In crazy cold temperatures and the relentless wilderness that spans as far as the eye can see begins a race of survival to outlast the others. The latest reality show features sixteen contestants who are touted as determined and skilled survivors. They have had varying experiences in their lives as they come from different walks of life. From blacksmiths and engineers to yoga instructors and private investigators, every contender seems to hail from distinct corners of the country. This is what makes the show incredible as well. Sixteen complete strangers have to rely on their instincts to make teams and win with allies. A sole survivor can make it to the end on the basis of their mental and physical strength, but working in a team and cooperating with mates brings a new layer of difficulty to the show.
Netflix’s “Outlast” makes the most of this premise and enacts rules to get the contestants in line. For example, no contender can ever be solo; they always have to be a part of the team. Moreover, there is no voting or elimination process in place. Every participant can quit by choice and fire a flare gun to announce the same. Such twists add a new perspective to a fundamental and typical survival-based show. Furthermore, the characters in “Outlast” are unique and quirky, to say the least. Let’s decode the vivid personalities of the five finalists that make it to the finish line out of the sixteen starting players.
Spoilers Ahead
Alpha Team: Jill And Amber
Unsurprisingly, the members of the Alpha camp were truly ‘alpha’ in nature. Jill, Justin, and Lee began fighting from day one to get their way and place themselves at the top of the hierarchy. They squabbled and argued at every turn and blamed the others when something did not work out. Such behavior exhibits a certain weakness when it comes to cooperating and playing as a team. Their inability to come together as a team is also reflected in how they were left behind in the race to find a good campsite and food to eat. After Lee quit, only three players were left. Apparently, things started looking up as they worked together and found a way to work as a team. However, there is very little one can do when a smaller faction is created inside the team. Jill and Amber’s growing closeness annoyed Justin, as he felt sidelined his own squad. The duo started doubting and blaming Justin for the team’s failure to perform or win a task. This started when Justin’s need to have a perfect raft set them a day behind everyone else. In the end, the two women had to take charge and get to the island to get crab pots on foot. Moreover, Justin’s behavior starts becoming shadier and more untrustworthy as he steals food and even rips their tarp when exiled from the camp.
Jill and Amber remain the two finalists in the race to the finish line from the Alpha camp. Starting with Jill, we see her as a stubborn and driven lady who will stop at nothing but victory. Jill’s background is in instructing seminars in self-confidence building, plant identification, and wilderness survival. She has worked as a private investigator and a firefighter/EMT. Jill, a mom with three kids, has won the state’s top archery title in addition to being a professional fisherman. She has also created and built a number of homes, including the one she currently resides in. This reflects the kind of skills she brings to the table in the entire competition. Along with her resounding physical strength, Jill also proves to be tactically ahead of everyone else, as she is the one who starts scheming and plotting to bring others down. She plans to steal sleeping bags and destroy Javier’s camp. Her cunning and sly demeanor also make her a little untrustworthy and unreliable. She only remains loyal to Amber throughout the show, and even then, not completely. She plans to switch teams behind their backs and then changes her mind at the last second. As she repeatedly claims on the show also, Jill thinks of herself first, and everything else comes second. With absolutely no morals or integrity, she plays a nasty game and does not stay true to her words. Consequently, when something bad happens to her, she tries to play the sympathy card and breaks down in tears on camera. In all unfairness, if she does something crooked, it’s in the name of the game, and when someone else does the same to her, they are cowards and assholes. In what world is that a sign of a strong and capable winner?
The second remaining finalist from the Alpha team is Amber. Her life in itself is quite inspiring, as she not only battled addiction but also survived an abusive relationship. The guy she loved had physically assaulted her, but even at those tough times, Amber didn’t lose hope. With her zeal and dedication, she changed her life entirely and went on a journey with a shaman in the deserts just to find out what she really wanted in life. Her role in helping her team so far is minimal at best. She acts as Jill’s shadow and trusts her blindly. Doing everything she says, Amber does not exhibit any profound skills of her own except her physical and mental grit, which allows her to complete various challenges and get to the very end. As many other contestants also notice throughout the show, Amber fails to be her own person in the competition and rather follows Jill around like a lost puppy. Even while executing her team’s vicious means, she does whatever Jill tells her to. However, in some cases, we see Amber as the one who fills Jill’s head with harsh plans. She sits on her shoulder like a mean devil and spews things that can wreak havoc on other team members.
Charlie Team: Nick, Seth, And Paul
As soon as the teams get divided, everyone splits into their own quadrants of land to find a suitable campsite. The Charlie Team does the same. In the beginning, Charlie has Nick, Seth, Angie, and Andrea on the team. The first signs of strain appear in Angie and Nick’s way of handling each challenge that comes their way. Both of them are leaders and have trouble adjusting and cooperating. They take to their natural skills almost instantly. With time, they start working together rather than against each other. Andrea is the first to quit, as she suffers from a dangerous bout of vomiting since the food and water in the area do not suit her. This leaves the three contenders by themselves. Being one hand short, they talk to other teams and see if they can recruit someone else and lure them to Charlie.
When Jordan quits the Delta team, Paul thinks that he needs to switch teams if he wants a better chance at surviving the competition. This decision proves to be one of the smartest ones, as he calculates his chances and makes an informed decision. However, the way he leaves his former team appears a little disappointing. He defected with no information or warning and just upped and left. When Paul goes over, the Charlie team works extremely smoothly and appears well-knit. After the fishing challenge, Angie’s health deteriorates, and she, unfortunately, has to quit the game. This brings us to the three finalists left in Charlie: Nich, Seth, and Paul.
Paul used to hunt for his family’s dinner as a youngster; now, he hunts wildlife to supplement his family’s diet. In addition to accompanying veterans on whitetail bowhunting expeditions, he considers himself a professional hunter and fisherman and shares his passion for the outdoors by teaching hunting and fishing techniques to kids and new hunters every season. Paul is one of the older contestants in the race. However, his valuable experience and expertise in hunting come in handy for whichever team he plays for. Moreover, in the final race to the finish line, Paul paces himself well at first, but he gets exhausted toward the end. He keeps his family in his mind and his God in his heart to keep moving. Paul receives great support and encouragement from his teammates as well, and this motivates him to end this competition with grace and integrity.
Nick, a high school teacher and wrestling coach, exhorts his kids to excel in all they do or else it will be a waste of time. He has just completed a solo ascent of Mount Shasta and has visited the whole Pacific Northwest, the Rockies, the Sierra Nevadas, and the Northeastern United States. Nick appears to be a manly man who works hard and demands to be heard whenever he says something. He’s the archetypal sportsman who relies on his physical and mental grit more than anything else. When it comes to the game, Nick is not seen doing any of the heavy lifting for the team besides the fishing challenge. He instructs and leads the team well. In the end, the team reaches the finish line with much difficulty but with immense support and cooperation from everyone.
Along with Nick, Seth is the other most sorted, non-drama person. The duo has been together since the beginning and has formed a wonderful brotherhood that allows them to win the competition altogether. Seth joined the Marine Corps at the age of 19 and was stationed in Hawaii, where he acquired skills in land navigation, battle survival, and, in his words, “how to effectively get tanned on a seashore.” Nevertheless, he mastered most of his survival abilities on his own while growing up on a farm in Virginia, where he also learned to hunt, fish, and track wildlife. Seth does not show much vivacity throughout the show, either. He keeps to himself and only gets involved whenever necessary. Seth mediates between the two alphas, Nick and Angie, to keep his team together. The Charlie Team’s cooperation, unity, and collective determination helped them successfully finish the race and emerge victorious.