Rick Devens On Survivor 50 Prep and His Gameplay in Edge of Extinction
The road to Survivor 50 is heating up, and the Castaway Consultants podcast recently sat down with one of the most electric players from the game's recent history: Rick Devens.
Before he returns to the island for the monumental 50th season, Devens reflected on his iconic run in Survivor: Edge of Extinction (Season 38). We are very excited to have had the opportunity to talk to Rick about how that unconventional season shaped him, his specific preparations for returning, and the method behind his memorable madness in EoE.
Here are the highlights from the interview, told in Devens' own words.
The Strategy of Survivor 50 Pregaming
Returning for a milestone season packed with legends is daunting. While many players might try making connections before heading to Fiji, Devens took a decidedly different approach for the sake of his own sanity.
“I made a very strategic decision to not involve myself in pregaming. I knew there was going to be a lot of it for 50, and I just don’t have the connections that these other people have. So I felt like for me it was better to go in not connected to anybody than to have a few connections that could be used against me. I’m just like, ‘I’m going to go the totally different way,’ which was glorious for my mental health leading up to it.”
Finding That "Extra Gear" on the Edge
In Season 38, when others were fading from hunger and exhaustion, Devens seemed to find a new level of energy. Derek asked him about this "extra gear," and his answer revealed the mindset of a player with nothing to lose.
“I think a lot of times in Survivor what you see... is everyone’s against you and that’s your fuel. It’s like, ‘Okay, you’re gonna be against me? That really frees me up to do what I want to do.’ ...It’s also a fearlessness. You have to get to a point where you’re not scared to make a move... You just can’t be scared. You have to understand that a lot of great players have gone home looking stupid, and that might be your story, but if you’re going to have a great story, you got to take that chance.”
He credits the Edge of Extinction twist for unlocking this aggressive playstyle.
“Oh, 38 and the Edge of Extinction absolutely molded me into the player I am now... I absolutely feel like my opportunity to come back into the game after experiencing disappointment... shaped that perspective and turned me into I think a much more aggressive player.”
Reflecting on Alliance Decisions
Looking back, even a fan-favorite game has its "what ifs." Devens shared a fascinating regret about his early-game alliances, wishing he and David Wright had embraced a different path.
“I was going, ‘Why did David and I get in with the cool kids who obviously had their own little cool kid thing when we could have run with the misfits?’ I mean if we had gone with Reem and Wendy... Reem and Wendy never, ever would have turned on us unless it was only down to them versus us... Form your alliances with people in the game who are going to be loyal to you along the way.”
The True Story Behind the Fake Idols
Devens became infamous for his fake idols and the chaos they caused. He clarified that what looked like pure entertainment started as a desperate, strategic backup plan.
“Where it came from initially was I knew at a certain point in the game that the only way I was going to get to the end... was by winning immunities or finding idols. No one was going to work with me... So I said, ‘What’s my backup plan if I can’t win the immunity or I can’t find an idol?’ ...I can hide the fake idol up in the tree where I found it. And then I have this clue which can’t be faked... That was my get out of jail free card, break glass in case of emergency.”
Once he secured real safety, the plan evolved into a way to seize control of the narrative in front of the jury.
“At that point I’m just like, ‘Let’s cause as much chaos as possible.’ Because I knew the one thing that was a weakness at final tribal council would be, ‘Rick, you made it through this stuff but you never had control of the game.’ ...I’m like, how can you say I’m not controlling the game? Every single thing that happens is because of me.”
Advice for Future Castaways
For anyone fortunate enough to play the game, the Season 38 legend offered one crucial piece of advice.
“I would say it’s great to have a plan, but don’t tie yourself to a plan. You have to be ready to do things that you have no expectation that you’re going to do... Be loose, be adaptable, and never feel like you’re out of the game because at any moment it can totally flip.”
To hear the full conversation, be sure to check out the Castaway Consultants podcast interview. It’s the perfect primer before Rick Devens returns to your screen for Survivor 50!
