Zane Rosales

**Zane Rosales** is a contestant from *Survivor: Australia*.

Placed on the Kucha tribe, Zane was incorporated into the majority alliance despite often being ostracised by the core group both at camp and in strategic decisions. After surviving until the merge, Zane ultimately flipped from his Kucha tribemates to the Ogakor alliance, where he forged key relationships, namely with Benjamin Carter. Upon reaching the final four, Zane won a crucial fire-making tiebreaker to eliminate Nick Downs, and reached the Final Tribal Council with his ally, Benjamin. Despite his underdog status garnering favour with many on the jury, Zane ultimately lost the game to Benjamin in a close 4-3 vote. His heroic attitude and positive personality despite what was happening around him made him one of the most popular players of the season.

## Survivor: Australia

From the outset, Zane intended to play an honest and heartfelt game. He quickly bonded with Demi Vega, and the pair worked together throughout the entire pre-merge stage. At Kucha's first three Tribal Councils, Zane worked with the core alliance of Kevin Wolfe, Charlie Brewer and Brady Wallace. Despite being left out strategically and socially by the trio, Zane felt it was necessary to better improve the tribe's challenge performance over some of its weakest members. He often argued with Charlie in particular, although at times it seemed to be a one-sided furore. When only he, the trio and Demi remained on the tribe, Zane was targeted by Charlie for their growing rivalry. Zane and Demi, however, hoped to convince Brady to flip and vote for Charlie, although recognised the likelihood was slim. By Tribal Council, Demi had conceded defeat and threw a vote at Kevin, while Kevin and Brady surprisingly went against Charlie's plan to vote out Zane in favour of voting out Demi, believing Zane was less likely to flip to the Ogakor side. Now alone, Zane entered the merge in a 4-6 minority against Ogakor.

At the merge, Zane initially struggled to make bonds due to a watchful eye by Kevin, but when the Kucha four were able to choose between working with Ogakor's Paul Keith and Kim Short, or the larger numbers of Benjamin Carter, Megan Sanchez, Jay Vasquez and Nick Downs. In the first vote he's strategically been incorporated with, Zane expresses a strong desire to work with the larger Ogakor numbers, with his Kucha tribemates agreeing to do so as well in order to avoid a 5-5 tie, as well as keep Zane on their side. After the first two merge votes, the tribes are split 4-4, and it's Kucha's belief Benjamin will flip and join their side. Benjamin however, having grown close with Zane, pitches to him to flip to Ogakor. Zane heavily considers the risks of this, recognising he could be on the bottom of the five. However, his desire to break away from being on the bottom of Kucha after consistent ostracization sees him indeed flip to Benjamin and the Ogakor crew, blindsiding Brady 5-3. After Brady's elimination, Jay targets Kevin to be the next to go, but with Zane's rivalry with Charlie and the belief she is both strategically and physically stronger than Kevin, Zane and the Ogakor Trio alliance decide to work against Jay and vote out Charlie 4-2-1. By making this decision, the four make a Final Four pact, which result in the eliminations of both Kevin and Jay. Now at the final four, Zane is on the bottom of the tight Ogakor Trio alliance. Benjamin however recognises Megan and Nick to be a tight pair, so works with Zane to force a fire-making tiebreaker against Nick. Despite the tip off of the tiebreaker and practicing in the afternoon in secret, Zane is still the underdog in the matchup. Surprising everyone, including the jury, Zane defeats Nick in the tiebreaker and advances to the final three. When Benjamin wins the Final Immunity Challenge, Zane is confident he will stay true to their alliance, but nevertheless pitches staying loyal because of Megan's likelihood of taking votes away from Benjamin. He votes out Megan, meaning both Zane and Benjamin make up the final two.

Zane presents a timid pitch to the jury, arguing he struggled to find much bearing in the game but tried his best to play honestly and with integrity. He is lifted by the jury, who praise his entire underdog game, forever on the bottom of the Kucha alliance but managing to flip at the right moment and working his way through the Ogakor alliance to reach the final two. He is also commended on winning an impressive tiebreaker against Nick, hailed as the biggest moment of the season. He manages to secure three jury votes, all from former Ogakor members. But his three former Kucha tribemates vote for Benjamin, as well as Megan, making Zane the Runner-Up and naming Benjamin as Sole Survivor.