'Survivor's Mount Rushmore: The Legends Who Built a 50-Season Legacy (Exclusive) ...Saudi Arabia

Across 26 years and 50 seasons, a total of 751 players left the creature comforts of the modern world behind to play on Survivor. Their goal: To go on a life-changing adventure, test themselves in more physical and emotional ways than they could have ever imagined, and maybe stab some backs on the way to a million dollars. And with hundreds of castaways, including the 24 who make up the cast of the iconic CBS reality show’s 50th season, premiering Feb. 25, it would prove impossible on paper to pick who makes up the creme de la creme. In actuality, though, it’s as simple as A, B, C.Or, in this case, P, R, S, T.Parvati Shallow. Boston Rob Mariano. Sandra Diaz-Twine. Tony Vlachos. They’ve spent a combined 534 days starving and scheming. Between them, they’ve taken home the Sole of Survivor seven times, winning millions of dollars in the process. They’ve worked both with and against one another, most recently in Survivor’s epic anniversary season Winners at War. They all spent the past few years making a very different flight out to Scotland, putting their observation and betrayal skills to the test on The Traitors.

Perhaps more important than the prize, however, is the legacy. Four people who, in their own very different ways, served as the bamboo floor of Survivor’s metaphoric shelter, showcasing to production, players and fans everything Survivor can offer you, in both its skills and surprises.Check out what Boston Rob, Sandra, Parvati and Tony have to say about their Survivor journeys, as well as the legacy of the show. And be sure to check out our individual features on each player, including exclusive insights and never-before-heard stories, linked below.?Don’t miss our weekly Survivor newsletter! Sign up to get Mike Bloom’s exclusive interviews with the players and the latest news about the show right to your inbox.?

Boston Rob Mariano

Robert Voets/CBS

While Survivor has sported 751 different castaways to date, if you were asked to pick one that the show is most synonymous with, you'd be hard-pressed not to pick Boston Rob. When he started his reality TV career back in the spring of 2002, he was a cocky construction worker who became quickly humbled when he traveled from the biting winter in Boston to the sweltering heat of the Marquesan Islands. But he quickly adjusted to the temperatures and began to change the climate of the show with his cutthroat, unorthodox gameplay.“That first season I played, I really do think I understood the strategy of the game better than even the producers at that point,” the 50-year-old tells Parade. “I understood that you had to get to the end, and how would you get there and still get the votes? I think, like my psychology background, and knowing that it was a numbers game, and knowing how to manipulate not only the numbers, but the people, and treat the people almost like chess pieces, was something that they hadn't seen before."Despite getting voted out a little over halfway through the game, Boston Rob made such an impression that he came back for Survivor's first-ever "all-star" season. Despite being one of the "lesser" names among legends, he ran that game from beginning to end, reaching the Final Two alongside close ally (and then-fledgling romantic partner) Amber Brkich. Despite his impressive hold over the game, however, his mentality of treating people like chess pieces came back to bite him. His allies and friends alike on the jury felt scorned by Rob, as he finished runner-up to his eventual wife Amber in a tight 4-3 vote.Boston Rob would walk away from All-Stars with many things, including a new fiancée and a bolstered reputation. But while he put a ring on it soon after, there was one brass ring he would spend years grasping for: The win. Finally, in 2011, he crossed the final item off his Survivor bucket list, taking home the title of Sole Survivor in Season 22, in one of the most dominant performances in the show's history. Redemption Island, that season's themes, applied in more ways than one to Boston Rob. Over the course of 39 days, he went from one of the show's most popular players and the best to never win to an outright legend of the game."I mean, without a doubt, I'm the biggest winner the show has ever seen, because I have my family because of it," Rob figures. "That's my legacy, my wife and my four daughters. It's not so much about money or days played or the impact. I truly feel like Survivor has given me more than anyone, and I am so grateful and so thankful. I've had this unbelievable experience that has gone on for more than half of my life."While Boston Rob is humble about his own impact on the franchise, he lays credit for the success of Survivor at the feet of one host-turned-longtime-friend."First of all, the format, the idea of having this group of people that come together, you know, to form this society where you have to vote people out, and then ultimately ask for the vote in the end, is something that's so voyeuristic," he says. "People relate to each of the characters. And secondly, it's going to be Jeff Probst. He is the reason. He is the face of the show. He's the one that's been there and seen it all. And he's done it with such grace and such like just pure, unadulterated enthusiasm each and every season. I think the format and Jeff are the reason why it's still on."

