It all came down to a single number.
After 13 weeks of telecasts, showing 16 people isolated on a tropical island enduring hellish deprivations and sadistic challenges, CBS capped its summer reality TV game show "Survivor" with a guessing game.
And as it happened, Richard Hatch lucked out.
Headed into Wednesday's two-hour finale, four finalists were left:
— Hatch, 39, the corporate trainer.
— Rudy Boesch, 72, the ex-Navy SEAL.
— River guide Kelly Wiglesworth, 23.
— Truck driver Susan Hawk, 38.
A bounty of $1 million and a new car awaited the winner.
By the end of the show, Hatch and Wiglesworth remained, pleading their case before a "jury" of seven previously ejected contestants.
After 13 weeks of watching Hatch form a covert alliance with other contestants, arrogantly flaunting his confidence while secretly plotting the demise of his competitors, few expected him to walk away with the big prize.
(Even CBS' "Survivor" Web site gave him the lowest odds of any finalist; a poll CBS conducted Wednesday night showed more than 40 percent thought the wrong guy won.)
How could anyone know that a simple number choice would seal his victory?
Though every juror was allowed to ask questions or make statements to the two finalists, Greg Buis, 24, had just one question: "Pick a number between 1 and 10."
Hatch picked 7, Wiglesworth picked 3.
Turns out, Buis picked 9. So his vote — the deciding vote — went to the contestant Internet fans have begun calling The Prince of Darkness. (Wiglesworth got a substantial second prize, $100,000.)
But Hatch, speaking during an hourlong live reunion show aired after the two-hour finale, rejected the idea that viewers found his tactics, um, shady.
"The press made more out of my being evil than people did," Hatch said. "The mail I'm getting is really supportive. People are positive."
Right.
As a pal pointed out recently, it could only happen in a country as overfed and oblivious as America: a landmark TV show about 16 people isolated on a tropical island and deprived of comforts both basic and beyond.
Since May 31, CBS has reaped a ratings bonanza every Wednesday, with increasing millions watching as one contestant was ejected every week, and a $1-million prize waiting for the winner. About 40-million viewers were expected Wednesday.
As the finale began, the four finalists faced a final gauntlet of competitions that demonstrated how well producers pace the show.
The first, dubbed "Fallen Comrades," quizzed castaways on how well they knew previously ejected contestants. Wiglesworth won immunity from expulsion in a contest that demonstrated Hatch only pretended to listen to his islandmates before they got bounced.
Hawk was later eliminated in an emotional vote that came down to a tiebreaking choice by Wiglesworth and Boesch.
The second challenge for immunity also played to Wigelsworth's strengths, with the three remaining castaways walking over hot coals to reach three stumps surrounding a wooden immunity idol.
They were challenged to keep their hands on the idol as long as possible (Wiglesworth had previously won a similar challenge, staying balanced on a board for hours to win immunity). Even with host Jeff Probst hauling out orange slices and inane questions to torture the castaways — you almost wished they could vote him off, instead — the contest offered nail-biting suspense.
First, Hatch dropped out, and then after more than four hours, Boesch's hand slipped off. He was then eliminated in the next vote, leaving Hatch and Wiglesworth (who had won her fifth straight immunity challenge).
Jurors were allowed to ask probing questions or make statements before their final vote, and Hawk presented the most emotional speech — an explosion of insults and sour grapes that sealed her reputation as the most caustic castaway.
"We have Richard the Snake and Kelly the Rat," she said, eyes brimming with fury and tears (just after the final vote, Wiglesworth refused to hug her ornery rival). "Let it be in the end like Mother Nature intended it to be. . . . Let the snake eat the rat."
We now know how that turned out.