‘Survivor: Edge of Extinction’ Castaway Reveals Major Marital Sacrifice Made to Compete

As Survivor: Edge of Extinction comes down to the finals, it’s only becoming more apparent the sacrifices the castaways have made for the shot at $1 million and a chance to test their mettle.

Wednesday’s all-new episode of the CBS reality show may started off on a deceptive note, as Ron Clark attempted to forge an alliance with Rick Devens using a bunk advantage, but things quickly turned heartwarming as the castaways made it to the much-anticipated family visits.

Seeing the contestants in a context outside of the competition is always and emotional time, but the biggest revelation came from Gavin Whitson, who revealed he was scheduled to get married two days after he needed to leave for Edge of Extinction, prompting he and his now-wife to push their wedding date up to just two days before he took off.

“Now, that I’m out here, all that I can think about it getting back home with her,” he said, embracing his wife. “This is my dream. Survivor‘s great, but this is my dream.”

Working together with their loved ones, Ron and his husband managed to pull off the win, earning them a picnic and much-needed extra time together. Every season, the opportunity to bring along two fellow castaways and their loved one is a major political move, and Ron certainly made an strategic one, bringing longtime ally Julie Rosenberg and Gavin, saying he wanted to give him and his new bride “a proper honeymoon.”

That wasn’t quite the reason behind his choice, he later confessed to the camera: “I wanna get the maximum impact out of my picks,” he admitted. “I wanted to make sure I have Julie in my pocket, and then I picked Gavin. It had nothing to do with the honeymoon, that wouldn’t have swayed my decision. I need Gavin to be locked in, and to give him that experience with his new bride, it’s a powerful experience.”

The trio agreed at their picnic that Devens was too much of a threat to keep in the game, vowing to send him home if given the chance. But the player who fought his way back from the Edge of Extinction wasn’t giving up that easy, trying to paint a target on Aurora McCreary’s back by making things “awkward” at camp when he caught her rifling through his bag.

Finding an immunity idol — hidden 15 feet above the castaways’ heads at camp — added to his security, despite the risky midnight measures he had to take to obtain it.

“They don’t know what’s comin’ for ’em,” Devens told the camera after pulling off his heist. “I’m on top of the moon.”

With Gavin pulling off individual immunity in the challenge, talk quickly turned back to ousting Devens, with Ron still relying on him playing the advantage he gave him in vain — not knowing he had managed to secure a way of staying safe aside from the trick.

Devens was more than aware it was him being sent home, naming Ron as the only person who even slightly wanted to work with him, “and he could be totally full of it.”

Ron’s plan involved asking Devens to vote for Aurora in case he did have an idol, but with Aurora, Victoria and Lauren O’Connell seeing that possibility in the cards, the trio planned to give Aurora’s extra vote advantage to the only truly safe player, Gavin, and use Ron as their back-up vote.

Gavin was torn, having just been given “one of the best days” of his life by Ron, but not wanting to betray his close allies.

With the jury watching, things shook out almost as Ron expected, with Devens playing his fake immunity advantage initially before whipping out his own idol in a moment of victory, making the jury clap and laugh with glee.

“You guys are gems,” he told Julie and Ron before sitting down in triumph.

With that being played, Ron was the 13th person sent to Edge of Extinction, and a line was officially drawn in the sand.

Survivor airs Wednesdays at 8 p.m. ET on CBS.

Photo credit: CBS