Related: How Boston Rob Mariano Went From Crawling Out of a Freezer to ‘Survivor’ Royalty (Exclusive)

Sandra Diaz-Twine

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"Her days are numbered. She won't be Final Four. And I got a million that says she won't be the final one."Jonny FairPlay said this confidently to the producers and audience of Survivor: Pearl Islands. He had just gotten into his first (but certainly not last) major fight with Sandra, and he felt she was too contentious and too much of an easy target to last significantly in the game, let alone go all the way. He had no idea how the falsities of that claim would echo across Survivor history.Across hundreds of castaways, some apply to get a once-in-a-lifetime experience, an opportunity to truly test — and change — themselves in the process. Others seek Survivor shores for the love of the game, and the vision of being crowned Sole Survivor. For Sandra, however, her desires — and subsequently her strategy — were rooted in financial reasons."I quickly realized, for me, I'm going to get paid more than my current job anyway," she recalls. "So the longer I last, the more money I make. So for me, I just kept taking it just one day at a time. I wasn't stressing myself out. Just one day at a time. If I could just survive the next day and the next day and the next day.”What became a simple plan to travel into the next pay bracket ended up becoming Sandra's calling card, and one of the most-cited strategies in the show's history: "As long as it's not me." Whether it's making a promise that will immediately get broken, or letting your closest ally take the heat, try anything and everything to make sure yours is the torch that doesn't get snuffed. For lack of a better term: Survive."It works with the right people, for the right people, by the right people," Sandra explains. "At the end of the day, there's usually always bigger fish to fry. And if you could take the spotlight off of yourself and put it onto someone else. Just go with the group, even if it's just for one vote, save yourself. Sometimes it's all you need to do to last one more day. It's a strategy that works."That became clear by the end of Pearl Islands when, after seeing her nemesis fall, Sandra was seen as the more palatable option of the Final Two. Given the win unanimously. But that strategy — and the legacy of Sandra — was definitively cemented in her next season, Heroes vs. Villains. Competing against some of the best and brightest, despite being outnumbered at multiple points, she simply stuck with her original game plan, doing whatever she needed to avoid her name on that parchment. By the end, she was yet again seen as the most desirable option of the Final Three in the eyes of the jury. And so, she was able to do what many fans (and even Sandra herself) deemed impossible: Winning Survivor for a second time.Becoming the show's first-ever two-time winenr cementing Sandra Diaz-Twine as the "queen" of Survivor. But, despite all the commendations she's received, she's still a fan at her core. So, when asked about the legacy of Survivor, she instead looks forward with some things she feels the show has to do to remain on the air for another 26 years."The fans that love Survivor are always going to watch because we want to critique, we want to be happy. But something has to change," she says. "I would love to see a lot of the players return. All these new players constantly...I think if you assembled the right players that were coming back for a second and third shot, especially a lot of the players that went to the end but didn't win that some of us were rooting for, I think we'd have some spectacular seasons on the horizon. So I would like for Jeff to bring back some returning player seasons. I really do."Related: 'I'm Doing This All By Myself': How Sandra Diaz-Twine Went Against All Odds to Become 'Survivor’s First Two-Time Winner (Exclusive)

Parvati Shallow

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While not the only two-time winner on the Survivor Mount Rushmore, Parvati holds the distinction of definitely undergoing the biggest metamorphosis between her two victories. When she kicked off her reality TV career on Cook Islands, she was, as she describes herself, "a light-hearted, very innocent, doe-eyed little me." Despite being only 23, she had lived quite an eventful life thus far, including growing up in — and eventually escaping — a cult.That unique experience had trained Parvati in the ways of not only adapting to her surroundings but also subtly manipulating others to carry out her whims. And she was able to carry that out to success in her debut season, making it all the way to sixth place. There was even more success to be found, however, starting when the call to return as a "Favorite" on Survivor: Micronesia. The season is widely regarded as one of Survivor's best, and it's due in large part to the legendary work of Parvati and her "Black Widow Brigade" alliance. The coven of women truly cast a spell in the postmerge of the game, the architects of a series of eviscerating blindsides. The most iconic, convincing Erik Reichenbach to give up his immunity necklace, is still seen almost 20 years later as one of the best moments in the show's history.Her second time out, Parvati made it all the way to Day 39. And, lauded for her relationships and strategic dominance, she earned the title. Two years later, she was contacted to step on the beach yet again, this time as a part of Heroes vs. Villains. This time, everyone was wary of the danger that Parvati possessed, making her public enemy number one on Villains beach. That forced her to ditch her old tactics — and truly transform her game.

