Over 40 seasons and hundreds of contestants,Survivor has introduced few players as impactful as Parvati Shallow, whose runs onCook Islands,Micronesia,Heroes Vs. VillainsandWinners At War arehighly celebrated. Her strategic, manipulative, and often flirty playstyle has led to her name being used in many comparisons to more recent players over the years.
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As the leader of the infamous Black Widow Brigade and a member of the fan-favorite Villains tribe, Parvati has also accumulated quite a few memorable quotes over the years. Fans ofSurvivorfrequently reference these iconic lines. From the funny to the downright sinister, these Parvati quotes have endured many seasons later.
"Are You Gonna Rename Her Bench, Jeff? The Sandra Bench?" - Winners At War
One of the major delights forSurvivor fans inWinners At Waris seeing legendary players interacting with each other for the first time in a long time or ever. The season's legendary casts led to meme-worthy and funny moments like this one, in which Parvati names the sit-out bench at challenges after Sandra.
For the rest of the season, players and Jeff jokingly refer to the bench as "the Sandra Bench" following Parvati's suggestion, bringing some levity to the intense challenges. Mostly, though, the line reminds fans just how charming Parvati is and has always been across her four appearances.
"Are We Being Punk'd?" - Winners At War
In the premiere episode of "Winners At War," the Sele tribe becomes the first to go to tribal council and vote someone out of the game. This tribe, however, is hesitant to start the discussion about who should go home, leaving Boston Rob and Parvaticonfused and frustrated with the lack of communication.
Fans had gone without Parvati's signature sense of humor for twenty seasons, so many were delighted withthe playful insults criticizing her tribe for being indecisive. Asking if she's beingPunk'd is an apt reference for how fans probably feel watching these early scenes of Sele's hesitancy to act.
"I Think That He's A Filthy, Miserable Rat" - Cook Islands
Parvati's first season ofSurvivor,Cook Islands is largely remembered for players like Yul and Ozzy, but Parvati does get her time in the spotlight on this initial run. One of her most memorable moments is her aggressive confessional reaction to Penner flipping on the Raro alliance to join the Aitu Four.
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It's a sneak peek at her later reputation as a major villain onMicronesia andHeroes Vs. Villains, but it also cements her aggressiveness as a player that would make her such a strategic threat in her subsequent outings. It's not the most memorable of her insults, but it's definitely impactful.
"She's Just Like A Bitter Old Cougar" - Heroes Vs. Villains
As its name suggests,Heroes Vs. Villains is a season filled with drama and clashing players both within and across tribal lines. Jerri is one player who clashes with several members of the Villains tribe at various points, despite being central to the strategy of the season, leading to some choice words in confessionals.
As Jerri expresses her own desire to vote Parvati out to the cameras, Parvati calls her annoying and "a bitter old cougar" in a separate confessional. While Jerri fans might take issue with the insult, Parvati's delivery makes the moment stand out as a biting insult for theSurvivor history books.
"Why Would You Hand A Villain Your Heart?" - Heroes Vs. Villains
One of the most iconic moments inHeroes Vs. Villains is the saga of J.T.'s infamous letter to Russell, in which the Hero gives the fan-favorite Villain an immunity idol. When Russell shows Parvati the idol, she gives a confessional starting with this line and ending with the image of her eating J.T.'s heart.
The true power of this quote comes about when J.T. goes home at the merge, thanks to his own idol protecting Jerri, showing that Parvati really did eat the metaphorical heart he gave to Russell. Fans andSurvivor alumni know that Parvati is a dangerous player, and this moment is prime proof.
"You'll Officially Go Down As The Dumbest Survivor Ever" - Micronesia
Erik giving up his immunity necklace at the final five ofSurvivor: Micronesia is possibly the most-documented and most-discussed moment in the series' history. So, Parvati is at least partially correct when she votes Erik off while saying he will probably be remembered as the "dumbest survivor ever."
While many are sympathetic to Erik today, recognizing that the Black Widow Brigade deserves the credit for the move more than Erik's state of mind, the moment has gone down in history. This quote encapsulates the historic moment, while also framing Parvati's role as a villain inMicronesia and seasons to come.
"I'm Like A Phoenix Rising From The Ashes" - Winners At War
Parvati's first confessional inWinners At War became an instant fan favorite for its iconic imagery of her return to the competition as powerful as ever. Not only does it reference the iconic firebird that represents rebirth, but it's also followed by Parvati's promise, "ready to burn down your house."
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Although her stint onWinners At War is her shortest across all of her runs, this moment introduces it in style, reflecting both her comebackafter 20 seasons and the return of her cutthroat gameplay. While Parvati's new status as a mom is a large part of her story on this season, her villainous side is still present.
"This Is My Love Letter To You" - Heroes Vs. Villains
The culmination of the saga of J.T.'s letter to Russell onHeroes Vs. Villains is his elimination, and Parvati savors the moment with her voting confessional. Reflecting on the letter that J.T. tries to use to make a big move, Parvati composes a verbal love letter to the latest victim of her and Russell's alliance.
"Since you tried to vote me out, I figured I'd return the favor," Parvati concludes, sealing it with a kiss to the camera. Parvati's reputation as a flirt and a bloodthirsty strategist is crystallized in this one memorable moment that is equal parts savage and darkly hilarious.
"I Think It Would Be Downright Depressing..." - Heroes Vs. Villains
Fans ofSurvivor often reflect on their favorite idol plays, and one of the most cited of all time is likely Parvati's double idol play fromHeroes Vs. Villains. As Parvati plays idols on Jerri and Sandra to keep the Villains alive and take J.T. out, she delivers these legendary lines.
Humorously referencing the situation with ripening bananas at the merged tribe's camp, the quote also refers to her allies as "debaucherous little villains," playing up the season's theme. It's fitting that a tribal council that puts the Heroes on the defensive for the rest of the season features such an indelible line.
"It's Like The Black Widow Brigade" - Micronesia
Probably the most beloved alliance in the history ofSurvivor isMicronesia's Black Widow Brigade, composed of Parvati, Cirie, Amanda, and Natalie. Parvati goes on to win this season, so it makes sense that she is the one to name this hugely dominant alliance, and she does so with an iconic quote drawing on the imagery of a spider capturing its victim.
Arguably,Micronesia represents Parvati's rise to being one of the franchise's beloved villains after her introduction inCook Islands, and this moment solidifying her most famous alliance perfectly captures that character development. The fact that she does go on to lead the Brigade to the final four and win the season herself makes it an even more impactful quote.
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