, his placement in even the top five of the competition was far from a sure thing.

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Tony Vlachos was crowned the Season 40 winner of 'Survivor.' (CBS Television Network)

Vlachos entered the finale alongside Sarah Lacina, Denise Stapley and Ben Driebergen, who were all still in the game after weeks of whittling away the competition through various challenges and schemes. At the top of the show, 14 of those previously voted off contestants returned and were given a chance to get back in the game, which Natalie Anderson, who was given the boot on day 2, won.

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After winning a challenge to secure his spot in the final three, Vlachos pled his case to win with the previously voted-off contestants alongside Michele Fitzgerald and Anderson. As People notes, this jury process is usually a place for people to air their grievances for the way the game was played leading up to that point. However, given that the game was populated by a group of past winners who understand the immense strategy of the game, it was mostly a respectful process in Season 40, with contestants even given a standing ovation to the final three.

CBS aired the Season 40 finale of 'Survivor' in May. (CBS Television Network)

“You outlasted 17 of the best people to ever play this game," Probst told the final three before reading the votes. "Win or lose, you should be proud of yourselves."

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In the end, Vlachos got 12 out of a possible 16 votes, with four going to Anderson and Fitzgerald getting none. The show ended with the host showing off the $2 million check that will soon be sent to Vlachos as his prize money.