“Heroes vs. Villains is where I stepped into a more empowered voice and stopped being the flirt,” the 43-year-old declares. “Flirting wasn't the strategy that was going to help me. So I had to shift gears. Because I started off as the underdog, and I was in just a very different position. I had no power starting that game."That would not be for long, however. A turbulent premerge somehow got Parvati from a 7-3 disadvantage to taking control of the Villains tribe. And her grip on the game even continued when the tribes merged. Despite so much heat being on her, Parvati pulled off a Survivor first, playing two idols at once to guarantee the Villains — and her — would have the advantage for the rest of the game. It was a run that sent Parvati's reputation into the stratosphere, with many incredibly impressed with how she got all the way to Day 39 once more. The irony: The season that changed so many minds was not a winning one. Parvati ultimately wound up finishing second, and she admits she left the season feeling hurt and broken, having been not only deprived the win, but reamed out by those she considered friends.It wouldn't be until 15 years later that Parvati would get the opportunity to travel back to Samoa for her "redemption story." After a subpar showing in Winners at War, she had undergone a series of major life changes, including getting divorced, becoming a single mom, and coming out as queer. She began to appear on other reality shows, experiencing a bit of a renaissance with star turns on The Traitors and Deal or No Deal Island. So, when she was offered the opportunity to return to the island for Australian Survivor: AU V The World, she jumped at the chance. The result: The best game she ever played, as she went toe-to-toe with some of the best global players in the show's history, and, in a madcap 16-day sprint, outplayed them all. At last, she had earned the second victory she felt she deserved.To date, Parvati has played the most days in Survivor history across any English-speaking series. But she feels like her longevity with the fandom is less about time spent on the beach, and more of about who showed up there."I think my legacy is that you can evolve," she reasons. "You can evolve yourself and evolve the game, if you show up authentically and just are willing to be courageous."And she feels that inspirational quality is what has made the show so successful for over a quarter of a century."People want to see people throwing themselves into the unknown, saying yes to adventure, being brave and also finding ways to survive and empower themselves in restrictive social settings," she says. "I think we are all dealing with that in our own lives, in the world. So survivor is a template for how to succeed in life. "We all just need models for how to do uncertainty and how to thrive in the unknown, because that's what life offers us every day. And I think people want to know that they can handle it, they can handle change, and they can handle when things don't go their way. And watching other people do that is really helpful, and it's also fun."Related: From Doe-Eyed to Black Widow: How Parvati Shallow Turned 'Survivor' Heartbreak into Two-Time Triumph (Exclusive)

Tony Vlachos

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Through the three-month airtime of Survivor: Cagayan, nobody thought Tony Vlachos would actually be the winner. The police officer (or was he a construction worker?) was an absolute madman in the game, finding a record number of idols, bleating at his opponents in llama, and covering himself in branches to spy on the competition. And, for what it's worth, when Tony started his first season, he was in agreement."To be honest with you, the reason I played the way I played was because I thought I had no chance of winning," the 52-year-old admits. "I did not think I was winning that game, so that's why I was swinging for the fences. I didn't care if I thought I was gonna get voted out. So I was like, 'You know what? I'm gonna go big.' And later on, towards the middle of the game, that's when I started having a little army behind me. And I was like, 'Whoa, I might have a chance here!'"To say that would be an understatement. The second half of Cagayan had Tony and Woo Hwang flipping back and forth between alliances, singlehandedly deciding who would go. And, when Tony was at his most in danger at the final stage, he took advantage of his close understanding of his number one ally, convincing him to make arguably the worst move in Survivor history by taking him to the end. The result: Tony's near-unanimous win, making him one of the biggest characters to ever take home the million.Tony returned to the island for Game Changers, only to have his run (literally) stop short when he was voted out second. When he came back for Winners at War, he had a new game plan. Sit on your hands the first half of the game, building relationships (and ladders). When the second half of the game hit, yet again, the true Tony came out, as he engineered the ousters of some of the best players in the show's history. And the similarity to his Cagayan dominance saw a similar outcome, as he took home the second win and a $2 million prize.In talking with many Survivor players since Tony's time on the show, they often cite him as an inspiration, hoping to weaponize advantages and allies in the way that he was able to do so successfully. So even if he has no desire to continue, his gameplay certainly will."As a fan, I was watching Survivor dwindle down, as far as I'm concerned," he says. "And when I played Season 28, it got another jump start. From that point on, it was like, 'Whoa! You could actually backstab your alliance, jump back and forth.' I haven't seen that in many seasons that I watched prior to that. Now that's all I see! I went in there, and I gave it a second life."Related: 'I Had No Chance of Winning': How Tony Vlachos Turned Jungle Chaos Into Two Legendary 'Survivor' Wins (Exclusive)

