Denise Stapley: Could She Win the ‘Survivor’ 2020 Finale?

Denise Stapley is a sex therapist from Iowa who is one of the final five castaways on Survivor Season 40, subtitled “Winners at War.” We think she has a really good chance of winning the $2 million prize. Read on to find out why.

Denise Is Extremely Well-Liked

Survivor: Winners at War – Immunity Challenge: Running Down a DreamImmunity and two Fire Tokens are at stake in this challenge of obstacles and a puzzle. Subscribe to the “Survivor” Channel HERE: http://bit.ly/1PHu4sf Watch Full Episodes of “Survivor” HERE:http://bit.ly/1VsYLVQ Follow “Survivor” on Instagram HERE:http://bit.ly/1EtXglR Like “Survivor” on Facebook HERE: http://on.fb.me/1IApvdH Follow “Survivor” on Twitter HERE: http://bit.ly/1JsSzFM Follow “Survivor” on Google+ HERE: http://bit.ly/1UirlMA Find “Survivor” on Google Play HERE: http://bit.ly/1JQxaq9 Get the CBS app for iPhone & iPad! Click HERE: http://bit.ly/12rLxge Get new episodes of shows you love across devices the next day, stream live TV, and watch full seasons of CBS fan favorites anytime, anywhere with CBS All Access. Try it free! http://bit.ly/1OQA29B — The Emmy Award-winning series returns this fall on the CBS Television Network. In a SURVIVOR first, the 31st season, themed Second Chance, will feature 20 castaways, chosen by the fans, who return to compete against each other with the same ultimate goal: to outwit, outplay and outlast each other. Ultimately, one will be crowned the Sole Survivor and win the one million dollar prize. The show is hosted by Emmy Award winner Jeff Probst.2020-05-07T05:00:16Z

Stapley has been like the mom of Survivor both times she has played because she has been one of the oldest players both times. In fact, she’s the oldest female winner in the show’s history.

Part of what got her a win during Survivor: Philippines back in season 25 is that she was universally liked. Another impressive Survivor record she holds it that she is the only person to have to go to every single Tribal Council in an entire season. If you go to every single Tribal and are never voted out and then win the game? There has to be likability coming into play.

This season is no different. Denise has rarely been in danger and while she is a good strategist, a lot of that safety has come from people liking her, wanting to keep her around, and not seeing her as a threat.

When asked in 2015 to name his Top 10 winners of all time on the show, host Jeff Probst counted Stapley as one of them and said of her strategy, “The reason Denise made it so deep is that she just stayed out of the way and trusted in the fact, ‘If I can get to the end, I know what I’m capable of. My secret weapon is that they don’t know. If I can just hang in there long enough…’ It’s a really interesting and risky way to play, but I was so proud of her for winning. She was down on her luck from the get-go, and yet, she hung in there. That’s something we often talk about on Survivor. It’s why you never quit. As long as you’re in the game, tomorrow is a new day.”

She’s Made a Couple of Big Moves

Survivor: Winners at War – Immunity Challenge: When It RainsSee who is tempted by food and who wins this challenge for immunity and Fire Tokens. Subscribe to the “Survivor” Channel HERE: http://bit.ly/1PHu4sf Watch Full Episodes of “Survivor” HERE:http://bit.ly/1VsYLVQ Follow “Survivor” on Instagram HERE:http://bit.ly/1EtXglR Like “Survivor” on Facebook HERE: http://on.fb.me/1IApvdH Follow “Survivor” on Twitter HERE: http://bit.ly/1JsSzFM Follow “Survivor” on Google+ HERE: http://bit.ly/1UirlMA Find “Survivor” on Google Play HERE: http://bit.ly/1JQxaq9 Get the CBS app for iPhone & iPad! Click HERE: http://bit.ly/12rLxge Get new episodes of shows you love across devices the next day, stream live TV, and watch full seasons of CBS fan favorites anytime, anywhere with CBS All Access. Try it free! http://bit.ly/1OQA29B — The Emmy Award-winning series returns this fall on the CBS Television Network. In a SURVIVOR first, the 31st season, themed Second Chance, will feature 20 castaways, chosen by the fans, who return to compete against each other with the same ultimate goal: to outwit, outplay and outlast each other. Ultimately, one will be crowned the Sole Survivor and win the one million dollar prize. The show is hosted by Emmy Award winner Jeff Probst.2020-04-30T04:00:23.000Z

Stapley seems to have been underestimated both times that she played the game because her name hardly ever comes up to be voted out, even after she made some huge moves in “Winners at War.”

Her biggest move in the game by far was when she got an immunity idol from Sandra Diaz-Twine in exchange for two fire tokens, then at Tribal, she played one idol for herself and one idol for her ally, Jeremy Collins, and then Sandra got voted out! It was incredible. If you can topple the self-proclaimed “Queen of Survivor,” you have a great argument to win the whole thing.

Plus, Stapley is no slouch in immunity challenges. She has won two individual immunity challenges in addition to her good gameplay, so she has a solid resume to argue in favor of her winning it all.

However, there is the x-factor of which eliminated castaway is going to return to the game after the battle-back competition. That could throw a wrench into everyone’s plans.

It’ll be interesting to see how it plays out, but one thing is for sure — Stapley’s husband and daughter will be rooting hard for her at home in Iowa. Stapley is married to a man named Brad, who works as an operations product transition manager at Rockwell Collins, an avionics and information technology systems corporation in Cedar Rapids, Iowa. The two have one child, Sydney, who is 16.

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

‘Survivor’s’ Jonathan Penner Reveals Wife Stacy’s ALS Diagnosis on the Show