Survivor: The Next Generation

Courtesy of CBS

All four of these Survivor legends have made their own respective splashes. They have been cited numerous times for their innovative gameplay, from brute-force dominance to subtle, yet effective nudges. But the figures of Mount Rushmore are now looking to the ripples. All four are parents, and they have different plans for when (and if) they’ll ever let their children follow in their sandy footsteps.

Tony, who has a 13-year-old daughter and an 11-year-old son, has opted for a strict law in his household: Do as I say, not as I do. 

“I tell them, ‘You don't want to go out there and do what your dad did to try to win money for the family. That same money that I brought home once in a lifetime, you want to bring that home every year. Go to school, educate yourself, go to college, get a great job where you don't need to be in the jungle, suffering and struggling like your dad did.’”

Parvati has opted for a similar path with her daughter. She feels TV is in her destiny, though, as she puts it, “There’s probably easier paths than playing Survivor.” But when it comes to that competitive spirit, the apple doesn’t fall far from the tree.

“She did watch the arm-raising challenge, where I held my arm up for six hours. And she will do that sometimes. At one point, she was with some friends, and she's like, ‘Let's hold our arms up for an hour.’ And they timed her, and she was painting a painting and holding one arm up.”

Rob’s four daughters arguably have Survivor in their blood, considering they’re the product of two winners. But he’s a protective parent when it comes to heading out to the island, wanting to not set them up for disappointment.

“They're such good kids. They're so adventurous. And if one of them wanted to do that someday, of course, I would support them,” he says. “I also have pretty strong feelings that you have to have a certain amount of life experience before you do these kinds of shows. I definitely would not encourage my kids to go play Survivor at 18 or 19 or even 20. I just wouldn't want to put them in a position where they got crushed.”

Of course, having a child become a Survivor player is more than just speculative for Sandra. When she flew out to play on Australian Survivor, she wasn’t alone, joined by her daughter, Nina Twine. Nina would go on to vote her mom out of the game, then had her game cut short due to a knee injury. She would quickly be given a second chance the very next season, where she made a run all the way to fifth place. And she even joined her mother in the reality TV winner’s circle when she was crowned the champ of USA’s The Anonymous. The two are once again competing side-by-side, currently on Season 2 of FOX’s Extracted.

“She had interviewed and spent a week in California for David vs. Goliath,” Sandra says about her daughter’s reality TV origin. “I thought she was a shoo-in. And then she wasn't picked at the last minute. And then they called me for Australian Survivor. And I had to bring forth a couple of people for them to pick from, and she was the one, and they fell in love with her. She's so smart that she could handle something like that. And then she ended up playing again. That's how strong Nina is. The universe wanted it to happen when it did happen, and it was the right time for her.”

Whether or not their children will appear on a Survivor season in the future, Parvati, Boston Rob, Sandra, and Tony’s effects have had a profound impact on generations of castaways. They have showcased the wide variety of people and strategies it takes to survive the challenges, the elements, and most importantly, each other. They have inspired those who have followed to instill fear into their enemies, to hoodwink someone with an idol, to burn the hat, to speak llama. 

After Survivor 50, it’s a mystery what future seasons will bring, who will don the buff in pursuit of the adventure of a lifetime. Regardless, we can always look back upon the pursuits of the iconic players who have helped keep Survivor’s flame lit for 26 years — and who have stopped it from getting snuffed out any time soon.

Related: Meet the Full Cast of 'Survivor 50': Photos, Bios and What to Know

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